Title: The Art of the Steal
Directed by: James Burrows
Written by: Sue Herring
Air Date: November 30, 1989
Previous: Two Girls for Every Boyd
Next: Feeble Attraction
"The Art of the Steal" is the 10th episode of the eighth season of Cheers.
Rebecca still, still has not had sex with Robin Colcord. Fully aware that she needs to take action to retain his interest, she hits on a scheme. Robin is off in Europe doing business stuff, but he's due to return shortly. Rebecca knows his valet, and she gets the valet to let her into Robin's penthouse. She will wait for him in the penthouse—naked.
Unfortunately Rebecca got this idea by going to Carla the slut (Carla: "You should have known me when I was a real slut") for advice on how to spice up her sex life. Carla, naturally, tells Sam. Sam, naturally, goes to Robin's apartment and catches Rebecca in the nude. Rebecca, highly agitated and demanding that Sam get out of the penthouse, accidentally triggers the penthouse's security system, locking both of them in. Then she triggers the Laser Hallway.
In the B-plot, Norm tries to explain to Woody concepts like inflation and fundamental economics, an effort that eventually turns to a game of Monopoly with Cliff and Frasier.
Tropes:
- Comedic Sociopathy: The cold open has Norm trying to teach Woody about inflation. After Cliff made the mistake of asking his friends to watch his wallet, Norm demonstrates inflation by ripping up a $1 bill from Cliff's wallet. Then Carla pulls out a $20 and they do it again.
- Creator Cameo: There were no credited guest stars for this episode, but director James Burrows appears as one of the background bar patrons.
- Exact Words: As they're finally leaving the penthouse, Rebecca asks Sam not to tell the gang some wild story about having sex with her in Robin's apartment. Sam says "I'm gonna tell them the absolute truth. Walked in here, found you buck-naked, spent the night on the floor with you surrounded by colored lights."Rebecca: (sighing) All right. At least tell them I was good.
- Laser Hallway: Sam and Rebecca find the owner's manual for the security system, and they're trying to figure out how to unlock the penthouse so Sam can leave. Instead they trigger the laser security grid, which means they have to spend the rest of the night crawling around on the floor.
- Naked People Are Funny: Sam very much enjoys catching Rebecca naked in Robin's bedroom.
- Nobody Touches the Hair: A random gag has Sam mentioning that he has hair insurance.
- Proof Dare: When Norm accuses Woody of filching money from the Monopoly bank, Woody loses his folksy, deferential manner and says "Prove it, Peterson."
- You're Cute When You're Angry: Sam inverts this when Rebecca is hectoring him out of the apartment and he says "You are so cranky when you're naked."
