MovieChat Forums > What's Happening!! (1976) Discussion > To Have Been 'Inspired by Cooley High'

To Have Been 'Inspired by Cooley High'

posted 10 years ago by ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch
4 replies | jump to latest

This show was awfully different, the only similar characters are Raj, Dee, Mama,and Dwayne somewhat, and maybe the setting of the soda shop but otherwise Whats Happening is way different and quite a bit goofier than Cooley High which was more of a dramedy than a straight forward comedy film.

Also, Cooley High strictly takes place in the early 1960s while Whats Happening clearly was the then modern day 1970s.

'When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.'

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] luvtzone 10 years ago

I agree. WH was more light-hearted and fun compared to Cooley High & that's probably why it was so popular and did so well. I can't recall any very devastating episodes. The Doobie Brothers fiasco was probably the most serious show they did, with Rerun getting caught recording the concert.

And there was enough seriousness and depression on Good Times, which to this day I don't know why they named it that. Nothing good ever happened on that show until the final episode. The Evans were truly "keepin' their heads above water".

"You unlock this door with the key of imagination..."

[–] ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch 10 years ago

I agree, Whats Happening was clearly the antidote to shows like Good Times and even The Jeffersons which both got heavy handed and downright serious from time to time.

'When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.'

[–] hypestyle 10 years ago

The TV version of Cooley High pilot.
In the Unsung episode, it was stated that a pilot episode was filmed, presumably a comedy-drama, based on Cooley High, with Ernest Thomas playing Preach. But it was said that the pilot didn’t test well and the network execs weren’t interested in the “heaviness” of the social commentary and they mainly wanted a comedy. I wonder has the pilot ever been released to the public?

"With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility"
Stan Lee, 1962