Brotherhood of Man (The Drew Carey Show)
Meanwhile, Drew's friend Oswald Lee Harvey (Diedrich Bader) buys a pay phone in order to make money.
The episode also features a number of cameos from Northeast Ohioans, including radio personalities, entertainers and print media reporters.
Mark Hughes from The Burlington Free Press said the plot contained some "sharp humor;" however, Robin Oliver of The Sydney Morning Herald thought Oswald's pay phone storyline was a misfire.
The show's choreographer Keith Young won the Outstanding Achievement in Episodic Television accolade at the 2000 American Choreography Awards.
As Winfred-Louder's human resources director Drew Carey (Drew Carey) is telling his co-worker and enemy Mimi Bobeck (Kathy Kinney) about his upcoming weekend break in Montreal, their boss Mr Wick (Craig Ferguson) announces that they have a surprise visit from the new Dutch owner of Winfred-Louder, Mr. Van Zandt (Hal Linden).
Later, at The Warsaw Tavern, Drew's friends Kate O'Brien (Christa Miller) and Lewis Kiniski (Ryan Stiles) tell him about a concert they are attending that weekend, when Oswald Lee Harvey (Diedrich Bader) reveals he has used the ticket money to buy a pay phone in hopes that it will make him rich.
While Sharon and Drew are making out in a tent, they overhear Mr. Van Zandt telling a contractor to clear out the store so they can lay explosives.
Mr. Van Zandt offers Drew a promotion to store manager of their Toledo outlet if he keeps the demolition a secret.
Drew then asks Mr. Van Zandt to consider the impact of the staff layoffs by performing "Brotherhood of Man", which appears to convince him to stop the demolition.
[1] During a break, the cast and crew marked the occasion by cutting a cake featuring a caricature of Drew Carey's face.
[5] During one take, the coach informed Kathy Kinney (Mimi) that she was flat, but she could not hear it due to how high she was singing, adding that the part was far out of her vocal range.
He explained that the dance numbers initially bothered him and he used to fool around and "make them a big joke",[4] but he realized that by committing to learning the routines the audience became more sympathetic as they knew the actors were trying.
[3] "Brotherhood of Man" features a number of small cameos from Northeast Ohioans, including radio personalities Brian Fowler, Joe Cronauer, John Lanigan, Larry Morrow, actor John Henton, entertainers Ron Sweed and Marty Sullivan, news anchor Ted Henry, Carey's brothers and several print media reporters.
[11] Writing for The Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert believed that of the four ABC season finales airing that night, The Drew Carey Show "promises to be the most colorful" with its musical number.
"[13] Kloer believed they were able to "pull it off with an infectious exuberance" and concluded: "It's a high, giddy sequence, and a perfect note on which to end the May sweeps.
"[10] Robin Oliver of The Sydney Morning Herald was more critical of the episode's plot, believing there were "some amusing capers", but the sequence with the pay phone "misfires".
[18] Choreographer Keith Young won the Outstanding Achievement in Episodic Television accolade at the 2000 American Choreography Awards for his work on the dance number.
