Alex is strangely rejecting the advances of a cute, bubbly, young African American cab driver named Nina. Alex is growing more and more annoyed until he decides to invite Nina over to his apartment to talk to her and try to explain why she shouldn't be so interested in him. Although he succeeds with a fatherly talk where he comes off very dull, they kiss goodnight. After the kiss, Nina is convinced there's no spark between them after all, while Alex seems to change his tune also, but it's too late.
Romance subplot dilutes character comedy; 69 score reflects uneven emotional-comedic balance.
Directed by Joan Darling · Written by David Lloyd
WAR
17
Wins Above Replacement
“Nina Loves Alex” ranks #108 of 114 Taxi episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 69.2 — Mixed. The episode packs 40 scored jokes at 2.1 per minute, averaging 6.7 on craft and 6.2 on impact, with Alex landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Nina: They loved my acting, they loved my dancing, they loved my singing... but they didn't love me.
Nina Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Louie: I got a good side, you know.
Alex: Yeah, Louie. Your good side is just the side where you haven't committed a felony yet today.
Louie Alex Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Louie: A kid with Alex's face and Nina's body? That'd be beautiful.
Louie: A kid with Nina's face and Alex's body? That'd be a nightmare.
Louie Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Alex: You're so stupid, you must have gotten hit in the head as a baby.
Actually, it was last week.
Alex Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Alex: Nina has the kind of energy that makes you realize why some animals eat their young.
Alex Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 40 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Jim: Hey, I got something to say!
Jim: Wait... what was I gonna say?
Jim Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Jim: I finally told him what I really thought of him.
Alex: What did you say?
Jim: I said, 'You're a contemptible, no-good bum who doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as decent people!'
Alex: And what did he say?
Jim: Nothing. He just stared at me.
Alex: Jim, that was your mother.
Louie: A license? You got a license? That's fantastic! Most people, they just come in here, they don't even know what a license is. But you, you got one. You're gonna go far in this business, kid.
Louie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Louie: I got a good side, you know.
Alex: Yeah, Louie. Your good side is just the side where you haven't committed a felony yet today.
Louie Alex Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Louie: Hey Nina, you look contemporary today.
Louie Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Louie: What are you laughing at? Life's a joke, kid. A bad one. Nobody wins, everybody loses, and the house always takes its cut.
Louie Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Alex: You're so stupid, you must have gotten hit in the head as a baby.
Actually, it was last week.
Alex Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Elaine: You know, Nina, not every passenger is going to be thrilled to be in a taxi. Some people are just trying to get from point A to point B.
Nina: But what about the song? 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'? Don't they want to sing?
Elaine: Nina, in a taxi? No. And besides, someone's got to keep their hands on the wheel.
Elaine Setup/Punchline Observational Louie: Nina, you deserve something special for your first night.
Louie: I'm giving you the Gypsy Rose.
Louie Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Jim: Who do you think is cute?
Elaine: You, Jim. You're cute.
Jim: Really? Thanks!
Elaine Jim Character Comedy Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch Nina: I lost fifteen pounds during the run of that show.
Nina: It was a Broadway flop.
Nina Observational Character Comedy Alex: You'll get offered parts like a nurse, a secretary, a policewoman...
Nina: That's amazing! How did you know?
Alex: I have your agent's catalogue memorized.
Alex: Nina has the kind of energy that makes you realize why some animals eat their young.
Alex Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Alex: I'm telling you, I can't handle it anymore. I can't handle the noise, the crowds, the endless stream of passengers. I can't handle drivers who don't know the streets, dispatchers who don't listen, and meter readers who question every fare. I can't handle broken windshields, broken springs, and broken dreams. I can't handle one more shift, one more day, one more minute of this job.
Alex Escalation Character Comedy passenger: Sorry's no good when there's no Eiffel Tower.
Teenager 1: Hey Alex, can you buy us some alcohol?
Alex: I can't do that. I'm allergic to beer.
Teenager 2: You're allergic to beer?
Alex: Yeah, it makes me break out in handcuffs.
Alex: Nina, you picked up all those passengers and caused that much chaos? That's not a taxi ride, that's a Yellow Submarine!
Passenger: You know, I really miss having a car. Life was so much better when I had one.
Taxi Driver: Well, why don't you get another one?
Passenger: Because my wife left me and took it with her.
Taxi Driver: That's rough. You must really miss that car.
Passenger: The car? Sure. But honestly, I would've preferred she took my mother-in-law instead.
Louie: Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!
Louie Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Louie: You can take anything from the lost and found.
Nina: Anything?
Louie: Well, except for matching shoes. Those I keep for myself.
Louie Absurdist Character Comedy Louie: A kid with Alex's face and Nina's body? That'd be beautiful.
Louie: A kid with Nina's face and Alex's body? That'd be a nightmare.
Louie Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Alex: Nina's been trying to brighten my life. She left balloons on my cab.
Alex: With a note that says, 'Cheer up, Alex! Life isn't so bad!'
Alex: I'm driving around the city looking like a birthday present.
Alex Visual Gag Character Comedy Nina: I wrote you a love message on your windshield.
Alex: Oh yeah? What'd it say?
Nina: "Taxi driver, I love you."
Nina Character Comedy Visual Gag Elaine: I wish I had your confidence to just say what I think.
Nina: Well, you could if you tried.
Elaine: I don't know. It's easy for you to be so buoyant and direct.
Nina: What do you mean?
Elaine: I mean, you're so up all the time. You must have helium in your lungs or something.
Elaine Observational Deadpan/Understatement Elaine: They'll be back. They always come back.
Elaine Irony/Sarcasm Observational Alex: I can't date Nina. She's a born-again cheerleader.
Alex Character Comedy Observational Alex: Nina's intelligent, talented, attractive, has a great sense of humor, she's kind, she's generous...
Alex: But I still don't like her.
Alex Escalation Character Comedy Louie: What is this? An envelope with money in it? Nina, you're trying to bribe me?
Nina: No, Mr. DePalma. That's my tips from today. I wanted to give you something.
Louie: You're giving me your tips? I'm... I'm moved to tears. This is the most touching thing anyone has ever done for me.
Louie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Louie: Look at these numbers, Nina. You know what this does to me?
Louie: It makes me emotional. Real emotional.
Louie Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Elaine: You're going to be direct with her? Alex, you couldn't be direct if you were a geometry teacher.
Nina: What would excite you?
Alex: A woman who's intelligent, beautiful, and knows how to treat a man.
Nina: Well, I'm intelligent and beautiful.
Alex: Yeah, but you don't know how to treat a man.
Nina: I've never been so moved since Judy Garland re-opened at the Palace.
Nina Observational Character Comedy Nina: Hello? Yes, this is she. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Oh my God. Oh my God!
Nina: Okay, okay, I need to sit down for this. I'm sitting down. I'm ready.
Nina: Tell me. Tell me everything.
Nina Character Comedy Escalation Nina: Hello? Yes, this is she. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I see. Well, thank you for calling.
Louie: Bad news?
Nina: They said I didn't get the part.
Louie: Why not? You're a great actress.
Nina: They said my ears were too shiny.
Nina Irony/Sarcasm Cringe/Discomfort Nina: They loved my acting, they loved my dancing, they loved my singing... but they didn't love me.
Nina Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Alex: You're lucky to have heartbreak over something meaningful.
Alex: My last heartbreak was over sports betting.
Alex Observational Character Comedy Alex: The problem between me and Nina is simple, really. She wants me to be honest about my feelings, and I want her to think I'm a better person than I actually am.
Alex Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Alex: Well, that was romantic.
Nina: No, it wasn't.
Nina Callback Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback Nina: Well, that was certainly unmagical.
Nina Callback Irony/Sarcasm Callback Alex: Nina, are you okay? You seem upset.
Nina: I'm fine.
Alex: Are you sure? You can talk to me.
Nina: I'm fine!
Alex: Nina...
Nina: I said I'm fine!