CHEERS: NORM'S BIG AUDIT (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about a group of regulars at a Boston bar.
A local television station is going to be re-broadcasting one of Sam’s old baseball games, and he and the guys at Cheers decide to gather around and watch it. Vera calls Cheers to speak to Norm, telling them that the IRS is coming to audit him that afternoon. Norm tries to sort through his various tax forms, hoping to disorient the IRS agent when he meets her at Cheers. Carla recommends that Norm flirt with the agent in order to disarm her, although Norm is not fond of the idea. The agent, Dot Carroll, enters, and is quite standoffish and rude with Norm. Meanwhile, Sam gets a big-screen television set for the purposes of watching his baseball game, but Carla informs him that the game in question is the one where he drunkenly attacked the opposing team’s mascot. Sam was drinking heavily in those days and so does not recall the game in question, but realizes that he will be highly embarrassed if he shows it to the bar.
Dot notes the various discrepancies in Norm’s tax forms, such as his fake receipts and forged work diary. In desperation Norm takes Carla’s advice and flirts with Dot; she acts indignant at first but reveals that she is also attracted to Norm, inviting him to her hotel room that night. Sam tries to sabotage the television set and accidentally electrocutes himself in the process. He also takes steps to prevent them from seeing it in any other fashion, such as on the bar’s television set or Paul’s portable miniature television. Sam finally reveals the truth to them, and they say that they understand, but they manage to find a way to watch the game anyway. Norm tries to think of how he will handle the situation with Dot, and Carla recommends calling Vera to get her to confront Dot before he can get there. Norm, however, is concerned that Vera might think that he’s cheating on her, and Frasier suggests that Carla go over to the hotel posing as Vera instead. She refuses, leaving Norm to fend for himself.
Norm visits Dot, who immediately comes on to him again. Norm tries to explain himself, but Carla arrives, apparently having changed her mind about Frasier’s suggestion. They nearly get out of there, but Dot recognizes Carla from the bar and asks them for some sort of evidence that they are married in the form of a passionate kiss. They cannot bring themselves to go through with it and Carla immediately leaves. Norm speaks plainly with Dot, telling her that while he and Vera don’t always get along, he is proud of himself for never having cheated on her. He is ready to accept whatever punishment Dot has in store for him for his tax chicanery, but Dot believes she was too intimidating, and that she constantly frightens away men. When Norm gives her honest compliments, she replies that she no longer intends to throw him in jail. They stay and talk, but Cliff arrives to put a bizarre scheme of his own into motion. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: January 14, 1993 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:24:20
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:71155
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1982-1993
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Tom Anderson … Executive Producer
- Dan O'Shannon … Executive Producer
- James Burrows … Executive Producer, Created by
- Glen Charles … Executive Producer, Created by
- Les Charles … Executive Producer, Created by
- Dan Stanley … Co-Executive Producer
- Rob Long … Co-Executive Producer
- Tim Berry … Producer
- Tom Leopold … Co-Producer, Writer
- Mary Fukuto … Associate Producer
- John Ratzenberger … Director
- Craig Safan … Music by
- Judy Hart Angelo … Theme Music by
- Gary Portnoy … Theme Music by
- Ted Danson … Cast, Sam Malone
- Kirstie Alley … Cast, Rebecca Howe
- Rhea Perlman … Cast, Carla Tortelli
- John Ratzenberger … Cast, Cliff Clavin
- Woody Harrelson … Cast, "Woody" Boyd
- Kelsey Grammer … Cast, Frasier Crane
- George Wendt … Cast, Norm Peterson
- Sharon Barr … Cast, Dot Carroll
- Paul Willson … Cast, Paul
- Tim Cunningham … Cast, Tim
- Steve Gianelli … Cast, Steve
- Alan Koss … Cast, Alan