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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Cheers 8.11: “Sam Ahoy”


Airdate: 12/14/89


Sam needs a hefty sum of moolah in order to finalize his buying back of Cheers, so he hatches the idea of racing Robin’s boat, Rebecca, in an upcoming yacht race. Robin’s got extra security these days due to his recent, potentially fractious, political dealings, and lo and behold – what do Carla and Norm (Sam’s crew) find in the galley fridge but… a bomb! They decide to pursue the only option available: racing the boat as fast as they can to land to beat the 28-minute detonation time, and just barely escape to safety. Relived but bitter that Robin has made no overtures of concern for their well-being, Sam refuses pity-money from the millionaire and tells him to take a hike – but he doesn’t necessarily speak on Norm or Carla’s behalf when he refuses the $50,000.

Another white-knuckled suspense yarn, coming off the heels of “The Art of the Steal,” in which Sam and Rebecca are trapped in an apartment of high-tech laser beams. Have the writers been watching reruns of Mission Impossible again? Good to see Sam still endeavoring to buy back the bar, and fun to have a change of venue with the interior of the boat. And some funny double entendres involving the boat’s name of Rebecca – and the real Rebecca’s hush money payments to Carla for not cracking the all-too-easy jokes at her expense.

Cold open: Do-gooder Woody shames Rebecca with all his noble deeds – even offering suicide prevention services when her guilt becomes unbearable.


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