JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
Frank. It was always meant to be Frank. He owns the Place to Be, we are just borrowing it from the legend.
Best Storyline
THE PLACE TO BE. An iconic scene, from the room being too small, to the pants hanging up, to Estelle catching the boys canoodling, to THE PLACE TO BE. The Doll stuff was fantastic too, especially George being freaked out in bed and Frank tearing its head off.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
I've never understood the role of a conductor. Can the band really not play the fucking song because a stick is bent? Give me a break...sack up and play the stupid Vivaldi.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
George should have gotten hammered and included the doll into a three way with Susan. Exorcise all the demons at once, Georgie Boy. Relationship Grade: 3/10
What Worked:
George making Elaine sit down to eat; The Maestro returns!; The Search of Cousin Carlo Costanza; The stewardess jamming Jerry's bag into the overhead always makes me laugh; Jerry being out of material and Kramer trying to create some for him, "It's all attitude"; The billiard room is amazing and I love it is too small right out of the gate; Those scary ass dolls, especially the Estelle Doll camping out in bed; Frank and Elaine yelling at each other never gets old; "Hey, a dinosaur!" made me chuckle; THE PLACE TO BE; The Maestro's pants trick; Jerry's line about George taking his dolly and going home; The Doll yelling at George at the restaurant and then Deena and Ruthie catching him is so fantastic; Estelle walking in on the Maestro conducting the billiard lesson; Jerry's disappointed "oh" when Sally answers the phone; Kramer using the Maestro's baton to clean up at pool; Elaine butchering the other guy's name; Jerry sitting in his boxers in the dressing room; Jerry having no material and the other guy ruining his pants right as the PA tells him he is due up on set is perfect and a rare moment where Jerry comes out on the shit end; Frank destroying the Estelle doll was such a great payoff to the whole episode; Frank's failed visit to Tuscany wraps things up nicely
What Didn't Work
Sigh, Sally; How did they get the pool table in that tiny room?
Key Character Debuts
- Sally Weaver
- The Place to Be
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "So, I was wondering, would it be okay if I turned your room into a billiard parlor?" - Frank "A billiard parlor?" - George "Regulation table, the hi-fi, maybe even a bar.. Give it real authenticity." - Frank
- "So, you weren't born here?" - Elaine "No. That's why I can never be president.. It always irked me. That's why, even at an early age, I had no interest in politics. I refuse to vote. They don't want me, I don't want them!" - Frank
- "You know the Three Tenors?" - Elaine "Yeah... Pavarotti... Domingo.. and... uh... the other guy." - George "The other guy." - Elaine
- "What is this stuff? Why do we need this stuff?... And why do they make it so small...?" - Kramer "Where's the punchline?" - Jerry "It's all attitude..." - Kramer
- "You like to gamble, Cosmo?" - Frank
- "Yeah, Frank here - he's got his own billiard room." - Kramer "Yes, It's, uh, it's.. uh, uh.. What do you call it, Kramer?" - Frank "A billiard room." - Kramer "No, not billiard... Not billiards... it was... Come on, already. Come on..." - Frank "What?" - Kramer "We call it... the, uh..." - Frank "The Place To Be!" - Kramer "The place to be! Yes! It's the place to be."- Frank "Ah, then I shall be there." - Maestro
- "Jerry, come on. If my mother keeps shrinking, this is exactly what she's gonna look like in ten years!" - George "Why don't you just get rid of it?" - Jerry "I tried! I almost threw it down the incinerator, but I couldn't do it. The guilt was too overwhelming. Susan's too attached to the thing." - George "Wait, where are you going? Don't take your dolly and go home." - Jerry
- "Now this is remarkable. I'm lounging, and yet, my pants remain perfectly creased." - Kramer
- "I've seen that man in Tuscany. Eccentric fellow. Reputation of being kind of a village idiot." - Maestro "I still say we're related." - Frank
Oddities & Fun Facts
- We last saw The Maestro in The Maestro (S7, E3)
- Deena's comment about George belonging in a sanitarium is a callback to The Gum (S7, E10)
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
This is another iconic episode, and not just because it spawned an empire, but also because it is really damn funny and very well written. The Doll gag was quite inspired and I loved that only George and Frank truly recognized the resemblance and were haunted by it. Plus, Susan was kept to a minimum, which made her more tolerable than normal. The Costanzas are always amazing and they were supported quite strongly by Kramer and The Maestro throughout. Tack on a fun C-plot with Jerry and Sally and there were no holes here at all. I do think it falls just a tad short of the all time pantheon greats, but it is about as close as you can get. Ah, fuck it. It is awesomely perfect. We call it the... uh... Final Grade: 10/10
Best Character
Frank. It was always meant to be Frank. He owns the Place to Be, we are just borrowing it from the legend.
Best Storyline
THE PLACE TO BE. An iconic scene, from the room being too small, to the pants hanging up, to Estelle catching the boys canoodling, to THE PLACE TO BE. The Doll stuff was fantastic too, especially George being freaked out in bed and Frank tearing its head off.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
I've never understood the role of a conductor. Can the band really not play the fucking song because a stick is bent? Give me a break...sack up and play the stupid Vivaldi.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
George should have gotten hammered and included the doll into a three way with Susan. Exorcise all the demons at once, Georgie Boy. Relationship Grade: 3/10
What Worked:
George making Elaine sit down to eat; The Maestro returns!; The Search of Cousin Carlo Costanza; The stewardess jamming Jerry's bag into the overhead always makes me laugh; Jerry being out of material and Kramer trying to create some for him, "It's all attitude"; The billiard room is amazing and I love it is too small right out of the gate; Those scary ass dolls, especially the Estelle Doll camping out in bed; Frank and Elaine yelling at each other never gets old; "Hey, a dinosaur!" made me chuckle; THE PLACE TO BE; The Maestro's pants trick; Jerry's line about George taking his dolly and going home; The Doll yelling at George at the restaurant and then Deena and Ruthie catching him is so fantastic; Estelle walking in on the Maestro conducting the billiard lesson; Jerry's disappointed "oh" when Sally answers the phone; Kramer using the Maestro's baton to clean up at pool; Elaine butchering the other guy's name; Jerry sitting in his boxers in the dressing room; Jerry having no material and the other guy ruining his pants right as the PA tells him he is due up on set is perfect and a rare moment where Jerry comes out on the shit end; Frank destroying the Estelle doll was such a great payoff to the whole episode; Frank's failed visit to Tuscany wraps things up nicely
What Didn't Work
Sigh, Sally; How did they get the pool table in that tiny room?
Key Character Debuts
- Sally Weaver
- The Place to Be
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "So, I was wondering, would it be okay if I turned your room into a billiard parlor?" - Frank "A billiard parlor?" - George "Regulation table, the hi-fi, maybe even a bar.. Give it real authenticity." - Frank
- "So, you weren't born here?" - Elaine "No. That's why I can never be president.. It always irked me. That's why, even at an early age, I had no interest in politics. I refuse to vote. They don't want me, I don't want them!" - Frank
- "You know the Three Tenors?" - Elaine "Yeah... Pavarotti... Domingo.. and... uh... the other guy." - George "The other guy." - Elaine
- "What is this stuff? Why do we need this stuff?... And why do they make it so small...?" - Kramer "Where's the punchline?" - Jerry "It's all attitude..." - Kramer
- "You like to gamble, Cosmo?" - Frank
- "Yeah, Frank here - he's got his own billiard room." - Kramer "Yes, It's, uh, it's.. uh, uh.. What do you call it, Kramer?" - Frank "A billiard room." - Kramer "No, not billiard... Not billiards... it was... Come on, already. Come on..." - Frank "What?" - Kramer "We call it... the, uh..." - Frank "The Place To Be!" - Kramer "The place to be! Yes! It's the place to be."- Frank "Ah, then I shall be there." - Maestro
- "Jerry, come on. If my mother keeps shrinking, this is exactly what she's gonna look like in ten years!" - George "Why don't you just get rid of it?" - Jerry "I tried! I almost threw it down the incinerator, but I couldn't do it. The guilt was too overwhelming. Susan's too attached to the thing." - George "Wait, where are you going? Don't take your dolly and go home." - Jerry
- "Now this is remarkable. I'm lounging, and yet, my pants remain perfectly creased." - Kramer
- "I've seen that man in Tuscany. Eccentric fellow. Reputation of being kind of a village idiot." - Maestro "I still say we're related." - Frank
Oddities & Fun Facts
- We last saw The Maestro in The Maestro (S7, E3)
- Deena's comment about George belonging in a sanitarium is a callback to The Gum (S7, E10)
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
This is another iconic episode, and not just because it spawned an empire, but also because it is really damn funny and very well written. The Doll gag was quite inspired and I loved that only George and Frank truly recognized the resemblance and were haunted by it. Plus, Susan was kept to a minimum, which made her more tolerable than normal. The Costanzas are always amazing and they were supported quite strongly by Kramer and The Maestro throughout. Tack on a fun C-plot with Jerry and Sally and there were no holes here at all. I do think it falls just a tad short of the all time pantheon greats, but it is about as close as you can get. Ah, fuck it. It is awesomely perfect. We call it the... uh... Final Grade: 10/10
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