Nostalgia can be a mixed bag when people attempt to capitalize on it. It can be this depressing, soulless husk of a thing you used to like. Doomed to endless remakes, reboots, and out-of-touch corporate meddling. However, done correctly, nostalgia teleports you back to the greatness and warmth of something you cared about. During the Emmys, Happy Days managed to get a heartwarming reunion between Henry Winkler and Ron Howard! (Or "The Fonz" and "Richie Cunningham," for the fans out there!)
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It's a "Happy Days" reunion at the #Emmys! https://t.co/3itGkRBc7U pic.twitter.com/F6qtEBn4JV
— Variety (@Variety) September 16, 2024
Look at how much genuine fun the two are having. It's an adorable moment that should warm even the coldest of hearts! Plus, watching Winkler do his thing is always a pleasure! This is your reminder that you should absolutely watch Barry -- Winkler kills it in that show. But, anyway, y'all know what time it is. It's time to gauge how the internet felt about the reunion!
"I loved seeing these 2 together. It's hard to imagine they have grown up, when I always see them young," one X (formerly known as Twitter) user said. It's funny -- seeing the actors you grew up with age over time is either a fun trip down memory lane or a dire examination of your own mortality. I think it depends on how energetic everyone is, really. Winkler is still a high-energy dude, so he makes the Happy Days reunion an utter delight!
Fans Are Losing It Over This 'Happy Days' Reunion At The Emmys
"It's a pity that Gonz joke went over the heads of the young people in the audience..." If there's one thing I've had to learn the hard way, it's learning to enjoy newer audiences' consumption of something I really enjoyed as a kid. They won't understand all the deep cuts and obscure references -- and that's okay! So many other childhood enjoyments fade into obscurity. If something comes back and is given space to breathe? Let it ride, man!
There was also a West Wing reunion at the Emmys. Honestly? I teared up at that. I used to watch The West Wing with my great-grandfather. I didn't appreciate it then, but going back to it in recent years completely changed my appreciation for the series! And that's the power and value of nostalgia!