Ep 7. The Last Angry Mailman
- TV-PG
- November 12, 1987
- 24 min
-
7.6 (448)
In the Cheers season 6 episode 7 titled "The Last Angry Mailman," the gang at Cheers finds themselves dealing with an angry postal worker named Cliff who is upset about changes in the mail delivery system. Cliff's frustration over these changes reaches a boiling point when he believes his job is in jeopardy and he decides to go on strike.
The episode begins with Cliff ranting about the new "zone system" for mail delivery, which has resulted in him having to deliver mail to different areas than he is used to. His anger grows when he learns that the post office is planning to cut jobs and merge his route with another one. He expresses his concern to his friends at Cheers, who try to console him and offer their support.
However, Cliff's mood worsens when he receives a memo from his boss informing him that he needs to improve his delivery times or face the possibility of losing his job. At this point, Cliff decides to take matters into his own hands and go on strike.
The rest of the episode focuses on the fallout from Cliff's decision to strike. He pickets the post office with a homemade sign and refuses to deliver mail until his demands are met. While some of his fellow mail carriers join him on the picket line, others continue to work. The situation becomes more complicated when the post office hires temporary workers to fill in for the strikers, causing tensions to rise between the two groups.
Meanwhile, back at Cheers, Sam is trying to impress a woman named Ellen who is a friend of Rebecca's. He enlists Woody's help to make her feel comfortable, but his efforts backfire when he accidentally spills a drink on her. He spends the rest of the episode trying to make it up to her while also dealing with the chaos caused by Cliff's strike.
The two storylines come together at the end of the episode when Ellen expresses her support for the striking postal workers, much to Sam's surprise. The gang at Cheers decides to show their solidarity by staging a protest of their own, marching outside the bar with signs reading "Save Cliff" and "Mail Carriers Unite."
Ultimately, Cliff's strike is resolved when his boss agrees to meet with him and hear his concerns. Although not all of his demands are met, Cliff is satisfied with the outcome and decides to end his strike. The episode ends with the gang at Cheers celebrating their victory, while Sam tries to figure out if Ellen is truly interested in him or if she was just showing solidarity with the strikers.
Overall, "The Last Angry Mailman" is a hilarious and poignant episode that deals with issues of job security and workers' rights. It also showcases the strong sense of camaraderie that exists among the characters at Cheers, who come together to support their friend in his time of need.