vitoscotti

A very enjoyable episode to view with quite a few twists and turns all blending in for very good comedy. Lots of charm, good casting of one-time characters,, and very snappy writing.

I've always been a big fan of Richard Stahl (bellboy) and his dry deadpan humor.. A real treat that he was cast in the episode. That Bob had to work nights with his wacko group therapy patients offered some interesting inconsistencies. In previous episodes it's been established Bob starts at 10:00 a.m. Why not just start earlier rather than spending such late hours at the office? Richard Stahl and Katherine Ish (Mrs Henderson) both in the episode were long time married .

Lenore Woodward as Mrs Havlicek (Mrs Bakerman clone attempt) and Daniel J. Travanti as Mr. Gianelli were quite bad mimicking two wonderful classic sitcom characters. Why the writers and powers at be would try to duplicate the two characters instead of just creating two new characters was curious. It definitely didn't work. The two actors looked out of place shoehorned in.

The episode definitely had some decent comical moments. How could it not with all the group therapy wacky patients. Even with the two poor castings. The episode didn't really produce any classic big laugh scenes or lines though.

Everything clicked, worked well, and had terrific chemistry. Unlike the season 2 final episode clunker "Matter of Principal"where nothing worked. Odd that the focus of the episode Ellen (Pat Finley) literally disappears for most of the episode only in the beginning and the end. It's hard to explain why some episodes work well and others bomb.

Fun to see a first series scene in Carol's quirky apartment. The whole scene was pure magic comedy. Good trivia that the apartment is hinted to be around Wrigley Field. And where is the pizza that was ordered? Now we know in a previous episode why Jerry slept on the couch rather than sleeping on the uncomfortable slide away bed in the Hartley's den.