There is no rewatchable scene for about 20 minutes until the physical exam, which starts a run of them ('Moon River', 'You ever served time?', 'using the whole fist, Doc?').
A son's stone-faced reaction to the exam scene is joked about as grounds for a DNA test.
The short Lakers dream sequence with Kareem and the sports footage is so enjoyable.
Fletch as the buck-toothed airplane mechanic ('It's all ball bearings nowadays') is picked; the other mechanic looks like Jim Varney but is not him.
The second tennis club visit runs about five minutes: caviar ordered twice and charged to the Underhills, borrowing Gail Stanwyk's towel because his car hit a water buffalo, Mr. Underhill's 'Jesus H. Christ' at the bill, and Gail unbothered to hear her husband is a fraud.
The smog-patrol bit with the kid and escaping the police, oddly with no helicopter or local news coverage.
Crashing Fred Dorfman's lunch is probably Chase's best 90 seconds: working the crowd, giving a speech, getting them to sing God Bless America, and the syphilis line.
The ending with Gail on an empty beach, charging the whole vacation to Mr. Underhill's American Express card, is very satisfying.
Another breakdown runs through Mr. Babar, Dr. Rosen, John Cocktholeson, Mr. Poon and Igor Stravinsky, and the autopsy ('you never get used to the smell', 'You're not going to make this guy any sicker') has to be included.
The Mr. Poon scene with Mr. Boyd in his face and the Utah motel bits with different voices ('It's Igor Stravinsky') are also chosen.
The interrogation with Chief Carlin, ending 'I like to be manhandled' and a wink at Joe Don Baker, is an incredible moment.
The single favorite is the second tennis club visit, a perfect six minutes ('Why did you order lunch here?').
The airplane mechanic is the favorite character he plays and is called 'my most rewatchable'; the roller-skating scene with George Carlin hair also gets praise.
The favorite is Dr. Dolan's exam with the 'Babar, one B' exchange, plus the subtle bit where every doctor in the directory is Dr. Rosen. — Sean Fennessey

What’s Aged the Best?

Tim Matheson's casting; Mr. Underhill; Kareem's IMDb page; the 'Who's Frida?' exchange; Harold Faltermeyer's score; Fletch's apartment; Michael Ritchie

In the discussion (12)

Approx. transcript time · 00:38:14Read transcript

Tim Matheson plays the villain Alan Stanwyk, which mirrors Animal House: Otter was written for Chase, so Matheson did a Chevy impression there and now plays the lookalike who wants Fletch dead.
Mr. Underhill's two scenes hold up: shredding the waiter over a gratuity and exploding at the bill; he is like Judge Smales crossed with Hitler.
Kareem's IMDb page (Game of Death, Airplane, Fletch, 21 Jump Street, D2, Diff'rent Strokes, Saved by the Bell) makes him arguably the most successful athlete-actor.
The claim is about how the IMDb page looks at a glance, not actual acting success.
Rival athlete-actor contenders: Jim Brown (Mars Attacks, Any Given Sunday, The Running Man, The Dirty Dozen) and O.J. Simpson (Towering Inferno, Naked Gun).
The secretary exchange ('I'm Frida's boss.' 'Who's Frida?' 'My secretary.') is another pick.
The list of pseudonyms is read out, including Dr. Rosen, John Cocktoe Stone, Mr. Poon, Igor Stravinsky, Gordon Liddy, Don Corleone and Harry S. Truman.
Harold Faltermeyer's score is amazing 80s music with a Thomas Dolby influence, alongside his Beverly Hills Cop work; the Alpha Romeo chase song gets an honorable mention and Stephanie Mills sings the theme.
Siskel's point: once Beverly Hills Cop hit, action sequences and Faltermeyer music could turn a wry comedy into an easier-to-sell action comedy.
Fletch's apartment, with the life-size Magic and Bird poster and the hoop on the wall, is the perfect bachelor pad for a guy who only cares about the paper and the Lakers.
His faded purple Lakers jersey is praised, but the 1985 Lakers-Celtics Finals prompt a joking 'I recant my statement' and talk of cancelling the pod.
Michael Ritchie is called the best sports-movie director ever, with a run including Downhill Racer, The Bad News Bears, Semi-Tough, Fletch and Wildcats; he only produced Bad News Bears Go to Japan, did not direct Shampoo, made the messy Golden Child, and The Candidate is recommended.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Alan Stanwyk's plan; Stephanie Mills opening song; Chevy's clothes; too little Sally Ann

In the discussion (8)

Approx. transcript time · 00:46:57Read transcript

Stanwyk's plan to have a lookalike drifter shoot him, then kill and burn the man, is ridiculous; it is very Raymond Chandler, with the story of Faulkner asking Chandler to explain The Big Sleep, and by 1985 forensic science made it less believable than in the mid-70s book.
Stephanie Mills' 'Bit by Bit' over the opening credits should have gone straight to Faltermeyer: 'let the chef cook'.
Producer Craig's take of not liking Fletch is jokingly named as what will age worst.
Chevy's clothes, like wide-bottomed jeans and a linen shirt with three buttons open, look clownish; the pushback is that he wears it well, and like Eddie Murphy he makes bad clothes look cool and looks like a classic leading man in Matheson's suit.
Dana Wheeler-Nicholson brings back fond memories, but a spouse asked what was up with her acting, which is a red flag. — Bill Simmons
Defense: Gail is the greatest hang of all time and nobody in Fletch is surprised by anything; the critic replies that an actress more interested in the part would have been better.
As said on the Tombstone podcast, she is a bad actress, and Elizabeth Shoe or Sharon Stone would make it a thousand times better. — Sean Fennessey
There is not enough Sally Ann Kavanaugh, set up in the low-key airline-counter scene; a face-off with Gail was wanted.

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Richard Libertini

In the discussion (8)

Approx. transcript time · 00:53:45Read transcript

Richard Libertini as Frank the editor is a face you know and a great character.
Larry 'Flash' Jenkins as Gummy is tied to season three of The White Shadow, when the wheels came off, like Tobias Harris for the Process.
The Jim Varney lookalike and M. Emmet Walsh as the physician are named; Walsh is an all-time great that guy and the speaker would go with him.
Kenneth Mars as Stan Boyd, from 70s Bogdanovich movies and TV like Murder, She Wrote, is on the list too.
Other that guys are offered: whether Gina Davis counts is floated, and Allison Laplaca as the airline desk clerk is added. — Chris Ryan
The Gina Davis suggestion is waved off ('No, stop it'), with a note that she is coming up later.
Joe Don Baker counts to the hosts; only a single-digit share of listeners could identify him; Walking Tall and the Mystery Science Theater episode Mitchell, which mocks him, are recalled.
The award goes to Richard Libertini as the that guy from this movie.

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

No affirmative selection

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 00:56:39Read transcript

It is called a two-man race between Richard Libertini and Joe Don Baker, with no winner named, followed by Carlin clips ('the name's Carlin with a K').
Joe Don seems to be in a different movie, playing it like a 1970s exploitation film, maybe never told it was a comedy.

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Geena Davis

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 00:57:24Read transcript

Candidates are Gina Davis, George Went and the autopsy doctor; Dana Wheeler-Nicholson is eligible with four scenes but mocked as a three-for-27 night.
The award goes to Gina Davis, a delight as Larry.
Going with Larry over William trailer as Mr. Underhill is questioned; Underhill is called pretty good and said to bring the heat, 'Charge it to the Underhills' is said to have become something people say for 30 years, and 'Good call' follows, with no explicit change of the award.

Apex Mountain

Chevy Chase in 1985-86; beer cans

In the discussion (8)

Approx. transcript time · 01:02:03Read transcript

Chevy has two apexes: SNL, and a second around 1985-86 when he reclaimed movie stardom and hosted the Oscars; the answer is yes.
A joke that Dana Wheeler-Nicholson's apex has been going for 35 years, while others would say it's this movie.
For Harold Faltermeyer, after Beverly Hills Cop and this, the sky is the limit, and it leads to Top Gun.
Kareem gets a yes for 1985: the title won in Boston Garden, Finals MVP 14 years after 1971, the scoring record, his autobiography, and Fletch.
Pushback: being in Fletch is not his apex; 1980, with the Magic title and Airplane, is called the correct answer, and his college years and 1971 Bucks are also raised.
Chick Hearn may have hit his apex with the 85 title and his Fletch scene, joked as getting his street named.
The Fletch jersey becoming something people wore is not quite an apex; Venice's apex would be White Men Can't Jump.
The other apex is the beer cans, great beer drinking by Chevy; newspapers and investigative reporting get a 'maybe'.