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The Norm Show

TV·1999–2001·3 seasons, 54 episodes·ABC·Comedy·22m·Created by Norm Macdonald, Bruce Helford

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Norm Henderson was once a fairly well-known -- but not particularly good -- professional hockey player. Norm's penchant for gambling and not paying taxes resulted in his permanent expulsion from the game. Instead of jail, he was sentenced to community service as a social worker, where his fresh perspective in the field and lack of patience for office red tape don't always jibe well with his co-workers.

Highest-rated episodes all ranked

  1. 01Norm and the PrototypeS01E01 · 8.0Norm Henderson is an ex-hockey player who was banned from hockey for life for gambling and tax evasion. Now he must do 5 years of community service as a social worker or go to prison. His client today is a prostitute who works at a massage parlor. He tries to get her into a group home but she refuses to go so he forces into one. She files a report stating that he paid her 50 bucks to lie to his boss about having gotten a new job but it gets intercepted by Laurie and his boss doesn't find out about it. Also Norm gets a dog.

Cast

Episodes by season

Season0110Episodes1999Aired 8.0Season avg
  1. S01E01Norm and the PrototypeMarch 24, 1999 8.0Norm Henderson is an ex-hockey player who was banned from hockey for life for gambling and tax evasion. Now he must do 5 years of community
  2. S01E02Norm Dates a ClientMarch 31, 1999Norm meets a woman in a bar while trying to help a pathologically shy guy. He starts dating her but finds out she's one of Laurie's clients.
  3. S01E03Norm Dates Danny's DadApril 7, 1999Danny's dad comes to town and takes a liking to Norm. Norm fears he might be hitting on him. Danny feels neglected by his father.
  4. S01E04While You Weren't SleepingApril 14, 1999Laurie gets a new boyfriend but can't seem to fall asleep with him so she gets Norm to put her to sleep. Larry gets a girlfriend but finds o
  5. S01E05My Name is NormApril 21, 1999Norm goes drinking with a client and wakes up in rehab. He finds out that if he's an alcoholic he has less work to do so he fakes being an a
  6. S01E06The New BossApril 28, 1999Mr. Curtis leaves when he tries to kill Norm. Laurie thinks she's the new boss but the job is appointed to someone else. Norm loves Mr. Denb
  7. S01E07Denby's KidMay 5, 1999Norm tells Mr. Denby's son that he should follow his dreams but Mr. Denby wants his son to go to military school. Norm thinks that if he Jas
  8. S01E08Drive, Norm SaidMay 12, 1999Norm goes drinking and accidentally sleeps with a really annoying and rude woman everyone at the office hates. Danny has a client who's extr
  9. S01E09Norm, Crusading Social WorkerMay 19, 1999Norm, embarrassed about being the new "Agony of Defeat" on ABC's Wide World of Sports, asks to be reinstated into hockey so he can play in a
  10. S01E10Norm's CoachMay 26, 1999Norm's old coach comes back to train him so he can play in the charity hockey game. His coach is not as Norm remembers him, he is now really

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Season0220Episodes1999–00AiredSeason avg
  1. S02E01Norm vs. LoveSeptember 22, 1999Danny and Laurie help Norm land a mouthy parole officer, and Norm's former client takes a job at the office.
  2. S02E02Norm Pimps Wiener DogSeptember 29, 1999In an effort to financially impress Shelly, Norm starts up a dog-breeding service that has Wiener Dog jumping through hoops.
  3. S02E03Artie Comes to TownOctober 6, 1999Artie Lange joins the cast as Norm's ne'er-do-well brother who cooks up a shady way to get toys for Laurie's orphan party.
  4. S02E04Norm vs. DeathOctober 13, 1999After Danny's dad dies, Norm seeks help to battle his fear of death. Meanwhile, Danny tries to bury his emotions after learning that the old
  5. S02E05Norm and Shelly in LoveOctober 20, 1999Norm fumbles his chance to score a date with Shelly when she catches him breaking probation by running a football pool. Meanwhile, Laurie fo
  6. S02E06Laurie Runs for OfficeOctober 27, 1999Laurie's bid for public office goes down in flames after her smarmy opponent digs up dirt on her drug-crazed past. Meanwhile, Norm tries to
  7. S02E07Norm and ShellyNovember 3, 1999Norm fears that Shelly wants a commitment from him after a slip of the tongue leads to an "I love you." But when she considers a job out of
  8. S02E08Gambling ManNovember 10, 1999While trying to help a guy quit gambling Norm starts gambling again and lands himself, Laurie and Danny in jail.
  9. S02E09Norm vs. NormNovember 17, 1999After the Henderson brothers are busted for gambling, Norm goes to his bookie to raise Artie's bail. Meanwhile, Taylor frets over whether De
  10. S02E10Norm vs. DenbyNovember 24, 1999After Denby and his wife break up, Norm ends up in competion with his nebbishy boss for the affections of the same lady. Meanwhile, Laurie l
  11. S02E11Norm vs. the BoxerDecember 1, 1999A teen boxer helps Norm settle his debts with his bookie, until the overgrown kid almost KOs the whole deal.
  12. S02E12Norm vs. ChristmasDecember 15, 1999Norm tries to show Laurie the true spirit of Christmas after she accidentally shoots Santa for breaking into her apartment. Meanwhile, Danny
  13. S02E13Norm vs. the Evil TwinJanuary 5, 2000Norm stirs up some sibling rivalry when he falls for Laurie's twin, a vixen with a nasty habit of bedding her sister's friends. Meanwhile, T
  14. S02E14Norm vs. the Oldest ProfessionJanuary 19, 2000Norm struggles with his lack of conscience after taking on a second job that seems to be of the male-escort variety.
  15. S02E15Norm vs. JennyJanuary 26, 2000Laurie sets Norm up with her nutty friend who brings out the best in Norm---until she gets a proposal from another guy and dumps him. Meanwh
  16. S02E16Norm vs. FitzFebruary 9, 2000Norm tries to woo Jenny away from her wealthy beau by feeding her bad advice on how to keep her man happy. But it's Norm who needs help when
  17. S02E17Norm vs. the WeddingFebruary 16, 2000After Jenny resolves to wed the rich Fitz, poor Norm races to get to the church on time to stop the nuptials.
  18. S02E18Norm vs. FearMarch 1, 2000Famous movie lines will be incorporated into this episode where each member of the gang is forced to confront his or her greatest fear.
  19. S02E19RetributionMarch 8, 2000Fitz seeks revenge on Norm for ruining his wedding to Jenny.
  20. S02E20Laurie Loses ItMarch 15, 2000After Laurie loses yet another social-work award, Norm tries cheering her up with a party and invites many of her former clients. Unfortunat

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

Season0324Episodes2000–01AiredSeason avg
  1. S03E01Norm vs. the SacrificeOctober 3, 2000Norm plays nice with Denby to spare the staff his wrath after Norm dupes him into hiring Wiener Dog. But when a shocking photo falls into No
  2. S03E02I've Got a Crush on YouOctober 6, 2000Shelly comes back into Norm's life just as his "secret admirer" at the office is about to get a proposal from another man. Meanwhile, Denby
  3. S03E03Taylor LeavesOctober 13, 2000Norm tries to convince a smitten Taylor that he's no good for her--until her fiancée Danny realizes that he may not be, either. Meanwhile, W
  4. S03E04The Norm LawOctober 20, 2000Denby lobbies to pass a law that would force Norm to get formal training after he mistakenly starts a riot at an all-female juvie hall.
  5. S03E05Norm vs. HalloweenOctober 27, 2000Norm's plan to wow Shelly at the staff Halloween party hits a snag when he gets roped into taking a pack of kids trick-or-treating. Meanwhil
  6. S03E06Norm and the Hopeless CauseNovember 3, 2000Norm tries to convert Laurie's lesbian friend, but it seems she is sweet on another lovable loser in the office. Meanwhile, Danny seeks sola
  7. S03E07Norm vs. Youth (1)November 10, 2000Norm tries to stay young by having a fling with a sweet young thing after Laurie lands a college kid. Meanwhile, Danny takes out his anger a
  8. S03E08Norm vs. Youth (2)November 24, 2000Norm changes his childish views on Laurie's younger man after he falls for an older lady with a disturbing link to the lad. Meanwhile, Danny
  9. S03E09Norm vs. TennisDecember 1, 2000Norm takes advantage of Shelly's competitive streak to score points with his ex by letting her beat him at tennis. But will he lose his grip
  10. S03E10Norm vs. the KidDecember 8, 2000When the each member of the gang takes in a foster child from the same family, Norm gets stuck with the oldest--and boldest--of the brood.
  11. S03E11Norm vs. Schoolin'December 15, 2000Norm's untapped intelligence is let loose by booze after Denby taunts him for failing their night-school class in social work. Meanwhile, Da
  12. S03E12Norm vs. FreudJanuary 5, 2001Oprah guru Dr. Phil McGraw helps Norm face his issues with Denby, who turns out to be the one person Norm can go to for real relief. Meanwhi
  13. S03E13Norm vs. DadJanuary 12, 2001Hoping to help him overcome his issues with authority figures, Laurie reunites Norm with his dreadful dad. But her idea of family therapy ne
  14. S03E14Denby QuitsJanuary 26, 2001When Norm's video snooping finally drives Denby to quit, Laurie is given his job as administrator. Not that she wants it. Meanwhile, Danny h
  15. S03E15Norm Lets GoFebruary 2, 2001Norm tries--and fails--to find new friends after he learns the truth about Shelly and Danny's secret romance. Meanwhile, Laurie teaches Denb
  16. S03E16Norm vs. Danny and ShellyFebruary 9, 2001Norm nixes his last chance at romance by bedding Taylor to keep a jealous Danny from dating his former flame, Shelly. And while that mess pl
  17. S03E17Norm and Wiener Dog vs. FatherhoodFebruary 16, 2001Norm appears before a judge for custody of Denby's poodle's puppies after it becomes clear that Wiener Dog sired them. Meanwhile, Danny trie
  18. S03E18Norm vs. HomelessnessFebruary 23, 2001With Denby away on business, the homeless Norm has no choice but to use his boss's place to woo a woman from his past. Too bad the date ends
  19. S03E19Norm is FatMarch 2, 2001Norm explains his huge weight gain to Shelly through flashbacks that recount his bouts of depression--and boxes of donuts. Meanwhile, Denby
  20. S03E20Norm vs. DeceptionMarch 9, 2001Norm and Laurie find themselves the object of various others' affections after they fake a fling to trick the insurance company. But when Sh
  21. S03E21Norm vs. CubaMarch 16, 2001Norm and Laurie find that mother and father may not know best after taking in a Cuban refugee who takes them for a ride. Meanwhile, Artie fi
  22. S03E22Norm's FreeMarch 23, 2001Norm chums up to Denby in hopes of being freed from probation, but ends up facing a few more years after the boss catches on to him. Meanwhi
  23. S03E23Norm Comes BackMarch 30, 2001Norm comes back to work at the office to dig up dirt on Denby's boss before he shuts the place down to save funds. In the meantime, a psychi
  24. S03E24Norm vs. Shelly's Old FlameApril 6, 2001An electric shock lets Norm read men's minds, which comes in handy when he meets a guy from Shelly's sexy past. Meanwhile, Laurie and Denby

Season 3 ranked & reviewed

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