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BETS AND DEALS (TELEVISION)

  1. "All In The Family"
    When Archie and Mike make a bet where Archie will not smoke for 24 hours, and Mike will not eat, for $20 (Mike borrowed the money from Gloria, of course, and Edith held the money), HOW WAS THE BET RESOLVED?
    The first one to be caught cheating would be the loser. Finally, a fed-up Edith and Gloria cancel the wager. On the count of three, Archie will light his cigar and Mike will take a bite of chocolate cake, thereby creating a tie.
    (*However, Archie cheats again by swiping the lit match PAST his cigar. But a cake-filled Mike has the last laugh when a crowing Archie neglects to extinguish the match, burning his fingers).

  2. "Cheers"
    When Sam brags that he is such a seducer that he could marry anyone he wanted, even Jackie Bissett, and wagers that he can marry her within a year or forfeit the bar, HOW DOES HE MANAGE TO KEEP THE BAR?
    Initially, he finds somebody named Jackie Bissett to wed (although not the famous actress). Eventually, the bet is simply called off, in exchange for an olive.

  3. "Cheers"
    After Sam is named in a paternity action, he makes a deal with God, that if he is not the putative father, he will give up sex for a year. (He later rationalizes that a year for other men is like 2 months for him, and reduces the time. HOW DOES SAM EITHER BREAK OR KEEP HIS VOW OF CELIBACY, AND WHAT IS THE DECIDING FACTOR?

  4. "Fantasy Island"
    When a guest on the island makes a deal with the devil (as played by Roddy McDowell) for her soul, then pleads with Roarke to help her, HOW DOES ROARKE LEGALLY ESTABLISH THAT THE CONTRACT/DEAL IS VOID?

  5. FIVE IS RIGHT OUT

  6. There is NO Question Number Six.

  7. "The Flintstones"
    What subtle audio clues does Fred give, to let us know that he has a gambling problem?
    As factory-style whistles blow, a hyperactive Fred repeatedly squawks, "B-BET! BET! BET BET BET! B-B-BET! BET! B-B-B-BET BET B-BET!"

  8. "The Honeymooners"
    When Ralph and Ed buy one television set for their two apartments, they have the usual arguments over who can use it and how. After much commotion, they finally find a way to decide who will house the TV. They flip a coin, with Ralph calling "Heads I win, tails you lose." WHERE AND HOW DID RALPH LEARN THIS TRICK?
    It was the same trick used by Alice to get Ralph to marry her.

  9. "LA Law"
    After Becker left the firm, and then decided to return, there was a harsh and bitter struggle over the terms. WHAT WAS THE FINAL ITEM OF THE DEAL WHICH RESOLVED THE NEGOTIATIONS?

  10. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
    Throughout the series, Murray rags on Ted for a variety of reasons, most of them highly justified. But for one brief time, Ted actually arranged for Murray to treat him with tolerance, if not respect. WHAT WAS THE CONSIDERATION FOR MURRAY'S PROMISE TO BEHAVE KINDLY TOWARDS TED?

  11. "M*A*S*H"
    Throughout the long run of the M*A*S*H TV series, Klinger once and only once got his C.O.'s approval for a Section Eight discharge. WHAT WAS THE RATHER IMPORTANT CONDITION TO THIS DEAL, AND WHAT WAS ITS DRAMATIC CONCLUSION?
    Klinger had to remain bundled up in winter clothing during the hottest weather of the year for a full day. Sadly, heat stroke befell the would-be loon, who ran screaming into the women's showers, stripping his winter garb as he went-- just before the deadline.

  12. "M*A*SH"
    In an early episode, Trapper John got into a boxing ring as part of a deal to retain the services of a nurse for the unit. HOW DID HE SURVIVE, AND WHAT WAS THE DECISION IN THE MATCH?
    His corner men, Hawkeye and Radar, doused his boxing gloves in ether.

  13. "The Monkees"
    When Peter sells his soul to the Devil in return for the ability to play a harp, HOW DO THE BOYS SUCCESSFULLY SAVE HIS SOUL IN THE INEVITABLE COURTROOM SCENE?

  14. "Night Court"
    On Halloween, Dan sells his soul to a man in a red devil suit who claims to be the real devil, though Dan of course doubts him. HOW IS DAN CONVINCED THAT THIS IS THE REAL DEVIL, AND HOW DOES HE SAVE HIS SOUL (FOR NOW)?

  15. "The Odd Couple"
    WHAT IS THE MOST EGREGIOUS BET OSCAR EVER LOST, AND HOW DID HE RECOVER HIS LOSSES?
    Hint: It is not in either Volume 1 or 2 of the collected bets owed to Felix.
    Hint 2: "Gee, Oscar, you'd have gotten it if you were Chinese."
    He loses Felix. The bet is that Oscar must type his own name correctly. Under the pressure, he mis-types "Oscar Madisox," then "Oscar Madisoy."

  16. "Star Trek: The Next Generation"
    When Lt. Worf makes a deal which results in his discommodation from the Klingon Empire, WHAT DOES WORF GET IN RETURN?
    A family whose discommodation would have led to war is not discommodated.

  17. "Star Trek"
    Upon meeting the Gamesters of Triskelion, Captain Kirk, the creator of the unique game of Fizzbin, and in the grand tradition of gambling with the fate of the universe, proposes a wager. WHAT DOES HE BET?
    Kirk has to fight three "drillthralls." If he wins, the Gamesters will free the drillthralls and teach them self-reliance. If Kirk loses, the crew of the Enterprise will themselves become thralls. (Kirk cheats like a dog to win.)

  18. "Taxi"
    When Louie encounters as a fare a kid with $800 on his way to camp, he has no scruples against trying to bet, con or swindle him out of the money. WHAT THREE BETS DO THEY MAKE, AND WHAT ARE THE RESULTS? ALSO, HOW MUCH MONEY DOES THE KID LEAVE THE CAB WITH?
    BET #1: The kid bets Louie that he can say all fifty states in ten seconds. Louie says no way. The kid says, "All fifty states," and takes Louie's money.
    BET #2: The kid bets Louie that he can tell Louie the score of the Knicks-Celtics game to be played later that same night, before the game even begins. Louie says it can't be done. The kid says, "Zero-zero," and takes Louie's money.
    BET #3: The kid and Louie engage in a bet without the above chicanery-- a hold-your-breath contest. The kid puts up his entire wad of money, now $900, against Louie's stakes. Each is able to hold his breath for a while, but suddenly Louie's eyes bulge, he turns blue, and collapses. The worried kid asks if Louie is seriously ill. "YOU BREATHED!" celebrates louie, and takes the whole pile.
    END RESULT: When he learns that the $800 was supposed to last the kid all summer, and that the kid has learned his lesson--betting never pays-- Louie magnanimously hands the kid 20 of his dollars back.

  19. "The Twilight Zone"
    When Jesse Cardiff (Jack Klugman) plays against Fats Brown (Jonathan Winters) in "A Game of Pool" to determine the greatest pool player ever, WHAT ARE THE STAKES AS KLUGMAN BELIEVED THEM, AND WHAT WERE THE FATES OF THE TWO PLAYERS?
    Cardiff/Klugman believes he is playing for his life. But in fact, after he wins, he is mystically cursed to spend the REST of his life taking on every challenge from every pool player who thinks HE can beat the greatest-- the old "fastest gunslinger" story.

  20. Warner Brothers cartoons
    Bugs recreates the famous race of the Tortoise and the Hare three times, with hilarious consequences. WHAT ARE THE THREE RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS?
    RACE #1: Cecil Turtle phones his 9 identical turtle cousins; by staggering their appearances along the race route, Bugs is forever behind. BUGS LOSES.
    RACE #2: The race attracts a lot of attention, including that of the "syndicate." They attempt to waylay and otherwise maim the turtle, but succeed only in attacking Bugs (while dressed in a turtle shell). During the commotion, Cecil trots across the finish line, unnoticed. BUGS LOSES.
    RACE #3: Bugs tries the old turtle-shell ploy again, but this one is jet-powered. After the usual hijinks, Bugs and his super-shell zoom across the finish line in excess of 100 MPH. BUGS WINS! (However, he is then hauled off the jail for speeding).

  21. "WKRP In Cincinnati"
    When Venus is asked by a friend at the station to convince her son to stay in school and not run with gangs, he succeeds by betting him that he is not un-teachable, and that if he can teach the kid something in two minutes, the kid will stay in school. WHAT DOES VENUS TEACH HIM AND HOW?
    Venus teaches the kid the principles of the atom. He couches his lesson in gang terms, with the "Neutrons" and the "Electrons" warring over territory.

  22. "The Wonder Years"
    WHY DOESN'T KEVIN GET INTO TROUBLE WHEN HIS MOTHER DISCOVERS HIM READING A BOOK ON SEX?