The Norm Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC. The series premiered at midseason in 1999, on March 24, and ran for three seasons, airing new episodes through April 6, 2001. While titled The Norm Show during the show's first season, a legal conflict with Michael Jantze's comic strip The Norm forced the show's title to be shortened to simply Norm for the series' second and third seasons.[1]
While helping a pathologically shy man (Fred Stoller), Norm meets a woman in a bar (Heather Paige Kent) who turns out to be Laurie's client. Laurie and Danny deal with a stinky client (Ezra Buzzington).
Molly joins the department. Danny's father (Jack Warden) enjoys male companionship, but doesn't believe himself to be gay. Norm takes advantage of his denial, but Danny feels Norm is usurping his place as a son.
Laurie's stress makes it so she can't fall asleep unless Norm holds her, which gets in the way of both her boyfriend (Alastair Duncan) and a woman Norm wants to date (Caprice Benedetti). Danny gets a toupee, and apparently a girlfriend (Rebecca McFarland) comes with it.
After Norm and a client (Casey Sander) go out drinking, the client checks them into rehab. Mr. Curtis assumes Norm is an alcoholic and lowers his workload. Guest Appearances: Veanne Cox
After Mr. Curtis tries to kill Norm in a shooting spree, Mr. Denby is made his replacement, and reduces Norm's workload to nothing. Norm burns that deal by getting Denby to lighten up on Laurie.
Mr. Denby's son Jason (Michael Bacall) doesn't want to go to military school, but culinary school. Norm backs him, opposing his dad, until he discovers Jason likes to cook with marijuana. Norm's probation officer Ed (George Mudock) investigates. Laurie and Molly deal with a cat lady (Pat Crawford Brown).
Norm has sex with his evil coworker Kyra (Vicki Lewis), who becomes clingy. He helps Laurie pass a driving test. Danny and Molly find a hairy man (Andy Siegel) a job.
Norm is made the "agony of defeat" on Wide World of Sports, and wants to be reinstated to play hockey for a charity game. To impress the review board, he lets an elderly client, Sal (Abe Vigoda), move in with him.
Norm gets Taylor (Nikki Cox) a job at the office but Max assumes she's still hooking. Norm meets up with his probation officer Shelly Kilmartin (Faith Ford). Guest Appearances: Dennis Miller, Richard Libertini
Norm buys a $1200 Hank Aaronbaseball card on credit from Al (Bob Einstein). He tries to pay the debt off by breeding Wiener Dog for stud fees. Meanwhile, Norm gives the card to a young kid Jimmy (Michael Welch) but only to impress Shelly.
Norm gets toys for his office’s orphan donation program with the help of his brother (Artie Lang), who just came to town. Despite both money and Landlady (Patricia Belcher) troubles, Norm tells Artie to move in with him.
Note: There is a Pokémon scene at the start of the episode.
Norm reveals his fear of death after Danny's father dies. Laurie takes Norm to see Phil (Bill Macy), a grief counselor, to help him cope. Norm confronts his fear of death at the funeral, where Danny finds out during the eulogy that his father was gay. Guest Appearances: Andrea Martin, Holmes Osborne
Norm and Shelly kiss which seems sweet, until she finds out he's gambling again. This prompts her to punish Norm and refusing to date him, that is until she realizes her true feelings. Guest Appearance: Lou Rawls
Laurie runs for city council after discovering that the incumbent councilman Krantz (Michael Gross) is heartless and corrupt. Laurie’s poll numbers drop after Norm and Artie get caught trying to frame Krantz. Guest Appearances: Al Ruscio, Josie DiVincenzo
Mr. Denby is now Laurie’s campaign manager in her unsuccessful run for city council. Norm slips up and says "I love you" to Shelly on the phone, so he pretends it didn’t mean anything. Meanwhile, Shelly doesn’t like living in the city and wants to move to Colorado. Guest Appearance: Brad Dourif
Norm is gambling again (which breaches his probation), so Laurie convinces everyone that he needs an intervention. After they track Norm down to an illegal gambling parlor, all (Laurie, Artie, Danny, and Norm) are arrested and jailed following a police raid. (Note: this storyline continues in the next episode)
All but Artie are bailed out of jail, but a bookie (Garry Marshall) owes Norm money, enough for Artie’s bail. Taylor’s 2-month probation at the office is up, so she worries that Denby won’t keep her on. Taylor and Danny learn that Denby’s wife (Janet Carroll) wants a divorce. Guest stars: Randall Carver, Lyle Kanouse
Norm and Mr. Denby compete for the same woman (Sally Kellerman). Laurie has trouble dealing with Wendy (Julie Hagerty), a former high school classmate who unexpectedly shows up at the office.
After witnessing a 15-year-old has a hidden talent, Norm encourages him to fight in a boxing tournament in order to pay off his $10,000 debt to his bookie.
Laurie's twin sister "Jamie" (also portrayed by Laurie MetCalf) visits. While Jamie brags about her suburban lifestyle, Laurie (in a panic) says Norm is her boyfriend.
24
14
"Norm vs. The Oldest Profession"
Steve Zuckerman
Story by : Sarah Folkman Teleplay by : Dave Caplan & Cheryl Holliday
Norm crashes Jenny's wedding because he doesn't want her to marry Fitz. He tells her he wants to marry her but he wants to wait until her mother dies. Her mother drugged Norm and locked him in a closet so he couldn't ruin the wedding but Norm kicked a hole through the door to free himself. Jenny told Fitz she didn't love him and she went back to Norm.
28
18
"Norm vs. Fear" "Norm's name that movie contest I"
Shelley Jensen
Story by : Steve Gabriel Teleplay by : Ed Lee & Curtis Chin
After Norm injures his back he admits his fear of doctors. Denby threatens to have Norm thrown in jail if he misses any more time. Norm vows to see a doctor on the condition that Danny, Laurie & Artie conquer their personal demons.
Norm tries to find out who has a thing for him when he finds printer papers of someone expressing feelings for him. Danny is trying to find the perfect proposal for Taylor and Shelly returns.
Norm plays tennis with Shelly and he starts to let her win when he finds out that winning turns her on. Artie seeks Laurie's help when he wants to lose weight.
Shelly, Laurie, Danny and Mr. Denby take in orphans while they search for a family who's willing to adopt all of them. They find a family that's willing to take them all but one of the orphans, because he has a criminal record.
Norm and Mr. Denby have to go to social workers' school. Danny and Shelly pretend to be the married couple who were Billy's previous foster parents so that he can be adopted.
Norm agrees to go to group therapy and discovers that the reason he has problems with Mr. Denby is because he has issues with his father. Danny and Artie invest in a weight loss gadget but then discover the horrible side effects.
Norm accepts that he and Shelly will never get back together, and decides to move on. Danny and Shelly go on a date. Meanwhile, Laurie teaches Denby how to dance so he won't make a fool of himself at an upcoming banquet.
After sleeping with Norm, Taylor tells him that she's still in love with Danny but she doesn't want Norm to tell him. Mr. Denby complains to Laurie about the conditions in the men's room.
Mr. Denby and Danny go on a business trip and try to pick up women but have no luck. Norm uses Mr. Denby's apartment for a date and gets him evicted when the landlady finds out he has a dog, so he has to move in with Laurie as well.
Norm and Laurie fake a relationship and it helps Laurie get a man, but Norm discovers that Shelly is still in love with him. Mr. Denby is afraid to catch Danny's cold.
Norm is shocked when he gains the ability to hear other men's thoughts, but he uses it to his advantage when he finds out that an old boyfriend of Shelly's is trying to steal her away from him.
