When Edna's daughter Amy is visiting from special school, Laverne and Shirley are put in charge to take care of her. When Lenny walks in, unannounced as always, he is smitten by her right away. They get along quite well, and Lenny is as gentle as one can be. However, the mistrust Lenny gets might cut the bond between them short...
This episode was WAY ahead of its time. When it aired, people with autism or who were mentally challenged were virtually non-existent on TV. And looking back on it today, it's easy to see why it won audiences over.
The way Linda Gillen portrays Amy with all the various familiar tics and particular way of speaking is something I can confirm is true to real life, as someone who during my first three school years went to a special needs school. And her character is adorable, first feeling shy but then speaking up once she picks out her favorite of the dresses Laverne and Shirley make her choose from. And it gets even cuter once Lenny notices her and they start talking with each other. Lenny was always a little more sensitive than Squiggy (though of course he had those moments as well), and it shows through in the scenes where Lenny talks with her and teaches several things, while also wanting her to tell about herself more. Amy loves that he doesn't treat her like a child and likes her just for who she is, not because of her diagnosis. Eventually this leads up to the famous scene where Squiggy openly insults Amy, which leads Lenny to get pissed off at him and throw him over a table. They have fought before, but the amount of intensity and emotion showcased by Lenny makes it a very moving and poignant moment. Michael McKean acts it out amazingly.
There's also something at the end I think parents with children who are mentally challenged can relate to, that being that you gotta protect them more carefully than other kids, but at the same time you don't want to baby them too much so they won't be able to make their own adult decisions. Betty Garrett gets a chance to shine here. And although it was shocking to see Edna yell at Laverne and Shirley at first, the part where Shirley puts on the pouting sad face her friend often does was hilarious.
Even after that it doesn't look like it will end happily for everyone, with Lenny feeling unhappy at the Saint Patrick's Day party hoping that Amy will arrive. Even Squiggy showing up in his comically inept outfit doesn't keep his mood up for more than a few seconds. Thankfully, she does. They smile and take each other's hands. It warmed my heart so much I was tearing up.
This episode was WAY ahead of its time. When it aired, people with autism or who were mentally challenged were virtually non-existent on TV. And looking back on it today, it's easy to see why it won audiences over.
The way Linda Gillen portrays Amy with all the various familiar tics and particular way of speaking is something I can confirm is true to real life, as someone who during my first three school years went to a special needs school. And her character is adorable, first feeling shy but then speaking up once she picks out her favorite of the dresses Laverne and Shirley make her choose from. And it gets even cuter once Lenny notices her and they start talking with each other. Lenny was always a little more sensitive than Squiggy (though of course he had those moments as well), and it shows through in the scenes where Lenny talks with her and teaches several things, while also wanting her to tell about herself more. Amy loves that he doesn't treat her like a child and likes her just for who she is, not because of her diagnosis. Eventually this leads up to the famous scene where Squiggy openly insults Amy, which leads Lenny to get pissed off at him and throw him over a table. They have fought before, but the amount of intensity and emotion showcased by Lenny makes it a very moving and poignant moment. Michael McKean acts it out amazingly.
There's also something at the end I think parents with children who are mentally challenged can relate to, that being that you gotta protect them more carefully than other kids, but at the same time you don't want to baby them too much so they won't be able to make their own adult decisions. Betty Garrett gets a chance to shine here. And although it was shocking to see Edna yell at Laverne and Shirley at first, the part where Shirley puts on the pouting sad face her friend often does was hilarious.
Even after that it doesn't look like it will end happily for everyone, with Lenny feeling unhappy at the Saint Patrick's Day party hoping that Amy will arrive. Even Squiggy showing up in his comically inept outfit doesn't keep his mood up for more than a few seconds. Thankfully, she does. They smile and take each other's hands. It warmed my heart so much I was tearing up.