Episode 206: Employee of the Month

Richfield institutes an Employee Suggestion Box, which has Earl and Roy racking their walnut-sized brains in an effort to impress the boss. At Earl's suggestion, the employee coming up with the best suggestion each month will receive dinner with Richfield and their name on a plaque--with Earl named the first "Employee of the Month". Earl's big moment is somewhat tarnished, though, when Richfield doesn't show up for dinner.
==Story==
Mr. Pulman has his class dissect living Cavepeople. However, Robbie chooses not to dissect his caveperson, instead hiding her and telling Mr. Pulman that she escaped. Meanwhile, a suggestion box is put up at WESAYSO. Mr. Richfield informs his employees that his bosses decided that it would be good for the company if the employees write suggestions down on a sheet of paper and put it in the box, if the time ever comes that any of the employees ever gets smart enough to have an idea.
During dinner, Earl talks about the suggestion box, thinking that it's meant to be a trap; if he makes a suggestion, it means that he had to think in order to make a suggestion, and if he was thinking, then he wasn't working. It is also during dinnertime that the rest of the family finds out that Robbie brought home a caveperson. The kids want to keep it as a pet, but Earl suggests that they don't get too attached to it. Fran then points out that he just made a suggestion. Earl soon allows them to keep the caveperson, who they name Sparky, and Fran demands that Earl either make a suggestion and face Richfield, or not make a suggestion, and face her.
At work, Earl and his co-workers laugh at the threat, which the wives of his co-workers also made (Roy's mother also called and made the same threat). Although Earl acts as if he's not scared of Fran, he decides to make a suggestion anyway, to make her happy. Richfield catches Earl making a suggestion, and demands that Earl and Roy come to his office. He demands that they tell him their suggestions. A scared Roy faints, so Earl hands over his suggestion, which is that they should have a dress-up day. Richfield demands a real suggestion, and Earl suggests an incentive: pick an employee to be employee of the month, giving that employee a plaque with his name on it, and let that employee have dinner with Richfield. Richfield likes it, and since Earl is already in his office, he makes Earl the first employee of the month so he won't have to go out and search for one. Richfield asks if tonight is a good night to have dinner at his place. It's a good night for Earl, but a bad night for Richfield, since his bathroom is being painted, so he asks to have dinner at Earl's place.
Earl invites Ethyl Phillips to dinner so that she can be there on his big night. However, Richfield never shows up. Later, after realizing that Richfield isn't coming, he talks to Sparky, acknowledging that she would wait all night for him, too, and, thinking about his promotion, decides to give her a promotion. Earl and Robbie take Sparky to the woods, as Earl thinks that it's better for cavepeople to live in the woods. They find Richfield's trailer in the woods, and notice that the lights are on. Robbie encourages Earl to go in and talk to Richfield. Earl is reluctant, but after finding that Richfield isn't home, he impersonates Richfield's voice, making it sound like Earl and Richfield are having a friendly conversation.
==Guest Stars==
* Hanna Cutrona - Sparky
* Michelan Sisti - Caveman
* Paula Marshall - Caveman
* Tom Fisher - Additional Dinosaur Performer
* Terri Hardin - Additional Dinosaur Performer
* Arlene Lorre - Additional Dinosaur Performer
* Jack Tate - Additional Dinosaur Performer
==Notes==
* This episode was the fourth episode to be filmed (the Blue Shooting Draft was dated April 15, 1991), after "Hurling Day," and before "High Noon." It aired out of sequence, later in the season. As such, Charlene is seen with her original, stubby tail, even though it grew out in Episode 204: Charlene's Tale.
* In this episode we learn that Earl can do a dead-on impersonation of Mr. Richfield.
* "Sleigh Ride" is heard while Earl waits for Mr. Richfield to arrive for dinner, which doesn't happen.
==Video releases==
*Dinosaurs: The Complete First and Second Seasons
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