Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Saturdays, I will be reviewing the Canadian sitcom, Check it Out, which ran in syndication from 1985 to 1988.  The entire show is currently streaming on Tubi!

This week, Edna’s mother visits!

Episode 1.15 “Otherwise Engaged”

(Dir by John Bell, originally aired on January 22nd, 1986)

This week’s episode is way too dependent on the idiot plot.

The idiot plot is one of those stories where every complication is the result of everyone acting like an idiot and then reacting even more like an idiot.  Plots like this drive me crazy and, to be honest, it’s difficult for me to watch them.  The solutions are always so simple that it’s hard not to get frustrated with everyone’s refusal not to be stupid.  Idiot plots are probably closer to reality than most people might wan to admit.  There’s a lot of idiots out there.

As for this episode, it opens with everyone admiring Marlene’s diamond engagement ring.  Marlene has a new boyfriend, a guy who she met at night and become engaged to in the morning.  Marlene isn’t sure what the guy’s name is but she does appreciate his taste in jewelry.  This part of the show was funny, largely because Kathleen Laskey played Marlene as being an unapologetic force of chaos.  She’s the Kyrsten Sinema of Canada.

But then Marlene allows Edna (who has been dating Howard for years without a proposal) to wear the ring and — surprise! — Edna can’t get it off.  And then Edna’s overbearing mother (Nancy Kerr) shows up and thinks that Edna and Howard are engaged.  And, instead of telling her the truth, Edna and Howard allow her to believe it.  Even when Edna’s mother starts planning the wedding, Edna and Howard do not tell her the truth.  Seriously, Howard …. Edna …. JUST TELL HER!  Or don’t tell her and then get married because, seriously, why not?  If nothing else, it would take care of all the ethical issues that are currently raised by Howard dating one of his employees.

Now, there are some funny moments in this episode.  Edna’s mother wears perfume that is so strong that the store’s customers start to pass out.  One woman is splashed with a bucket of water and ends up changing her clothes in Howard’s office.  Edna isn’t happy about that but then Christian explains to her what was going on.  See?  Misunderstandings are easily resolved when you EXPLAIN things.  It’s not that difficult.

In the end, it turns out that Marlene’s boyfriend is a jewel thief.  (Marlene doesn’t care because Marlene is all about breaking the rules.)  Edna’s mother learns the truth and decides to move to the city so she can be closer to Edna and Howard.  Edna is happy.  Howard less so.

Anyway, this episode made me chuckle a few times but, ultimately, it was just too dependent on everyone acting like an idiot.  Edna just needs to accept that she’s never going to get married.