Teamwork (Book 1) - Write After Write!

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.