The Checks
Encyclopedia
"The Checks" is the 141st episode of the sitcom Seinfeld
. This was the 7th episode for the 8th season. It aired on NBC
on November 7, 1996.
's new boyfriend, Brett (James Patrick Stuart
), is obsessed with designer furniture and the song "Desperado
" by The Eagles. Jerry
spots an umbrella salesman using the sales technique he invented which was named 'The Twirl'. However, the salesman explains that it was someone else.
Hundreds of twelve-cent royalty checks keep arriving from Jerry's brief appearance on a Japanese television show. Kramer
warns George
that the carpet cleaners he hired are actually a front for a religious cult
. Intrigued, George tries to be converted, but they're not interested in him.
Kramer meets some Japanese
businessmen and he takes them on the town and to the cleaners. He is a little confused about the exchange rate and spends all their money. Brett delivers a large chest of drawers
to Kramer and thinks that Jerry might be jealous. Kramer thinks the TV pilot that Jerry and George did would be perfect for Japanese television. They pitch it to a couple of Japanese TV executives.
Elaine tries to find a song that she and Brett can share, including "Witchy Woman
", also by The Eagles, although this is rejected. Run out of money, Kramer puts his Japanese friends up at his place, sleeping in the chest of drawers (much like a capsule hotel
). Jerry caught in the rain meets the man in the street that claims credit for the twirl. He also meets Brett who is convinced Jerry is down on his luck.
George gets the cleaners to do the offices at Yankee Stadium where they find a new recruit—George's boss, Mr. Wilhelm. He joins under the name of Tania, the name Patty Hearst
took after she was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army
. Because of the humidity from the hot tub, Kramer's guests get stuck in the chest. Jerry, with writer's cramp
from check signing, uses a fire ax to open the chest, which scares the Japanese guests and injures Brett who is knocked unconscious when he attempts to stop Jerry from harming the chest. During the coda
it is strongly implied that Brett dies from his injury when the surgeon becomes distracted by "Witchy Woman" in much the same way Brett would become distracted by "Desperado".
". The second scene was filmed on October 7, 1996, while the third scene was filmed on October 8, 1996.
The last line before the credits had two versions made—one for if the New York Yankees
won the World Series and one for if they lost the World Series. Two of the episode's guest stars (Richard Herd
and Sab Shimono
) had both previously appeared in the 1980 M*A*S*H episode "Back Pay".
Brett drives around with furniture designer Karl Farbman. In the episode "The Hamptons," the doctor on whom Elaine has a crush notes that the homes in the area were designed by Mark Farbman. Perhaps there is a Farbman design dynasty. In the scene where Jerry is denied the purchase of an umbrella on the street by former colleagues a man walks by wearing an 'urban sombrero'. The 'urban sombrero' was featured in the season premiere episode 135 "the Foundation". It was an item placed on the cover of the Peterman Catalog by Elaine after she is left in charge following the disappearance of Peterman to Burma after an apparent nervous breakdown.
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
. This was the 7th episode for the 8th season. It aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
on November 7, 1996.
Plot
ElaineElaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
's new boyfriend, Brett (James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart is an English-American stage, film and television actor.-Theater:His early career began on stage, where his work received recognition.-Television:...
), is obsessed with designer furniture and the song "Desperado
Desperado (song)
"Desperado" is a soft rock song by the Eagles, an American rock band, written by group members Glenn Frey and Don Henley. It first appeared on the 1973 album Desperado, and has later appeared on numerous compilation albums although it was not a single....
" by The Eagles. Jerry
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
spots an umbrella salesman using the sales technique he invented which was named 'The Twirl'. However, the salesman explains that it was someone else.
Hundreds of twelve-cent royalty checks keep arriving from Jerry's brief appearance on a Japanese television show. Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
warns George
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
that the carpet cleaners he hired are actually a front for a religious cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
. Intrigued, George tries to be converted, but they're not interested in him.
Kramer meets some Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
businessmen and he takes them on the town and to the cleaners. He is a little confused about the exchange rate and spends all their money. Brett delivers a large chest of drawers
Chest of drawers
A chest of drawers, also called a dresser or a bureau, is a piece of furniture that has multiple parallel, horizontal drawers stacked one above another...
to Kramer and thinks that Jerry might be jealous. Kramer thinks the TV pilot that Jerry and George did would be perfect for Japanese television. They pitch it to a couple of Japanese TV executives.
Elaine tries to find a song that she and Brett can share, including "Witchy Woman
Witchy Woman
"Witchy Woman" is a song written by Don Henley and Bernie Leadon, and recorded by the American rock band Eagles. Released as the second single from the band's debut album Eagles, it reached #9 on the Billboard Pop singles chart and is the only single from the album to feature Henley on lead...
", also by The Eagles, although this is rejected. Run out of money, Kramer puts his Japanese friends up at his place, sleeping in the chest of drawers (much like a capsule hotel
Capsule hotel
A is a type of hotel with a large number of extremely small "rooms" intended to provide cheap and basic overnight accommodation for guests not requiring the services offered by more conventional hotels...
). Jerry caught in the rain meets the man in the street that claims credit for the twirl. He also meets Brett who is convinced Jerry is down on his luck.
George gets the cleaners to do the offices at Yankee Stadium where they find a new recruit—George's boss, Mr. Wilhelm. He joins under the name of Tania, the name Patty Hearst
Patty Hearst
Patricia Campbell Hearst , now known as Patricia Campbell Hearst Shaw, is an American newspaper heiress, socialite, actress, kidnap victim, and convicted bank robber....
took after she was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army
Symbionese Liberation Army
The Symbionese Liberation Army was an American self-styled left-wing urban militant group active between 1973 and 1975 that considered itself a revolutionary vanguard army...
. Because of the humidity from the hot tub, Kramer's guests get stuck in the chest. Jerry, with writer's cramp
Writer's cramp
Writer's cramp, also called mogigraphia and scrivener's palsy, causes a cramp or spasm affecting certain muscles of the hand and/or fingers. Writer's cramp is a task-specific focal dystonia of the hand...
from check signing, uses a fire ax to open the chest, which scares the Japanese guests and injures Brett who is knocked unconscious when he attempts to stop Jerry from harming the chest. During the coda
Post-credits scene
A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...
it is strongly implied that Brett dies from his injury when the surgeon becomes distracted by "Witchy Woman" in much the same way Brett would become distracted by "Desperado".
Production
The opening scene of the episode was filmed on September 29, 1996. The scene was also originally intended for the episode "The FatiguesThe Fatigues
"The Fatigues" is the 140th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the sixth episode for the eighth season. It aired on October 31, 1996.-Plot:...
". The second scene was filmed on October 7, 1996, while the third scene was filmed on October 8, 1996.
The last line before the credits had two versions made—one for if the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
won the World Series and one for if they lost the World Series. Two of the episode's guest stars (Richard Herd
Richard Herd
Richard Herd, Jr. is an American actor in television and film. He is well known in the science fiction community for his role in the 1983 NBC miniseries V and the 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle, as John, the Visitors' Supreme Commander...
and Sab Shimono
Sab Shimono
Sab Shimono is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows in character roles.-Career:An accomplished stage actor, he has appeared on Broadway and in regional theaters including San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theatre...
) had both previously appeared in the 1980 M*A*S*H episode "Back Pay".
Brett drives around with furniture designer Karl Farbman. In the episode "The Hamptons," the doctor on whom Elaine has a crush notes that the homes in the area were designed by Mark Farbman. Perhaps there is a Farbman design dynasty. In the scene where Jerry is denied the purchase of an umbrella on the street by former colleagues a man walks by wearing an 'urban sombrero'. The 'urban sombrero' was featured in the season premiere episode 135 "the Foundation". It was an item placed on the cover of the Peterman Catalog by Elaine after she is left in charge following the disappearance of Peterman to Burma after an apparent nervous breakdown.