Title: The Days of Wine and Neuroses
Directed by: James Burrows
Written by: Brian Pollack and Mert Rich
Air Date: January 31, 1991
Previous: The Days of Wine and Neuroses
Next: I'm Getting My Act Together and Sticking It in Your Face
Guest Starring: Bebe Neuwirth, Roger Rees, Paul Willson, Bobby Hatfield
"Wedding Bell Blues" is the sixteenth episode of the ninth season of Cheers.
Following on from the previous episode, Sam comes into the bar to break the news about Rebecca calling off her wedding to Robin. No sooner has he told everyone this, Rebecca comes in wearing a wedding dress. Sam tries reminding her about the events of the night before, but a now sober Rebecca doesn't remember any of what she said to him vis-à-vis their sex.
The gang goes to Boston city hall for the wedding. Sam tries to jog Rebecca's memory, hoping to spare her some humiliation, but to no avail. Robin appears, having managed to contract one Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers to sing for their wedding. As the wedding begins, Sam overhears something Lilith says, and is inspired to use the karaoke machine to trigger Rebecca's memories of the night before. It works.
Panicking, Rebecca shuts herself away. She insists that she's not interested in Robin solely for his money, and tries going through with the wedding again, but as they say her vows she proves unable to go on, admitting that yes, she's only interested in Robin's money, and flees again.
Back at the bar, a shattered Rebecca takes stock of herself, when Robin shows up wanting to talk to her. Rebecca has to admit to him that she doesn't love him, and hasn't ever since he was arrested. Robin asks her if having a massive stash of money he'd hidden would make a difference. When Rebecca admits it wouldn't, he promptly removes a massive stash of money from the desk right in front of her and storms out.
Sam tries complimenting Rebecca on her courage... only for Rebecca to blubberingly declare she thought Robin was bluffing, and try to go after him.
End of the Robin-Rebecca romance arc that was a major plot thread in Seasons 8 and 9.
Tropes:
- Always Someone Better: Frasier is repeatedly shown up by Bobby Hatfield at the wedding.Frasier: I'm willing to bet I'm a better psychiatrist than you are.
Hatfield: Really? And how long have you felt this way?
Frasier: ... then again I could be wrong. - As Himself: Bobby Hatfield of The Righteous Brothers, or as Rebecca calls him, "the other Righteous Brother", shows up to sing at the wedding. (Robin's broke now, so presumably he called in a favor.)
- Blue-and-Orange Morality: Hearing Sam's raided Rebecca's apartment, Carla scolds him for merely taking food, rather than jacking her stuff.
- Call-Back: Rebecca's fondness for the Righteous Brothers and "Unchained Melody".
- Chekhov's Gun:
- The karaoke machine.
- "We've Got Tonight", which Rebecca drunkenly sung at Sam in the previous episode. Sam uses that to trigger Rebecca's memory.
- Crazy-Prepared: Robin had a stash of six million dollars hidden in Rebecca's desk all this time.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Hearing Lilith mention watching Ghost is what inspires Sam to play "We've Got Tonight".
- Fairy Tale Wedding Dress: Rebecca wears a particularly ornate, poofy white wedding dress.
- Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: Sam tries doing this to Rebecca, but it doesn't work.
- Godzilla Threshold: The barflies ask Lilith to do something, anything to get Frasier off the karaoke machine. She has a solution, but admits it's drastic. She takes the mic, and starts singing with even more enthusiasm than Frasier had.
- Gold Digger: Rebecca admits it. When it's time to give her vows to Robin, she says "I only loved you for your money!", and runs away from the wedding.Robin: I thought I was your sweet baby.
Rebecca: You were my rich baby. - Good News, Bad News: Sam starts off with the bad news; Robin wants to talk to Rebecca. There is no actual good news.
- Inadvertent Entrance Cue:
- Sam says that everyone needs to be nice to Rebecca when she comes in, because she confessed to Sam that she doesn't love Robin, and she's called off the wedding. Cue Rebecca coming into the bar in her bridal dress.
- Frustrated, Sam tells Rebecca to be happy waking up every morning to Robin saying "good morning, Rebecca." Robin immediately enters and says just that.
- Nobody Touches the Hair: Sam gets distracted by Rebecca's hairstylist and his wares, and discussion over their effectiveness.
- Previously on…: Ted Danson's "Last week on Cheers" introduces a recap of the previous episode's events, in which Rebecca confessed she doesn't love Robin.
- Put on a Bus: Fed up with Rebecca's gold digging, Robin takes the last of his money and leaves. He'll return for one more episode in season 11.
- Runaway Bride: Rebecca, when forced to come face to face with the truth she really is just a Gold Digger.
- Running Gag: Yet another instance of Cliff getting into trouble with Boston's authorities, as a guard at City Hall nearly arrests him on sight for previous infractions there.
- Sexy Backless Outfit: Naturally Rebecca's wedding dress doesn't have a back.
- Ship Sinking: The HMS Rebecca-Robin goes down in flames, Rebecca admits she no longer loves him at all, and he leaves her.
- Shout-Out:
- The song Frasier and then Lilith sings is "You're Just in Love", from Don't Call Me Madam.
- Hearing "Unchained Melody", Lilith mentions Ghost (1990), which famously features a scene featuring the song.
- For his wedding vows, Robin gives a heartfelt recital of all of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"). This romantic moment is immediately undercut by Rebecca's Gold Digger confession.
- Suicide as Comedy: Carla's contribution to Rebecca's misery is suggesting methods of killing herself.
- Tempting Fate: Robin mentions that after being arrested and bankrupted, he can't imagine what more could happen. Being humiliated at his wedding might do.
- Wedding Episode: Rebecca is supposed to be married in this episode, but she becomes a Runaway Bride.
- Wham Line: Well, for Robin anyway.Rebecca: I only loved you for your money.
- What Did I Do Last Night?: Rebecca has no memory of her drunken confession that she doesn't love Robin, or her attempt to seduce Sam.
- With Friends Like These...: Norm has Cliff dragged off by security for rattling off some Little Known Facts.
