JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
George takes this one for me. Jerry had a strong showing but George is at his best here, a whirlwind of lies as he takes any step possible to not read a book. The scenes at the Temple apartment are some of my favorites of all times, especially his closing, exasperated "Joe..." The pink eye lie was tremendous as was the last scene where he didn't realize Fred was gay.
Best Storyline
I am going to cop out and call this one a tie between George's book club homework and the all time epic Poppie peeing on Jerry's couch. I have no idea how someone even comes up with that scenario but only Seinfeld could make it work so believably on multiple levels without it being over the top and campy. Plus they leave it in such a way that you don't know for sure if Poppie did it out of revenge or if he is just a crazy old man that pees wherever the hell he pleases.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
I feel like since Poppie didn't promote his beliefs on abortion that the fallout shouldn't have been so severe. Would you leave a restaurant if the owner admitting a stance on a certain topic after he was proactively asked? I guess he was a dick about it. But that Newfoundland duck!
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
I would have like to have seen more of Marie. Her teaching George to read would have been a nice story arc. Carl should have lied to ensure he got some from Elaine. I can't imagine he was that passionate on the subject. Relationship Grade: George Peppard/10
What Worked:
George and Jerry discussing Truman Capote was good; I enjoy Kramer's excitement over the new couch; I also really enjoy the K-Man's make your own pizza idea; Kramer's dig about Jerry not offering the drink was good as was George's immediate procrastination over reading Breakfast at Tiffany's; Poppie's story abou this mother was delivered perfectly; Jerry is at his asshole best with the abortion stuff, especially with the delight he takes in causing all the trouble; Jerry pressing George to admit not reading the book; Kramer's verbal beating on Jerry and Elain at Monk's was great; Elaine is at her flirty best with Carl; Poppie being angry that Jerry & Elaine aren't aware of his gastro disorder is amazing; Newfoundland has top notch ducks; Jerry just torturing Elaine by asking about Carl's stand on abortion was treacherous and I loved Elaine veering off her lipstick in confusion; George showing up at Joe Temple's house to watch the movie is one of my favorite storylines of all time; So is Poppie peeing on the couch, including his sigh of relief when he sits down and Jerry and Kramer's reaction to the stain, especially the water spill; "She was a delicate flower"; Remy is a tremendous asshole and George's pink eye excuse was brilliant; The revelation of Carl's pro life stance was excellently executed; Kramer making the pizza and pissing off Poppie was a strong payoff; Also, the clear riff on arguing when a pizza become a pizza as an allegory to abortion was definitely way over my head as a teenager; George is at his douchebag best when he gets mouthy with Joe and his wife while they talk about their ill friend during the movie; George's "Joe..." after he spills the juice on the couch is one of my favorite lines in series history; Nice payoffs with the grape juice breaking on the old couch and George in the book club meeting
What Didn't Work
Jerry's new couch really isn't anything special; It is weird how Jerry acts like he wasn't there when Poppie got busted by the Board of Health; I was a little surprised that the moving guys would willingly schlep the couch to Elaine's; These days George would have many more options to track down and watch his movie;
Key Character Debuts
Joe Temple
Remy Temple
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- Poppie returns, he was last seen in The Pie
- "I love this couch. You know what the best part about it is? It doesn't fold out, so no one can sleep over." - Jerry
- "Ooh, I can't wait to get me a fella and make mah own pie!" - Elaine
- "They got a duck there, you think you died and went to heaven." - Kramer
- "So, anyone sweaty comes into your house has to be offered a drink?" - Jerry "Yes." - Kramer
- "My mother...was taken from my house by the Communists in the middle of the night when I was ten years old. She was sent to a slave labor camp, where she labored for twelve years. Finally, they released her and she was on a boat to America to re-unite with us...but she was served some bad fish, and she died...on the high seas." - Poppie "So, what's good tonight?" - Jerry
- "Poppie, I was just curious...where do you stand on the abortion issue?" - Jerry "When my mother was abducted by the Communists, she was with child..." - Poppie "Oh, boy." - Jerry "...but the Communists, they put an end to that! So, on this issue there is no debate! And no intelligent person can think differently." - Poppie
- "What's this? A bottle of wine and a five-alarm chili? They're trying to kill Poppie?!" - Poppie "Why, what...?" - Kramer "Don't they know I have a gastro-intestinal disorder? If I would have any of this, I would die. Then Poppie's no good to anyone! This is a sick, sick joke on Poppie. How could you be friends with those two?" - Poppie "Well, we're not very close." - Kramer "They owe me for those ducks. They were flown in from Newfoundland." - Poppie "Oh, they got good ducks there, huh?" - Kramer "Oh, very good ducks." - Poppie
- "Well, you should probably ask, because if he's gonna be coming over with those Paccino's pizzas...could be trouble." - Jerry
- "Yeah, you're right. It's just a natural human function...happens to be on my sofa, instead of in the toilet, where it would normally be." - Jerry
- "Well, I was going to watch it with my daughter. She likes Audrey Hepburn very much." - Joe "She was a delicate flower." - George
- "Oh! Nuts! Excellent! You know what I love? How there's two nuts named after people. Hazel...and Filbert." - George
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Patton Oswalt plays the video store clerk
- Joe Temple's wife is played by Denise Dowse, who also portrayed Mrs. Teasley in Beverly Hills, 90210
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Now we are cooking! This one started off a bit slow but once it kicked into gear, it never looked back. The abortion stuff was very topical and the way they tied it into the argument over the pizza was brilliant. Equally as brilliant was the Poppie peeing concept, as again, only Seinfeld could execute that as well as it was done. George was at his absolute best here, conniving and lying his way into a stranger's home just to avoid reading a 90 page book. Definitely a borderline Hall of Fame episode and a real classic. If it came out of the gates a little faster, I probably would go the full monty. Joe! Final Grade: 9/10
Best Character
George takes this one for me. Jerry had a strong showing but George is at his best here, a whirlwind of lies as he takes any step possible to not read a book. The scenes at the Temple apartment are some of my favorites of all times, especially his closing, exasperated "Joe..." The pink eye lie was tremendous as was the last scene where he didn't realize Fred was gay.
Best Storyline
I am going to cop out and call this one a tie between George's book club homework and the all time epic Poppie peeing on Jerry's couch. I have no idea how someone even comes up with that scenario but only Seinfeld could make it work so believably on multiple levels without it being over the top and campy. Plus they leave it in such a way that you don't know for sure if Poppie did it out of revenge or if he is just a crazy old man that pees wherever the hell he pleases.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
I feel like since Poppie didn't promote his beliefs on abortion that the fallout shouldn't have been so severe. Would you leave a restaurant if the owner admitting a stance on a certain topic after he was proactively asked? I guess he was a dick about it. But that Newfoundland duck!
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
I would have like to have seen more of Marie. Her teaching George to read would have been a nice story arc. Carl should have lied to ensure he got some from Elaine. I can't imagine he was that passionate on the subject. Relationship Grade: George Peppard/10
What Worked:
George and Jerry discussing Truman Capote was good; I enjoy Kramer's excitement over the new couch; I also really enjoy the K-Man's make your own pizza idea; Kramer's dig about Jerry not offering the drink was good as was George's immediate procrastination over reading Breakfast at Tiffany's; Poppie's story abou this mother was delivered perfectly; Jerry is at his asshole best with the abortion stuff, especially with the delight he takes in causing all the trouble; Jerry pressing George to admit not reading the book; Kramer's verbal beating on Jerry and Elain at Monk's was great; Elaine is at her flirty best with Carl; Poppie being angry that Jerry & Elaine aren't aware of his gastro disorder is amazing; Newfoundland has top notch ducks; Jerry just torturing Elaine by asking about Carl's stand on abortion was treacherous and I loved Elaine veering off her lipstick in confusion; George showing up at Joe Temple's house to watch the movie is one of my favorite storylines of all time; So is Poppie peeing on the couch, including his sigh of relief when he sits down and Jerry and Kramer's reaction to the stain, especially the water spill; "She was a delicate flower"; Remy is a tremendous asshole and George's pink eye excuse was brilliant; The revelation of Carl's pro life stance was excellently executed; Kramer making the pizza and pissing off Poppie was a strong payoff; Also, the clear riff on arguing when a pizza become a pizza as an allegory to abortion was definitely way over my head as a teenager; George is at his douchebag best when he gets mouthy with Joe and his wife while they talk about their ill friend during the movie; George's "Joe..." after he spills the juice on the couch is one of my favorite lines in series history; Nice payoffs with the grape juice breaking on the old couch and George in the book club meeting
What Didn't Work
Jerry's new couch really isn't anything special; It is weird how Jerry acts like he wasn't there when Poppie got busted by the Board of Health; I was a little surprised that the moving guys would willingly schlep the couch to Elaine's; These days George would have many more options to track down and watch his movie;
Key Character Debuts
Joe Temple
Remy Temple
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- Poppie returns, he was last seen in The Pie
- "I love this couch. You know what the best part about it is? It doesn't fold out, so no one can sleep over." - Jerry
- "Ooh, I can't wait to get me a fella and make mah own pie!" - Elaine
- "They got a duck there, you think you died and went to heaven." - Kramer
- "So, anyone sweaty comes into your house has to be offered a drink?" - Jerry "Yes." - Kramer
- "My mother...was taken from my house by the Communists in the middle of the night when I was ten years old. She was sent to a slave labor camp, where she labored for twelve years. Finally, they released her and she was on a boat to America to re-unite with us...but she was served some bad fish, and she died...on the high seas." - Poppie "So, what's good tonight?" - Jerry
- "Poppie, I was just curious...where do you stand on the abortion issue?" - Jerry "When my mother was abducted by the Communists, she was with child..." - Poppie "Oh, boy." - Jerry "...but the Communists, they put an end to that! So, on this issue there is no debate! And no intelligent person can think differently." - Poppie
- "What's this? A bottle of wine and a five-alarm chili? They're trying to kill Poppie?!" - Poppie "Why, what...?" - Kramer "Don't they know I have a gastro-intestinal disorder? If I would have any of this, I would die. Then Poppie's no good to anyone! This is a sick, sick joke on Poppie. How could you be friends with those two?" - Poppie "Well, we're not very close." - Kramer "They owe me for those ducks. They were flown in from Newfoundland." - Poppie "Oh, they got good ducks there, huh?" - Kramer "Oh, very good ducks." - Poppie
- "Well, you should probably ask, because if he's gonna be coming over with those Paccino's pizzas...could be trouble." - Jerry
- "Yeah, you're right. It's just a natural human function...happens to be on my sofa, instead of in the toilet, where it would normally be." - Jerry
- "Well, I was going to watch it with my daughter. She likes Audrey Hepburn very much." - Joe "She was a delicate flower." - George
- "Oh! Nuts! Excellent! You know what I love? How there's two nuts named after people. Hazel...and Filbert." - George
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Patton Oswalt plays the video store clerk
- Joe Temple's wife is played by Denise Dowse, who also portrayed Mrs. Teasley in Beverly Hills, 90210
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Now we are cooking! This one started off a bit slow but once it kicked into gear, it never looked back. The abortion stuff was very topical and the way they tied it into the argument over the pizza was brilliant. Equally as brilliant was the Poppie peeing concept, as again, only Seinfeld could execute that as well as it was done. George was at his absolute best here, conniving and lying his way into a stranger's home just to avoid reading a 90 page book. Definitely a borderline Hall of Fame episode and a real classic. If it came out of the gates a little faster, I probably would go the full monty. Joe! Final Grade: 9/10
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