Ep 2. The Bachelor Party

Laverne & Shirley season 1 episode 2, titled “The Bachelor Party”, follows the adventures of two best friends Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney as they plan a bachelor party for their upstairs neighbor and good friend, Eddie. The problems begin when the guys at work convince Laverne and Shirley to throw a more risqué party for Eddie than they had originally planned.

Laverne and Shirley are excited about hosting a bachelor party for Eddie and start planning it. They decide to make it a classy affair with non-alcoholic beverages and invite Eddie’s friends from work, his brother and neighbor as well. The party entails all the usual fun that one anticipates in a bachelor party with the traditional fare such as poker and smoke.

However, things take a hilarious turn when Laverne and Shirley add their own spin to the party with games like ‘Pin the Badge on the Policeman’. The party’s highlight is undoubtedly when they mistakenly hire a stripper to perform for Eddie. Much to the girls' embarrassment, the stripper shows up despite their lack of intention for wanting one. With their modesty on full display, they attempt to stop the show - but with Eddie excited for a raucous time and his boys cheering him on, the party continues uninterrupted.

While all these events unfold upstairs, the neighbors downstairs at Shotz Brewery are enjoying their own version of the evening - with an abandoned workplace as all the employees are out for the bachelor party! With the party in full swing and the stripper's show causing quite a stir amongst the crowd, it’s only a matter of time before the whole evening ultimately spirals out of control, leaving Eddie’s bride-to-be with a host of uncertainties on the night before her wedding day.

This episode is one of the funniest in the first season. The chemistry between the two lead actresses, Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams is palpable, as they perfectly capture the carefree and fun-loving spirit of their characters. The storyline is lighthearted with comical moments throughout, and is a great example of the type of humor that was beloved in the 1970s. It also offered a refreshing take to the usual bachelor party trope, showing how two women can plan a party for a man that stays true to their own values and sensibilities.

Overall, Laverne & Shirley’s “The Bachelor Party” is an entertaining and amusing episode that serves as a great introduction to the show's unique brand of humor, wit, and female camaraderie. Viewers get to see Laverne and Shirley in a range of situations, proving why their friendship is one for the ages. The episode leaves the audience wanting more, and eager to see what shenanigans Laverne and Shirley will get into next, and how they will handle it in their own unique way.