0623  -  THE GAS STATION SHOW



Synopsis:  Al’s plans for some family fun on the road backfire after the Dodge runs out of
fuel and to pay for his gas (along with the family’s other expenditures) Al must work at the gas
station until his bill is paid, and of course friends and family are of no help.


Thoughts:  While it stole the basic premise from the season 5 ep "We’ll follow the sun",
This episode improves upon that one for the classic lines and moments because all the lines are
good and if they aren’t, there’s a good one to back it up.  (Bud telling the gas guy he might get
a nickel for his work, Al then fidgets telling Bud "I don’t have a nickel!")  It goes from
beginning to end and season 6 had several episodes like this.

	 The episode is great to start out with including the line Al has referring to Bud
feeding a zoo panda pop rocks, but it isn’t until Al dons his "Habib" work shirt at the gas
station that the episode takes off.  The family naturally is disappointed with Al over a
predicament that they started (and he couldn’t get out of) and they leave him to suffer.  Al
ponders life with a small boy, gets his foot run over in what is almost a double hatrick for the
episode but still manages to have his own enjoyment by ruining the sickly sweet families good
times. 

	Marcy and Jefferson in this one here seem to do what they do best, pop in, audience
applauds, trade insults with Al, leave all in a span of only a few minutes.  (Hey have I said
that before?)  Bud, Kelly and Peg all share the same scenes together and one of Pegs more callous
moments to Al is where she stiffs him for money later in the episode.  Nothing much goes right
for Al and in the closing moments of the show where Al thinks he might get some satisfaction by
making Bud suffer too, all we the audience can do is hang our heads along with Al.

        	As for the story it’s a classic MWC story before the lame seasons (9 and up in my
mind) reared their less then satisfactory head.  It’s simple straight forward and best of all,
about Al.

Rating:  10 shoes out of 10.  Great lines at the beginning and great moments at the gas
station; the stuff all good MWC shows should be made of.


Quotable Quotes:  (thank you transcript section!)

AL:       Don't make me kill you on family day.

PEGGY:    Gee, kids, look how handsome Daddy Habib looks in his uniform. You continue to make us
          proud, honey. 

MARCY:   (disappointed with Al’s service)    Then I'm going to have to tell your superior.
         Jefferson, find me anyone. 

A sign that Al is holding in desperation for money:  SHOOT ME $12