Seinfeld: The Series Rewatch - "The Diplomats Club" (S6, E22)

JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.

seindiplomat

Best Character

I thought we had a few good choices here and I was really close to going with Katie because she cracked me up a few times, but George was great top to bottom. His original Sugar Ray comment wasn't too far off base but probably not the wisest thing to say to someone like Mr. Morgan (someone that is stoic and serious, I should clarify!) His roaming the streets looking for a black friend that crested in the restaurant and closed with a top notch payoff kept him rolling the whole way through.

Best Storyline

I am going to go with a tie and say all four were pretty equal this time around. They all had their ups and downs and each produced at least one laugh out loud moment. COME ON ITHACA!

Ethical Dilemma of the Week

Should the pilot of your plane be allowed to watch you perform comedy? I don't see why not. He flew you 10,000 feet in the air and landed you safe and sound. The least you can do is give him a few chuckles to relax his mind.
Aaron: Are you a racist because you think one black man looks like another black man? As a white man I refuse to answer that question, because I'm actually the white man's wife and I don't want my husband to seem racist. Everyone is a beautiful rainbow of uniqueness. 
Andrew: Should Elaine allow Mr. Pitt to put her in his will? On the one hand, it's his money, and he's free to do with it what he wants. But she has to know how that is going to look. As long as she's OK with people assuming she's taking advantage of a lonely, wealthy bachelor, I say go for it.
Jordan: Should Kramer be penalized because he knew someone on the Ithaca flight? This is the age before cell phones and wifi - he was probably in the room the whole time. There is no way he knew the flight would be or had been delayed. The Texan (did he have a name? I forget.) was a sore loser.
Jason: Is the mailbag of a serial killer enough to pay off a $3,200 gambling debt? Should you have to prove that you're not racially bias by proving that you have friends of another race?

Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)

JT: Bridget. Relationship Grade:10/10

What Worked:

JT: Elaine is looking quite good in this episode and it was funny when she buckled after finding out about the will; George is so awkward with Mr. Morgan and the Sugar Ray Leonard bit was fantastic; The return of Joe and Remy was tremendous, especially considering the reason; Kramer knocking over the display and then Mr. Pitt asking Jerry about the medication was funny too; I love how Jerry and Mr. Pitt have never met so it sets this storyline up so well; Katie battering Jerry into pissing before takeoff; Kramer and Earl betting on the planes is tremendous; Lenore's face when she sees Elaine with the pillow; Katie fucking with Jerry by mentioning the pilot is so random and it was great that it got in his head; George working the streets for black friends; Newman being the collateral man; The pilot tossing Jerry off the plane as revenge; Katie is fantastic, asking all the questions about the flights and rental cars; The ongoing saga with Elaine and Lenore was really well done; Newman's ice breaker joke and Earl's reaction; "Road is a major detail!"; "The Exterminator"; The news story on Jerry & Katie in the pool was well done and the way it paid off the Lenore stuff was golden; Newman and Berkowitz double dating; The farewell Mr. Pitt montage is sad, closing out a great run throughout season six; Bridget, hache mache; Double payoffs that killed it here with the pilot watching Jerry make out and the waiter thinking Morgan was Sugar Ray

What Didn't Work

Kramer wanting to bet on the Sugar Ray identification was funny but it was a bit over the top how suddenly his gambling addiction just bubbles out of nowhere; Why does Mr. Pitt need appetite suppressants?; Do pilots get breaks in between flights and then fly the same plane back to where he originally came from?; I hate how Jerry says detail; There is a reason Mr. Morgan eats alone; Why does Carl being an exterminator mean he can't be George's old friend?

Key Character Debuts

Katie
Earl Haffler
Lenore

Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes

- "I'm marchin' in." - Elaine "I've done the march in. Best feeling in the world." - George "How 'bout the march out?" - Jerry "Not as good. That's when you realize all the money you're losing." - George
- "Anyone ever tell you you look a lot like Sugar Ray Leonard? Yeah, you must get that all the time." - George "I suppose we all look alike to you, right Costanza?" - Mr. Morgan
- "Boy, that is so unfair. I would've marched on Selma if it was in Long Island." - George You'd have marched on Great Neck?" - Jerry "Absolutely. I still might. I always hated those girls. They would never date me." - George
- "Come on, come on. Not salt, but...?" - George "What, Pepper Johnson?" - Kramer "No. Sugar Ray Leonard." - George
- "You found the airport all right?" - Katie "Yes, I followed the planes." - Jerry I see you're having coffee. Just so you know, they also have decaf as well. Along with a selection of cocktails and soft..." - Katie
- "You?!? What are you doing here?" - Remy "Well, I got another Audrey Hepburn movie." - George "Remy, is that you?" - Joe "Daddy, that man is here again." - Remy "Remy, I want you up here instantly." - Joe "You know, Remy, I was thinking. Last time we were together, you..." - George
- "Okay, how much?" - Kramer "How 'bout 200?" - Earl "You're on, cowboy!" - Kramer
- "By the way, Jerry, I don't want you to freak out, but the pilot is going to be in the audience." - Katie "Who?" - Jerry "Remember the plane we took here? The pilot is gonna be sitting out there watching the show." - Katie "I don't care, why are you telling me this?" - Jerry "I just didn't want you to freak out when you saw him." - Katie "Why would I freak out?" - Jerry
- "I'm not surprised. I really let him have it, Jerry. He has no business being in your audience if you didn't want him there." - Katie
- "Son of Sam. The worst mass murderer the post office ever produced." - Newman "Where did you get this?" - Earl "I took over his route. And boy, were there a lot of dogs on that route." - Newman "Any of 'em talk to you?" - Earl "Just to tell me to keep off the snacks!" - Newman "Your buddy's a helluva guy." - Earl
- "Oh we lost the road a half hour ago." - Katie "What? Why didn't you wake me up?" - Jerry "You told me not to bother you with minor details." - Katie "No, road is a major detail!" - Jerry
- "Seinfeld? Oh yeah, funny white guy, right?" - Carl "Jerry? Yes, I suppose he is white. You know, I never really thought about it. I don't see people in terms of color." - George
- "I'm the exterminator." - Carl "That's... what we used to call him in high school, the exterminator. He's a linebacker." - George

Oddities & Fun Facts

- Joe & Remy were last seen in The Couch (S6, E5) where George crashed their viewing of Breakfast at Tiffany's
- Katie is portrayed by Debra Jo Rupp, best known as Mrs. Forman in That 70's Show
- Mr. Pitt's attorney Lenore is portrayed by Kim Zimmer, best known for roles on Guiding Light and One Life to Live

Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)

I really enjoyed the majority of this episode and it cruised along nicely thanks to all four storylines being solid quality. The guest stars all nailed it too, from Katie to Carl to Morgan to Joe to Earl... to Bridget's...well, you know. The running storyline of Elaine trying to kill Mr. Pitt was well done and didn't linger too long either as every scene advanced it perfectly. Katie was tremendous in her constant nagging and you could feel Jerry's frustration mounting minute by minute. Earl and Kramer betting on plane arrivals and Newman being his bank was inspired stuff and George was really good too. This wasn't an all time classic or pantheon episode but to me it easily slots in that next tier down due to how steady and effective the writing and performances were. Final Grade: 7/10ff was a little over the top, but there's no barriers for anything in the series. Final Grade: 7/10

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