View source for Checking In

{{short description|Television series}}
{{About|the 1981 sitcom|the American Horror Story episode|Checking In (American Horror Story){{!}}Checking In (''American Horror Story'')}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image                =
| caption              = 
| alt_name             = 
| genre                = [[Sitcom]]
| creator              = Mike Milligan<br />Jay Moriarty
| developer            = 
| writer               = 
| director             = [[Jack Shea (director)|Jack Shea]]
| starring             = [[Marla Gibbs]]<br>Patrick Collins<br>[[Larry Linville]]<br>[[Liz Torres]]<br>[[Ruth Brown]]<br>[[Robert Costanzo]]<br>Jordan Gibbs
| theme_music_composer = 
| opentheme            = 
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = 
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 1
| num_episodes         = 4
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = 
| producer             = 
| editor               = 
| location             = 
| cinematography       = 
| camera               = 
| runtime              = 30 minutes
| company              = [[ELP Communications|T.A.T. Communications Company]]<br>Ragamuffin Productions
| channel              = [[CBS]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1981|04|09|}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1981|04|30}}
| related              = ''[[The Jeffersons]]'' 
}}

'''''Checking In''''' is an American [[sitcom]] television series and a [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] of ''[[The Jeffersons]]'' that aired for four episodes on [[CBS]] from April 9 to April 30, 1981.

==Synopsis==
In the seventh season finale of ''The Jeffersons'', "[[List of The Jeffersons episodes#Season 7 (1980–81)|Florence's New Job]]", the Jeffersons' maid, [[List of The Jeffersons supporting characters#Florence Johnston|Florence Johnston]] ([[Marla Gibbs]]), accepted a job to become the executive housekeeper at the fictional St. Frederick Hotel in [[New York City]]. The series follows Florence's misadventures at the hotel with her co-workers: Lyle Block, her stuffy manager; Elena Beltran, her assistant; Earl Bellamy, the inept house detective; Hank Sabatino, the lewd handyman; Betty, the floor supervisor; Dennis, the bellboy; and Mr. Claymore, the hotel owner.<ref>{{cite web|author=TV Guide |url= http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/checking/200472|title=Checking In Episodes |publisher=TV Guide |accessdate=2016-10-02}}</ref>

==Cast==
* [[Marla Gibbs]] as [[List of The Jeffersons supporting characters#Florence Johnston|Florence Johnston]]
* [[Larry Linville]] as Lyle Block
* [[Ruth Brown]] as Betty
* Patrick Collins as Earl Bellamy
* [[Robert Costanzo]] as Hank Sabatino
* Jordan Gibbs as Dennis
* [[Liz Torres]] as Elena Beltran
* [[John Anderson (actor)|John Anderson]] as Mr. Claymore

==Episodes==
{{Episode table|background=#c0a556|overall=5|title=20 |director=20|writer=22|airdate=18|episodes=

{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=1
| Title=Boo Who?
| DirectedBy=[[Jack Shea (director)|Jack Shea]]
| WrittenBy=Howard Bendetson & [[Bob Bendetson]]
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1981|04|09}}
| ShortSummary=Florence and Elena suspect that a ghost is roaming the building, and Florence decides to spend the night alone in a room to prove that it's not haunted.
| LineColor=c0a556
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=2
| Title=Block's Party
| DirectedBy=Jack Shea
| WrittenBy=[[Bob Schiller]] & [[Bob Weiskopf]]
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1981|04|16}}
| ShortSummary=Lyle throws a party at the hotel, but his high school rival (now a pro football coach) and his team decide to crash it.
| LineColor=c0a556
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=3
| Title=Whose Side Are You On?
| DirectedBy=Jack Shea
| WrittenBy=[[Michael G. Moye]]
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1981|04|23}}
| ShortSummary=Florence is caught between Lyle and Elena when they have an argument, but she won't take anyone's side.
| LineColor=c0a556
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=4
| Title=Florence and the Salesman
| DirectedBy=Jack Shea
| WrittenBy=Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1981|04|30}}
| ShortSummary=Florence misunderstands and thinks an elderly salesman is coming on to her, but he's really trying to make a sales pitch.
| LineColor=c0a556
}}
}}

==Reception==
''Checking In'' premiered on [[CBS]] on April 9, 1981, and lasted for only four episodes in the Thursday, 8:00&nbsp;p.m. ET timeslot. Faced with low [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]], the series was cancelled, and the final episode aired on April 30, 1981. Gibbs then returned to her regular role on ''The Jeffersons'' and it was explained that the St. Frederick Hotel had burned down.

''Checking In'' was the first ''[[All in the Family]]'' spin-off series that was not successful, unlike ''[[The Jeffersons]]'', ''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]'' and Maude spin-off ''[[Good Times]]''.  Other failed spin-off attempts were ''[[Gloria (American TV series)|Gloria]]'' in the 1982–1983 season and ''[[704 Hauser]]'' in 1994.

==Home media==
The third episode, "Whose Side Are You On?", was added as a bonus feature on ''The Jeffersons: The Complete Series'' 33-disc [[DVD]] set issued by [[Shout! Factory]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0081839|title=Checking In}}

{{All in the Family}}
{{The Jeffersons}}
{{Norman Lear Shows}}

[[Category:The Jeffersons]]
[[Category:1981 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1981 American television series endings]]
[[Category:1980s American black sitcoms]]
[[Category:1980s American workplace comedy television series]]
[[Category:American television spinoffs]]
[[Category:Television series by Sony Pictures Television]]
[[Category:Television series set in hotels]]
[[Category:Television shows set in New York City]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:CBS sitcoms]]