“I’ll see ya at the galleria.” – one of the most famous lines in the history of television.
The premise of “Check Your Mate” is a bigger stretch than usual for an episode of “Saved by the Bell.” Screech, widely known as THE WORST, happens to be Bayside’s chess champion. It’s a big deal, to the point where the school’s radio station covers the matches, cheerleaders and fans fill the stands, and everybody pretends Screech is a tolerable human being.
That’s not all. Screech has a girlfriend! Somebody should warn poor Violet (guest star Tori Spelling) that this mutant boy will murder you for a one in a billion chance to be with Lisa Turtle.
Despite the Screech-centric story, “Check Your Mate” has it all. Lucky berets, an imposter reporter from Chessboy Magazine, a Russian chess champion with a conveniently similar physical frame to Zack Morris, kidnapping, Cold War jokes, a Valley guy named Guy-Guy, and yes, that wonderful, glorious moment about the Galleria.
Tyler, Jonah and Angela dive deep into this classic episode. We don’t mean to be Russian-you, but hurry up and hit that play button!
Hey, Dennis Haskins – Do you know how to play chess? Why don’t you contact the show and tell us all about it!
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