Producer: Walter Barnett
Writers: Amy Cohen & Michelle Nader
Director: Lee Shallat Chemel
Episode Length: 22:05
Guest Stars:
Rating:#10 20.1 million viewers 13.8 rating 22 share
First Broadcast: October 15, 1996
Opening sound: Clip-clop of horse carriage
Storyline #1: A Tale of Two Mayors
Ex-Mayor Art Garfield has been rather critical of the current administration. Rather
than whip up a scandal, Mike and the staff decide to name a fountain after the former
mayor in order to quell his criticism. Throught the episode, we see Garfield connecting
with the public the way Mayor Winston can never do. At the fountain naming, Winston and
Garfield finally have it out in a war of words which Winston wins when Garfield falls
dead. While Winston tries to take the credit (blame) for killing Garfield, Mike argues
that it was an honest mistake. At the funeral, Winston sprays Binaca in his eye, causing
him to appear to be heartbroken over Garfield's death. Crisis averted.
Storyline #2: Brother, Can you spare a Napkin?
While at a bar celebrating the proposed plan to buy off Garfield, Nikki challenges the
Guys to take care of a napkin for one week to show that they could be fathers. Before the
day is out, Baby Stuart goes down. Later that week, Paul's napkin gets cried on, Mike's
napkin gets washed, and baby James gets Stuart snot on it. The only napkin to make it is
Carter's.
Storyline #3: Yale, Yale, Go Away
Borrowing a storyline from every other sitcom, Mike and Ashley must deal with nosy
neighbors. This time, they are overzealous environmentalists who feel they must tell Mike
and Ashley about their every exploit. They take Ashley to a rainforest presentation and
lull the couple to sleep with their otter cleaning videos. Eventually, Mike and Ashley win
by showing off their version of a hunger strike.
Review: The Rivals
Overall, a stellar episode. The napkin bit was fantastic, something you'd expect on
Seinfeld. Carter continues to develop into a witty sarcastic foil while Stuart is
developing into the group's smartass. Normally, I don't look forward to the Mike and
Ashley storyline but this one was funnier than usual. The producers didn't have to make
the neighbors environmentalists but that might be a clue to M & A's politics. Either
way, viewers could empathize with the way they felt after sitting through boring sublots
that previously went nowhere. This is the first time we've seen this much of the Mayor.
And watching, it makes you wonder how Mayor Winston beat Garfield in a political race.
Mike must have run a heck of a campaign. Catchy too, that the title could refer to both
the relationships between Winston & Garfield and Mike & Ashley and Yale &
Maria.
Rating [5 pt. scale]: 5.0
Did you notice ...
Mike's Jacket was from Fordham?
Nikki's real baby: Bucky
Paul's: Sheldon
Stuart's: Stuart
Mike's: Tucker
Carter was not at the fountain dedication?
Yale and Maria live upstairs on the second floor?
Top 13 Lines (There are that many good ones.)
13. Mike: "Crisis, crisis. Where did I put that crisis?"
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