"Paper Marriage" is the eight episode of the 1978 series Taxi. This is notable for being the first episode of the show to center on foreign mechanic Latka Gravas, but most of all for being the first appearance of Jim Ignatowski.
After not going to the immigration office in time, Latka gets threatened with deportation. So, the cabbies decide to get him in a "paper marriage" to a call girl so he can get his "green card", done in a quick ceremony conducted by the spaced-out "Reverend Jim".
Tropes present in this episode
- A Day in the Limelight: The first one for Latka.
- Breakout Character: Reverend Jim's appearance was originally intended to be a one-shot deal. But his performance made such a hit that, as executive producer Ed. Weinberger later put it, "That very night, we all agreed we had to get him on the show (as a regular)."
- Crapsack World: Latka's home country issues stamps commemorating barbed wire.
- Citizenship Marriage
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: The first time Louie becomes this. Without him, Latka would have had to go to the "old country".
- Screw the Money, I Have Rules!: Latka refuses to speak to Louie after he told the feds where he was hiding, even getting close to burn the money Louie offered him.
