Title: Woody for Hire Meets Norman of the Apes
Directed by: James Burrows
Written by: Phoef Sutton
Air Date: January 7, 1988
Previous: Christmas Cheers
Next: And God Created Woodman
Guest Starring: Paddi Edwards, Betty Vaughan, Robert Urich
"Woody for Hire Meets Norman of the Apes" is the 13th episode of the sixth season of Cheers.
As the title reflects, the episode has two A-plots. In one, Woody tells the rest of the gang that he watched an outdoor taping of Spenser: For Hire (a 1980s series based on the Spenser novels), wound up getting put in the show as an extra, and even met star Robert Urich. However, when Woody's show airs and all that's visible of him is one sleeve of a plain white shirt, the gang doesn't believe him.
In the second plot, Norm, who is trying to get work as a house painter with the accounting thing not going so well, has painted Cliff's new condo. Unfortunately Cliff decides to be a jerk, pretending that he thought Norm was doing him a favor and refusing to pay. When Norm gets angry Cliff decides to insult him—and eventually an orangutan gets involved. (The one from Every Which Way but Loose, in fact.)
There's also a C-plot in which Rebecca, still trying to class up the Cheers crowd, invites a ladies' book club to use the pool room for their Sunday night meetings.
Tropes:
- And Starring: Robert Urich gets a "Special Appearance by" credit.
- As Himself: Robert Urich appears as himself.
- Bait-and-Switch: Carla, at the bar, complains that Eddie complains about her failure to discipline the children. Cue a phone call in which Carla tells the caller that no, you can't spank him, you can't lock him on the closet, and you can't wash his mouth out with soap. Finally she tells the caller, "Ann-Marie, you untie your stepfather right now!"
- Call-Back: Norm recalls Robert Urich driving past him once, he mentioned it in a previous episode.
- The Cameo: Robert Urich appears in the last scene and invites Woody over to his place. But no one else was in the bar so no one sees that Woody was telling the truth.
- Celebrity Lie: Everybody thinks this, after Woody claims that he's buddies with Robert Urich.
- Dirty Old Woman: Rebecca's choice of book club for little old ladies goes horribly wrong when the ladies are given access to drink. Then they start demanding Woody come into the back room and dance for them.
- Evil Laugh: Carla's cackle over the phone is her way of reminding Sam that she has the night off. (Except for the cold open, Rhea Perlman isn't in the episode. Was she off having her baby?)
- Hypocrite: Cliff endlessly insults Norm and his profession, but when Norm responds in kind, he fumes.
- Shout-Out: To Spenser: For Hire, which surprisingly aired on another network, ABC.
- Silly Simian: A more obnoxious than usual Cliff refuses to pay Norm for his work, saying "Any monkey could do that!" He proceeds to rub the joke in by renting an orangutan who he dresses up in painters' overalls. Norm gets him back at the end by dressing up that same orangutan in a mailman's outfit and having him deliver a package.
- This Is My Chair: Norm flatly refuses to switch barstools with Cliff. This is the first instance of a joke about Norm being attached to that particular stool, a Running Gag that would be followed up on from time to time until the very last scene of the series.
- You're Cute When You're Angry: The guys whine, but Rebecca puts her foot down and insists that the book club will meet in the pool room on Sunday night. Sam says "You are so cute when you're macho."
