This is one of the funnier episodes of the show. Andy (Anthony Edwards) stops by and helps his sister Lisa (Helen Hunt) deal with a 'tragedy' that has occurred while Mama (Billie Bird) was left in charge of a friend's bird. The friend is played by veteran character actress Florence Halop.
'The Suit' is the penultimate episode that was produced. If the series had been renewed, we might have seen Florence Halop reprise her role as Mama's friend Florence...even if she was making regular appearances on St. Elsewhere during this time as Mrs. Hufnagel.
In the story, Florence has left a stuffed bird, still inside its cage, with Mama. Mama knows the bird is dead, but of course Lisa and Andy do not. They assume it has had an attack and fallen off its perch. They are afraid to touch it, otherwise they would have discovered the taxidermy. In a scene that follows, they tell Mama the bird dead. But she seems undisturbed by the situation (because she knows it was stuffed), leading them to think she's in denial.
Andy then goes out and gets another similar looking bird, to replace the one that "died." The scene where they present the living bird to Mama and Florence is priceless, since the women now believe the stuffed bird has magically come to life.
Meanwhile, Sam and Molly (Richard Crenna and Patty Duke) meet with a neighbor named Wallace (Larry Gelman) who sells insurance. During their conversation, they serve Wallace one of Mama's nutballs and when the crunchy food gets stuck in the man's throat, Sam performs the Heimlich on him and saves his life. But Wallace claims that during the procedure, Sam dislocated his shoulder and he's going to sue the Quinns for everything they're worth. Enter the Quinns' lawyer and Wallace's pregnant wife (Beverly Archer) who each play a part in the unfolding 'drama.'
Since this is a half-hour show with a happy ending, we know the neighbor will drop his exaggerated claims against the Quinns, which he does when Sam helps deliver his newborn child. The status quo restored, Sam and Molly go back home to relax. Though they probably won't be having any more of Mama's nutballs for awhile.
'The Suit' is the penultimate episode that was produced. If the series had been renewed, we might have seen Florence Halop reprise her role as Mama's friend Florence...even if she was making regular appearances on St. Elsewhere during this time as Mrs. Hufnagel.
In the story, Florence has left a stuffed bird, still inside its cage, with Mama. Mama knows the bird is dead, but of course Lisa and Andy do not. They assume it has had an attack and fallen off its perch. They are afraid to touch it, otherwise they would have discovered the taxidermy. In a scene that follows, they tell Mama the bird dead. But she seems undisturbed by the situation (because she knows it was stuffed), leading them to think she's in denial.
Andy then goes out and gets another similar looking bird, to replace the one that "died." The scene where they present the living bird to Mama and Florence is priceless, since the women now believe the stuffed bird has magically come to life.
Meanwhile, Sam and Molly (Richard Crenna and Patty Duke) meet with a neighbor named Wallace (Larry Gelman) who sells insurance. During their conversation, they serve Wallace one of Mama's nutballs and when the crunchy food gets stuck in the man's throat, Sam performs the Heimlich on him and saves his life. But Wallace claims that during the procedure, Sam dislocated his shoulder and he's going to sue the Quinns for everything they're worth. Enter the Quinns' lawyer and Wallace's pregnant wife (Beverly Archer) who each play a part in the unfolding 'drama.'
Since this is a half-hour show with a happy ending, we know the neighbor will drop his exaggerated claims against the Quinns, which he does when Sam helps deliver his newborn child. The status quo restored, Sam and Molly go back home to relax. Though they probably won't be having any more of Mama's nutballs for awhile.