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Recap / The Dick Van Dyke Show S 2 E 14 Somebody Has To Play Cleopatra

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Rob and Laura's neighbor Mrs. Billings once again proposes that the PTA put on a revue for its annual fundraiser, prompting Rob to recall what happened at the rehearsals for the previous year's revue, and how it was complicated by neighbor Harry Rogers (guest star Bob Crane).

This episode includes examples pf the following tropes:

  • Blatant Lies: After Harry's wife Shirley drags him outside and they have a yelling match over his being in the skit with Miss Harding, he comes back in to tell everybody he has to leave because one of their kids is sick.
  • Cross-Cast Role: In-Universe. While it's not shown, Rob recalls that he and Jerry wound up having to play Anthony and Cleopatra.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Jerry doesn't want Millie in the Cleopatra sketch because she'd be kissing Harry Rogers. Rob thinks that's silly, until he has the same reaction to Laura being in the sketch. Then when beautiful young teacher Cynthia Harding steps in, Harry's wife puts her foot down.
  • Hot Librarian: This is Cynthia Harding's basic look, although the men don't really notice her until she unpins her hair and takes her glasses off.
  • Reverse Psychology: Mrs. Billings seems to specialize in this. Both years she tells Rob that putting a show together must be easy. When he contradicts her and says that he's the only one qualified, that means that he's basically volunteered.
  • The Un-Smile: Rob's grin freezes when he realizes that Mrs. Billings has played him again.
  • Whole Episode Flashback: The bulk of the episode is Rob's memory of last year's rehearsal, although it's framed by a couple of scenes in the present.

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