The Cheever Letters

"The Cheever Letters" is the 48th episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld, the 8th episode of season four. It was written by Larry David, Elaine Pope, and Tom Leopold, and directed by Tom Cherones. It premiered on October 28, 1992.

Plot

George is not looking forward to telling Susan's parents that her father's cabin was destroyed by fire (by Kramer, with Cuban cigars Susan's father gave to George). Jerry suggests that the Rosses are likely to see the irony of the situation.

Jerry and George struggle with their sitcom pilot script. Jerry telephones Elaine and complains to her about her chatty secretary, Sandra (Lisa Malkiewicz), and Elaine asks Sandra not to talk to Jerry so much. Annoyed, Sandra quits. At Jerry's apartment, Kramer asks George for more Cuban cigars to bribe his way onto the Westchester Country Club golf course. George has none, so Kramer leaves to find some.

That night, George has an awkward dinner with Susan and her parents (Warren Frost and Grace Zabriskie). Susan eventually tells her father about the loss of the cabin, and he asks if anything was recovered.

Elaine asks Jerry to apologize to Sandra, to keep her from quitting. Jerry does so, and arranges a date with Sandra that night. They return to his apartment, but Sandra storms off after they begin talking dirty and Jerry goes too far. The next day Jerry tells George that he said, "You mean the panties your mother laid out for you?", and this led to Sandra storming out. George and Jerry then doze off after failing to write any more of their script. Elaine thanks Jerry for getting Sandra back to work, but Jerry says she should relocate her quickly and is relieved that Sandra did not mention the previous night.

Kramer asks the Cuban diplomatic mission at the United Nations about buying Cuban cigars, and learns that they are illegal in the United States. However, the chief diplomat (Miguel Perez) likes Kramer's jacket and they reach an understanding.

Jerry and George go to Susan's house to return her sunglasses. A doorman delivers her family a metal box from the insurance company, the only object which survived the cabin fire. Inside are letters detailing an affair between Susan's father and novelist John Cheever. Susan reads one aloud before her father enters the room and snatches the box. He describes Cheever as "the most wonderful person" he has ever known, and says that he "loved him deeply—in a way that you wouldn't understand!" Jerry and George slip out the door, leaving the stunned family.

They again fail to progress with the script before they are interrupted by Elaine, who is angry with Jerry because her company charged her $429 for making phone calls to Europe from work; after she was transferred, Elaine's former secretary turned her in. Jerry gladly gives Elaine the money, and as she leaves she reveals that Sandra told her about her night with Jerry: "Maybe I should go visit my mother. She just bought me some new panties, and they're all (mock-seductively) laid out for me."

Seinfeld episodes Season 1 "The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip" Season 2 "The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy" Season 3 "The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend" "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys" Season 4 "The Trip" "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot" Season 5 "The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats" "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite" Season 6 "The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100" "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy" Season 7 "The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac" "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit" "The Wait Out" "The Invitations" Season 8 "The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George" Season 9 "The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strong Box" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle" "The Finale" Indicates two-part episode