Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the most casual apology in television: Max has just wrecked an operation, a door or the Chief's office, and answers with the breezy tone of a man who has stepped on someone's foot. That mismatch is the joke, and the speed at which people adopted it, even astronauts, shows how well it fits everyday small failures. It still works as the polite way to shrug off a mess.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Get SmartShow the scene
Maxwell Smart's all-purpose apology to his boss, Chief of CONTROL, whenever he has blundered, which in Get Smart is most weeks. According to the fan episode guide it began as a bare "Sorry about that" in the second episode, "Diplomat's Daughter" (25 September 1965), and only gained "Chief" in "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" (16 October 1965). Producer Leonard Stern said it was an accident the cast fell into rather than a planned catchphrase. The guide adds that a Gemini astronaut used it after a mistake in late 1965, which helped it spread.
Sources (3)
- Would You Believe: Get Smart catchphrasesCatchphrase list, 'Sorry about that Chief!'Reference checked
- Get Smart Wiki: Diplomat's DaughterEpisode infoboxReference checked
- Get Smart Wiki: Now You See Him, Now You Don'tEpisode infoboxReference checked
Context reviewed
