An Officer and a Waldo is the seventh episode of the fourth season of Family Matters, which aired on ABC on November 6, 1992. It was directed by John Tracy and written by David W. Duclon.
Synopsis[]
When Eddie yells at Waldo over a misunderstanding, Waldo's fragile self-esteem takes a huge hit. His response: Join the US Army reserves. Urkel doesn't hesitate to set Eddie straight and they promptly to go after him just to get him to change his mind. Meanwhile, Carl and Harriette deal with a repairman who has a habit for overcharging his clients.
Plot[]
Eddie comes home with a great date at the movies in the mall with Vonda, while Laura is annoyed in having to spend her time there with Steve. She tells him that she didn't want him to come to the movie theater at the mall with her. Laura mentions that she invited Maxine to go watch a movie with her and was waiting for her arrival, not Urkel. He admits that she was sick and tried to call Laura to cancel. When Maxine didn't get an answer from her home, she called Steve to tell him what happened. He got into his car and drove to the movie theater at the mall. Urkel mentions that if he hadn't showed up to the movie theater to tell Laura this, she would've been waiting for hours wondering where Maxine is and why she's late. At least, Steve made sure she didn't go to the movies alone and kept her safe. As Eddie and Vonda are cuddling next to each other, he attempts to do the same with her. Laura is annoyed, pushes Urkel off her and tells him to go back home to the Urkel house. When Eddie asks Steve to give up and stop his pursuits, it doesn't seem to deter him at all.
Later on, Waldo shows up wanting to hang out with Eddie. He tries to explain that he's busy with Vonda and that they need to reschedule. Waldo gets the wrong idea and kisses her instead. Angry, Vonda breaks up with Eddie and leaves. He immediately calls Waldo out for messing up his relationship with her. Eddie asked him to leave so he could spend time with Vonda. Thanks to Waldo, she had dumped him without giving him a chance to explain himself and calls him an idiot for it. Eddie tells him to leave at once. Waldo does, heartbroken that their friendship is over.
Meanwhile, Carl attempts to fix a defective ice maker machine in the refrigerator. Harriette and Rachel warn against it once again, pointing out his track record in his failures. Carl tells them off that they'll be wrong once more and that fixing things is a talent he does have. He plugs in the fridge and attempts to demonstrate the ice maker machine. It starts off fine, but then due to Carl's overpowering it, the ice maker careens the ice all over the kitchen and destroying a window. Harriette tells him off that he made things worse again and he looks through a phone book for refrigerator repairman.
In the living room, Eddie is calling Vonda who is still angry at him. He begs her for a 2nd chance to let him explain himself, but she refuses. In the middle of Eddie's phone call to Vonda, Steve walks in the Winslow's living room very annoyed and enraged by Eddie's behavior. He had been through two lengthy phone call conversations: One with Waldo who had been hurt over how Eddie treated him and the 2nd being his worried mother who fears for his safety. Urkel takes the phone off Eddie's hands and hangs up on his call. Angered, he demands to know why Steve rudely hanged up on Vonda and how he was close in getting her back. He tells Eddie off that they have bigger problems to deal with than him winning his ex-girlfriend back. When he asks what's going on, Steve mentions he got a call from Waldo's mom and he has gone to Fort McGee. Eddie is confused and asks why he would go to Fort McGee. Steve explains that Waldo had joined the U.S. Army and he tried to talk the latter out of it. Still clueless, Eddie asks Steve why would he do such an idiotic move. He points out that it was Eddie's terrible behavior that lead to all of this. Instead of asking Waldo nicely to leave so he can spend time with Vonda, Eddie yelled at him and called him an idiot. Steve mentions that he may have been frustrated with Waldo a couple of times, but he always been a loyal friend. Only then, Eddie finally understands why Steve was very upset with him and has to go to Fort McGee to convince Waldo to come home. As they're leaving, Urkel mentions a strong anger and weak mindset makes a dangerous combination: using Carl and Yosemite Sam as prime examples.
After hiring a refrigerator repairman, Harriette discovers why Carl was so reluctant to get one that their neighbors had recommended. It turns out he had done a secret background check on the man, which revealed he's a known serial scammer who overcharges his clients and often takes unnecessary breaks just to get more money off them. When he attempts to scam Harriette off her money, Carl shows up extremely enraged. He calls the man out for his misdeeds because of the secret background check he done. Carl make his ultimatum to the man clear if he doesn't do his job and fix the ice maker machine in their fridge, he will be arrested and put in Cook County Jail. Fearing Carl, he does his job and still got arrested in the end.
At Fort McGee, Eddie and Urkel disguise themselves as soldiers and try to talk to Waldo. They are caught by the drill sergeant, Shiska, and taken inside the hut. Eddie finally apologizes to Waldo for his behavior. The boys ponder how they're going to convince the Sergeant to rip up Waldo's enlistment papers. That is until Waldo reveals he only followed a line, causing Eddie and Urkel to realize that he never officially signed up. The boys finally leave Fort McGee for home.
The end credits show Eddie, Waldo and Steve doing drill practice with the other platoon members.
Cast[]
Main[]
- Reginald VelJohnson as Carl Winslow
- Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow
- Rosetta LeNoire as Estelle Winslow (credit only)
- Darius McCrary as Eddie Winslow
- Kellie Shanygne Williams as Laura Winslow
- Jaimee Foxworth as Judy Winslow (credit only)
- Bryton James as Richie Crawford (credited as Bryton McClure)
- Jaleel White as Steve Urkel
- Telma Hopkins as Rachel Crawford (credit only)
- Shawn Harrison as Waldo Geraldo Faldo
Guest[]
Recurring[]
- Danielle Nicolet as Vonda Mahoney
Cameo[]
- Dennis Burkley as Repairman
- David Graf as Sergeant Shishka
- Juan Lamont Pope as Recruit (credited as J. Lamont Pope)
Gallery[]
.jpg "An Officer and a Waldo (2).jpg (14 KB)")
Trivia[]
- The episode title is a reference to the movie An Officer and a Gentleman.
- This episodes marks the final appearance of Vonda Mahoney.
- J. Lamont Pope, who portrayed Chain in "Born to Be Mild" and a hospital orderly in "Number One With a Bullet", returns to the series to play an Army Cadet in this episode.
Quotes[]
- Eddie: Waldo, you just kissed my girlfriend!
- Waldo: Yup. Now you've got some tough lips to follow.
- Eddie: I didn't want you to kiss her for me! I wanted you to leave so that I could kiss her, you idiot!
- Waldo: Oh.
- Eddie: Now do you understand?
- Waldo: Yeah, I understand. I understand something else too.
- Eddie: What?
- Waldo: My best friend thinks I'm an idiot.
- Eddie: Why would Waldo do such an idiotic thing?
- Urkel: It was your insensitive use of the word "idiot" that caused this whole mess.
- Eddie: Waldo joined the Army because I called him an idiot?
- Urkel: Hey, strong emotions and a weak mind can make a dangerous combination. Look at Yosemite Sam.
- Eddie: Waldo, the only reason you joined the Army is because... Because I hurt your feelings.
- Waldo: It's not the only reason. But you shouldn't have called me an idiot.
- Eddie: Yeah, I know.
- Waldo: You're supposed to be my friend. My best friend. When you called me that... I never felt so bad in my whole life.
- Eddie: Really?
- Waldo: Yeah. I mean, I admire you. I respect you. And I've always looked up to you. So when you called me an idiot, it hurt me. [pointing to his chest] Here.