Airdate: 11/8/84
Coach sees the
woman he’s “going to marry” at the bar – what his Italian kin would call the
“thunderbolt,” and, as she is there with her daughter, enlists Sam’s help in
approaching the two. Sam gets shot down – big time – but Ernie scores
rhapsodically with his dreamgirl, Irene, and soon there’s talk of marriage,
romanticizing everyone’s mood, especially Diane’s. When Coach pops the
question, Irene accepts; mere minutes later she gets a call informing he that
she just won a 2-million dollar lottery jackpot. Diane is elated and exclaims,
“Two such wonderful developments in a matter of minutes!” Irene’s response:
“Yes, I won the lottery! What was the other thing?”
Beginning of the
second two-parter of the season shifts focus on Coach and plays up his wonderful
comic timing, particularly in the pickup scene. As the “simpleton” character,
this timing is all the more crucial, as absolute character fidelity must be
maintained in order for the comedy to function (just ask Jean Stapleton, whose
brilliant depiction of Edith set the mold for this archetype). All this,
though, is tinged with knowledge that he’s certain to face inevitable
heartbreak in the conclusion of this story. The heterogeneity of emotions: a
pure Cheers trademark.
Subplot involves
Sam inadvertently ruining the possessions Diane left behind after their
breakup. His reactions are funny – repentance mixed with just a teeny hint of
happy malice.
Cold open: Norm
wakes up after falling asleep during one of Cliff’s know-it-all harangues, this
time about Florida, where he had gone for vacation. Cliff returns from the
bathroom only to continue his bore-fest.
Norm’s opener:
Norm’s already at the bar.
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