Inappropriate Violins

In a fancy restaurant, one or more violinists play romantic music at the absolute worst time.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Appearances

• The Odd Couple: Season 1, episode 3, "Felix Gets Sick" (1970). While Oscar is on a date in a fancy restaurant, Felix shows up to give Oscar's date an emergency phone message that prompts her to leave immediately. As Felix and Oscar are sitting alone at the table, two violinists start playing romantic music.
• The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Season 3, episode 12, "It Was Fascination, I Know" (1972). Bess's dance date falls for Mary and asks her to lunch. As Mary is explaining to him why they can't see each other, the violinist he hired starts playing.
• Taxi: Season 2, episode 10, "Alex's Romance" (1979). Alex proposes to his girlfriend of only two weeks in an attempt to keep her from moving to California. When she says no, they get into an argument, and she rings a bell that was sitting on his coffee table, which, unbeknownst to her, is the signal for a trio of violinists to enter the room, playing "As Time Goes By."
• Mr. Belvedere: Season 2, episode 21, "Dinner for Two" (1986). George plans a surprise romantic dinner for him and Marsha, but she runs out to study for a exam, so George invites Mr. Belvedere to join him for dinner instead. As they're finishing up, a violinist comes to the door and plays romantic music for them.
• The Golden Girls: Season 3, episode 20, "My Brother, My Father" (1988). Sophia starts accompanying Dorothy and her new boyfriend on all their dates, and on one particular occasion at a fancy French restaurant, just after Sophia makes a comment about Dorothy's father cleaning his toes with a shrimp fork, a violinist appears at the table playing romantic music, and Sophia tells him to shut up.
• Wings: Season 7, episode 17, "Lynch Party" (1996). In a flashback scene, Helen is about to tell Davis she's dumping him and marrying Joe when a trio of violinists come in playing "Isn't It Romantic?"
• Spin City: Season 2, episode 1, "Paul Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1997). Mike falls for the mayor's divorce lawyer, Laurie, but she refuses to date opposing council. Mike has dinner with Laurie to try to romance her, but she sticks to the business at hand. As Laurie once again tells Mike that she doesn't date people she works with, a violinist appears at their table, and Mike quickly ushers him away.
• Malcolm in the Middle: Season 1, episode 2, "Red Dress" (2000). Lois misses her anniversary dinner with Hal because she's too busy tormenting the boys for destroying her favorite dress, so Hal is all alone in the fancy restaurant. After waiting for an hour, Hal befriends the men's room attendant and has dinner with him instead, while a violinist plays his and Lois's song, "Tears of a Clown."
• Malcolm in the Middle: Season 5, episode 21, "Reese Joins the Army: Part 1" (2004). Reese plans a romantic night when he tells his girlfriend he loves her. Unfortunately, she responds by saying she wants to break up just as a violinist begins to play.