JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
I thought this episode featured strong performances across the board but Jerry and George were the best to me. They were tied at the hip for pretty much the whole episode and their chemistry is so effortless that everything just flows along. From the Holland conversation through the Rascal scene, their interactions were the highlights of the episode and they never let up for a moment.
Best Storyline
Kramer baking himself had a bunch of laughs but George faking a handicap to get a job and private bathroom takes the cake. It is such an underhanded move but it being George, it feels perfectly natural when he does it. The 9 to 5 montage is a classic and I loved him trying to explain the reverse image theory to his boss. Plus, the Rascal chase is always entertaining. GET THE BIKES!
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should you throw a major break in your career away for spite? Jerry is rich and successful enough that it is a worthwhile endeavor, especially if it breaks up Bania and Jenna, who he misses.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
Newman nearly blowing his load in Kramer's apartment is about the most pure lust we have seen on Seinfeld. Who knew butter was such an aphrodisiac? Also, Jenna is about 100 levels above Bania. And Vegetable Lasagna would have treated Laney like the queen from whatever country he is from. He also would have been a sad cuckold when Elaine banged Puddy in the airport bathroom. Relationship Grade: 2/10
What Worked:
I liked the Holland conversation and the mustache stuff was funny too; They did a good job of setting up the season and wrapping the "Summer of George" stuff in one quick opening scene; Always great to see Bania; Kramer quickly shaving was a funny bit; Kramer and Jerry roasting Elaine and Puddy was fantastic; PUDDY RETURNS!; Kramer reading about Bania on the internet is a crazy throwaway line and then him buttering up his face and Jerry feeling it with the bread that Kramer then eats was well done; George having no issue with pretending to be handicapped at Play Now is peak Costanza; Bania dating Jenna on Jerry's coattails was a nice decision; Puddy telling his story to the stewardess always cracks me up; George's Play Now Sheena Easton montage is a classic and a great callback to Kramer's version with the same song last season; Newman stalking his way to Jerry's because of the smell is great; Elaine and Puddy calling the guy on the plane "Vegetable Lasagna" always makes me laugh; Kramer getting medical advice from Bon Appetit magazine; George liking Bania is a good twist; Puddy staring at the seat and pissing off Elaine is one of my all time faves; George trying to trick his boss with the cane being on the other side; George on the Rascal is amazing, especially at the end when he lays on the horn so Jerry can unwedge his wheel.
What Didn't Work
I have never understood what the fuck Puddy is doing when he and Elaine first get on the plane, is he crying? Sleeping? Having a seizure?; How does Bania land Jenna?; Why is there a full cooked turkey brought out onto the counter of a coffee shop?; The way Kramer says "parma-zaahn" always bugged me
Key Character Debuts
- Mr. Thomassuolo
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "What is Holland?" - George "What do you mean, 'what is it?' It's a country right next to Belgium." - Jerry "No, that's the Netherlands." - George "Holland *is* the Netherlands." - Jerry "Then who are the Dutch?" - George
- "Nah, with crutches it's a funny story, with a cane it's a sad story." - George
- "Because I killed first and warmed up the crowd. He's like that fish that attaches himself to the shark." - Jerry "And you're the shark?" - George "Yeah, I'm the shark and he's the fish eating my laughs." - Jerry "I don't know how a fish could eat laughs." - George "Well, I'm glad I brought it up." - Jerry
- "Look, postcard from Elaine from Europe." - Jerry "Don't tell me she's dragging another poor guy across Europe." - Kramer "Remember David Puddy?" - Jerry "She's dating him again, huh?" - Kramer "Well, I guess she's batted around and she's back at the top of the order." - Jerry "Boy, a month in Europe with Elaine. That guy's coming home in a body bag." - Kramer
- "Oh Moses smell the roses." - Jerry
- "Jerry, let's face it, I've always been handicapped. I'm just now getting the recognition for it. Name one thing I have that puts me in a position of advantage. Huh? There was a guy that worked at the Yankees-- no arms! He got more work done than I did, made more money, had a wife, a family, drove a better car than I did." - George "He drove a car with no arms?" - Jerry "Alright I made up the part about the car, but the rest is true. He hated me anyway!" - George "Do you know how hard it's getting just to tell people I know you?" - Jerry "I love that bathroom. It's got that high, high toilet. I feel like a gargoyle perched on the ledge of a building." - George
- "Damn you Seinfeld. You useless pustule." - Newman
- "I'm fried." - Kramer "Technically, you're sautéed." - Jerry
- "Well, you're not gonna believe what happened." - George "You mugged Stephen Hawking?" - Jerry
- "Well it must be comforting to know you'll be going straight to hell at no more than three miles an hour." - Jerry
- "No, you had some good stuff. The cancer bit? It was edgy, it was not my sort of thing but some of those people out there, they really liked it." - Kramer "Like who?" - Jerry "Like that guy who yelled out." - Kramer "He had cancer!" - Jerry "And laughter is the best medicine." - Kramer
Oddities & Fun Facts
- We last saw David Puddy in The Face Painter (S6, E23)
- We last saw Jenna in The Pothole (S8, E16)
- The montage of George at work is set to Sheena Easton's 9 to 5, which was also used for Kramer's work montage in The Bizarro Jerry (S8, E3)
- Jay Shermak and Stu Crespi are the same NBC Executives from Season Four, but portrayed by different actors
- The episode was dedicated to the memory of Brandon Tartikoff, NBC's President of Entertainment from 1981-91, who had died on August 27, 1997 at the age of 48 after lifelong complications from Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Season nine starts with a bang. I have always loved this episode as it is filled with quick hitting zingers and such an easy chemistry. The characters all feel so at ease with each other and everything flows so naturally that it now allows them to go a bit further off the reservation with stuff. George's fake handicap was tremendous writing and Jerry's never ending war with Bania always brings laughs. We had some quality callbacks here too, with 9 to 5, the NBC executives, Puddy and Jenna. Newman was really funny too as he lusted after Kramer's buttery skin. Elaine and Puddy on the plane was funny too but some of the scenes dragged just a bit, keeping it from hitting the pantheon. However, we are hitting the home stretch and kick off the final season with a near all timer. Final Grade: 9/10
Best Character
I thought this episode featured strong performances across the board but Jerry and George were the best to me. They were tied at the hip for pretty much the whole episode and their chemistry is so effortless that everything just flows along. From the Holland conversation through the Rascal scene, their interactions were the highlights of the episode and they never let up for a moment.
Best Storyline
Kramer baking himself had a bunch of laughs but George faking a handicap to get a job and private bathroom takes the cake. It is such an underhanded move but it being George, it feels perfectly natural when he does it. The 9 to 5 montage is a classic and I loved him trying to explain the reverse image theory to his boss. Plus, the Rascal chase is always entertaining. GET THE BIKES!
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should you throw a major break in your career away for spite? Jerry is rich and successful enough that it is a worthwhile endeavor, especially if it breaks up Bania and Jenna, who he misses.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
Newman nearly blowing his load in Kramer's apartment is about the most pure lust we have seen on Seinfeld. Who knew butter was such an aphrodisiac? Also, Jenna is about 100 levels above Bania. And Vegetable Lasagna would have treated Laney like the queen from whatever country he is from. He also would have been a sad cuckold when Elaine banged Puddy in the airport bathroom. Relationship Grade: 2/10
What Worked:
I liked the Holland conversation and the mustache stuff was funny too; They did a good job of setting up the season and wrapping the "Summer of George" stuff in one quick opening scene; Always great to see Bania; Kramer quickly shaving was a funny bit; Kramer and Jerry roasting Elaine and Puddy was fantastic; PUDDY RETURNS!; Kramer reading about Bania on the internet is a crazy throwaway line and then him buttering up his face and Jerry feeling it with the bread that Kramer then eats was well done; George having no issue with pretending to be handicapped at Play Now is peak Costanza; Bania dating Jenna on Jerry's coattails was a nice decision; Puddy telling his story to the stewardess always cracks me up; George's Play Now Sheena Easton montage is a classic and a great callback to Kramer's version with the same song last season; Newman stalking his way to Jerry's because of the smell is great; Elaine and Puddy calling the guy on the plane "Vegetable Lasagna" always makes me laugh; Kramer getting medical advice from Bon Appetit magazine; George liking Bania is a good twist; Puddy staring at the seat and pissing off Elaine is one of my all time faves; George trying to trick his boss with the cane being on the other side; George on the Rascal is amazing, especially at the end when he lays on the horn so Jerry can unwedge his wheel.
What Didn't Work
I have never understood what the fuck Puddy is doing when he and Elaine first get on the plane, is he crying? Sleeping? Having a seizure?; How does Bania land Jenna?; Why is there a full cooked turkey brought out onto the counter of a coffee shop?; The way Kramer says "parma-zaahn" always bugged me
Key Character Debuts
- Mr. Thomassuolo
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "What is Holland?" - George "What do you mean, 'what is it?' It's a country right next to Belgium." - Jerry "No, that's the Netherlands." - George "Holland *is* the Netherlands." - Jerry "Then who are the Dutch?" - George
- "Nah, with crutches it's a funny story, with a cane it's a sad story." - George
- "Because I killed first and warmed up the crowd. He's like that fish that attaches himself to the shark." - Jerry "And you're the shark?" - George "Yeah, I'm the shark and he's the fish eating my laughs." - Jerry "I don't know how a fish could eat laughs." - George "Well, I'm glad I brought it up." - Jerry
- "Look, postcard from Elaine from Europe." - Jerry "Don't tell me she's dragging another poor guy across Europe." - Kramer "Remember David Puddy?" - Jerry "She's dating him again, huh?" - Kramer "Well, I guess she's batted around and she's back at the top of the order." - Jerry "Boy, a month in Europe with Elaine. That guy's coming home in a body bag." - Kramer
- "Oh Moses smell the roses." - Jerry
- "Jerry, let's face it, I've always been handicapped. I'm just now getting the recognition for it. Name one thing I have that puts me in a position of advantage. Huh? There was a guy that worked at the Yankees-- no arms! He got more work done than I did, made more money, had a wife, a family, drove a better car than I did." - George "He drove a car with no arms?" - Jerry "Alright I made up the part about the car, but the rest is true. He hated me anyway!" - George "Do you know how hard it's getting just to tell people I know you?" - Jerry "I love that bathroom. It's got that high, high toilet. I feel like a gargoyle perched on the ledge of a building." - George
- "Damn you Seinfeld. You useless pustule." - Newman
- "I'm fried." - Kramer "Technically, you're sautéed." - Jerry
- "Well, you're not gonna believe what happened." - George "You mugged Stephen Hawking?" - Jerry
- "Well it must be comforting to know you'll be going straight to hell at no more than three miles an hour." - Jerry
- "No, you had some good stuff. The cancer bit? It was edgy, it was not my sort of thing but some of those people out there, they really liked it." - Kramer "Like who?" - Jerry "Like that guy who yelled out." - Kramer "He had cancer!" - Jerry "And laughter is the best medicine." - Kramer
Oddities & Fun Facts
- We last saw David Puddy in The Face Painter (S6, E23)
- We last saw Jenna in The Pothole (S8, E16)
- The montage of George at work is set to Sheena Easton's 9 to 5, which was also used for Kramer's work montage in The Bizarro Jerry (S8, E3)
- Jay Shermak and Stu Crespi are the same NBC Executives from Season Four, but portrayed by different actors
- The episode was dedicated to the memory of Brandon Tartikoff, NBC's President of Entertainment from 1981-91, who had died on August 27, 1997 at the age of 48 after lifelong complications from Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Season nine starts with a bang. I have always loved this episode as it is filled with quick hitting zingers and such an easy chemistry. The characters all feel so at ease with each other and everything flows so naturally that it now allows them to go a bit further off the reservation with stuff. George's fake handicap was tremendous writing and Jerry's never ending war with Bania always brings laughs. We had some quality callbacks here too, with 9 to 5, the NBC executives, Puddy and Jenna. Newman was really funny too as he lusted after Kramer's buttery skin. Elaine and Puddy on the plane was funny too but some of the scenes dragged just a bit, keeping it from hitting the pantheon. However, we are hitting the home stretch and kick off the final season with a near all timer. Final Grade: 9/10
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