Cheers 1.11: "One for the Book"

Airdate: 12/9/82

Three plotlines: Diane is writing down “snippets of America” from bar employees and patrons, except Sam; a average guy named Kevin announces he will become a monk the next day, but proceeds to get drunk, make a pass at Diane, and have second thoughts when he “miraculously” fixes a piano; and a WWI veteran, attending his company’s annual reunion, despairingly discovers he is the only one living – Sam and the gang offer him solace by singing and playing darts.

Good hodgepodge of visitors emphasizes the local color that plays a key role in Cheers’ comedic chemistry. I always like it when new people walk through those oaken front doors, strangers to the Cheers staff but also to us, announcing themselves, and through the Cheers’ scribes’ delicious dialogue, delineate a characterization so detailed and funny, we can’t help but wonder where fate’s finger will point them for that half-hour!

Lovely work by veteran character actor Ian Wolfe as the WWI veteran. He had hundreds of TV and film roles going back to the 30s, and no doubt you’ve seen him in something. My favorite: as a reluctant geriatric groom who holds up Archie’s all-important fishing trip in All In the Family.

Cold open: Classic exercise in laconic comedy – Coach, agonizingly slowly, checks on a table’s readiness at Mellville’s, then returns… when he forgets the name of the party. Norm’s opener: (Sam: What’cha up to, Norm?) My ears.