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| Taxi Season 2 : |
| The second season of Taxi aired on ABC from September 11 1979 to May 13 1980. |
| Episode 1 - [Louie And The Nice Girl] |
| Details : Zena the woman who refills the vending machines who has made friends with most of the cabbies admits to Alex and Elaine that she has a crush on Louie. Elaine is bothered by this but takes comfort in the fact that Zena is probably too shy to introduce herself. However Zena asks Alex to introduce them and Alex tentatively agrees. Soon Louie and Zena become an item and the gang is disgusted at the way Louie explicitly describes their sex life. In private Zena blows Louie's cover by asking Alex why Louie won't make a single move on her. The next time Louie starts boasting Alex tells him to give up the charade—he knows nothing has happened. Louie then confesses to Alex that he's used to going out with professionals and doesn't know what to do with a nice girl. Louie then breaks up with Zena but she insists on a goodbye kiss before they part. She kisses him in such a way that he realizes maybe she's not as nice as he thought. Zena then pulls him into the bedroom and it |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Sep. 11, 1979 |
| Episode 2 - [Honor Thy Father] |
| Details : Alex's sister Charlotte comes to the garage and leaves a message that their father is ill in the hospital. When Alex finds out he appears uninterested and explains that his father ran out on their family and they haven't spoken in almost thirty years. Eventually Charlotte prevails upon Alex to visit their father and Alex is shocked to see a very frail old man in the hospital. Alex loses his composure and breaks down telling his father how much he means to him. All of a sudden Alex realizes he's been baring his soul to the wrong man when his real healthy-looking father emerges from the bathroom. Alex then again realizes he has nothing really to say to his father and leaves after uttering hardly a word. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Les Charles | Writer : Glen Charles | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Sep. 18, 1979 |
| Episode 3 - [Reverend Jim A Space Odyssey] |
| Details : At Mario's the cabbies run into the spaced-out derelict minister Reverend Jim who officiated at Latka's wedding. Charmed by him yet taking pity on him they make it their mission to get him a job as a cabbie. Louie is adverse to this at first but Jim seems to slip a sedative into Louie's coffee and he then changes his tune. The next hurdle is getting Jim a driver's license which is a challenge as he not only has trouble with his written exam but his application as well. Nonetheless he gets the license and begins work at the garage. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Les Charles | Writer : Glen Charles | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Sep. 25, 1979 |
| Episode 4 - [Nardo Loses Her Marbles] |
| Details : Elaine seems to be spreading herself thin lately between working overtime at the gallery driving a cab and raising her kids. She finally loses it at an important gallery reception and Alex drives her home. She starts coming on to Alex who worried about her psychological health rejects her advances and suggests she get some psychological help. He eventually talks her into it and she seems to progress well in therapy. Now more confident of her psychological help Alex seems no longer adverse to a romance with Elaine but she remains cool about it. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Tom Ewell | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Oct. 02, 1979 |
| Episode 5 - [Wherefore Art Thou Bobby] |
| Details : Tony brings his fare a young actor new to New York named Steve to the garage to meet Bobby so Bobby can give him acting pointers. Bobby takes Steve under his wing and soon Steve is cast as Romeo off-Broadway. A shocked Bobby then quits acting out of frustration after seeing how Steve gets a job his second day in New York while Bobby still can't get a break. Bobby resigned to being a full time cab driver still shows his acting skills when he runs lines with Steve but it takes some heckling from Louie to convince him to return to acting—in order to make Louie someday eat his words. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : J. Alan Thomas | Writer : Barry Kemp | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Oct. 16, 1979 |
| Episode 6 - [The Lighter Side Of Angela Matusa] |
| Details : Alex meets up with Angela (his overweight date from the previous season) only to learn she's lost 100 pounds. When they go to dinner he learns that she did it all for him making him very nervous because he doesn't really want more than a friendship with Angela but hates to discourage her from losing weight and feeling good about herself. Later Wayne a guy from Angela's weight clinic comes to see Alex in the hopes of finding Angela who's missing (it seems Wayne has a crush on Angela). Together they find a very depressed Angela eating alone in a greasy spoon diner. Alex convinces Angela that she doesn't need to be depressed and that she and Wayne belong together. She and Wayne leave together but Angela confesses to Alex that the reason she had previously rejected Wayne's advances was because he's married with four kids. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Oct. 23, 1979 |
| Episode 7 - [A Woman Between Friends] |
| Details : Tony and Bobby's friendship is put to the test when they start dating the same woman Janet. They begin arguing prompting Tony to almost punch Bobby out but eventually Alex convinces them that this rivalry has to end. Tony and Bobby sit down with Janet and ask her to choose between them. Before she announces her decision Bobby and Tony realize that their friendship could be over based on her decision so they decide to both give her up. Janet bothered that her feelings weren't taken into account tells them what the guy she was going to choose would be missing adding that the choice was Bobby. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | Writer : Ken Estin | |
| Air Date : Oct. 30, 1979 |
| Episode 8 - [The Great Race] |
| Details : After Louie reprimands the cabbies for low bookings and boasts of what a good cab driver he used to be the cabbies propose a contest to see whether Alex or Louie can book more. Louie agrees with the caveat that Elaine must go out with him if he wins. During the contest Alex forgoes chances to make big money unscrupulously while Louie tries to con his passengers out of their money whenever possible. When all is said and done Louie appears to have won by $15. Later they determine that Alex has been tipped $40 while Louie has only been tipped 85 cents and Alex is declared the winner saving Elaine from a frightful night with Louie. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Glenn Gordon Caron | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Nov. 06, 1979 |
| Episode 9 - [The Apartment] |
| Details : When it is discovered that Latka is living at the garage after being kicked out of his apartment Alex helps him find a place. Latka is able to find one on his own and invites Alex to see it. The apartment appears to be a beautiful luxury penthouse and he has misunderstood that the $3000 rent is monthly as opposed to a one time fee. Alex is about to get Latka out of the arrangement when he gets the bright idea that the whole gang can share the apartment for the month and see how the other half lives. When the month is up the gang is reluctant to give up their decadent new lifestyle so they decide to throw a rent party in the hopes of staying another month. However all the party goers (except Elaine) are male and demand their money back when they see there are no available women. Having lost their apartment the cabbies agree to help Latka find a new place. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Nov. 13, 1979 |
| Episode 10 - [Alex's Romance] |
| Details : Alex falls for Joyce an actress friend of Bobby's in part because (seemingly) he marvels in being a stabilizing factor in her life. When she gets an acting job in Los Angeles he prepares to propose to her in the hopes of keeping her in New York. When she learns of his plans though she discourages this and they part on sad but positive note. Later Jim hilariously and unwittingly makes Alex feel better involving a case of mistaken identity. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : Ed. Weinberger | Writer : Howard Gewirtz | |
| Air Date : Nov. 20, 1979 |
| Episode 11 - [Latka's Revolting] |
| Details : Latka is listening to a radio station that broadcasts in his native language and learns that revolution has broken out in his country. Panicking he is visited by his friend Baschi who emigrated to the States with him and who has come to fetch Latka to go home to fight in the revolution (it turns out Latka has somehow reached the rank of general in his country's army). A farewell party is thrown for Latka at Mario's and before they have to leave for the airport Elaine asks Baschi to draw a map of their country in an effort to learn more about where they will be fighting. Through Baschi's drawing of where the enemy troops will be situated it becomes clear that the revolutionaries have an impossible task ahead of them and Latka thinks better of leaving (as do the rest of his fellow countrymen). |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Les Charles | Writer : Glen Charles | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Nov. 27, 1979 |
| Episode 12 - [Elaine's Secret Admirer] |
| Details : Elaine is upset after having just ended a relationship but soon begins receiving love poems from a secret admirer. She is eventually convinced that the poems are coming from a new handsome cab driver named Don and they begin dating. However Jim has confessed to Alex that he has been the one writing the letters in an effort to make Elaine feel better. Alex reveals this to Elaine so she won't continue dating Don under false pretenses. This upsets Elaine greatly but she is later comforted when she gets home by the gift of a metal sculpture that Jim has made for her out of the roof of his van. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Barry Kemp | Director : James Burrows | Writer : Howard Gewirtz | |
| Air Date : Dec. 04, 1979 |
| Episode 13 - [Louie Meets The Folks] |
| Details : When Zena insists that Louie meet her parents Louie is so worried about it (Zena's father is a minister) that he bribes Alex to come along with them to dinner to keep him from embarrassing himself. At dinner despite Alex's attempts at keeping Louie from acting crude Louie manages to offend Zena's parents yet the parents still act gracious towards him. Still Louie believes the parents have accepted him until Zena's mother tells him in private that if he tries to marry Zena she'll have him killed (but makes him vow to keep that a secret). |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Barry Kemp | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Dec. 11, 1979 |
| Episode 14 - [Jim Gets A Pet] |
| Details : The gang goes to the track and Jim falls in love with horse racing. Jim starts gambling at the track every day until Alex tells him of the evils of gambling. Meanwhile Jim turns out to have already won $10000 at the track and what's more he bought the long-shot horse that he won most of the money on. Jim renames the horse Gary and keeps him in his apartment. However when the gang comes over to check on Gary they found he has died. When a depressed Jim returns to the garage the gang convinces him to hold a funeral service for Gary (since Jim is an ordained minister after all). Jim gives a touching eulogy that leaves everyone in tears. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | Writer : David Lloyd | |
| Air Date : Dec. 18, 1979 |
| Episode 15 - [The Reluctant Fighter] |
| Details : Tony seems to get a big break in his boxing career when his manager informs him that aging former champ Benny Foster has selected him as an opponent in his comeback fight. At the press conference before the fight however Foster announces that he's coming back to inspire (and presumably financially aid) a wheelchair bound child Brian Sims in need of a kidney operation who thinks of Foster as his hero. Tony thinking this is a no-win situation doesn't want to even go through with the fight but Alex convinces him that this is still a big break for him and that he should go for it. Tony not only ends up fighting but knocking Foster out but still feels bad about disappointing Brian. Tony speaks to Brian in the locker room hoping it will make him feel better but Brian punches him. Eventually Tony prevails upon Brian that he wants to be his hero and the boy agrees—at least until Tony loses a fight. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | Writer : Ken Estin | |
| Air Date : Dec. 25, 1979 |
| Episode 16 - [Tony And Brian] |
| Details : Tony has been spending time with young Brian who is now out of his wheelchair and is seemingly back in good health. Tony has really enjoyed all the time spent with Brian and the gang urges Tony to try to adopt the orphaned boy. It turns out however that Brian is trying to get a rich family to adopt him and has seemingly found one the Brennans. Nonetheless Tony and Alex go to visit Brian at the Brennans so Tony can ask Brian if he wants Tony to be his father. Brian is touched but claims he has to think of his future and thus would rather stay with the Brennans. Later Brian shows up at Tony's apartment with a suitcase saying he was rejected by the Brennans and is there to stay. Tony is still hurt that Brian initially rejected him though and makes things a little tough on Brian before he agrees to let him stay. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Michael Fairman | Director : James Burrows | Writer : Ken Estin | |
| Air Date : Jan. 08, 1980 |
| Episode 17 - [Guess Who's Coming For Brefnish] |
| Details : Latka meets and begins dating Simka a woman from his home country. Things are going well until they hit a roadblock: Simka is a mountain person one of the country's underclass that Latka has been taught to make fun of. When they can't seem to work through the situation they break up but soon Latka is miserable and wants Simka back. Too late though—she's begun dating a handsome young doctor and Simka gingerly turns Latka down when he asks if she wants to get back together. Latka is left depressed but has learned a lesson about prejudices. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Barry Kemp | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Jan. 15, 1980 |
| Episode 18 - [What Price Bobby] |
| Details : Bobby feels very lucky when a top notch theatrical agent (Nora) is in his cab. He makes a pitch to her telling her about what a good actor he is and initially she shuns him but later agrees to watch him in the play he currently stars in. Sure enough Nora sees him and then agrees to work with him but it soon becomes evident that she has more than a business interest in him. Nonetheless he begins a relationship with her and his career is suddenly really starting to take off. Soon enough Bobby is feeling as though he's prostituting himself and eventually gets up the courage to tell Nora he wishes to keep their relationship on a business level. This does not sit well with Nora who not only stops representing him but in their final argument takes away Bobby's self respect and his shoes! |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | Writer : Ken Estin | |
| Air Date : Jan. 22, 1980 |
| Episode 19 - [Shut It Down Part 1] |
| Details : After Tony's cab's brakes fail the cabbies are all furious at the company's frugality when it comes to fixing replacing cabs. Elaine is elected shop steward and after an unsuccessful meeting with Mr. Mackenzie the big boss the cabbies go on strike. Louie is initially not conerned about the actions of the union because he's altered the bookkeeping to show that the company spends adequate money on the upkeep of the taxis but after Alex scares him with talk of God's vengeance Louie softens. Louie calls in Elaine and agrees to her demands with the caveat that she go on a date with him (continued in the next episode). |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Jan. 29, 1980 |
| Episode 20 - [Shut It Down Part 2] |
| Details : In the second half of this two-part episode the cabbies are back on the road after the strike has been settled. Meanwhile Elaine is dreading the date with Louie and is drunk sedated and dressed as dowdy as possible in the hopes of getting it over with quickly and painlessly. Louie takes her to a Polynesian restaurant bar and they drink heavily and dance in hilarious fashion although Elaine is seemingly not enjoying any of it. At the door of her apartment though Louie cons her into saying that she didn't have such a terrible time. He then convinces her to give him a little kiss goodnight but when she attempts to give him a small peck Louie being true to form gives her a rather aggressive open-mouthed kiss that has them rolling on the floor as she fights him off. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | Writer : Howard Gewirtz | |
| Air Date : Feb. 05, 1980 |
| Episode 21 - [Alex Jumps Out Of An Airplane] |
| Details : Alex has a new lust for adventure after a thrilling ski trip and begins trying to conquer his fears. He first entertains the crowd at Mario's by playing singing showtunes on the piano then he has Tony teach him to box and spars with a talented young boxer who knocks him out. Alex still wants a new challenge however and announces he's going skydiving. Once in the air Alex reconsiders however but reluctantly jumps anyway. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Director : James Burrows | Writer : Ken Estin | |
| Air Date : Feb. 26, 1980 |
| Episode 22 - [Art Work] |
| Details : The cabbies are faring poorly at various gambling schemes but Elaine alerts the gang about a moneymaking tip for an art auction. It seems a terminally ill artist's painting is up for auction and when an artist dies the value of his paintings goes up considerably. She estimates that they need to pool $2000 to win the auction and the gang including Louie barely scrapes up enough. At the auction Louie attempts various dirty tricks to ensure a successful bid but the bidding quickly goes above $2000 and another bidder snares the painting. It is then announced that the artist has passed away which rubs salt in the wounds of the already dejected cabbies. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Les Charles | Writer : Glen Charles | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : Mar. 04, 1980 |
| Episode 23 - [Fantasy Borough Part 1] |
| Details : After Herve Villachaize (Tattoo from Fantasy Island) leaves a package in Tony's cab the gang discusses their various fantasies while waiting for him to pick it up. Tony's fantasy is wowing Eric Sevareid (who happens to be a passenger in his cab) with his political insight. Latka's fantasy is to be the taxi dispatcher and turn the tables on Louie. Bobby fantasizes about being a famous singer and conning a homeless Louie out of his last dollar. Jim fantasizes about being visited by aliens. (Part 1 of 2) |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Carl Lumbly | Writer : Barry Kemp | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : May. 06, 1980 |
| Episode 24 - [Fantasy Borough Part 2] |
| Details : In this continuation of the previous episode the gang continues to fantasize. Alex fantasizes about picking up a beautiful woman in his cab and taking her back to his place. He's having trouble concentrating however and strikes out when he learns the woman is his niece. Louie fantasizes that he is the rich owner of the garage during the depression and is married to Elaine. Elaine fantasizes that the whole gang sings Lullaby of Broadway in the garage with a Broadway-style arrangement. |
| Guest Cast and Crew : Writer : Barry Kemp | Director : James Burrows | |
| Air Date : May. 13, 1980 |