Title: Sunday Dinner
Directed by: James Burrows
Written by: Fred Graver
Air Date: January 7, 1993
Previous: Love Me, Love My Car
Next: Norm's Big Audit
Guest Starring: Kristen Cloke
"Sunday Dinner" is the 12th episode of the 11th season of Cheers.
In the first plot, Frasier, now an unofficially single man after Lilith left him, has acquired a hot young secretary, Shauna (Kristen Cloke). Shauna shows up at the bar with some messages for Frasier, despite not really needing to. She laughs way too much at his jokes and makes other obvious mating signals. Frasier is reluctant to go out with a much younger woman despite her plain interest in him, but after Sam gives him some encouragement, he accepts an invitation for dinner—at her place.
In the second plot, Cliff has a fancy video camera. After Rebecca books a family party for the bar, Cliff offers to take video of the party for $50. Unfortunately the battery on the video camera dies well before the party is over.
Tropes:
- Carpet of Virility: It turns out that Shauna lives with her parents, and the only reason she asked Frasier over was as a scheme so that she could really go out with her boyfriend Rick, a biker. Naturally, Rick wears a jacket which is unzipped to show off his manly chest hair.
- Continuity Nod: The fancy video camera, and Cliff's fondness for taking videos and his regard for himself as an auteur, were previously touched upon in Season 10 episode "Unplanned Parenthood".
- *Cough* Snark *Cough*: Actually, it's "cough open the door, Norm", from Cliff, as he and Cliff make an undignified getaway rather than admit they didn't tape all the crazy stuff that happened at the party.
- Dodgy Toupee: Frasier busts out a toupee that looks like an animal with a very thick pelt died on his forehead. Sam gets him to take it off and go as himself.
- Head-Turning Beauty: When Shauna sashays off to the ladies' room, literally every head on the back end of the bar swivels to watch her go.
- Sand In My Eyes: "The Runaway Bunny" makes Sam cry too. No, he isn't crying, it's salt from the bar peanuts in his eyes.
- Sexy Secretary: Frasier has acquired a hot, curvy young secretary who's very interested in him. Or so it seems.
- Tear Jerker: In-Universe. Sam is looking after Frederick Crane again as Frasier goes off for his date. Among the stuff Frasier has brought along for Freddie is Freddie's favorite story, "The Runaway Bunny". It seems that this story always makes mean, cynical Carla cry.
