Check It Out! (Canadian TV series)

*Check It Out!*
Check It Out!
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Brian Cooke
Developed by	Arne Sultan; Stuart Gillard
Starring	Don Adams; Dinah Christie
Composer	Russ Little
Country of origin	Canada
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	66
Production
Executive producer	Charles Falzon
Producers	Ben Gordon; Frank Peppiatt
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	30 minutes
Production company	DLT Entertainment
Original release
Network	CTV
Release	September 21, 1985 –; April 1, 1988
Related
	Tripper's Day; Slinger's Day; Full Frys

Check it Out! is a Canadian television sitcom that aired on CTV from September 1985 to April 1988. The series also aired in the United States in syndication and on the USA Network.^[1]

Synopsis

Based on the British series Tripper's Day, Check It Out! was set in a fictional supermarket called Cobb's, located in Brampton, Ontario and stars Don Adams as manager Howard Bannister. The cast also included Dinah Christie, Henry Beckman, Gordon Clapp, Barbara Hamilton, Elizabeth Hanna, Kathleen Laskey, Jeff Pustil, Simon Reynolds, Aaron Schwartz and Tonya Williams.^[1] The series was taped in front of a studio audience at CFTO-TV in Toronto.

Cast

Don Adams as Howard Bannister
Dinah Christie as Edna Moseley
Aaron Schwartz as Leslie Rappaport
Elizabeth Hanna as T.C. Collingwood (season 3)
Tonya Williams as Jennifer Woods (season 1)
Jeff Pustil as Jack Christian
Kathleen Laskey as Marlene Weimaraner
Henry Beckman as Alf (season 1)
Simon Reynolds as Murray Amherst (seasons 1–2)
Gordon Clapp as Viker (seasons 2–3)

Episodes

Season 1 (1985-86)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original air date
1	1	"No Security in Security"	October 2, 1985 (1985-10-02)
When Cobb's grocery store has a new video security system installed, Manager Howard Bannister must fire Alf, the store's security guard of fifty years.
2	2	"Labor and Other Relations"	October 9, 1985 (1985-10-09)
After Cobb's institutes a policy to cut coffee breaks, Marlene threatens to start a strike.
3	3	"No Cause for Alarm"	October 16, 1985 (1985-10-16)
Howard gets an interview to become an assistant manager at a luxury hotel, but has to deal with a faulty security alarm keeping him from getting sleep.
4	4	"X-Ray Marks the Spot"	October 23, 1985 (1985-10-23)
The employees are scheduled to get a physical exam and everyone reacts in different ways. Meanwhile, Edna thinks she may be pregnant with Howard's baby.
5	5	"Everyone's a Winner"	October 30, 1985 (1985-10-30)
When the store holds a promotional bingo game with a free trip to Greece for the winner, a printing error on the cards could give every participant the grand prize.
6	6	"Seven Days Make One Week"	November 6, 1985 (1985-11-06)
A sexy woman giving away samples in the store has all the men drooling, even Howard, which leaves Edna jealous.
7	7	"A Rosenbloom by Any Other Name"	November 13, 1985 (1985-11-13)
When Jennifer thinks she is being denied a raise because she is black, she hires an attorney to sue for discrimination. Meanwhile, Howard deals with an elderly woman waiting outside the store.
8	8	"Or Get Off the Pot"	November 20, 1985 (1985-11-20)
When Edna thinks her relationship with Howard has hit a dead end, she convinces him to go to a group therapy session to put it back on track.
9	9	"Phantom of the Market"	November 27, 1985 (1985-11-27)
Before Howard can take a Hawaiian vacation, he has to find the culprit behind the disappearance of several thousand dollars worth of gourmet food from the store.
10	10	"Car Pool"	December 4, 1985 (1985-12-04)
When the head office takes away employee parking to make room for customers, Christian forms a carpool that leads to trouble.
11	11	"Love on Sale"	December 11, 1985 (1985-12-11)
Murray starts a matchmaking service in the store to earn extra money for a used car, but his new venture lands Howard in jail before an important business meeting.
12	12	"Skip to the Loo"	December 18, 1985 (1985-12-18)
When Howard is forced to give a job to the delinquent son of an old army buddy, he fears for his life when the young man is found dead in the meat locker. Meanwhile, a man tries breaking the jump rope record in the store.
13	13	"Love is a Many Splendored Alf"	January 8, 1986 (1986-01-08)
Edna sets up Alf with an old friend of hers after the woman shows an interest in the security guard. Meanwhile, Howard has to deal with various electrical problems in the store and an inept electrician.
14	14	"Supermarket Superbowlers"	January 15, 1986 (1986-01-15)
The store's bowling team has made it to the league finals, but when their best bowler Murray breaks his arm, Howard must decide whether or not to let team alternate Edna play.
15	15	"Otherwise Engaged"	January 22, 1986 (1986-01-22)
Edna gets Marlene's new diamond ring stuck on her finger and her visiting mother thinks that she has become engaged.
16	16	"Store Wars"	January 29, 1986 (1986-01-29)
A new store opens up across from Cobbs which leads to a price war. Meanwhile, Howard becomes attracted to the temp filling in for a vacationing Edna.
17	17	"Banzai"	February 1, 1986 (1986-02-01)
18	18	"Dog Day After Dark"	February 8, 1986 (1986-02-08)
It's Howard's birthday and the staff is planning a surprise party, but they're in for a bigger surprise when a group of protesters take them hostage.
19	19	"My Darling Serpentine"	February 19, 1986 (1986-02-19)
It's the anniversary of Howard and Edna's first date and Howard sends Alf to get his present for her. Meanwhile, Murray becomes dejected when Marlene turns down his invitation to prom.
20	20	"Edna's New Friend"	February 26, 1986 (1986-02-26)
21	21	"Jack Be Numbskull"	March 5, 1986 (1986-03-05)
22	22	"Sex Appeal"	March 12, 1986 (1986-03-12)

Season 2 (1986-87)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original air date
23	1	"Getting to Know You"	October 3, 1986 (1986-10-03)
24	2	"Edna's Phantom Romance"	October 10, 1986 (1986-10-10)
25	3	"Buddy Can You Spare a Job?"	October 17, 1986 (1986-10-17)
26	4	"Operation Bannister"	October 24, 1986 (1986-10-24)
27	5	"The Mis-Matchmaker"	October 31, 1986 (1986-10-31)
28	6	"The Bear Facts"	November 7, 1986 (1986-11-07)
29	7	"A Chocolate Chip Off the Old Block"	November 14, 1986 (1986-11-14)
30	8	"Homewrecker Howard"	November 21, 1986 (1986-11-21)
31	9	"Don't Take My Job, Please"	December 12, 1986 (1986-12-12)
32	10	"Edna Displays Talent"	December 19, 1986 (1986-12-19)
33	11	"Short One Jockey"	December 26, 1986 (1986-12-26)
34	12	"High Tech"	January 11, 1987 (1987-01-11)
35	13	"Love and Marriage"	January 18, 1987 (1987-01-18)
36	14	"Let's Get Metaphysical"	January 25, 1987 (1987-01-25)
37	15	"Tots 'R Us"	February 1, 1987 (1987-02-01)
38	16	"The Oddest Couple"	February 8, 1987 (1987-02-08)
39	17	"Chain Reaction"	February 15, 1987 (1987-02-15)
40	18	"My Girl Friday, Saturday, Sunday"	February 22, 1987 (1987-02-22)
41	19	"Only God Can Save a Tree"	March 1, 1987 (1987-03-01)
42	20	"The Son Also Rises"	March 8, 1987 (1987-03-08)
43	21	"Here Comes the Bribe"	March 15, 1987 (1987-03-15)
44	22	"Put Your Best Face Forward"	March 22, 1987 (1987-03-22)

Season 3 (1987-88)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original air date
45	1	"The Umpire Strikes Back"	October 4, 1987 (1987-10-04)
46	2	"Hey, Take Me Over"	October 10, 1987 (1987-10-10)
47	3	"Puppy Love"	October 11, 1987 (1987-10-11)
48	4	"I'm Okay, You're a Spy"	October 17, 1987 (1987-10-17)
49	5	"Not for Commercial Use"	October 18, 1987 (1987-10-18)
50	6	"Edna's Choice"	October 24, 1987 (1987-10-24)
51	7	"He's No Heavy, He's My Brother"	October 25, 1987 (1987-10-25)
52	8	"Mutiny on Mr. Christian"	November 7, 1987 (1987-11-07)
53	9	"Bannister & Dale"	November 14, 1987 (1987-11-14)
54	10	"Shrink from Sendrax"	November 15, 1987 (1987-11-15)
55	11	"The Naked Truth"	November 21, 1987 (1987-11-21)
56	12	"Howard Hemingway"	November 22, 1987 (1987-11-22)
57	13	"Edna, Howard, Cathy and Morty"	November 28, 1987 (1987-11-28)
58	14	"Marlene for Hire"	December 12, 1987 (1987-12-12)
59	15	"Make Room for Daddy Christian"	December 27, 1987 (1987-12-27)
60	16	"My Hero, Mr. Bannister"	January 3, 1988 (1988-01-03)
61	17	"Fatal Harassment"	January 10, 1988 (1988-01-10)
62	18	"Vote for Me"	January 16, 1988 (1988-01-16)
63	19	"Losing It"	January 30, 1988 (1988-01-30)
64	20	"Smotherly Love"	January 31, 1988 (1988-01-31)
65	21	"Educating Leslie"	February 7, 1988 (1988-02-07)
66	22	"For the Book"	February 14, 1988 (1988-02-14)

Syndication

In 2008, four episodes of the series were featured on WGN America's "Outta Sight Retro Night" programming block. As of 2013, the program is seen on Comedy Gold in Canada daily. In 2023, the show is available to watch on Tubi and Pluto TV for free. The series is also available on Peacock.

International titles

In Latin America the show was called Supermercado 99 ("Supermarket 99"), a reference to Barbara Feldon's character in Get Smart, ^[2] while in Italy, the show was called Il supermercato più pazzo del mondo ("The craziest supermarket in the world").

In Sweden, comical duo Stefan & Krister star in Full Frys, a TV series largely based on Check it Out! and Tripper's Day.

References

^ ^a ^b Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007-10-17). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present (9 ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 242. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
^ http://www.cinefania.com/newsletter/archivo/newsletter.php/40

External links

Check it Out! at IMDb

This article relating to a comedy television series in Canada is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[directory-1] Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007-10-17). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present (9 ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 242. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.

[2] ttps://www.cinefania.com/newsletter/archivo/newsletter.php/40

[1]

[2]

v t e Situation comedies by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer
Series entries	The Men from the Ministry (Radio) Round the Horne (Radio, 1968) Father, Dear Father (1968–1973) Stop Messing About (Radio, 1969–1970) Kindly Leave the Kerb (1971) Alcock and Gander (1972) Man About the House (1973–1976) George and Mildred (1976–1979) Robin's Nest (1977–1981) Three's Company (1977) The Ropers (1979) The Incredible Mr Tanner (1981) Let There Be Love (1982–1983) Tom, Dick and Harriet (1982–1983) Full House (1985–1986)
Film adaptations	Father, Dear Father (1973) No Sex Please, We're British (1973)
Cooke without Mortimer	Keep It in the Family (1980–1983) Too Close for Comfort (1980–1981) Tripper's Day (1984) Check It Out! (1985) Slinger's Day (1986–1987) Close to Home (1989–1990)
Mortimer without Cooke	Never the Twain (1981–1991)