Recap / Cheers S 10 E 16

Episode: Season 10, Episode 16
Title: One Hugs, the Other Doesn't
Directed by: James Burrows
Written by: Cheri Eichen and Bill Steinkellner
Air Date: January 30, 1992
Previous: My Son, the Father
Next: A Diminished Rebecca with a Suspended Cliff
Guest Starring: Emma Thompson, Paul Willson

"One Hugs, the Other Doesn't" is the 16th episode of the tenth season of Cheers.

Little Frederick Crane is turning two, and as a special gift, Sam's gotten him tickets to the hit children's performer, Nanny G. Frasier isn't too keen on the idea, or on Nanny G herself, but goes along anyway. At the concert, things take an interesting turn when Nanny G shows up (played by Emma Thompson), as Frasier swears he recognizes her from somewhere. It takes him a minute, before he realizes from where. Nanny G is Nanette Guzman, his first wife.

... wait, what?

Turns out, despite Frasier's attempt to assure Lilith it was a short-lived marriage and she wouldn't recognize him from Adam, Nanette does in fact remember Frasier. Ooh, boy does she remember him. Naturally, Lilith isn't too pleased with any of this. And Lilith gets even angrier when it becomes clear that Nanette wants Frasier back.

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Tropes:

• All Men Are Perverts: Nanny G was doing her "Shake Your Hand" bit in the audience when she saw Frasier and gave him a Big Damn Kiss. Sam immediately asks if she wants to shake his hand, too.
• And Starring: Emma Thompson, who was a pretty big star already at this point in her career, gets "Special Guest Star" credit.
• Armor-Piercing Question: When Frasier protests that it's no big deal he never mentioned Nanny G, Norm says "Yes, but why didn't you tell her?" He then goes on a spiel about how trust is the foundation of a marriage. He admits that he got it from last night's Matlock.
• Be Careful What You Wish For: Lilith insisted that Frasier attend the Nanny G concert, due to it being a key moment in their son's life. Suffice to say, it would've been better for everyone if Frasier had stayed home or at the bar.
• Big Damn Kiss: Nanny G kisses Frasier in front of an entire audience of kids, and Frasier's own son and wife.
• Broken Tears: Rebecca starts recounting a story from her youth about a boyfriend of hers, but partway through stops because the memories are upsetting her, and realizes she's going to start crying again. She runs into the office, declaring she won't even as she's already weeping. The gang nonchalantly comment that it's a record.
• Brutal Honesty: As Lilith so delicately puts it, she doesn't want the gang around to celebrate Freddy's second birthday because it's meant to be a family affair, and also because she just doesn't want them there. Later on, when Frasier tries to apologize for everything, Lilith states she knows why he didn't explain: Because he's a craven coward.
  Frasier: You know me so well!
• Cat Fight: Eventually, fed up with Nanette's endless flirting with Frasier, Lilith attacks her, and drags her to the floor. Frasier admits to Sam that he's enjoying it.
  Frasier: You know, I'm going to suffer for this tomorrow, but today, right now, at this exact moment, I'm the happiest man on Earth.
• Change the Uncomfortable Subject: When the subject of Nanette comes up, Frasier tries to take advantage of Nanette telling the dads in the audience to clap along to avoid explaining things to Lilith, but she's having none of it.
• Continuity Nod: Another nod to Carla's Elvis Presley fetish, as she introduces her twin sons, Elvis and Jesse. (Elvis Presley had a stillborn twin brother named Jesse.)
• Digging Yourself Deeper: Frasier's attempts to claim he's over Nanette ring a little hollow the more the episode goes on.
• Dirty Coward: Lilith surmises that this is the real reason that Frasier never mentioned being married before. Frasier cops to it.
• Dramatic Drop: Nanny G dramatically drops her microphone at the concert when she sees Frasier. Then she jumps into his arms for the Big Damn Kiss.
• Drowning His Sorrows: Lilith has a shot at the bar after the concert. When Nanny G enters, Carla silently places the entire bottle in front of her.
• Ear Worm: Though Frasier sneers at Lilith and Sam singing some of Nanny G's repertoire, he soon sings it back, causing Lilith to remark "catchy, isn't it?"
• Evil Laugh: How Lilith caps off her alternate lyrics to a Nanny G song, in which she describes to performing increasingly violent acts on her. Naturally, Carla likes this, whereas everyone else is disturbed.
• Foil: Nanette is about as unlike Lilith as it's possible to be while still being a human being.
• Freudian Excuse: When all the kids are at the bar for the party, one kid is sitting on Norm's stool and having a drink. Moving the kid along, Norm expresses disappointment about how no one ever did that for him at that age.
• Green-Eyed Monster: Lilith, Lilith of all people, is surprisingly possessive of Frasier.
• Manchild: Woody turns out to be a huge fan of Nanny G, because of course he is. He's also crushed when he thinks he's getting the brush off, and easily swayed by her claiming she recognised him at her concert, even though he was sitting almost exactly at the back.
  Nanny G: Think he bought it?
  Sam: Oh, yeah. He's an easy sale.
• The Missus and the Ex: Lilith is very unhappy to find out that Frasier was married before. Apparently it was a brief marriage when Frasier had just started medical school. Why they got divorced is not explained but sex was not the problem, which just makes Lilith even more jealous.
• Narm Charm: In-universe, Sam notes that Nanette manages to make what should sound utterly cheesy sound pretty sexy.
• Oh, Crap!: Frasier when he realizes why he recognizes Nanny G.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Lilith also shows a vicious and vindictive side. Carla approves.
  Carla: I've never seen this side of Lilith before. ... I like it!
• Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: After Nanette declares she's behaving this way because she's still in love with Frasier.
  Lilith: Well, maybe this'll help! [tackles her]
• Precision F-Strike: Lilith is fuming about Nanette.
  Lillith: So Frasier was married to that—how would you describe her? Bitch.
• Rage Breaking Point: Lilith really doesn't want to be around Nanette for the party and is constantly sour about all this, but Nanette's suggestive song is when she explodes.
  Lilith: ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT!
• Remember the New Guy?: So after seven years, it turns out Frasier had a wife long before he'd ever walked into Cheers, who he'd never once mentioned.
• Sarcasm-Blind: After Lilith goes on a long sarcastic rant about how she is emphatically not happy with learning about Nanette, or her kissing Frasier in front of an entire audience of kids, Frasier doesn't notice.
• Shout-Out: While being Sarcasm-Blind, Frasier says to Lilith, "Baby, you're the greatest."
• Suddenly Shouting: Frasier was already displeased to have to attend the concert, but Nanny G then gins up the kids by claiming she can't hear them saying her name. After the second time, Frasier explodes.
  Frasier: COME OUT IN THE DAMN AUDIENCE! YOU'LL HEAR 'EM JUST FINE!
• Tempting Fate: At the bar, Lilith insists she and Frasier just never speak of this again and move forward. Cue Nanette walking through the front door and approaching Lilith.
• This Is Gonna Suck: Frasier's expression during the show when Lilith finds out he's been married before. He'd rather engage in some silly audience participation than have this conversation.
• Worth It: Frasier remarks that Lilith and Nanette literally fighting over him makes it worth whatever grief he'll get for this later.