The Steaks Are High

"The Steaks Are High" is the fifth episode of the first season (Episode 5) of the Tv series Reba, originally aired November 2, 2001.

After being named player of the week, Van begs Reba to host the pre-game dinner for the football team since his family won't even talk to him. When she finally gives in, he and Cheyenne are so excited she can't help but look forward to it... that is, until Brock and BJ arrive with the "bible" for team pre-game dinners. They offer to take hosting off of her hands, but Reba refuses to give in. If they have to have a perfect dinner, silly traditions and all, to win then that's what she'll give them. Reba has everything in order for the dinner until Cheyenne comes back from running errands at the store. It seems she was so overwhelmed looking in the baby aisle that when she went to pick up potato salad, she picked up the wrong kind. Reba solves the problem by dumping the potato salad into a serving dish and saying that no one will ever know. The dinner goes well, with Cheyenne even participating in cheers with her old squad. But Barbra Jean discovers Reba's ruse with the salad and tells the whole team. Reba takes the blame so the team isn't mad at Cheyenne. They decide all is lost and they might as well go get their butts kicked on the field. At half time the Wildcats are losing miserably. When Cheyenne finds out that Reba lied for her, she decides to take responsibility and confess to the team. Van stands up for his wife but it doesn't change the fact that Wildcats still think they're going to lose. Just then Reba saves the day again by arriving with the right potato salad. They go out and after a dramatic comeback, win the game. (Reba admits to Cheyenne that she just changed the labels and it's the same old potato salad.) Barbra Jean apologizes to Reba for telling everyone about the mistake.

Synopsis
This episode begins at 5am, with two of Cheyenne's friends (from the drill team) enter the bedroom of Cheyenne and Van to 'Kidnap' Van as he is the player of the week, at take him to breakfast. Although Reba and Kyra hear the screams of Cheyenne they enter (with a mallet) to ward of any danger.

At a more reasonible time in the morning, Van arrives home with his own cheer from the drill team. Cheyenne asks how his breakfast was, while Van reminds her that the breakfast is tradition and they reminise over the previous years kidnap breakfast that they had together. Van then asks Reba if she would be able to host the pre-game steak dinner for the team that the player of the weeks parents are supposed to host. She reluctantly aggrees.

Mid-morning, Brock and BJ arrive at Rebas as she is preparing for the pre-game meal. They tell her all about the 'bible', the steak dinner bible (that is bigger than the actual bible) to help her prepare the "winning formula". As they try to take the dinner from her, as they believe she is not as committed as BJ, she constantly reminds them she will do it.

That evening, Reba, Kyra and Jake are preparing for the dinner with Kyra reading out the rules from the bible and Jake 'stiring'. Or rather looking for the gum he dropped, when Cheyenne arrives with potato salad, and a coconut shaped like coach's head. They are happy they have all of the ingredients. Until they realise they have the wrong type of potato salad. Realising there is not enough time to get the right kind Reba pours the potato salad into a tray and calls it 'Eds'. The doorbell rings, as Reba orders her children to do many tasks while she leaves to answer the door. As they walk through the living room Reba checks all of the things they have are ready and in the right place before getting to the door. Cheyenne tries to figure out whether to make an entrance or stand by the door, she leaves to make an entrance. Reba opens the door to Brock and BJ who are both really surprised by Reba's efforts to create the dinner. Brock tells her that the coach will compliment her then the team will follow and kiss the hostess, they do.

Later, as the team are all sat down, Brock and everyone thanks Reba for the dinner, they all chant 'Reba' and then BJ says grace. As the team begins to eat, the drill team ask Cheyenne to join in the team cheer, she agrees. Cheyenne enjoys being a part of the team again so goes to put on her uniform and sit with her friends.

In the kitchen Reba prepares more gravy, while BJ tells her how impressed she is with what she has done with the dinner - until... BJ spots the potato salad buckets in the bin. Reba asks her to keep it to themselves but as Brock asks for the gravy she blurts out that Reba has brought the wrong potato salad.

As everyone begins to panic, everyone tries to take the blame. Brock for allowing Reba to do the dinner, Van as he has no parents, and Kyra tries to put them straight. Reba stops her and apologises and tries to convince the team that they don't win because of the food but because of heart.

Later, Reba throws things away, whilst talking to herself, as Cheyenne goes into the kitchen to ask Reba to help her zip her uniform. When they realise they won't be able to zip it, Cheyenne admits that she is trying to be so much like the person she was before she got pregnant but those things aren't as important anymore. After their heart-to-heart, Kyra tells them that the team a losing because of the potato salad and that everyone hates Reba now. Cheyenne says that she should have let her take the blame as it was her fault, so she decides to go and tell the team the truth about whos fault it actually was.

In the locker room, the team is begging not to go back out, while the coach has clearly given up. Then Cheyenne arrives and tells the whole team that it was her not Reba, but they just stare at her. Brock thanks her for coming down to tell them, and Van sticks up for his wife saying it took guts. When Reba arrives with more potato salad, fooling the team into thinking it's Eds again. Cheyenne again thanks Reba for rescuing her again.

After the game, the team all pour into the locker room celebrating and cheering, followed by Cheyenne who tells Van how pleased she is, followed by Reba who got caught up in the excitment of the game and kisses the football team again.

Quotes and Jokes
Reba: 5am! Someone oughtta whack me with a mallet

Reba: Boy, he sure makes it hard to say no.

Cheyenne: Tell me about it!

Reba 'quoting the 'bible'': The Westchester Wildcat Pre-game Steak Dinner bible? You gotta be kiding!

BJ: This is football Reba. There's no kiding.

...

Reba: Line men must never sit at the same table as the backs, offensive players must face east, defence the west. This is crazy!

Kyra: Steaks?

Reba: Charcole grilled and individually branded with each players number.

Kyra: Cute. Corn?

Reba: Chopped by hand, soaked in butter and served with football corn holders.

Kyra: You're scaring me.

Van: We need more gravy!

Reba: Already?!

Van: Jimmy thought it was soup.

Brock: 90% of football is mental, and you just flashed that 90% right down the crapper.

Reba: Coach your not buying this are ya? Hello? Coach?

Coach: Er no, no because this is a team that always give 150% and 150 minus that 90 that just went down the crapper that leaves... approximatley 60% and that's almost half, we're still in this people.

Reba: Cheyenne, your bra is showing.

Cheyenne: Yeah well, I need something to get their attention.

Van: My wife may have made a horrible, horrible! mistake but she came down here and took responibility for it. Now that took guts, and she's been puking her guts out so she knows guts. Now why are we losing? Because of what we ate? Or because we're lousy? Or are we lousy because of what we ate? I don't know. Thank you.