Welcome to WRITE AFTER WRITE, a mini-series covering the Laverne & Shirley tie-in novels, Lisa is joined by @paulaschaffner476 of the "Becoming Human" podcast. The ladies take on "Teamwork" - the first of the novels written by "Con Steffanson." Ostensibly about Shirley falling into full starstruckdom over a Martin/Lewis-style comedy and music act, the story ends up taking wild turns with a mob plot, kidnapping, human trafficking (?!), a Squignowski Ex Machina, and way too many side characters and overly written paragraphs.
This is it, folks! The final episode of L&S gets a review! When Frank and Rhonda realize that Carmine has broken up with his girlfriend, turned off his utilities, and quit his job they fear the worst. But Carmine confesses to them that he's decided to leave California for busier pastures; the isle of Manhattan and the chance to be on Broadway. With the support of his friends and all of Laverne's waterbed money, he heads for New York. There, he auditions for a new musical called "Hair" and meets Rick West, a wise, quick-talking, but still struggling and unemployed fellow actor who becomes a fast friend. The two make it to the callbacks, but will they overcome the jitters and get a chance to join the Age of Aquarius?! On pod, we talk the strangely unLaverne & Shirley finale to Laverne & Shirley, the folks behind and in front of the camera, and reflect on the time spent over 3 and a half years reviewing all 178 episodes of the show.
Laverne's pop, Frank DeFazio, gets a visit at his Cowboy Bill's establishment by a local city councilman named Pike. Pike's corrupt tactics and avaricious plans will end up bulldozing the place and kicking him out for the sake of Pike's own gain. It gets Frank's dander up, and he decides to run for election against him. He gets the gang to collaborate on the campaign trail: Rhonda goes door to door, Carmine roots him on from the sidelines, Squiggy strategizes, and Laverne makes the signs (even though she's sick with mono). But will this be enough to take down Pike and his bulldoggish mother, the contractor who has explosive plans for Cowboy Bill's? On pod, we talk the back-and-forth logic for Frank for season 8, the way in which this could have (but didn't) change the series' direction, and the surprising jokes they got away with.
When Squiggy's sister (Squendolyn, also played by David Lander) comes to visit her brother after a messy divorce, she takes a real shine to Carmine. Seeing a chance to keep her out of his hair, Squig offers to pay a frustrated Carmine a couple hundred bucks to show the sister a good time... even though Carmine doesn't like Squendolyn and thinks quite lowly of her based on her appearance. But when it all comes to a head at a Hollywood party full of other crappy folks, what will Carmine learn from having broken poor Squendolyn's heart?
On pod, we discuss the writer of the episode, whose work goes as far back as season 2, and the various modeling/soap stars that show up in the Hollywood party scene. Plus, our disappointments with S8. Again.
** SOME EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING ** (just a bit) The boys think they've discovered a treasure map when they find some junk at a swap meet, sending Lenny and Squiggy on a quest to find it somewhere out in the Mojave Desert. Stopping off at Cowboy Bills on the way, they accidentally blurt their plans out to Frank and Carmine, causing the two to argue that if Pop's going to give supplies at a discount and Carmine gave them the money to go to the swap meet, that they should be in on the take. So all four "manly men" head out into the sand and heat, getting lost and running out of supplies in quick fashion. Hallucinating, bonding, and finding a bottle of booze (along with a cactus boner), will they survive?! On pod, we talk the return to form with David and Michael's antics in the episode, how the storyline (and writer of the episode) feel more akin to Season 6/Season 7 material, and whether this one is the best of the season. Gasp!
**EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING** Ghost episodes of sitcoms should be funny and weird, right?
When Laverne leaves for a ski trip for singles, she has Carmine watch the place, but tells him that there's something weird with the lights and sink. Turns out her apartment is haunted by the ghost of an athlete who's upset at the outcome of the Summer Olympics. When Rhonda puts together a séance to quell the angry spirit, it causes him to possess Laverne's body instead. He asks that they reenact the track and field event he lost so he can win this time. Hijinks... ensue? Also, Squiggy is a creep and Pop gets a spooky new employee. Seriously, we make this sound like it's better than it actually is. On pod, we talk through the synopsis in search of a joke that lands, wonder how the hell this happened, and make references to Ghost Story (1980).
**EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING** Time for Chris to lose his mind again! In the episode reviewed, Laverne is busy as heck. She's so busy, she ends up dealing with a schedule logjam when her promise to babysit Chuck's young chimpanzee, Chucky Jr., overlaps with her plans to perform with The Spinners in concert. When she calls on her grumpy Pop, she brushes off his exceptional anger at women in general, even as he nails closed the ladies' room door at Cowboy Bills. A desperate Laverne dumps Chuck Jr. on Pop and goes to the Spinners' show. She finds herself onstage performing with the band, but what ought to be a triumph leads her to rat-a-tat her way to a realization: she left her loving papa behind and needs to find out what's wrong with him. What has got Frank DeFazio so upset? And will sudden Trekker Chuck live long and prosper? On pod, Lisa cackles "I warned you!" while Chris goes absolutely bananas about this out-of-character way of writing Edna out of the show, the Chimp humor, and copes with Season 8 being its most Season 8-ist.
It's time for the last Mike Bailey episode to get reviewed!
For once, Laverne's latest relationship is going well. Her beau, Mike Bailey (Larry Breeding), is a fashion photographer who likes her and connects with her. The two of them share their romance in a comfortable, healthy, mature way. But, there's one problem - Laverne's jealousy flares up as she sees how close Mike is to the models he photographs. She decides to go to a big internationally- themed fashion show Mike has been commissioned to put on for an airline company, and causes one of the lead models to quit on the spot. Laverne, realizing her mistake, bails her Bailey out by walking the runway herself. But will her presentation of some Gondola-based headwear save the event? Or shall the master of ceremonies' drunken shenanigans and the narcissism of one of the other models sabotage this event, AND this relationship?
Laverne's nursing an ulcer with an awful diet and doctor's orders to rest. At work, her colleague Chuck (Charles Fleischer) tries to cheer her up with playing his harmonica and introducing her to his own love of music. Realizing he's actually pretty good, Laverne encourages him, bringing up how much Bob Dylan makes. But, Chuck dreams big, getting his science buddies together to form a band, quit their jobs, and become a success. But Laverne and Carmine realize immediately that these nerds do not know the ins & outs of rock & roll. Can they make a performance that will knock the kids' socks off? On pod, we talk the anachronistic use of Jack Mack & The Heart Attack as the band in the episode, Lisa reflects on her mother's rock n roll fandom history, and Chris figures out that guy managing the stage in the third act is *not* Tom Trbovich.
Laverne is surprised to find out that Alvinia Plout (Vicki Lawrence), her former Sergeant in the Women's Army Corps, is back in town with two big surprises. Those surprises: she's been married and divorced since Laverne last saw her, and now has a baby on the way. Hesitant to send Alvinia on her way, Laverne lets her former superior stay with her. She helps Alvinia get a job at Cowboy Bills and supports her efforts to win a Mother To Be contest for a lifetime supply of baby food. But when Frank's gentlemen's lodge has an important member pass away suddenly, he has to put together the funeral quickly - even requiring extra mourners for the event. When Laverne and Alvinia get wrangled into attending, a weird twist of fate occurs, and Plout goes into labor right there in the funeral parlor. Ultimately, she's forced to give birth atop a casket! Will this be the end of Plout? Will Laverne be a Mother To Be? Will Frank take up a side-gig as a hat rack?! On pod, we talk the spirited script by Judy Pioli (nee Askins) who returned for season 8's writer's room, the variety of guest actors on display, and the way in which the arc of Sgt. Plout concludes.
When a pair of Russian ballet dancers with plans to defect to the American side and use the bathroom at Cowboy Bills as a weigh station toward freedom, hijinks ensue. While Boris Squiggmanoff succeeds in getting away, his KGB handlers capture his wife, and then mistake Squiggy for the defecting dancer. Mr. Squiggman finds himself living in captivity, forced to fulfill Boris' ballet commitment on pain of death. Soon figuring out that this Squig-shaped guy in the apartment isn't the real deal, Laverne and a rookie federal agent team up with the displaced Ruskie to help save the day, save the wife, and dance really well - kinda-sorta. On pod, we cover the 60s'ness of it all and talk the guest actors, along with covering one of the few episodes of Season 8 that we kind of enjoyed!
*** EXPLICIT LANGUAGE & WARNING *** This podcast video includes discussions of topics such as rape, religious guilt, victim-blaming, and alcohol-induced blackouts. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Laverne wakes up from a black-out drunk evening on top of an aircraft carrier with her clothing torn and disheveled. On her way off the boat, she gets saluted by the sailors on board for reasons she cannot recall. By the time they "toot the big horn" at her, she suspects the worst. Running to the nearest church for confession, she asks if she can still make it into heaven in light of her "bad deeds." The priest recommends a sabbatical at a nunnery as an act of contrition. But unlike stuffy old monasteries, the silent nuns who worship here break up the monotony with pottery, football, roller skating, and pickle smuggling. Laverne causes chaos at every turn, until she causes one of the nuns (Louise Lasser) to break her vow of silence. Through her connection to this struggling nun, Laverne gets one last try at being a good girl -- if she can contritely ask for forgiveness from the Big Man Upstairs. Look, we're not going to lie - we rip this episode a new one. On pod, it gets rough, until Chris goes off on a Dark Souls tangent (and revenge movie recommendation list), Lisa tries not to get flashbacks to Catholic school, and ultimately we give Monastery Story a once-over with a sledgehammer.
The one where we talk about Adam West! When Rhonda shows up with a spare date for Laverne, it turns out to be Edgar Garibaldi, a once great gymnast. Immediately smitten with her, Edgar takes Laverne out, but he keeps calling her by the name Louise. Laverne sticks with the relationship nevertheless and he eventually invites Laverne to his manor abode for a lovely weekend getaway. While there, Laverne learns Eddie's got a history with this Louise gal: his prior partner. Several more clues and the fact that Rhonda he had previously stated he wanted to "strangle her" send Laverne into a self-protective panic. Is he a lunatic that will kill Laverne in place of Louise?! Or just a sad, lonely rich guy with a trapeze in his mansion? On pod, we disagree heavily about the episode, but are able to find some common ground in the solid acting work from West and the gothic overtones.
Laverne's new fella "Weezer" takes her on a double date with Carmine and his new gal Suzy to a French restaurant, only for a couple of hoods to try and hit on the girls. After Carmine and Laverne take the tough guys outside and give them a thrashing, Weezer feels incompetent about his masculinity and ability to protect Laverne. The two argue, he has a wild dance-number laden dream about it, and eventually Laverne gets her pop to set up a "bully" for Weezer to win against. But will he see through her ruse? On pod, we talk the chemistry dynamics of Belushi and Marshall, the necessary rewrites to make this episode possible, background on the various bad guy actors featured, and wonder whether this growth for Laverne will stick around.
**EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING** The doldrums of Season 8 of Laverne and Shirley continue with this filler-esque episode. Laverne disregards a chain letter she gets in the mail and immediately a string of bad luck seems to follow her. She steps on Rhonda's dress and rips it before a big performance for a talent agent, she sprains Carmine's wrist while helping him off the floor, and while playing fetch with Chuck's dog she ends up tossing the ball over the balcony of the apartment building, leading the dog to break all his legs from the fall. Is she jinxed? Well, that's when a mystic is called in to use her astral powers to investigate, for the price of ten bucks. On pod, we are... at a loss for words. Mostly because of the episode doesn't have a lot for us to latch onto.
*** EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING *** We cover one of the most infamous episodes of Laverne & Shirley this week. Laverne tries to scam a free set out of her local bank by creating a fresh account. But during her latest attempt at chicanery, with an equally-disguised Rhonda at her side, she's spotted by a couple of revolutionaries casing the joint for a heist. The revolutionaries, led by Aaron (Ben Powers) and Sheba (Laraine Newman) worm their way into Laverne's life by using a mix of moral guilt and handsome lackey power. When it comes time to get into fatigues and hold up the bank, they keep Laverne in the dark even as she carries dynamite in a backpack to blow the vault. The heist turns into a hostage situation in no time flat, with the cops, tellers and bank manager all lead to believe that Laverne's in on the gig. Then, it gets weird. Laverne is arrested even though she helped thwart RALPH. At the police station, she and Sheba use aliases during the booking process. The names they pick match those of two convicted but escaped murderesses on their way to death row with a very imminent execution date. Presumed to be the twosome, Laverne and Sheba find themselves staring down their immanent deaths. The only hope comes in the form of Lenny and Squiggy, and the audience's only form of entertainment stems from two out-of-left-field gospel number. Will Laverne make it to the front gates or the pearly gates? On pod, we go absolutely ballistic on the two-parter's wild tone shifts, our frustrations over the show's characterization of nearly everyone, the bizarre plot, and even the jaw-dropping parts of the script that *didn't* make it to the small screen. Be warned, this is our first breaking point for season eight.
It's time to add a little T&A to your L&S! Laverne does a quick favor for a very busy Rhonda and runs down to the soon-to-be-opened local Playboy™ Club to pick up an application. Rhonda hopes to become a bunny tail wearing hostess, but a still money-hungry Laverne finds herself signing up for a try-out. Laverne soon starts training along with her new pal/possible co-worker Cathy (the effulgent Carrie Fisher). After they both pass the "Squiggy" test where they have to tolerate their "forward" customer during a staged encounter, the girls are put up to the final test. Can they serve and please the one and only Hef? And what will Cathy and Laverne do if there's only one slot open for the both of them? Meanwhile, Rhonda's scored a role in an experimental Romeo & Juliet meets Lil' Abner mash-up, and Frank bemoans his lost groove in the kitchen now that he's making fast food junk. On pod, we talk the episode's strangely mixed messages, the unexpected source of the teleplay, the wonders of Space Mama, and of course... Laverne's legs.
Laverne finally lands a new job thanks to her Pop calling in a favor with a war buddy. Mr. Ajax turns out to be a big wheel with a place in a future-facing industry, with his company making aeronautics supplies for NASA. There, her stern boss, G. Bullets Klein, puts her to the boring task of testing various products which are slated to go up into space on the latest shuttle, then boxing them up. Her new co-worker, Chuck (Charles Fleischer), asks Laverne for help clandestinely testing a new anti-gravity space suit. But after a successful run, she can't get herself out of said suit. With quitting time at hand and the looming fact that no employees are allowed on the premises after hours, the two rush off back to Laverne's place. There, Laverne's friends and family are simultaneously planning a surprise birthday party for her (weeks in advance) while being grilled by Bullets Klein as part of Laverne's background check. Will she be able to dodge a Bullets or will she be lost in the space suit forever? On pod, Lisa talks about the infamous behind-the-scenes stunt mishap from this episode, while Chris has actor notes and nerdy trivia to go with his developing Season 8 opinions.
THE BLOOPER FOOTAGE - [Timestamped] https://youtu.be/WZnZWfT2krQ?si=KEiuvVpBBd0IsU_G&t=1505
When Laverne and Carmine return to the apartment after attending the Burbank Business Association's Dancing Contest, they find that all of Shirley's things are gone ... along with the lady herself. All that's left is a single note waiting for Laverne -- a goodbye letter from Shirl that seems to brush off the many years of friendship and sisterhood. Seeing Laverne devastated by the news, Pop and Carmine and all the others try their best to lift Laverne's spirits, from helping her search for a new roommate, to getting the whole gang of their friends together to keep Laverne company when she goes to bed. But will Laverne find there's more to this single page note? How will she move on? Is this truly the end of Laverne & Shirley?! On pod, we continue to discuss the major shifts in production on the eighth season, and its emotional ramifications on the show's tone. Plus, we geek out on the guest star appearances.
**EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING** Laverne and Shirley get a big opportunity at their department store job, only it's the kind where they have to live in an "apartment of the future" for a week. Realizing she's come down with a case of claustrophobia, Laverne isn't sure she can pull it off. With some coaxing and encouragement from their neighbor Rhonda, they seek the help of a hypnotist... but when a mistake during the session leads the girls to acting like chickens (and not knowing it afterward), hijinks ensue as they become chickens of tomorrow! Will they maintain their jobs? Will Laverne get a proper smooch with that handsome guy outside the window? And who died?! On pod, we talk the wardrobe, the old-fashioned style and tone, and make a handful of inappropriate jokes. Chris also chimes in about the guest actors.