[1-18] Snowbound

Writers: Brian Buckner & Sebastian Jones
Producers: Jeff Lowell & Walter Barnett
Director: Lee Shallat Chemel

Episode Length: 22:06
Guest Stars:

Victoria Dillard: Janelle

Faith Prince: Claudia

Amanda Peet: Shelly

Gabriel Macht: Naked Guy

Nick Phelps: Security Guard

Rating:# million viewers rating share (n/a)

Rating: TV-PG

First Broadcast: February 25, 1997

Opening sound: Blizzard Sounds

Storyline #1: Cabin Fever
There's a snowstorm brewing and the staff is trapped in City Hall. Of course, this leads each member of the staff to have his own adventures. Mike tries as hard as he can to get away because he has a "hot" date. However, due to the storm, he is unable to get away so he spends most of the time relating with a naked guy. Stuart and Carter get teamed together to authorize the plowing of the streets but they end up getting locked inside the boiler room, sort of. The Mayor and James spend most of the evening on the emergency broadcast system informing the city about the storm. And Paul, while broadcasting, lets loose an insult about the Mayor, causing him to run into hiding. Eventually, Mike gets out, but not in time to go out with Shelly, Stuart & Carter get found by Mike, and Paul & The Mayor make up. And everyone gets to meet the naked guy.

Review: Snowbound

Overall, an intense episode. Although not much in the way in the way of plot, as you can see above, the show was extremely funny. The best story was the Stuart-Carter episode, partly because Stuart is my favorite character, and partly because they were the only ones that were truly trapped. Paul's mistake wasn't that horrendous, especially with Mayor Winston's quick forgiveness. And the naked guy, although good for a few laughs, should have probably warranted a TV-14. Mike's tale was neither here nor there. So far, the Date-of-the-Week has not been all it's cracked up to be. I guess I was wrong about Paul and Claudia. Apparently, she likes guys who try to kill her. I had no idea women found that appealing.

Rating [5 pt. scale]: 5.0

Did you notice ...

Shelly McQuarry, Mike's friend from high school, turned 30? (Mike probably did too.)

Mike went out with Julie McCallum in his senior year?

Stuart's favorite candy bar is a Zagnut?

The Mayor does all the emergency broadcasts in New York live?

The stock footage used of the storm looked like stock footage and not very polished?

"The Sound of Music" was mentioned again? (The first time was in The Competitors)?

Top 10 Lines

10. Mike: "The finest weathermen in the city say we're going to get between 1 and 125 inches of snow today."

9. Mike: "Take a hike, you nudist crackpot."

8. Mayor Winston: "I usually like to swallow the microphone whole and then talk."

7. Shelly: "Why did you date Julie McCallum your senior year?"
Mike: "Her locker was next to yours ... and she put out."

6. Mike: (to the naked guy) "And if there's a fire, they should feel free to put that out too."

5. Stuart: (to Carter) "Apparently, you want a Mr. Goodbar."

4. Claudia: (talking to a Brooklynite) "I'm sorry. I don't got no freaking idea how long your lights will be out."

3. Mayor Winston: "I'm gonna go ahead and announce the school closings for tomorrow ... all of them. So, who's your favorite Mayor, huh kids? And you high schoolers, let's remember that come election time."

2. Claudia: "Noone solved anything by hiding."
Paul: "The Von Trapps did."

1. Carter: (to Stuart) "Wait a minute. Are we relating?"

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