Life Could Be a Dream is the twenty-third episode of the seventh season on Wings, and the 145th episode overall in the series.
Synopsis[]
In the airport, Fay, Brian, and Casey sit the the lunch counter while Helen works behind the counter when Joe enters wearing a hard hat and excitedly shares that he found their old time capsule buried at the construction site. After making funny of his hard hat, Brian asked if he was sure that tin was the time capsule and not the remains of Jingles, their childhood pet. Although his confident it is the time capsule, once opened it is clearly Jingles. After replacing the lid, Joe says that he'll go rebury Jingles and return with the actual time capsule.
Later that day, Joe returns to the airport to meet Brian, Helen, and Casey. This time he does have the time capsule as demonstrated by the note he placed on it "July 15th, 1973 - Not to be opened for 20 years or less you die! Very truly yours, Joey Hackett. P.S. This means you Brian." The crew goes threw the time capsule finding one of Joe's little league trophies, a old Three Musketeers bar, Casey's pet rock "Alfred", Joe's mood ring, Brian's old Playboy Magazine, and their secret letters predicting where they would be as adults. Joe directs that they should all read them one at a time and he'll go first.
In Joe's fantasy, a throng of spectators and reporters crowd the doors of gate 1 as Joe enters wearing a baseball uniform. The Mayor of Nantucket takes the podium to welcome Joey "The Hack" Hackett back to Nantucket for "Joey Hackett Day" celebrating his accomplishments as the world's greatest baseball player and quite possible the most magnificent man alive. As takes a question from reporter, advertises his breakfast cereal "Joey-O's", signs an autograph for a boy, keeps Brian employed as his assistant, and is married to Casey. As Joey prepares to leave for his statue to be unveiled and the island to be renamed "Nanhackett", he heals a man's legs with the laying on of hands. Back in reality, Casey and Brian make fun of Joe while Helen is offend that he was married to Casey. Joe defends his decision by saying the Casey "was the first one to sprout boobs". When Helen asks if she was even in his letter, Joe lies saying she wasn't when she actually was included overweight and as one of Joey's many fans.
Antonio approaches Joe, Brian, Helen, and Casey still surround the time capsule. Antonio is very taken with Casey's pet rock while Brian begins to read his letter. In his fantasy, Brian is an international James Bond-esque spy living in a very modern apartment. After he poses with his firearm, Thong enters and her kiss and dips her. After the kiss, Thong begins to prepare him a martini when a message attached to an arrow appears warning Brian to watch his back. Suddenly Thong attacks him, but using his acrobatic skills, Agent Hackett is able to evade her. After a brief scoffle, Agent Hackett throws her off his balcony. Next Joe rings the doorbell and enters looking very dorky. He has come to pick up Brian for their bowling league finals. While Joe plays with the stereo, Agent Hackett dispatches a ninja assassin. Brian informs Joe that he can't go bowling as an overweight Helen come to the apartment. While Joe and Helen voice their disappointment that Brian won't be joining them, Agent Hackett covertly murders another assassin. As Joe and Helen leave, the beautiful Mounds O'Plenty arrives. Back in reality, Joe says he can't believe Brian though he would be an international spy and Brian muses as to why he didn't pursue it.
Next Casey begins to read her letter. In her fantasy, Casey is a supermodel in a photoshoot for perfume. As the photographer takes a break to reload his camera, he call for hair and makeup and the stereotypical gay and flamboyant Joe and Brian enter and begin working on Casey. When the photographer informs Casey that the client wants to shoot the ad with just her hands and not her face, Casey calls for Helen, her overweight agent, and she strongarms the photographer into shooting the ad with her face. They photoshoot restarts as everyone dances.
Back in reality, Helen protest being depicted as fat again then opens her letter and immediately closes. Only after some prodding does she finally start. In her fantasy, Helen is the world's greatest rock cellist entering the green room after a concert with fourteen encores and her adoring fans still chatting her name. Helen says she would do a fifteenth encore, but it would make her late to took in the orphan. Suddenly there is a knock at her door and her bodyguard let's in the very sleazy Brian and Casey. While Brian and Casey bricker with each other, Helen generously lends them money. After Brian and Casey leave, her bodyguard lets in stoner/hippie Joe, who Helen doesn't immediately recognize, but Joe's been to everyone of her concerts. As Joe is escorted out of the green room he professes his love for Helen. Back in reality, Joe, Brian, and Casey are all annoyed with how Helen depicted them. Casey and Brian leave commenting that they've had enough memories for one day. As Joe begins to pack up the time capsule, Helen won't hand over her letter. Instead she offers to take care of it because Joe has a flight. After Joe leaves, Helen reads her letter once more. The letter very simply says "In my future I, Helen Chappel hope to marry Joe Hackett."
Credits[]
Main Cast[]
- Tim Daly as Joe Hackett
- Steven Weber as Brian Hackett
- Crystal Bernard as Helen Hackett
- David Schramm as Roy Biggins
- Rebecca Schull as Fay Cochran
- Tony Shalhoub as Antonio Scarpacci
- Amy Yasbeck as Casey Davenport
Guest Cast[]
- Alan Fudge as Mayor of Nantucket
- Robin Krieger as Reporter
- Nick Heyman as Boy
- Van Epperson as Man on Crutches
- Jennifer Tung as Thong
- Courtney Taylor as Mounds O'Plenty
- Nick Meaney as Photographer
- Roger Hewlett as Bodyguard
Quotes[]
- Helen Hackett - "What are these?"
Joe Hackett - "Oh! The letters!"
Helen Hackett - "What letters?"
Joe Hackett - "Don't you remember? We each wrote a secret letter about where we thought we'd be when we grew up? Helen, here's yours. Brian here's yours. Casey. Wow wow wow! Wait a minute, wait a minute! We're going to open them one at a time. I'll go first!"
Casey Davenport - "Why are you first?"
Joe Hackett - "Cause I called it."
- Brian Hackett - "Alright, alright, alright. Hold the phone. You laid on hands and healed the lame?"
Casey Davenport - "And "Nanhackett"? Why not the "Joenited States of America"?" ''Joe gives look of approval that is a good name''
Helen Hackett - "You were married to Casey? That was your ideal future?"
Joe Hackett - "Hey, I was twelve. She was the first one to sprout boobs."
- Helen Chapel - "Hi Brian! Listen, there's a bunch of dead guys piled up outside your building. Anyway, let's get going, we'll miss the free weenie bar."
- Joe Hackett - "Brian can't go."
Helen Chapel - "Oh no, again? But it's league finals and I've perfected my form."
Brian Hackett - "As striking as that sounds, spar me."
- Helen Chapel - "Well, all I can say is thank you both. In your letter, I wasn't even on the planet, and in your letter, I was the planet.
- Helen Chapel - "Fat again? What is wrong with you people? So I was a big girl, couldn't you see passed that?"
Brian Hackett - "Sure. Just move three steps to the right--"
Joe Hackett - "And lean way over."
- Brian Hackett - "Hey, it fed your face, didn't?"
Casey Hackett - "Oh, yeah. Dinner at Denny's. I had to pretend it was my birthday. AGAIN!"
- Brian Hackett - "Hey, I'm confused. Was I a drunk or just a weasel?"
- Helen Chapel - "In my future I, Helen Chappel hope to marry Joe Hackett."
Trivia[]
- The title of this episode is a reference to "Sh-Boom (Life Could Be a Dream)", an early doo-wop song by The Chords.
- The Hackett's had at least two pets growing up: Jingles and Patches.
- The time capsule was buried on July 15, 1973.
- In addition to their secret letters predicting their futures, the time capsule contained:
- Both Fay and Casey reveal that they purchased pet rocks. Casey is named Alfred and Fay is name Anglebert.
- Roy claims that women of James Bond Playboy Magazine is the only issue he is missing from his collection. This Playboy Magazine collection was also mentioned in I've Got A Secret when the guys go through the collection to find a naked picture of Alex Lambert.
- Joe's middle name is revealed as "Montgomery".
- In Joe's fantasy, Joey "The Hack" Hackett's jersey number is 22 and, although the logo is slightly altered for copyright reasons, he appears to be wearing a Boston Red Sox uniform.
- During Joe's fantasy, the counter that usually houses Sandpiper Air is occupied by "Nantucket Air" (because Joe never founded Sandpiper).
- Casey confirms her parents names are Dee Dee and Phil Chapel and that she is their oldest daughter.
- In her fantasy, Helen's fans are called "Helenheads" and her tour is called the "Mellow Cello Tour". According to Joe's shirt, Helen's tour had show is Los Angeles, Boston, London, Rome, and Paris.
- In her time capsule letter, Helen spells her surname "Chappel" (with two P's) instead of "Chapel".
- This episode is currently unavailable for streaming in the United States likely due to the music rights for "Good Morning Sunshine", which Joe sings in Brian's fantasy segment, and/or because of the rights of James Bond due to the inspiration for and references in Brian's fantasy.
