Henry Winkler might be known and loved primarily for his role as the Fonz inHappy Days, but the comedy legend has a lot to thankArrested Developmentfor, too. Winkler virtually reinvented himself and gave his career a whole new makeover when he played the Bluth family’s hapless lawyer, Barry Zuckerkorn, in the cult sitcom. Zuckerkorn became the actor’s longest-standing role when he featured in the cast ofArrested Developmentseason 5in 2019. The part should also be recognized as the best of his storied career, partly thanks to a shark jump far better than Fonzie’s original.
Back in 1978,Happy Daysinvented theTV franchise idiom “jumping the shark”by literally having Winkler’s legendary character do just that. Fromthe moment the Fonz completed his famous waterskiing feat,everyone could see his show’s best days were behind it, and shark-jumping became synonymous with a moment in which a waning TV project goes too far in search of its former glory. Yet somehow, one ofArrested Development’s best episodesmanaged to turn this comedy low-point from Winkler’s past into one of its funniest meta jokes, by bringing the idiom Fonzie’s stunt created back to its original meaning.
Henry Winkler’s Arrested Development Shark Jump Was His Funniest Moment In The Show
This Subtle But Ingenious Happy Days Reference Brought The Actor’s Career Full-Circle
The moment duringArrested Development’s season 2 episode “Motherboy XXX” whenBarry Zuckerkorn hopped over the body of a dead sharkand declared he was off to Burger King was the character’s best joke in the show. It may have been far subtler than Fonzie’s version of the trick 28 years earlier, and not quite as outwardly laughable as Barry screwing up the legal situation ofevery member of the Bluth familyin turn during the course of the show, but it was by far the greatest reference to this standard entertainment industry idiom in TV history.
Arrested Developmentwas already in danger of getting canceled by its second season, so this shark-jumping reference also alludes to the perilous position the show found itself in.
The true genius of this moment passed even the most ardent ofArrested Developmentfans by, so smoothly was it worked into the flow of a scene in which the seal that attacked Buster Bluth is found inside the stomach of a dead shark. The seamless transition into this superbHappy Daysshark jumpreference only made it funnier, as did the uncharacteristically spritely manner in which Zuckerkorn hurdles the dead predator.
To cap things off, he then added a further layer of meta to proceedings by effectively doinga product placement for Burger King, a joke allusion to the promotional partnershipHappy Daysstruck upwith the fast-food giant in the late 1970s. In fact, this partnership began precisely around the time when the hit sitcom jumped the shark, both metaphorically and literally, in 1978.
Barry Zuckerkorn Was An Even Better Henry Winkler Role Than Happy Days’ Fonzie
The Fonz Is More Iconic, But Barry Zuckerkorn Is Even Funnier
AmongHenry Winkler’s best movies and TV shows,onlyArrested Developmentcan really compete with his iconic role as Fonzie inHappy Days. However, Winkler’s performance as Barry Zuckerkorn didn’t just match the Fonz — it surpassed it, thanks to the incomparably brilliant comic writing ofArrested Development’s creator, Mitchell Hurwitz, and his small team of collaborators. Winkler himself seemed to be having an absolute blast playing the part, and his impressive commitment to the sheer stupidity of Zuckerkorn’s approach to the legal profession was essential to making the character work as well as he did.
It may be the Fonz that still gets Winkler the most popular recognition, given the character’s importance to one of the seminal sitcoms of the 20th century. Nevertheless,Arrested Developmentallowed Winkler to push his comic talents much further thanHappy Daysever did, as the actor demonstrated a knack for sharp-edged satirical comedy not many people would have guessed he had. We can be thankful that Winkler had the range to play both celebrated roles as well as he did, but his performance as Barry Zuckerkorn deserves even more credit than it gets.
Arrested Development
Cast
Arrested Development, a television series premiered in 2003, follows the dysfunctional Bluth family who are coping with the loss of their fortune. Central to the narrative is Michael Bluth, the diligent son attempting to stabilize the family amidst their eccentricities and financial turmoil.
Happy Days
Happy Days is a television series set in the 1950s and 1960s, exploring the lives of the Cunningham family and their friends in Milwaukee. Starring Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham and Henry Winkler as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli, the show captures the essence of mid-20th century American life. Premiering in 1974, it enjoys iconic status for its nostalgic portrayal of teenage life and family dynamics.
