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The Rewatchables · September 3, 2024

Night Shift

host Bill Simmons host Chris Ryan producer Craig Horlbeck

What aged best: Chuck under attack, basketball, soundtrack, and comic asides
Casting what-if: Kurt Russell or Mickey Rourke as Billy Blaze
Weakest link: Underwritten Belinda and implausible jobs

All 36 categories

Who won the movie Michael Keaton
Just one Oscar Michael Keaton
Cruise or Hanks Tom Hanks
Dion Waiters Award Mr. Carbone's nephew

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award · 48:46

Modern movies need stronger sex-worker characters

Bill Simmons: Billy's chalkboard pitch is proposed as an inspiration for Alec Baldwin's sales speech in Glengarry Glen Ross.

Bill Simmons: Vivian Ward, Lana, Ophelia, and Alabama are selected for a Mount Rushmore of film sex-worker characters.

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson · 1:09:29

No bad ideas in a brainstorm

Bill Simmons: Do not start a prostitution business in a morgue is proposed, then inverted into a lesson about recognizing opportunities.

The film

Night Shift (1982)

Directed by Ron Howard · Comedy

105 minutes

IMDb Find on JustWatch Find on Rotten Tomatoes

Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Henry Winkler Chuck Lumley

Michael Keaton Bill Blazejowski

Shelley Long Belinda Keaton

Gina Hecht Charlotte Koogle

Pat Corley Edward Koogle

Bobby Di Cicco Leonard Carbone

Nita Talbot Vivian Lumley

Basil Hoffman Drollhauser

Tim Rossovich Luke

Clint Howard Jefferey

Joe Spinell Manetti

Richard Belzer Pig

Grand L. Bush Mustafa

Charles Fleischer prisoner

Vincent Schiavelli Carl

Dawn Dunlap Maxine

Kevin Costner frat boy #1

Shannen Doherty Bluebird

Floyd Levine "Uncle" Sal Corbone

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

28:18

Most Rewatchable Scene

Prostitution chalkboard pitch

In the discussion (9)

Approx. transcript time · 00:28:18Read transcript

Billy's first scene, tape-recorded ideas, edible paper, office tour, and morgue introduction are proposed. — Bill Simmons
Billy's card-counting story, tuna-mayonnaise idea, Clint Howard encounter, and unauthorized limo use are proposed. — Bill Simmons
The second encounter with the boss's son, his Flintstones viewing, Billy's Atlantic City story, and Chuck's recorded rebuke are proposed. — Bill Simmons
The subway Love Brokers pitch and breakfast with Belinda are proposed. — Bill Simmons
Billy's chalkboard pitch to the women is selected as the leading rewatchable scene. — Bill Simmons
The clothing montage is proposed as a characteristic 1980s sequence. — Bill Simmons
The fraternity party is proposed chiefly for Kevin Costner's uncredited appearance and Clint Howard's freezer encounter. — Bill Simmons
Billy's car, Operation Chuck, the Christmas party, Chuck's confession, Belinda returning to work, and the prison and lawyer-office confrontations are additional choices. — Bill Simmons
The final ranked preference is Billy's car reveal first, the Flintstones-watching boss's son second, and the chalkboard pitch third. — Bill Simmons

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37:16

The most 1982 thing

Chuck's Rubik's Cube and solution guide

In the discussion (4)

Approx. transcript time · 00:37:16Read transcript

The illustrated ensemble poster is proposed. — Bill Simmons
The sex-worker-with-a-heart-of-gold setup, Quarterflash theme, Burt Bacharach score, and Shelley Long haircut are proposed. — Bill Simmons
Billy's dashboard Rolodex is proposed. — Bill Simmons
Chuck solving a Rubik's Cube with a guidebook wins. — Bill Simmons

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38:20

What’s Aged the Best?

Chuck under attack, basketball, soundtrack, and comic asides

In the discussion (8)

Approx. transcript time · 00:38:20Read transcript

Chuck's repeated mistreatment by the dog, strangers, girlfriend, delivery man, and schoolgirls effectively sets up his eventual revolt. — Bill Simmons
Mr. Carbone's repeated accusation that Chuck went over his head remains a reusable line. — Bill Simmons
The rain-slicked alley basketball game and a bound man thrown through the hoop are praised. — Chris Ryan
Richard Belzer's villain and the original That's What Friends Are For are praised. — Bill Simmons
Chuck's mother using a séance to berate her dead husband and Billy's barbershop exit are praised. — Bill Simmons
The Van Halen, Rolling Stones, Night Shift, Al Jarreau, Pointer Sisters, Talk Talk, and Burt Bacharach soundtrack is praised. — Bill Simmons
The small asides, including reactions to Charlotte's photo and Lupe's pickle-girl history, are praised. — Chris Ryan
Ron Howard's racially awkward SNL promotion is discussed as a period artifact. — Bill Simmons

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42:45

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

The bound man through the hoop

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 00:42:45Read transcript

The bound man thrown through the basketball hoop is selected. — Bill Simmons

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44:10

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

Underwritten Belinda and implausible jobs

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 00:44:10Read transcript

Belinda's reason for doing sex work is considered underwritten because the movie supplies no coercion, addiction, or economic explanation. — Bill Simmons
Chuck's choice to leave investment banking for morgue work is also questioned. — Bill Simmons
Charlotte is identified as an unpleasant and disposable character. — Bill Simmons

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45:17

What’s Aged the Worst?

Sex-worker stereotype, smoking, Billy’s ideas, and Charlotte

In the discussion (6)

Approx. transcript time · 00:45:17Read transcript

The sex-worker-with-a-heart-of-gold convention is judged dated. — Bill Simmons
Shelley Long's onscreen smoking is judged unconvincing. — Bill Simmons
Billy's failure to notice Chuck and Belinda's relationship for months is questioned. — Bill Simmons
Billy's supposedly original ideas are criticized as weak, already invented, or limited to Love Brokers. — Bill Simmons
Charlotte's obsessive dieting is described as a dated portrayal. — Bill Simmons
Chuck and Charlotte maintaining separate New York apartments while engaged is questioned on cost grounds. — Chris Ryan

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47:49

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Mr. Carbone; Henry Winkler

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 00:47:49Read transcript

Mr. Carbone's furious complaint about being bypassed is proposed. — Bill Simmons
Henry Winkler's threat to make Billy play tennis with God is an alternate. — Bill Simmons

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48:18

Is There a Better Title for This Movie?

Love Brokers

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 00:48:18Read transcript

Stiffs is proposed as an alternate title. — Bill Simmons
Love Brokers wins as the title that best states the central enterprise. — Bill Simmons

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48:46

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Modern movies need stronger sex-worker characters

In the discussion (4)

Approx. transcript time · 00:48:46Read transcript

Billy's chalkboard pitch is proposed as an inspiration for Alec Baldwin's sales speech in Glengarry Glen Ross. — Bill Simmons
Vivian Ward, Lana, Ophelia, and Alabama are selected for a Mount Rushmore of film sex-worker characters. — Bill Simmons
The principal take is that modern movies have not produced comparable sex-worker characters in decades. — Chris Ryan
The ensemble of women at Billy's pitch is praised for representing a wide range of personalities. — Chris Ryan

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52:42

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Grand L. Bush

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 00:52:42Read transcript

Joe Spinell and Vincent Schiavelli are ruled too recognizable for eligibility. — Bill Simmons
The Paradise Found desk clerk, later Rick in Bachelor Party, is proposed. — Bill Simmons
Grand L. Bush, later seen in Die Hard, is selected for the opening basketball game. — Chris Ryan

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53:25

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Mr. Carbone's nephew

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 00:53:25Read transcript

Mr. Carbone's nephew wins for his brief Flintstones-watching scenes. — Bill Simmons
Shannen Doherty as the Girl Scout and the opening basketball players are alternates.

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58:13

Apex Mountain

No clear individual apex

In the discussion (5)

Approx. transcript time · 00:58:13Read transcript

Michael Keaton is rejected as at apex but his debut is treated as an extraordinary leap and his funniest film performance. — Bill Simmons
Henry Winkler, Shelley Long, Ron Howard, and Barney Rubble are rejected as apex cases. — Bill Simmons
Idea men and early-1980s entrepreneurial New York are considered plausible period apexes. — Chris Ryan
Sex-worker comedies are assigned Risky Business rather than Night Shift. — Chris Ryan
Morticians are assigned Six Feet Under; Jumpin’ Jack Flash is rejected. — Bill Simmons

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59:38

Cruise or Hanks?

Tom Hanks

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 00:59:38Read transcript

Tom Hanks is selected decisively, while a hypothetical Tom Cruise performance as Billy Blaze is imagined as strained. — Bill Simmons

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1:04:08

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Night Shift 2: Assisted Living

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:04:08Read transcript

A sequel would reunite Chuck and Billy in a Florida retirement community to arrange companionship for widowed residents. — Chris Ryan
An all-Black remake is mentioned as a less-developed alternate. — Bill Simmons

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1:05:20

Is This Movie Better With…?

Byron Mayo

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 01:05:20Read transcript

Byron Mayo wins an imagined morgue scene praising Belinda’s poem and proposing a freezer-drawer encounter. — Bill Simmons

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1:05:41

Just One Oscar

Michael Keaton

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 01:05:41Read transcript

Michael Keaton is selected for the film’s one Oscar. — Bill Simmons

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1:08:12

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Billy's satin bomber jacket and tape recorder

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:08:12Read transcript

Billy's satin jacket and tape recorder are proposed. — Bill Simmons
Michael Keaton reportedly retained the jacket, strengthening it as the memorabilia choice. — Bill Simmons

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1:09:29

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

No bad ideas in a brainstorm

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:09:29Read transcript

Do not start a prostitution business in a morgue is proposed, then inverted into a lesson about recognizing opportunities. — Bill Simmons
No bad ideas in a brainstorm is the final lesson. — Bill Simmons

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1:09:43