Airdate: 1/14/88
Rebecca gets chosen to host a cocktail party for her boss –
her big boss, Daniel Collier, CEO of
the corporation that owns Cheers. After much protest, she reluctantly hires Sam
and Woody to bartend the affair. Sam, of course, is up to his old womanizing
tricks, but Woody mistakes an antique case for a wastebasket, and when she
tries to lean it, she breaks it into a million zillion pieces. After Sam agrees
to take the fall, Woody soul-searchingly admits to the accident himself, but
winds up earning Collier’s praise for it. The two become kindred spirits, with
Collier even inviting the Woodman on a ski trip to meet his daughter. The next
day at Cheers, however, Collier is on the warpath; not remembering anything the
night before, he demands to know the vase-breaking culprit. Sam fesses up this
time, and again Collier praises his
integrity… and invites him to a ski trip. Subplot: Cliff sells chic mail-order
shoes to the bar boys, but they have one fatal flaw: they squeak like chew-toys
when used for walking!
Terrific script by first time Cheers writer Jeffrey Duteil, especially Sam’s pick-up scene with a
blonde at the party. Structure, propelled by the vase as McGuffin, builds and
builds with a terrific twist payoff at the end. And, as usual, plenty of
character development along the way. Sitcom rule: whenever a fragile antique is
introduced, it will be broken by
episode’s end.
Cold open: Carla’s labor pains coincide, by Rebecca’s
observation, with Celtics’ home games. She calls foul, but Carla’s acting is
just too good! (Again, Carla’s out for the rest of the show – she must have
taken maternity time off and filmed the cold opens back-to-back.
This is it! We’ve reached the halfway point: only 135 more
episodes to go. Hmm – maybe we shouldn’t count any more.
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