CHEERS: BACKSEAT BECKY, UP FRONT {SEASON SIX FINALE} (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about a group of regulars at a Boston bar.
Rebecca believes that Evan is interested in her, evidenced by the fact that he eats at the restaurant upstairs every night. Sam, however, thinks that Rebecca is jumping to conclusions. Evan speaks to Rebecca and reveals that he’s been offered ownership of the Japanese division of the company, and that he is to depart for Tokyo that night. Rebecca is shocked by this and faints. Sam helps Rebecca recover in his office; she is beside herself with disappointment and dismay. She is upset that she never got to reveal her true feelings to Evan, but Sam recommends that she throw a goodbye party for him that night and tell him then. Rebecca goes along with this plan, still deluding herself into believing that Evan cares about her. During the party Rebecca approaches Evan with Sam’s encouragement. Her confession is interrupted by Carla, who breaks up their conversation in order to taunt her. She encounters further interruptions, and soon it comes time for Evan to depart, leaving Rebecca unable to tell him anything.
Sam tries to tell Rebecca to move on with her life, but she is bitter and angry. Evan’s chauffeur Martin returns to retrieve Evan’s topcoat, and Sam takes the opportunity to trick him and lock him in a closet. Rebecca decides to take the opportunity to pose as Evan’s chauffeur so that she can talk to him alone on the highway and confess her love for him. She gets in the car and gives a heartfelt confession, but finds that Evan heard none of it because of the soundproof glass in his limousine. She starts her confession again, but is shocked to learn that Evan is taking another young lady with him to Japan. He notes that she asked him out a few months ago and aggressively pursued him the whole time; Rebecca cries when she hears about this and is tempted to swerve into traffic, killing both of them. Sam tells Carla that he expects the entire situation with Rebecca and Evan to “blow up” and that he will be there to “pick up the pieces.” He receives a call from Rebecca asking for his help, and he escorts her home.
Rebecca tells Sam about the remainder of her car trip with Evan and his interactions with his new girlfriend. This infuriated her so much that she drove the limousine straight into a building. Evan and his girlfriend took a taxi to the airport while Rebecca was questioned by the police and imprisoned before Sam bailed her out. During this explanation, Sam tries to set a more romantic mood in order to seduce Rebecca, preying upon her vulnerable state of mind. She asks him to stay for a while, and that she doesn’t want to be alone. She is comforted by Sam’s presence, calling him her “best friend.” She confesses that she has fallen out of contact with her old friends and hasn’t had a chance to make new ones because of her job, meaning that she has virtually none left. Sam is left with the realization that he truly is Rebecca’s best and possibly only friend, and tries to leave, no longer wishing to take advantage of her for sexual reasons. However he returns immediately in an attempt not to give in to his own “sexual urges.” He leaves again immediately when he discovers that this attempt is fruitless. Rebecca starts drinking beer to cope with her depression but Sam calls from a payphone downstairs and asks her to express her feelings over the phone, feeling that it is safer that way. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: May 5, 1988 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:24:05
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:70373
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Boston; Bars
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1982-1993
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James Burrows … Executive Producer, Director, Created by
- Glen Charles … Executive Producer, Created by
- Les Charles … Executive Producer, Created by
- Peter Casey … Producer
- David Lee … Producer
- David Angell … Producer
- Tim Berry … Co-Producer
- Mary Fukuto … Associate Producer
- Cheri Eichen … Writer
- Bill Steinkellner … Writer
- 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
- Tom Skerritt … Cast, Evan Drake
- Ron Barker … Cast, Martin
- Vincent Howard … Cast, Heppel
- Al Rosen … Cast, Al
- George Shannon … Cast, Burns