CHEERS: DINNER AT EIGHT-ISH (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about a group of regulars at a Boston bar. In this episode, Norm anxiously prepares to give a speech, and Carla attempts to find a baby-sitter after her mother backs out. Cliff offers his services, and Carla is finally forced to accept. Frasier and Lilith appear and grandly announce that they are living together, thanking Sam and Diane for bringing them together and inviting them over for dinner at "eight-ish." At their home, Lilith prepares for the meal and Frasier arrives and greets her passionately, but they soon begin arguing about their respective flaws and habits. Lilith becomes furious, saying that he is making things worse when she is already nervous about the dinner, and locks herself in the bathroom just as Sam and Diane arrive. They overhear the lovebirds' argument, and things are highly awkward when everyone sits down for appetizers. Diane proposes a toast, accompanied musically by Lilith and Frasier, and they mention that they have no secrets from one another. Sam reacts with surprise, saying that romantic partners do not need to know each other's entire history, and Diane accidentally reveals that she and Frasier were once engaged, a fact of which Lilith was unaware.
Lilith retreats to the bathroom again and Frasier pleads with her, finally explaining that Diane left him at the altar and broke his heart, but they descend into another argument about whether he still loves Diane or not. At the bar, Corinne subs for Carla and Norm and Woody wonder about Cliff's evening of baby-sitting, which turns out to be going badly when he is dropped off at the bar by Carla's children, incapacitated and wrapped up for Christmas. Back at the apartment, Diane tries to assure Lilith that Frasier is over her and Sam is her true love, saying that the relationship with Frasier meant very little. Lilith is offended that Diane would use Frasier for a "convenient dalliance," and Frasier protests that he was used, leading to more fighting. Sam finally intervenes and makes peace, and everyone apologizes. They sit down to dinner, which turns out to be a very unsatisfactory lasagne, and Diane proposes another toast to not regretting the past and embracing change, which backfires when Lilith's kitchen help turns out to be yet another old flame of Sam's. She protests that they cannot go anywhere without running into an ex of Sam's, and when Lilith learns that Frasier and Diane lived together, the women head for the bathroom again and, fed up, Frasier and Sam lock them inside. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: February 26, 1987 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:28:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:60299
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1982-1993
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Glen Charles … Executive Producer, Created by
- Les Charles … Executive Producer, Created by
- James Burrows … Executive Producer, Created by, Director
- Peter Casey … Producer
- David Lee … Producer
- David Angell … Producer
- Tim Berry … Co-Producer
- Phoef Sutton … Writer
- Craig Safan … Music by
- Judy Hart Angelo … Theme Music by
- Gary Portnoy … Theme Music by
- Shelley Long … Cast, Diane Chambers
- Ted Danson … Cast, Sam Malone
- Rhea Perlman … Cast, Carla Tortelli
- John Ratzenberger … Cast, Cliff Clavin
- Woody Harrelson … Cast, Woody Boyd
- Kelsey Grammer … Cast, Dr. Frasier Crane
- George Wendt … Cast, Norm Peterson
- Bebe Neuwirth … Cast, Lilith Sternin
- Zetta Whitlow … Cast, Jill
- Doris Grau … Cast, Corinne
- Al Rosen … Cast, Al