Airdate: 2/2/84
Coach, to Sam’s
ire, orders a fortune-telling scale, which promptly becomes the big hit at
Cheers. When Norm’s fortune, foretelling that his problems will be solved, is
realized, everyone, especially superstitious Carla, starts to take the metallic
pile of springs and bolts quite seriously. But Diane’s ominous prophecy, that
“deception in love can be costly,” has her worried, and she confides in Sam the
reason: a secret date with a male college pal whom she kissed and ground coffee
for. Sam reacts with the counter-confession that perhaps they don’t fulfill
each other’s needs, and soon the two are bickering over who should be first to
break off the relationship. One more fortune from the machine reveals the
destiny of their relationship: “Machine empty; order more fortunes.”
Heide Perlman
turns out another winner, a clever updating of the classic Twilight Zone episode in which a fortune machine creates a hysteria
of insecurity, distrust and blind faith – the very engines of the characters
who inhabit Cheers day to day. And of course, that hanging-on-a-thread
relationship of Sam and Diane appropriately becomes the main casualty of this
hocus pocus. In true serial fashion we must wait another day for the answer,
but we all secretly fear (and know) how this one will turn out.
Scene stealer:
When Carla asks, “Who is the biggest bigwig of them all,” an unnamed patron
replies, “Sinatra”… twice, to sustained audience appreciation.
Cold open: Norm
enters with news that he has a blind date, much to everyone’s disapproval.
Norm’s opener:
First: Coach:
“How’s a beer sound, Norm?” Norm: “I don’t know, Coach, I always finish ‘em
before they get a word in edgewise.”
Second: Coach:
“What’s up, Norm?” Norm: “The corners of my mouth.”
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