"It's like we say in St. Olaf, Christmas without fruitcake is like St. Sigmund's Day without the headless boy."
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The Tortoise and The Harry is the fifth episode of the third season of Empty Nest and the fifty-first episode overall. Directed by Steve Zuckerman and written by Roger Garrett, it premiered on NBC-TV on October 20th, 1990.
When a patient is depressed after his best friend moves away, Harry gives him a pet turtle. But the boy becomes even more upset when the turtle dies soon after. Carol talks Barbara into taking an art class with her. Charley tries new ways to meet women.
Despite the episode's title referencing The Tortoise and The Hare, Harry gives Joey a pet turtle rather than a tortoise.
Production[]
During taping, the cast was plagued by a cricket hopping around the set. As they prepared to film the scene where Barbara eats Carol's still life, Dinah Manoff was startled by the cricket falling from the rafters and broke character to point it out. A stagehand was able to catch it and just before they began to redo the take, another stagehand suggested feeding the cricket to Bear.[2]
Rob Wegner is not credited in the credits of the episode.
Cultural references[]
The episode's title is a reference to the children's fable The Tortoise and The Hare, which teaches the importance of taking the time to properly complete a task rather than rushing through it.
Joey repeatedly makes references to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise -- comparing himself and his old friend to Raphael and Donatello respectively, naming the turtle Harry gives him after Leonardo, and comparing Harry to the turtles' mentor Master Splinter.
Let's Give Them Something to Talk About • Mrs. Clinton Comes to Town • Just for Laughs • The Woman Who Came to Dither • Carol Gets a Raise • The Courtship of Carol's Father • The Tinker Grant • Would You Believe... • Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Pain • Single White Male • Dear Aunt Martha • Goodbye, Charley • Family Practice • Grandma, What Big Eyes You Have • Feelings, Whoa Whoa Whoa, Feelings • And Kevin Makes Three • Harry Weston: Man's Best Friend • The Ex-Files • Stand By Your Man • Life Goes On, Part 1 • Life Goes On, Part 2 • My Pal Valy-Val • Remembrance of Clips Past
References[]
↑Empty Nest, Season 3, Episode 4, “Barbara the Mom”. Kimmel, Harold (writer) & Zuckerman, Steve (director) (October 20th, 1990)