Airdate: 1/26/84
Cliff’s
know-it-all swagger gets the best of one of the bar patrons, a formidable
presence named Victor. When he insults Cliff witheringly, Carla eggs him on to
stand up for himself, but when he asks the bully to step outside, he secretly
hits the egress a la Melville’s. For a return bout Victor returns, and even
Cliff’s professed knowledge of karate doesn’t deter him: he orders the meek
mailman out of the bar, not to return, to acknowledge the coward that he is.
Cliff, after a pregnant pause, leaves, and Victor also departs, but when Cliff
returns with a 2x4 and concrete block, he demonstrates to all that he does
indeed know karate by breaking both with his head and foot, respectively. All
at Cheers now realize how heroic he was in not
fighting. In an aside to Diane, he begs her to take him to the hospital as
he’s “never had a karate lesson” in his life.
Hilarious
variation on the old school bully routine, artfully penned by reliable David
Lloyd. Fun to see such an abberative character (besides Carla) at the bar, and
the ending is surprising, true to character, and hilarious (3 Cheers trademarks). Subplot involving
Diane’s sports-illiterate but proficient knack for predicting winning football
games is clever, but knows to take a back seat.
Cold open: Coach
dusts off his lemon wedges to make his famous “Kon-Tiki-Tiki” drink. It looks
like a disaster, especially when Carla reminds him to blend it together.
Norm’s opener:
Norm’s already at the bar.
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