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Step by Step :: The Un-Natural (02x21)

 
Episode Information
 
Title: The Un-Natural
Episode #: 02x21
Production Number: 447923
Original Airdate: Friday April 02nd, 1993
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Other Release Dates: (Edit)
Country: Aired On:
Netherlands Jul 14, 1994
NZ (TVNZ) Jan 07, 1995
Episode Crew
Director: Patrick Duffy (1)
Writer: Bob Rosenfarb
 
Episode Summary
 
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The Port Washington Cubs need a new player for the championship game and Al and Frank are at a loss as to who can join the team. Enter Carol's idea of placing the talentless Mark on the team. Which she soon convinces Frank to do.

Meanwhile, a 'no-sleeping' contest with Dana, Karen, JT and Cody has all of them going crazy without sleep, except Cody that is.
 
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Guest Stars
 
Guest Stars
Steven BarrplayedThe Announcer 
Co-Guest Stars
Benjamin Kimball SmithplayedBilly (as Benjamin Smith) 
Hector MaisonetteplayedUmpire 
Jan HoagplayedFan #2 
Michael MonksplayedObnoxious Fan 
 
Main Cast
 
Patrick Duffy (1)playedFrank Lambert
Suzanne SomersplayedCarol Foster Lambert
Staci KeananplayedDana Foster
Brandon CallplayedJT Lambert
Angela WatsonplayedKaren Foster
Christine LakinplayedAlicia "Al" Lambert
Christopher CastileplayedMark Foster
Josh ByrneplayedBrenden Lambert
Sasha Mitchell (1)playedCody Lambert
 
Episode Notes
 
In this episode Al is the catcher for the Port Washington Cubs but in several season one episodes she was the star pitcher. Including actually being asked out during a game by her third basemen.
 
 
Episode Quotes
 
Carol: Well it was a great game today. But poor Scotty breaking his ankle. That was horrible.
Al: Yeah now we're down to nine players. If anyone else wimps out with a broken bone we'll have to forfeit the game.
 
Frank: (to Carol about putting Mark on the team) Appealing to my sense of decency and fair play. How low will you go?
 
Dana: Karen, let me handle the women's side of the argument before you lose us the vote.
 
Karen: (after not sleeping for 36 hours) OHMIGOD, my leg fell off.
 
Dana: How's it going men, ready to give up?
Cody: Are you kidding? This no sleep thing has opened the doors of perception to me. I figure if I stay up another week I'll have that whole stonehenge dealy figured out. Then I'll be able to face the real problems plaguing humanity. Like...male pattern baldness.
 
 
Episode Goofs
 
In the Championship game Al is the catcher and as she puts on her mask to go into the game she's not wearing the protective helmet Little League catchers have been required to wear for decades now. This particular piece of equipment protects the back of the head where the mask covers the face. This is required due to over swings by the batter where the bat could strike the back of the catchers head.
 
In the scene with Frank, Al and Mark practicing in the back yard, Frank attempts to throw the ball to Mark several times but missed on either side of the younger boy by an easy 5 feet on three successive throws. If he was trying to teach Mark to catch, why wouldn't he throw it right to him?
 
In the championship game when Mark comes to the plate as the last hope for the P.W. Cubs the crowd booes him. This is not very likely as most Little League games are contested in a far more civil atmosphere than a cranky crowd such as on this episode. The 'Obnoxious Fan' would have been asked to leave and then arrested for threatening Frank with a tar and feathering.
 
 
Analysis
 
Even if he wanted to...

Why would no one tell Mark that he apparently sucked at the game and that he'd be humiliated if he tried to play? And how is it that Mark (the smartest member of the family) was clueless enough to not be able to figure out that this was the champion game and that if he played he could hurt the team (the same goes for his clueless mother)? And Carol knowing her son was talentless wanted him to be embarrassed in a sport he had no business playing, why?

Somewhere in there is several social studies questions that I'd love to have answered for me one day by the person who concocted this goofy episode. Regardless of the heart warming ending the earlier questions remain without answer. Leaving us to conclude that Mark is clueless, Carol is also clueless and doesn't care what damage psychology this might have done to her son.
 
 
Other Episode Crew
 
CreatorWilliam S. Bickley  |  Michael Warren (2)
DeveloperThomas L. Miller (3)  |  Robert L. Boyett
Executive ProducerMichael Warren (2)  |  Thomas L. Miller (3)  |  William S. Bickley  |  Robert L. Boyett  |  Ross Brown
Co-Executive ProducerRobert Griffard  |  Howard Adler
Supervising ProducerBob Rosenfarb
ProducerRonny Hallin
Co-ProducerKaren Kirchner
Consulting ProducerRichard Correll
EditorPam Marshall
CastingEllie Kanner
Unit Production ManagerStewart Lyons
First Assistant DirectorDon Martin Nielsen
Second Assistant DirectorCharles Siegel
MusicGary Boren
Music EditorMerelyn Davis
Music SupervisorGregory Sill (1)
HairstylistDelree F. Todd
Make-upJoe Hailey
Set DecoratorBonnie Dermer-brockliss
Property MasterPaul Iannizzotto
Re-Recording MixerCharlie McDaniel, III (2)  |  Rick Himot
On-Line EditorBill Breshears
Director of PhotographyTony Askins
Art DirectorTommy Goetz
Sound EditorKen Kobett
Sound MixerWalter Baker
Main Title ThemeJesse Frederick  |  Bennett Salvay
Main Title Theme Written/performedTeresa James  |  Jesse Frederick
Executive In Charge Of CastingBarbara Miller (1)
Executive Story ConsultantMeredith Siler
Executive Script ConsultantJulia Newton  |  Matt Ember
Women's CostumerGina Trikonis
ContinuityPatti Passarelli
Men's CostumerBob Squire
Technical AssistantErik Emi
 
 
Featured Songs
 
 
 
Cultural References
 
 
 
Episode References
 
 

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