Cheers 3.7: “Coach In Love, Part 2”

Airdate: 11/15/84

Three weeks have passed since Coach’s proposal, and his would-be-bride is incommunicado, but this doesn’t quash his expectation that they will be married on their wedding date as planned. Everyone at Cheers pities the cockeyed-optimist, except Diane, who admires his hopeful romanticism, but once she caves in and implores him to “wake up and smell the coffee,” he starts to see reality, especially once Sam has informed him that Irene is engaged to be married to an obscenely rich industrial magnate. Coach finally finds closure when the phone rings, and he answers it with the admission that she is probably better off with her new fiancée. We never find out if it is really her on the line.

Expertly crafter conclusion is probably better written than Part 1 – kudos to David Angell for deftly navigating all the Cheers hallmarks: Sam/Diane bickering (still thinking each other carries a torch), snappy barfly commentary on the action – and worship of the almighty character above all else - even their jokes – because he knows that the humor will come with a well-developed character.

The Cheers two-parters have always approached the obligatory recap at the top of Part 2 in a highly original way, and this episode is no exception; in fact, it’s probably the best example. In a series of slow zoom ins to the residences of Norm, Carla, Cliff, Diane and Sam, respectively, we are apprised of all heretofore happenings and get entertained in the process. Sure beats how it used to be, when we just get a series of clips introduced with “This is _________ (series star). Here are some scenes from last week’s episode of _____________ (series title).” BTW, the funniest part is Norm’s, when he recaps part of the Coach story, we think, to his wife, Vera, but it turns out to be his dog!

Cold open: Sam berates Carla for reading trashy tabloids (“Bigfoot Stole My Wife,” “Have Aliens Taken Over Your Pets?”), until hearing about a common condiment that can also be an aphrodisiac, oregano, which he furtively jots on a bar napkin.

Norm’s opener: Sam: “Tell us what you know.” Norm: “God did his heaven, and something, something…” Sam: “How ‘bout a beer?” Norm: “Yeah, that’s it!”