Ep 3. Blind Date

In the third episode of the first season of "Taxi," titled "Blind Date," the focus is primarily on Elaine (Marilu Henner), who is on a mission to find a date for her visiting Aunt Ruthie (Doris Roberts). Elaine feels the pressure to find a match for her Aunt as soon as possible, as Aunt Ruthie has already had some bad experiences with blind dates in the past.

Elaine turns to her colleagues at the Sunshine Cab Company, asking them if they know anyone who could potentially be a good fit for her Aunt. While some of them, like Bobby (Jeff Conaway) and Tony (Tony Danza), do chip in with suggestions, Elaine doesn't feel very convinced and continues her search elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Louie (Danny DeVito), the grumpy cab dispatcher, is not having a good day at all. One of his cabbies, Alex, calls in sick just when they have a lot of business, leaving Louie to manage the chaos himself. Adding to his woes, a customer named Alex (played by John Diehl) comes in to complain about one of the cabs hitting his car while making a turn. Louie tries to placate him by offering him a free ride, but Alex isn't satisfied and decides to take matters into his own hands.

As the day progresses, Elaine continues to look for a suitable match for Aunt Ruthie, even going so far as to look through police records to make sure the candidates don't have any criminal history. Ultimately, her search leads her to a bakery, where she meets a man named Jack (played by Judd Hirsch). They hit it off immediately and Elaine thinks she has found the perfect match for Aunt Ruthie. Jack, however, proves to be more complicated than she expects.

The other cabbies at Sunshine Cab Company are also having their own dramas. Jim (Christopher Lloyd) tries to hook up with a female cabbie named Nancy (Carol Kane), but she's more interested in a customer who keeps taking her cab. Tony, on the other hand, is trying to balance his cab driving with a fledgling career in boxing, and it seems like his dedication to the sport is taking a toll on his work.

As the day winds down and the cabbies return one by one to the garage, Louie is left to deal with the fallout of Alex's earlier complaint. The situation escalates, and Louie ends up getting punched in the face by Alex. The cabbies rally around Louie and come up with a plan to get back at Alex.

"Blind Date" is a typical episode of "Taxi," with its blend of humor, drama and pathos. There's plenty of character development here, as each of the cabbies gets a chance to shine and show off their various quirks. Marilu Henner is particularly good as Elaine, bringing a real warmth and sincerity to her character's search for love. The episode is also notable for its guest stars, including Robert Hays ("Airplane!") as one of Elaine's blind date candidates and veteran character actor Ron Rifkin as a wealthy businessman who takes a ride in one of the cabs.

The themes of the episode revolve primarily around the search for love and connection, and the lengths people will go to find it. Whether it's Elaine desperately trying to find a match for her Aunt, Jim trying to win over Nancy, or Tony pursuing his boxing career, each character is driven by their own desires. At the same time, the episode also highlights the importance of community and camaraderie, as the cabbies band together to help Louie when he's in trouble.

Overall, "Blind Date" is a solid episode of "Taxi," with plenty of laughs and heart. It's a good showcase for the talented ensemble cast, and the guest stars help to keep things fresh and interesting. Fans of the show will likely find much to enjoy here, while newcomers will get a good taste of what made "Taxi" such an enduring classic.