October 25, 1977
B-
This is the first of fourteen episodes written by Judy Ervin, who had recently played Terry Buttafucco. It's another that I vaguely remember from the time, especially moments that would've amused a nine-year-old, like Shirley's Mr. Get Well singing to cheer up Laverne. L & S are toy-shopping for Shirley's nieces, Mindy & Cindy. (It doesn't say who their father is, but I get the impression that Shirley has at least two older brothers.) Laverne plays with a robot, which attacks her. She can't move her neck, which is why Shirley has to cheer her up. Also, the toy store is charging them $120 (about $250 in 1977 money, $1050 in 2019) for damage to the robot. A lawyer shows up and encourages them to sue for $100,000, even if it means Laverne must lie on the witness stand. Laverne gives a speech about "your system," but the judge does the right thing and makes a little speech of his own, another way this was very much a kids' show (no matter the innuendo of a robot mounting Laverne).

Richard Karron is Robert A. Markland here but would return as The Ghost in the final season. Although he didn't do any other L & S episodes, Billy Curtis, who is in the robot suit, had a long-running career, from The Terror of Tiny Town and The Wizard of Oz in the '30s to Faerie Tale Theatre and Eating Raoul in the '80s.
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