"Laverne & Shirley": The Collector's Edition, Volume 2

After "meeting the girls," it seems fair that the boys get the second volume, entitled "Lenny and Squiggy":

"Lenny Kosnowski and Andrew 'Squiggy' Squiggman, two geeky, oddball greasers who don't have a clue that they're completely out of sync with the rest of society, went to Fillmore High with Laverne and Shirley, work as beer truck drivers at the Shotz Brewery, and, against the girls' wishes, move into their apartment building.  'When God was handing out brains,' Laverne tells the duo, 'he mistook you for a cactus.'  While the girls want nothing to do with the two quirky oddballs, the four become close friends.  After Laverne and Shirley, Michael McKean (Lenny) played Gibby Fisk on Dream On and starred as David St. Hubbins in the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.  David L. Lander (Squiggy) starred in A League of Their Own, appeared on The Drew Carey Show and Twin Peaks, and provided the voice of the head weasel in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

Remember, this was the late '90s, when McKean especially had a lot of roles ahead.  It's a decent description of the two characters, although repeating "oddball" doesn't help.  There's no mention of the boys' lechery, scheming, or musical endeavors.

Starting out the tape with Season One's "Hi Neighbors" makes sense, as the boys are prominent in it and it is the episode where they move into the building.  Here's the videobox capsule:  "When Shirley, in a moment of weakness, recommends Lenny and Squiggy as tenants for an apartment upstairs in the girls' building, almost immediately the boys have a fight-- compelling Squiggy to move in with Laverne and Shirley.  Note: Watch for Squiggy's stuffed iguana.  Helen Page Camp (Mrs. Havenwurst) was only seen in a few episodes before she was replaced by Betty Garrett (Mrs. Babish)."  I'm glad Jeffrey gets a shout-out.

It looks like the main difference between VHS and DVD is going to be the pre-tag Stay Tuneds, but I like that the boys get to do the one for this episode.
LENNY: Tell the people to stay tuned, Squiggy.
SQUIGGY: (angrily) Tell 'em yourself!  I ain't your slave!

Next up is "Two of Our Weirdos Are Missing" from Season Two: "When Laverne and Shirley go out on the town with Big Rosie Greenbaum in her new Cadillac, Lenny and Squiggy run away with the beer delivery truck to join the circus.  Note: Lenny and Squiggy pay their rent to Mrs. Babish in Monopoly money.  Comedian and magician Carl Ballantine (Lionel T. Zimmerman) played Lester Gruber on McHale's Navy."  As the title suggests, the boys are absent for much of the episode, although it is undeniably about them, and their friendship with the girls.

Again, they get to do the Stay Tuned.
SQUIGGY: Stay tuned or else.
LENNY: Says who?
SQUIGGY: Says me!
LENNY: Oh.

"Hi Neighbors, Book II" from later in the second season is a fine choice for the next episode.  "When Lenny and Squiggy are stood up by their dates, they invite Laverne and Shirley to a posh French restaurant, where, after making spectacles of themselves, they run into the girl who broke Squiggy's heart.  Note: Listen for Shirley to utter the classic line: 'As God is my waitress!'  Lynne Marie Stewart (Barbara Hummell) played Joy Bellini on Husbands, Wives & Lovers."  Well, you can listen for Shirley to say that line, but it's actually a Squiggy line on the next episode on the tape.  Anyway, it is a a very Lenny & Squiggy episode, and again about their friendship (and more?) with the girls, especially with McKean & Lander writing the script.

The "or else" Stay Tuned is used again.

And lastly, we jump to Season Five for "You've Pushed Me Too Far": "When Squiggy accidentally pushes Lenny out the window of their third story apartment, Squiggy flees to live in his Uncle's wax museum, posing by day as a hunchback lying in a guillotine--until Laverne and Shirley help them reconcile their differences."  Note that this time there are no notes.

The pre-tag Stay Tuned this time:
Squiggy: Hey, is the show over?
Lenny: No, Jerk, Laverne and Shirley will be back in a minute.
Squiggy: Oh.

This episode is a natural fit, since in many ways it's like a "Hi, Neighbor, Book III."  It would've been nice to have an episode where the boys sing, or maybe one that shows their California apartment.  Still, this tape holds together well as a group.