Welcome Back, Kotter

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Welcome Back, Kotter ranks 1,839 out of the 18,229 shows on TV.com.

The 236 users who count themselves as Welcome Back, Kotter fans have written a total of 22 reviews.

Status

Premiered

Ended

Genre

Theme

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Gabe Kotter, formerly a Sweathog, returns to James Buchanan High as a teacher and is assigned the remedial class to which he once belonged. Mr. Kotter is an involved and caring teacher, which one would have to be in dealing with a certain four students in his class, who end up in trouble on a regular basis --... more »

Gabe Kotter, formerly a Sweathog, returns to James Buchanan High as a teacher and is assigned the remedial class to which he once belonged. Mr. Kotter is an involved and caring teacher, which one would have to be in dealing with a certain four students in his class, who end up in trouble on a regular basis -- lady's man Vinnie Barbarino, the always cool Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington, the tough Juan (Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos) Epstein, and the sheepish Arnold Dingfelder Horshack.

Welcome Back, Kotter was based on Gabe Kaplan's own high school experiences with redmedial education and a teacher who cared dearly for her students.

Changes on the show.

Gabe Kaplan left the series in the third season. He hadn't expected the show to run as long as it had. Kotter was made Vice-Principal, and thus was seen considerably less. John Travolta, of course, found his own place as a celebrity, leaving the show around the same time Gabe Kaplan did (returning every so often as a "special guest star"). The replacement for Barbarino was Beau, who didn't help things much. By now the show had essentially lost its two biggest stars.

Theme song.

"Welcome Back" by John Sebastian:

opening credits

Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out.
Welcome back to that same old place that you laughed about.
Well, the names have all changed since you hung around.
But those dreams have remained and they've turned around.
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya (back here where we need ya)?
Yeah, we tease him a lot 'cause we've got him on the spot, welcome back.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

end credits
The second verse of the full song plays partially over the end credits. It goes as thus:

Welcome back, we always could spot a friend.
Welcome back, and I smile when I think how you must have been.
And I know what a scene you were learnin' in.
Was there something that made you come back again?
And what could ever lead ya (what could ever lead ya)
Back here where we need ya (back here where we need ya)?
Yeah, we tease him a lot 'cause we've got him on the spot, welcome back.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

Catchphrases.

Welcome Back, Kotter was a breeding ground for memorable catch phrases. If you have one that's been overlooked, feel free to contact the editor.

Gabe Kotter:
"Hey, Julie, wanna hear a joke?" (or similar dialogue)

Vinnie Barbarino:
"What? Where?"
"I'm so confused!"
"Ooookay, fine."
"I said a ba-ba-ba-ba-Barbarino..."

Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington:
"Hi there."
"I don't happen to have it...handy."

Juan Epstein:
"Signed, Epstein's mother."

Arnold Horshack:
"Ooh! Ooh, ooh!"
"Hello. How are ya? I'm Arnold Horshack."
"Very impressive, Mr. Kotter!"
"Be brave, little soldier." (or "buckaroo")
...and a very distinctive laugh.

DVD?
Welcome Back, Kotter has yet to be released properly on either video or dvd. Be sure to visit TVShowsonDVD to vote for Welcome Back, Kotter on dvd (you will have to register for free in order to vote).less «

• Who is your favorite sweathog?

  My favorite sweathog is Barbarino. He is so dim witted and cute. What r some other favorite sweathogs and why?

  My favorite sweathog is Barbarino. He is so dim witted and cute. What r some other favorite sweathogs and why?less «

  BARBARINOISHOT Last online Mar 6, 2008
  5 comments, last one 11 days ago + Add Comment

• Identfying an episode,

  Can anyone ID this epsiode based on this one great scene that is forever etched in my mnd although I can't remember muc...more »

  Can anyone ID this epsiode based on this one great scene that is forever etched in my mnd although I can't remember much of anything else from the time span, after all it was the 1970s :>) I want to get the correct DVD from Netflix with this eps Mr Kotter advises the class that they all must do a term paper and he then goes around the classroom asking the Sweat Hogs what will be the subject matter of their term paper, when it comes down to Freddie Boom Boom Washington Kotter says, okay okay I know, lemme guess, you're doing a term paper about playing the bass. An in advance heartfelt thank you and much respect to anyone who can ID this episode, you are a true Kotter-o'phile less «

  JonJax Last online 8 hrs, 31 mins ago
  1 comments, last one 13 days ago + Add Comment

• Who watched this show?

  Thought I'd see if anyone remembers this show. Write if ya'll do.

  Thought I'd see if anyone remembers this show. Write if ya'll do.less «

  SistersP3 Last online Jun 21, 2009
  22 comments, last one Apr 11, 2008 + Add Comment

•  

  8.6 Great

  It was a trendsetting show from the 70's hide « show »

  Ok so it is time to fess up. Who didn't watch this show. A comedy centered around a group of misfit kids. That formula became a mainstay for comedy shows to follow decades later. The center of the show was the original misfit teacher himself, Mr Kotter. His students, each with different issues and personalities all fit in with someone we each knew or could associate with back in the day. There was Barbarino, the ladies man. We had one of those in high school. Horseshack, the nerdy guy, who wasnt smart, just weird. Freddie Washington the con man jock who tried to smooth his way past everything. And of course Juan Epstein, a Puerto Rican of Jewish decent tough guy, who tried to bully his way past those who got in his way. They are all familiar personality types, and the stroies were good, although the repeatetive nature of them sometimes got tedious in later years. But the best part of the show was always his narrative about his "uncle", a different uncle each week with a different bad joke at the end. Personally, at times, I kind of miss this kind of simplistic humor.

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  McBurgermeister Added Feb 3, 2009 All my reviews
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  7.9 Good

  Long before Jerry Sienfeld and Ray Romano were sought after by the networks to build sit-coms around their material, a stand-up comedian by the name of Gabe Kaplan had great success with a little show called Welcome Back Kotter (ABC 1975-79). hide « show »

  As was common in the seventies the shows have a very theatrical feel due to the way they were filmed and the limited sets consisting of the Kotter's one room apartment shared by Gabe and his wife Julie (Marcia Strassman), and the classroom at the school. One cannot help but get the feel of watching a play as we are introduced into the world of Buchanan High School. The reoccurring bit of Kaplan closing each show with old school jokes only reinforces that theatrical feel, as his bits are reminiscent of vaudeville.
  
  Though the writing is typical seventies sitcom set-up punch, and the far-fetched scripts establish the characters as a comedy team rather than a teacher and students, it works, especially in season one. In these first twenty-two episodes we get to watch our characters develop and grow, and it makes for very enjoyable viewing. Eventually Travolta’s Barbarino will be the break out star before we even knew who Fonzie was, and the stories will begin to focus far too much on him. That is not the case here, as each character gets the spotlight. For a complete review; check out maskedmoviesnobs.com

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  1Hombre Added Jul 26, 2007 All my reviews
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  5 Mediocre

  The best thing this show had going was its theme song. hide « show »

  oh, Mr. Kawter...it's not that hystARical
  
  What is it about this show? The acting was mediocre and the lines were too scripted. The '70s styles were not attractive. The plots were never compelling nor were the endings surprising.
  
  Still...I would watch it if they brought it back to Tv Land.

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  FlyGirl79 Added Jul 24, 2007 All my reviews
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  8.3 Great

  Funny 70's Sitcom hide « show »

  Welcome Back Kotter was based on Gabe Kaplan's standup routine which in turn was based on his teenage days growing up in Brooklyn. The show was basically Mr. Kaplan doing his standup routine but as the teacher with his students, The Sweathogs, providing punch lines that became catch phrases such as "up your nose with a rubber hose". The show made a star of a then unknown John Travolta. The shows first two seasons were classics, but it began to lose steam in the third season and the final season was a washout as Mr. Travolta was a major star by then and skipped a lot the episodes and Mr. Kaplan was in a contract dispute that limited his appearances.

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  brewsblingsteen Added Jun 29, 2007 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  good show hide « show »

  this was a good show 2 bad i was not alive to watch it when it was in its prime but i watch reruns of it sometimes. i started watching this show cause my sister liked it and i thought it was okay. My favorite character would have to be arnold horshcak cause he is so funny also i like vinnie cause he is also funny and i like the way he talks and all that. My fav line from the show would have to be the line boom boom says "Hi There" I always think that line is funny.

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  ColtsPenguins Added Mar 17, 2007 All my reviews