Perfect Strangers (1986–1993): Season 2, Episode 3 - The Unnatural - full transcript

When Larry's baseball team makes it to the championships, Larry finally has the chance to win his very own trophy. But will he put winning above his friendship with Balki when Balki wants to join the team?

* Sometimes the world
looks perfect

* Nothing to rearrange

* Sometimes you just

* Get a feeling

* Like you need
some kind of change

* No matter what the odds
are this time

* Nothing's gonna stand
in my way

* This flame in my heart

* It's like a long lost friend

* Gives every dark street

* A light at the end



* Standing tall

* On the wings of my dreams

* Rise and fall

* On the wings of my dreams

* The rain and thunder

* The wind and haze

* Are bound for better days

* My life

* My dream

* My life

* My dream

* Nothing's gonna
stop me now

* Nothing's gonna
stop me now *

(ALL CHANTING)
We're number one!
We're number one!



We're number one!
We're number one!

We're number one!

We're number one!

We're number one!

We're number one!

All right, uh, please,
put me down.

Am I to assume from this little
display that my team won?

Mr. Twinkacetti,
you should've been there.

Slugger hit four home runs
and then Jennifer walked

and then Mary Anne
struck out.

Too bad, Mary Anne.
And then...

Now, turnip, turnip!

If I wanna hear
the play by play

Well, he's not
just the water boy

(LAUGHS)
Who cares?

Did we beat the spread?

We creamed the Hoot Owls
ten to four.

(ALL CHEERING)
Yay!

Oh, by the way,
uh, those uniforms

I paid for to
advertise the store

I noticed some of you got
a little dirt on the logo.

Do it again
and you're off the team.

Thank you for the encouragement,
Mr. Twinkacetti. Yeah.

Uh, ye... Yeah,
before you go

I'd just like to say
a few words.

As you know,
if we can beat

the Shop 'N Spend Spartans
next Saturday's game

the championship is ours.

(ALL CHEERING)
Yay!

And since I'm the manager

the champion's trophy
will be mine.

But I will share it
with each
and every one of you...

In spirit.

Yeah.

See you at practice
next Friday.

(ALL CHANTING)
We're number one!

We're number one!

We're number one!

We're number one!

They look up to me.

I'm surprised Slugger left
right after the game.

He usually likes to
get a little pat on the butt

from me after he's
had a great game.

Well, I guess it can
wait till next week.

Oh, I almost forgot.

Oh...
Yeah.

Mmm-hmm.

Why didn't he tell me?

Well, maybe he was afraid
that you would do this to him.

And he's got chest hair.

Come to think of it,
so do I.

(SIGHS)

One game from
the championship

and it's over.

The Spartans
are gonna bury us.

Goodbye, trophy!

Without Slugger, we stink.

Cousin, Slugger is just
one person and you always said

"Everybody on
the team is equal."

that I, uh, lied.

But then you just have
to find another good player.

Uh, where?

Maybe you... You find
him right here.

Oh sure, what, is he gonna walk
through the door any minute now?

Let's take a look.

Oops!
No players today!

Well, I gotta change.

Oh...

Oh, uh, if Mr. Baseball comes
through the door, let me know.

Hello, chief.

My name is Balki but my friends
call me Mr. Baseball.

Uh-huh, uh, so,
so you... You don't think

he'll be out of prison in time
to play the game on Saturday?

Yeah, well, okay.
Uh, thank you.

Cousin, I got you something
for your nervous stomach.

Oh, thanks.

Uh.

So, uh, have you had
any luck replacing Slugger?

No.

I'm a loser.

I've always been a loser.

If there was a contest
for losers, I'd be a winner.

Cousin?
Mmm...

I'll play.

Play what?

Baseball.

You need a player,
I'll play.

Uh, thank you, Balki,
I appreciate the offer.

But there's no way
you could replace Slugger.

Why no?

We need somebody
who can help us win.

But Cousin, at the beginning
of the season

and it don't matter
if we win or lose.

I did?

Oh, yeah!

Now we're one game away
from my trophy.

Is getting a trophy
so important?

It's more important
than life.

The one who locked
you in the attic

for three days?

No, that was
my brother Danny.

Billy, the one that hold you
down and cut off all your hair.

No, that was
my sister Elaine.

No, little Larry
and Billy Appleton

shared the same room.

We had identical beds

two identical desks,
two identical bookshelves.

Only Billy's bookshelves
were filled with trophies.

Bowling trophies, tennis
trophies, track trophies.

Billy was a born winner.

You know what I had
on my bookshelf?

A wooden replica of
a wheel of cheddar cheese

with a plaque that said,

"First Place-Wisconsin
State Fair Cheese Throw."

Wow!

I bet Billy
was pretty jealous!

It was Billy's trophy.

He didn't want it
on his side of the room.

And I... I want
to help you win it!

Ah! Ah!
Please? Please?

Cousin, I know I can
toss the old horsehide

around the horn if you
just tell me what a horn is.

All right, lo... Look,
I'll tell you what.

You can practice with the team
tomorrow and then we'll see

if there's a place for you.

I want practice now.

Now, Balki,
you can't practice now.

It's too late
to go to the park.

I want practice now.

I want to play baseball.

(SOBBING)

You're not gonna
let this go, are you?

No, I'm not.
Oh.

All right.
We'll practice now.

Oh, boy!

I'm ready.

Not really.

You're not going to
destroy the living room

so you'll use these
socks for a ball.

Now... What position would
you sort of like to try to play?

Uh...

I want to play...

Pitcher because
he's the one

that gets to talk
to the manager the most.

And that's...

That's you.

Al... All right, all right.

Here, you take this,
go over there.

Move the chair
out of the way.

All right, now.

Just try to get it past me.

Don't throw it hard,
or you're gonna break something.

Just nice and easy.
A real fluid motion.

Don't try to throw
a curve or a slider.

You just wanna put it
right over the middle.

All right?
Just toss it in.

Just up...

And over.

Wanna toss it up
and over the plate. Okay?

Just up and over.

What are you waiting for?
For you to stop talking.

Okay, I've stopped.

Play ball.

Don't be ridi...

(SHOUTING)
Will you just throw the ball!

Strike one.

(DOOR UNLOCKING)

Did I do good
at practice today?

I can safely say
that I have never seen

baseball played the way
you played it today.

And I'll do just as good
against the Spartans.

That's just
what I'm afraid of.

You know what I liked?

Sliding?
I liked sliding.

You slid head first
into every base.

When you should've
been playing right field.

It was fun.

Fun does not win trophies.

And you never even took
batting practice.

So... So what position
do I play?

Well...

Balki...

We have to
talk about that.

You... You...

Well, I don't think that you...
It's also very wonderful.

I don't think you should...
You know...

When... When we
were at home on...
On Mypos

we used to hear about the great
American game of baseball.

And, and tomorrow

I, Balki Bartokomous...

A lowly sheepherder...

Would be the first
Mypiot in history

to put on a baseball
uniform and play

the greatest game
ever invented.

So... What did you
want to tell me?

Balki, I, ah,
I really don't think

that... That...
That... uh...

You should be
up late tonight.

and get a good night's sleep

because tomorrow
is a big, big day.

"Big day."

I'm going to write home.
Mmm.

Of course,
I won't be there

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Hello?
Oh, hello, Mr. Twinkacetti.

No, I... I haven't found
a replacement for Slugger yet.

But...

You have?

Well, how did you get someone
as good as Duke to...

I'm gonna pay him $50.

No, no, I think
he's worth every penny.

Yeah, all right.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Duke Lyle.
(WATER RUNNING)

Tomorrow, I get my trophy.

In your face,
Billy Appleton.

* To dream the
impossible dream

* To fight
the unbeatable foe *

Okay, all right.
On the field.

Let's... Let's practice.
Warm up. Let's go.

Appleton, this is
Duke Lyle.

The man who's gonna win
this one for me.

Ah, Duke,
this is the manager.

Don't feel compelled
to pay any attention to him.

You can't imagine what it means
to me to have you with us today.

Who cares?
Where's my 50 bucks?

(LAUGHING)

Yeah, you might wanna
go out and shag a few.

Uh, if you're in the mood.

Yeah, sure.

Hope he's worth 50 bucks.

Balki, where have
you been?

Getting this!

Pretty sharp, huh?

Now I look like a real
American baseball player.

It cost a lot of digdas,
but it's worth it.

The game is about to start.
Everybody, over here.

Oh.

All right, now...

I don't have to tell you
how much this game means.

But I will anyway.

It means a lot.

Now get out there
and win it!

If not for yourselves...

Then for me!

Now go!
Get out there!

(IN UNISON)
Yay! Yay!

Balki, back here.

Uh, you won't be
starting the game.

I won't?
No.

Why no?

Well, uh...

Baseball is a game of
strategy as well as skill.

And I've given it
a lot of thought

and I've come
to the conclusion

that you're just
too important to the team

to be wasted playing
the whole game.

Do you mean,
I'm like a secret weapon?

Right... Right. Right, yes.
Right, exactly.

You are my secret weapon.

And when the time is right,
I'll unload my secret weapon

and they won't
know what hit them.

Cousin, you are a genius.
Hmm.

When will be the right time
for you to unload me?

Uh, um, uh, um...

I'll let you know.

All right.
I'll be waiting.

Play ball!

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

(CHEERING CONTINUES)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

(CHEERING CONTINUES)

Strike two!

There's only one out.
Scheinwald is on first.

All you wanna do is move him
into scoring position.

That's all you have...
Strike three! You're out!

Why is she looking at me?

Cousin, I couldn't
help noticing

that it's the bottom
of the ninth.

When are you going to unload
your secret weapon?

Darn, I don't believe it.

It's all right,
it's all right.

No, it isn't.
I broke a nail.

We still have a chance.
Duke is up.

Time out, please.

Time!
Time is out.

What is it?

You're not going to
put me up, are you?

Balki, we are down
to our last out.

But you promised.
I know I promised.

But I wrote home.

Oh, shoot.

Balki, look, uh...

If we don't score now
we lose the championship.

You understand that,
don't you?

Yes, I understand.

You do?
Yes.

I understand that a trophy
is more important than a friend.

Ooh, ooh, ooh.

Now, that is unfair.

That is really unfair.
I am not a selfish person.

I'm not doing
this for me.

I'm doing this for...
For... For...

I'm doing this for me.

Hey, hey,
what's going on here?

Why isn't Duke at bat?

Balki wanted to play.

If you let the turnip play,
we lose the championship

and I got a lot of money
riding on this game.

Well, maybe you shouldn't have
bet on the game to begin with.

If we lose the game,
we lose the championship.

Which means
you lose the trophy.

You'll be a loser
all your life.

Appleton, send in a batter
or you'll forfeit the game.

Appleton?

Cousin?

(SIGHS)

Balki...

You're up!

I'll take that.

Loser. Loser. Loser.

All right, Balki, you have
got to get on base.

Here, stand here.
Feet wide apart.

Elbow in, chin down.
Keep your eye on the ball.

Use the big end
of the bat.

Gosh, it's almost
like cheating.

One of you two
has got to leave.

Guess that would be me.

Balki, you can do it,
just relax.

Just try to meet the ball.

Strike one!

Well, get ready.

Strike two!

What are you doing?
What are you doing?

I didn't like that one.

Well, you only get three.

Three? Oh, right,
it's four balls.

I get that mixed up.

Three strikes
and you're out.

So should I hit this one?

Yes!
Dear God, yes!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Whoa!
Whoa!

Will you look at that?

I hit it.
I hit it!

LARRY:
Run! Run!

No, the other way!
The other way down here!

Take a left, take a left.

Yes, go. All the way.
All the way.

(CROWD CHEERING)

Come on, Balki!
That's it.

Why is he sliding
into every base?

Because he likes to.

You got a problem
with that?

Yes!

(CROWD CHEERING)

(CROWD APPLAUDING)

Look at this.

It's a cheap piece of plastic
on an imitation wood base.

It's beautiful.

But I almost let it
ruin our friendship.

I'm sorry, Balki.

You don't have
to apologize.

You realize
that a trophy

is not as important
as our friendship.

I did the right thing,
didn't I?

You bet you did.

You know,
the best part is...

I did the right thing
and we won anyway.

Boy, you hit
that ball a mile.

Oh, well, I knew
I could hit a ball.

At home I was
always very good at

hok pok ponk
pa konk konk.

What is..."Hok pok ponk
pa konk konk?"

Very good.

Yay , it means, "The game where
you hit rocks with a stick."

How do you play?

You hit rocks
with a stick.

I always felt there was
something missing from the game.

"West Side
League Champions."

Thanks for helping
me win this, buddy.

And thank you for
helping me win this.

Mmm?

Most Valuable Player.

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)