Ep 14. Alice Beats The Clock

Alice is a classic American sitcom which follows the life of a widowed single mother who works as a waitress in a diner in Phoenix, Arizona. In season 4 episode 14 entitled "Alice Beats the Clock", Alice (Linda Lavin) finds herself having to get creative in order to keep up with her workload.

The episode begins with Alice and her co-worker Vera (Beth Howland) struggling to keep up with the lunch rush at Mel's Diner. As the customers pile in, Alice begins to worry about whether they will be able to serve everyone in time. This anxiety is only heightened when Mel (Vic Tayback), the owner of the diner, announces that he has a surprise visit from a food critic coming later that day.

Determined to impress the critic and keep her job, Alice comes up with a plan to beat the clock. She decides to streamline the diner's menu and cut down on prep time by doing things like pre-slicing vegetables and cooking meat in bulk. She also enlists the help of resident goofball Tommy (Philip McKeon) to keep things organized in the kitchen.

Despite some initial resistance from Mel and Vera, Alice's plan seems to be working. The orders are coming in and the food is going out in record time. However, things take a turn when a group of rowdy bikers arrive and demand to be served immediately. Alice tries to keep up, but soon finds that the group's large appetites and specific requests are throwing off her carefully crafted system.

As the pressure mounts, Alice begins to crack. She snaps at her co-workers and even throws a tray of food in frustration. It seems like all her hard work is going to be for nothing. However, in true Alice fashion, she manages to rally and come up with a solution just in the nick of time.

Without giving too much away, this episode is a classic example of the kind of high-stakes hijinks that Alice and her crew get up to on a regular basis. Alongside the main plotline of Alice trying to impress the food critic, there are several subplots including one involving Vera's quest for love and another involving Mel's disdain for modern technology.

Overall, "Alice Beats the Clock" is a fun and fast-paced episode that showcases the talents of the show's talented cast. With its relatable characters, witty writing, and feel-good themes, it's easy to see why Alice remains a beloved classic even decades after it first aired.