Episode 116--"accounts receivable

Writer

Richard Kramer

Director

Edward Zwick

Air Dates

3/1/88, 6/21/88

Guest Stars

Danton Stone as Brad Steadman; Barbara Barrie as Barbara Steadman; Dena Dietrich as Birdie Kravitz; Ron Feinberg as Manny Pressman; Jay Lambert as young Michael; Jacob Kenner as young Brad

Synopsis

Michael's father dies and they dispose of the estate and other family baggage while Michael struggles to resolve his relationship with his younger brother.

Summary

In the midst of attempting to train new help, Shelly, to write collection notes without smiley faces over the i's, Michael receives the news that his father has died. Everyone gathers at the house and there's a tense moment when Nancy and Elliot show up at the same time. Michael returns from the airport and his brother Brad didn't show up and didn't call, so stories are told at his expense. Brad shows up in the midst of this and everyone begins to reminisce over food about Grandpa Morey. Brad and Michael get drunk and Brad finally agrees to help him take care of their father's body at the hospital the next day. Michael wakes up with a mild hangover to find that Brad has gone to New York and left Michael with the job to himself. When Brad returns, they go coffin shopping. Michael goes to visit his Uncle Manny and they discuss how to handle the residual business effects. Over dinner, Brad gets very edgy when Michael says he wants to talk to people about the business and the books back in Chicago. (As their father became ill, Brad had been handling more and more of the family business.) Michael leaves Gary in charge at the house with instructions to call if the plumber shows up with an estimate on the pipes which need work. While getting dinner together, Brad mentions that he wants to say some things at the funeral, but Michael was already asked to talk and they get into a verbal shoving match over it. The next day, Michael goes to see the factory and finds out from Birdie, the assistant, that there was a huge loan and the business was in serious financial trouble. She recommends selling immediately. Around the house, Hope and Barbara comment on the amazing models of buildings that Brad built as a kid. When Brad comes in, Brad and Michael have a huge fight about the business, whether to liquidate or not, and it all boils down to how Brad has been trying for the last three years to make up for their father deserting them. The next morning, Michael vaguely apologizes to his mother, and she finally tells Michael that he's not giving Brad a chance. Michael gives notice that the business is closing and Birdie has a long talk with Michael about Brad. Before the funeral, Michael breaks down and talks to Brad, they approximate reconciliation, and Michael tells Brad to take all the remaining money from the estate and go back to architecture school.

Notes

  • Leo left when Brad was 11
  • Grandpa Morey was obsessed with Bonanza
  • Brad's middle name is Joel
  • Brad wasn't bar mitzvahed
  • As a kid, Michael bet Brad that he could break into the house, but got stuck in the chimney and had to be rescued by the fire department
  • Michael once resembled Curious George (for some reason)
  • Brad is portrayed as chubby as a kid
  • Michael had a broken arm as a kid
  • Michael went off to school in Vermont at 16 and played soccer there.
  • Fashion

    Brad wears a tie he "borrowed" from Michael three years ago.

    Quotes

    --"You have plenty of ties, Michael." --Hope

    --"I know. But it's still mine." --Michael

    "He said nothing flashy and nothing German." --Michael on coffin shopping

    Analysis