Cheers 6.10: “A Kiss Is Still a Kiss”

Airdate: 12/3/87

Before we start – here’s the game plan. We’re doubling down, and doubling up: starting today, you get two Cheers blog posts per day for the price of one! You see, we’re not even halfway done the series (that occurs with episode 9.14, just a fewaway), so we gotta pick up the pace a bit. What can I tell you – it’s hard work but somebody’s got to do it. On with the recap…

Evan Drake, the company VP and the apple of Rebecca’s eye, stops in for a visit and has some straight talk with Sam, including news that the “boys upstairs” are a bit uncertain about Rebecca’s sexuality. Sam tells her this, and she nervously inquires if he set him straight. “Based on what?” he replies, but she’s worried that her true love will get the wrong idea about her, so she endeavors to find the perfect male date to take to Evan’s black-tie party. When Woody, none-too-subtly, announces that her hired escort can’t make it, she succumbs to desperate measures, that is – taking Sam. At the party, however, she takes his advice – to go up to Evan and announce her feelings toward him – a little too far, pretty much attacking him with a smooch better described as athletic than amorous. Humiliated, she storms back to the bar,

and Sam has a new plan – tell Evan they had a lover’s tiff and the kiss was a way to make him jealous, but when Evan says he wants to… apologize, Sam lies and says the boss just ain’t buying it: they need to make their passion seem more real. She obliges, and it seems to work, until Even reveals the truth, and Ms. Howe shows a different kind of passion this time!

Fun, bedroom farce-toned escapade, noteworthy for featuring the first appearance of millionaire Even Drake, as played by veteran film/TV star Tom Skerritt. A new wrinkle, too, is the revelation that Rebecca has been celibate since her torch-carrying started, around two years ago, much to Sam’s surprise, and utter revulsion. Fun stuff here, with escalating hijinks, volcanic climax and the usual messy dénouement. Subplot involves Cliff staying at Norm’s, and being blamed for doing too much around the house, leaving Vera too idle for Norm’s taste. Other subplot: Frasier gets a case of psychosomatic hiccups when his published article gets refuted.

Cold open: the return of Harry the Hat (Richard Anderson), who scams Woody out of cash when he asks for change for a 50.

Norm’s opener: Sam: “How’s life treating you?” Norm: “It’s not, Sammy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t.”