Mert Rich Movies

Carla (Rhea Perlman) is dead set against honoring her dying mother's last request. After all, would you want to name one of your children after Benito Mussolini? Elsewhere, affable Woody (Woody Harrelson) inadvertently incurs the wrath of Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) when he arranges for Cheers to include a free-drink coupon in an Boston entertainment guide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season nine of Cheers picked up where the eighth had left off, with Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) poised to consummate their newfound romance on the couch in Sam's office. "Interruptus" came in the form of Rebecca's billionaire boyfriend Robin Colcord (Roger Rees), now on the lam from the law for illegal stock trading. Gradually, Sam came to realize that his relationship with Rebecca was not to be -- although upon agreeing to marry the newly-released Robin, Rebecca developed an acute case of cold feet at the very last minute, leaving her technically free for a unique "business arrangement" dreamed up by Sam. Elsewhere, Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) continued juggling careers as a bartender and actor, and also persisted in his romantic relationship with wealthy Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson), despite the interference of Kelly's amorous French acquaintance Henri (Anthony Cistaro). Sam Malone likewise had a new nemesis in the form of the imperious John Hill (Keene Curtis), landlord of the building housing Cheers and the owner of the posh restaurant Melville's, which occupied the building's second floor. After babysitting for new parents Frasier and Lilith Crane (Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth), a profoundly affected Sam decided that he, too, would like to be a father. It so happened that he had also selected the perfect mother for his child: Rebecca. And on this discordant note, season nine came to a close. This was the year that Cheers finally graduated to number one in the ratings, enjoying a 21.3 share. It also earned four more Emmys -- Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Direction (James Burrows), Outstanding Lead Actress (Kirstie Alley), and Outstanding Supporting Actress (the second such honor for Bebe Neuwirth) -- not to mention nominations in nine other categories. And finally, this was the year that former series regular Shelley Long returned -- albeit briefly, and at a considerable distance from her former co-stars -- during an NBC special celebrating Cheers' 200th episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

1940s movie star Alexis Smith guest stars as Professor Alice Anne Volkman, the revered business-school mentor of Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley). Much to Rebecca's dismay, Prof. Volkman has more than business on her mind when she is attracted to Sam (Ted Danson). Meanwhile, it's Norm (George Wendt) to the rescue when Carla (Rhea Perlman) is audited by the IRS. Future Drew Carey Show regular Diedrich Bader appears as a waiter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Annie Golden returns as Margaret O'Keefe, the former postal trainee whom Cliff (John Ratzenberger) had fired for a rule infraction. Back in Boston, Margaret wants to renew her romantic relationship with Cliff -- a prospect that literally strikes him blind. Elsewhere at Cheers, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) decides that it's time to put on a new face (and literally, at that). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) introduce Sam (Ted Danson) to their friend Sheila Rydell (Madolyn Smith-Osborne), a brilliant -- and very sexy -- therapist. Smitten by Sheila, Sam tries to put the moves on her by faking an attack of impotence. Meanwhile, the Cheers gang counts the beans for fun and profit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Expanding from 30 to 90 minutes per week in the process of "graduating" from Canada's Global Television Network to America's NBC, the popular sketch comedy series SCTV also boasts an expanded title -- SCTV: Network 90 -- as it launches its first NBC season. The "new" series' format is primarily the same as the "old" one, with each episode chronicling a typical broadcast day on SCTV's flagship station, Channel 109 in Melonville. Returning from the earlier series are John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, and Rick Moranis; beginning with the 25th episode of season one, Martin Short joins the cast, adding his own unique comedy characterizations to the cast of "regulars" already established by his colleagues.
Among the recurring segments introduced during the shakedown season of SCTV: Network 90 are "Farm Film Report," with bucolic emcees Billy Sol (John Candy) and Jim Bob (Joe Flaherty) exhorting various ersatz celebrities to "blow up reeeal good"; "The Happy Wanderers," featuring Leutonian polka kings Stan and Yosh Schmenge (John Candy, Eugene Levy); "One on the Town," a fatuous investigative reporting series hosted by news anchor Earl Camembert (Levy); "Street Beef," the cheesy man-on-the-street interview show to which SCTV personality Johnny LaRue (Candy) is exiled after the failure of his first starring movie "Polynesiantown"; and "The Gerry Todd Show," a lampoonish music video disc jockey program that predated the debut of MTV by four months! Many of the sketches seen during SCTV: Network 90's first season are reruns, culled from three seasons' worth of the original SCTV (some of these, however, had not previously been seen on U.S. television). Of the new sketches, several are standouts, including "CCCP1," in which the SCTV satellite is hijacked by the Soviet Union; "Zontar," an extended parody of Invasion of the Body Snatchers; "The People's Golden Choice Awards," arguably the single most crooked awards show in TV history; and the hilariously self-explanatory "PBS Battle of the Network Stars." On orders from NBC, SCTV: Network 90 was obliged to accommodate musical guest stars, but for the most part these performers were smoothly integrated into the comic action. This season's crop of guests includes Levon Helm, Dr. John, Natalie Cole, Al Jarreau, The Tubes, Tony Bennett, Talking Heads, Roy Orbison, and even classical violinist Eugene Fodor and Johnny Puleo and His Harmonica Gang. Mention should also be made of non-musical guest Bill Murray, who -- to no one's surprise -- melded beautifully with the series' general zaniness. (DVD alert: Most of the aforementioned guest star turns have been removed from the half-hour syndicated versions of the individual SCTV Network episodes.) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After Grand Prix driver and self-avowed "health nut" Kevin Bannon dies in car crash, Quincy (Jack Klugman) performs an autopsy and discovers that the victim's body was riddled with amphetamines. Having been assured by car mechanic Chick Thomas (Simon Oakland]) that Kevin never took a drug in his life, Quincy believes that the man was murdered. Also taking a vested interest in the case is spunky insurance investigator July Fellner (Cassie Yates). This episode was originally scheduled for October 5, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide