S1.E5

The Rivals

Name: The Rivals
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1996-10-15
Duration: 23 min
Rating: 7.4
Cast: Michael J. Fox, Carla Gugino, Richard Kind

Episode aired Oct 15, 1996
TV-14
23m

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

192

YOUR RATING

Michael J. Fox, Barry Bostwick, and Richard Kind in Spin City (1996)

Comedy

Winston, jealous of the old Mayor Garfield's likability factor which he just can't seem to obtain, wishes death on the man and within a couple of days, he gets his wish! Mike and the staff t... Read allWinston, jealous of the old Mayor Garfield's likability factor which he just can't seem to obtain, wishes death on the man and within a couple of days, he gets his wish! Mike and the staff try to console the Mayor by telling him it's not his fault and that Garfield had a bad hear... Read allWinston, jealous of the old Mayor Garfield's likability factor which he just can't seem to obtain, wishes death on the man and within a couple of days, he gets his wish! Mike and the staff try to console the Mayor by telling him it's not his fault and that Garfield had a bad heart. Nikki bets that none of the men in the office have what it takes to be a dad.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

192

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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User reviews1

7.4192

Featured reviews

8kfo9494

A solid episode

In this entertaining episode, Mayor Winston is taking some heated flak from former Mayor Abe Garfield. Garfield has been out of office for sometime but is still beloved by the citizens of the city along with people at City Hall. With the former Mayor questioning the current administrations policies, Mike come up with a way to satisfy the former Mayor's love for the limelight. They will dedicate a water fountain in his honor.

But at the dedication, the fountain turns out to be a bird fountain and the former Mayor is not pleased. He tries to out-do Winston at the ceremony and Mayor Winston sets out on a rant of Garfield. Unfortunately, Garfield has a heart attack and dies. And now Winston believes that he has killed the beloved former Mayor. Mike is in spin control.

This turned out to be the best show so far in the series. The writing was top-notch and the topic interesting. Even with a side plot of of some obnoxious neighbors where Mike and Ashley are forced to watch home-made nature movies that is considered a 'night-out', the show stood up well. Barry Bostwick's performance of the Mayor is by far one of the highlights of the episode. Good watch.

Did you know

Edit

Goofs
After the death of the former mayor, Mike looks out his office window and says, "It's so weird to see the flag at half-mast." Since he was talking about a land-based flagpole, he should have said "half-staff." The term "half-mast" would be used for a flag on a ship.