Original Air Date—24 September 1987
Things at Cheers have changed. Sam has sold the bar to a large corporation and with the proceeds of the sale, bought a boat and is sailing around the world. As employees, Woody and Carla are forced to wear corporate uniforms. The new manager, Rebecca Howe, is a beautiful but tough as nails boss who has worked her way to this position from a business school background. Norm and Cliff no longer frequent the bar, as don't many of the old regulars, except Frasier. Norm gave the "new" Cheers a shot, but as a new crowd started populating the bar, the old refrain, "Norm!" as he enters, has left their vernacular. Diane's book deal didn't work out, and is in Hollywood writing for television. And Carla and Eddie have broken up. But the one constant: Carla is again pregnant, this time with Eddie's child. Into this new world, Sam throws everybody for a loop and returns to Cheers; apparently, he sank his boat when he hit a reef in the Caribbean. He came back to the bar, not in an effort to buy it since he has no money, but rather to find a job as a bartender. However there aren't any positions available. The other bartender, Wayne, is a dour man who knows how to make every drink known to man. Sam decides that a good approach to getting a job at Cheers is to go through Rebecca. When he meets her, he is amazed at his luck since he figures he can get a job AND sleep with her. Rebecca however takes an instant dislike to him. Sam honestly appeals to her on an emotional level: he sold the bar to run away from the memory of Diane, but now that he has returned and sees the changes, those memories are no longer a problem, yet the bar is as close to a home as he has ever had. Rebecca feels sorry for him, and offers him a part time relief bartender job. But Sam thinks he has the upper hand when he secretly overhears a telephone conversation between Rebecca and Evan Drake, a VP with the company for which, as a side note, Rebecca has the hots. Mr. Drake wants her to hire Sam full time for his "marquee" value. She does so, but needs to fire another one of the bartenders, that person being Woody. However Carla has hatched a plan to get Wayne fired or to have him quit voluntarily instead. Wayne, in a bet with Carla, says he will quit if that night, he can't make a drink for which a customer requests. All the old gang, who haven't been into the bar in ages, including Norm, Cliff, Alan, Steve and Tim, come in and ask for a "Screaming Viking", a drink that doesn't exist, but that Woody happily prepares. Wayne, knowing that he is being had, storms off in a huff and quits. Although Sam thinks his problems are solved, Rebecca ends up firing him since he has shown her up. Sam asks for a second chance, and Rebecca, needing a bartender, does give him the opportunity. Sam and Rebecca come to an understanding about their professional relationship.
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