Title: Baby Balk
Directed by: James Burrows
Written by: Dan O Shannon and Tom Anderson
Air Date: September 19, 1991
Previous: Uncle Sam Wants You
Next: Get Your Kicks on Route 666
Guest Starring: Bruce Wright
"Baby Balk" is the first episode of the tenth season of Cheers.
Following up on their big life decision at the end of Season 9, Rebecca and Sam have decided to conceive a child together—not get married or even live together, but make a baby. Rebecca does insist that they at least make a romantic evening of it, and Sam agrees.
So Sam comes over to Rebecca's apartment for a night of lovemaking. But just as they're embracing each other, Sam has a panic attack, because this isn't just a hookup, this is (hopefully) making a baby. He freaks out and makes a quick exit from the apartment.
Come the next day, both Sam and Rebecca are wondering how to deal with it. Sam, shocked at being unable to get it up for apparently the first time in his whole life, goes to Frasier for advice. Frasier says that he needs to get his mind off of procreation and baby-making, and concentrate on making the evening hot and sexy. Rebecca, startled at being unable to excite the horniest man in Boston, goes to Lilith for advice. Lilith says that for Sam, his and Rebecca's coupling is not about being sexy, so Rebecca should avoid being sexy and make the evening "sacred and holy." Frasier's good advice and Lilith's terrible advice wind up confusing Sam and Rebecca even more when they meet that night to try again.
In the B-plot, Woody is temporarily left in charge of the bar while Sam and Rebecca go off to have sex, but no one respects him, neither Carla or some cigar-smoking patrons.
Tropes:
- Call-Back: At the beginning of this episode, Rebecca is so excited about making a baby that she puts on her coat and walks out with the coat rack still hooked to her coat. The next night, Sam does the same.
- Food Slap: Woody says that whenever he's put in charge of the bar, everyone laughs at him and drinks get poured over his head. When Sam says Woody's in charge, Carla pours a pitcher over his head.
- Friends with Benefits: Basically what Sam and Rebecca's relationship has turned into, with one specific benefit in mind.
- Get Out!: The episode opens with Norm driving Cliff home from the bar. Cliff starts musing about how Rebecca and Sam are going to make a baby, and how people don't think about genes, and how he would have been able to jump higher if his mom had had sex with Carl Lewis...at that point Norm stops the car and says "Get out", even though they're still a mile from Cliff's house.
- Groin Attack: Sam's attempt to free Rebecca from the coat rack involves him taking a shot to the nuts after Rebecca bends over.
- I Remember It Like It Was Yesterday: Woody's in charge of the bar.Cliff: It's nice to see Woody in charge, huh? Seems like only yesterday he couldn't find his way around the bar, and he got lost in the storeroom.
Norm: That was yesterday. - The Loins Sleep Tonight: Thinking about making a baby makes Sam unable to make a baby.Sam: What we're trying to do is, is wholesome and natural and beautiful, and it's turning me off.
- Not So Above It All: When Rebecca phones Lilith for assistance, Lilith tells Carla to shush because the call is "juicy".
- Previously on…: A "Previously on Cheers" leads to a recap of the end of Season 9 and Sam and Rebecca's decision to make a baby.
- Promotion to Opening Titles: After four years as a frequent guest star, Bebe Neuwirth finally got promoted to the opening titles.
- Second-Face Smoke: The obnoxious bowler blows smoke in Woody's face after Woody tries to get him and his buddies to move farther away from the bar.
- Sign of the Apocalypse: When Rebecca calls Lilith to tell her that Sam Malone couldn't perform in bed, this is Lilith's reaction.Lilith: Oh my God, the seventh sign.
- Tempting Fate: Talking with Sam over the phone, Frasier notes he can hear running water, then questions Sam about whether the sound of running water doesn't make him want to pee. Immediately after saying this, Frasier admits that it's happening to him, and he has to hurry off to the bathroom.
