Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Cheers 4:13 “Take My Shirt… Please”


Airdate: 1/9/86

Sam is persuaded to donate his Red Sox jersey to be auctioned off on a PBS fundraiser, but time elapses with no pledges, until Diane (volunteering as an operator) secretly puts one in herself.  Sam is grateful but convinced it can sell if given another shot, so back up on the block it goes, again with no offers. This time, Sam buys it back, disguising his voice as an old lady’s, but when Diane inadvertently kicks him when he’s down, he puts it back up. It looks like it’s headed for “Mr. Bobo’s Table” when anonymous buyer steps in – he comes to Cheers to have his new purchase autographed, only to reveal he took the item to put it out of its misery!

Sam’s halcyon days and his futile attempts to bring them back are the topics here. Insecurely believing that his star has not yet faded, he grasps for anything he can to prove he’s still a Beantown legend. Fun to watch the jersey get put up again and again (and again), but was secretly hoping we’d get to see Mr. Bobo, the chimp, pull a number out of the coconut to give the shirt away. I suppose mercy prevails.

Subplot: Norm’s efforts to get an accounting gig for couple running a dairy farm fall flat, not even rescued by siccing Cliff on them to talk their ears off.

Cold open: Diane is resentful she doesn’t get the choral welcome that greets Norm every day. When she gives Cheers crowd a second chance, they yell, “Norm!” As lame as it sounds.

Norm’s opener: Woody: “How’s life, Mr. Peterson?” Norm: “I’m waiting for the movie.”


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