JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
I am going with the George and Kramer duo here. George was at his best throughout, fretting over all the money he has to spend on meaningless gifts and Kramer spewing wisdom and channeling his inner svengali was tremendous as well. I loved them together at the wheelchair store and the more screen time they get together in these episodes, the better and better their chemistry and timing gets. I have to give shoutouts to Frank Costanza, an immediate force of nature, and the salesman, who was great with his quick delivery and pitches.
Best Storyline
The whole handicap spot fiasco was great. I love that their shit luck led to the injury, I love George's rant on the lazy handicapped woman in the bakery, I love the plotting, Kramer's brief love affair, all of it. It all crests with Frank getting arrested and forcing George to be his butler.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should you park in a handicap spot if you are not handicapped? Probably not. I am surprised the crew missed the potentially easy way out by just coming to the car and having one of them pretending to be handicapped and just acting like they forgot their tag. I said too much...
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
Kramer and Lola seemed meant to be. He was ready to put a ring on it. What happened? Why did it go so sour so quickly? Must be her rich family driving the wedge in between them. Kramer did nothing but shower love and wheelchairs on her and she paid him back with scorn. Relationship Grade: Rollin'/10
What Worked
George's rant on presents is great; The Drake; Isosceles Kramer; Kramer's suggestion to buy a house for them to all live in was a fantastic idea; Kramer's take on the handicap spot was pretty intriguing; I love the callback about remembering where the car is parked; Frank Costanza is amazing immediately; Estelle and her mahjong friends are well portrayed; Kramer's guilt trip on George to buy the wheelchair was tremendous; The salesman was perfect casting and the whole scene at the store was really well done; Elaine and Jerry's callous reaction to the crumbling of the Drakes; Jerry and Elaine brooding about the breakup to the point that they think it's a scam was funny; The God Blessing line always made me laugh; Poor Frank; Nice payoff with George having to become Frank's butler and the big screen TV gift; Lola deserved what she got
What Didn't Work
Where were the security guards in the parking lot of the mall; Jerry and Elaine gloating over their great gift was overbearing and kind of odd; The fact that the wheelchair would break and the big screen TV would be given to Lola while George happened to be at the house was all linked a bit too easily; The Drake is a pussy
Key Character Debuts
- Frank Costanza
- The Drake
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "The better looking they are, the faster they go! I mean, I see they out there on the street, they're zooming around, like a blur. Like they have a motor on their ass." - George
- "It never ends, this present stuff! Engagement present! Then they get married, you gonna have to get them something for that! Then the baby, there's another present. Then the baby starts getting their presents. I don't even like Drake." - George "You don't like the Drake?" - Jerry "Hate the Drake." - George "I love the Drake." - Kramer "How could you not like the Drake?" - Jerry "Who's the Drake?" - George "Who's the Drake?" - Elaine "The Drake is good!" - Jerry
- "That's a nice triangle..." - Kramer "It's Isosceles" - Jerry "Ooh, Isosceles. I love the name Isosceles. If I had a kid, I would name him Isosceles. Isosceles Kramer." - Kramer
- "No, no, no. Out of the question. I was over there today. He's got the good spot in front of the good building in the good neighbourhood. I know he's not gonna wanna move." - George
- "Have you ever seen a handicapped person pull into a space and park?" - Kramer "Well there's spaces there, they must drive!" - Jerry "Well they don't. If they could drive, they wouldn't be handicapped." - Kramer
- "Must be one of those rich, spoiled handicapped people, who didn't want to do any work, and just wanted to sit in her wheelchair and take it easy. " - George
- "Frank, the important thing is, he didn't get hurt!" - Estelle's Friend "No it isn't!" - Frank
- "Well, I don't know if I'm happy for them, I mean I'm glad they're happy, but, frankly, that doesn't do anything for me." - Jerry
- George's father Frank is introduced
- "She's got everything I've always wanted in another human being. Except for the walking." - Kramer "Oh, what's the difference, you don't go out that much." - Jerry
- "Well, you know I went to the hospital today, and I saw the woman, you know, and the wheelchair is totalled, we gotta get her another one!" - Kramer "Doesn't she have collision?" - George
- "This is out best model. The Cougar 9000. It's the Rolls Royce of wheelchairs. This is like... you're almost glad to be handicapped." - Salesman
- "Boy, I am really starting to dislike the Drake!" - Elaine "I hate the Drake!" - Jerry
- "So you see George, the whole incident was a God blessing! Yeah!" - Kramer "You mean a blessing in disguise?" - George
- "George, am I beautiful?" - Kramer "...You're very attractive..." - George
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Elaine ordered a veggie burger at the mall
- The Drew Carey Show's Kathy Kinney plays a mob member
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Another surprisingly good episode here. I knew there were funny bits mixed in before I turned it on, but it was pretty consistently funny throughout. Frank Costanza is amazing right out of the gate, stealing any scene he is in with his charisma and insanity. George and Kramer were top notch too, and I really loved the scene at the wheelchair store. I think there was maybe a bit too much tying everything together here, with the big screen TV and busted wheelchair colliding in the final scenes, but outside of that there was a lot to enjoy in this one but the heightened curve for this show affects it. Final Grade: 6/10
Best Character
I am going with the George and Kramer duo here. George was at his best throughout, fretting over all the money he has to spend on meaningless gifts and Kramer spewing wisdom and channeling his inner svengali was tremendous as well. I loved them together at the wheelchair store and the more screen time they get together in these episodes, the better and better their chemistry and timing gets. I have to give shoutouts to Frank Costanza, an immediate force of nature, and the salesman, who was great with his quick delivery and pitches.
Best Storyline
The whole handicap spot fiasco was great. I love that their shit luck led to the injury, I love George's rant on the lazy handicapped woman in the bakery, I love the plotting, Kramer's brief love affair, all of it. It all crests with Frank getting arrested and forcing George to be his butler.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should you park in a handicap spot if you are not handicapped? Probably not. I am surprised the crew missed the potentially easy way out by just coming to the car and having one of them pretending to be handicapped and just acting like they forgot their tag. I said too much...
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
Kramer and Lola seemed meant to be. He was ready to put a ring on it. What happened? Why did it go so sour so quickly? Must be her rich family driving the wedge in between them. Kramer did nothing but shower love and wheelchairs on her and she paid him back with scorn. Relationship Grade: Rollin'/10
What Worked
George's rant on presents is great; The Drake; Isosceles Kramer; Kramer's suggestion to buy a house for them to all live in was a fantastic idea; Kramer's take on the handicap spot was pretty intriguing; I love the callback about remembering where the car is parked; Frank Costanza is amazing immediately; Estelle and her mahjong friends are well portrayed; Kramer's guilt trip on George to buy the wheelchair was tremendous; The salesman was perfect casting and the whole scene at the store was really well done; Elaine and Jerry's callous reaction to the crumbling of the Drakes; Jerry and Elaine brooding about the breakup to the point that they think it's a scam was funny; The God Blessing line always made me laugh; Poor Frank; Nice payoff with George having to become Frank's butler and the big screen TV gift; Lola deserved what she got
What Didn't Work
Where were the security guards in the parking lot of the mall; Jerry and Elaine gloating over their great gift was overbearing and kind of odd; The fact that the wheelchair would break and the big screen TV would be given to Lola while George happened to be at the house was all linked a bit too easily; The Drake is a pussy
Key Character Debuts
- Frank Costanza
- The Drake
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "The better looking they are, the faster they go! I mean, I see they out there on the street, they're zooming around, like a blur. Like they have a motor on their ass." - George
- "It never ends, this present stuff! Engagement present! Then they get married, you gonna have to get them something for that! Then the baby, there's another present. Then the baby starts getting their presents. I don't even like Drake." - George "You don't like the Drake?" - Jerry "Hate the Drake." - George "I love the Drake." - Kramer "How could you not like the Drake?" - Jerry "Who's the Drake?" - George "Who's the Drake?" - Elaine "The Drake is good!" - Jerry
- "That's a nice triangle..." - Kramer "It's Isosceles" - Jerry "Ooh, Isosceles. I love the name Isosceles. If I had a kid, I would name him Isosceles. Isosceles Kramer." - Kramer
- "No, no, no. Out of the question. I was over there today. He's got the good spot in front of the good building in the good neighbourhood. I know he's not gonna wanna move." - George
- "Have you ever seen a handicapped person pull into a space and park?" - Kramer "Well there's spaces there, they must drive!" - Jerry "Well they don't. If they could drive, they wouldn't be handicapped." - Kramer
- "Must be one of those rich, spoiled handicapped people, who didn't want to do any work, and just wanted to sit in her wheelchair and take it easy. " - George
- "Frank, the important thing is, he didn't get hurt!" - Estelle's Friend "No it isn't!" - Frank
- "Well, I don't know if I'm happy for them, I mean I'm glad they're happy, but, frankly, that doesn't do anything for me." - Jerry
- George's father Frank is introduced
- "She's got everything I've always wanted in another human being. Except for the walking." - Kramer "Oh, what's the difference, you don't go out that much." - Jerry
- "Well, you know I went to the hospital today, and I saw the woman, you know, and the wheelchair is totalled, we gotta get her another one!" - Kramer "Doesn't she have collision?" - George
- "This is out best model. The Cougar 9000. It's the Rolls Royce of wheelchairs. This is like... you're almost glad to be handicapped." - Salesman
- "Boy, I am really starting to dislike the Drake!" - Elaine "I hate the Drake!" - Jerry
- "So you see George, the whole incident was a God blessing! Yeah!" - Kramer "You mean a blessing in disguise?" - George
- "George, am I beautiful?" - Kramer "...You're very attractive..." - George
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Elaine ordered a veggie burger at the mall
- The Drew Carey Show's Kathy Kinney plays a mob member
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Another surprisingly good episode here. I knew there were funny bits mixed in before I turned it on, but it was pretty consistently funny throughout. Frank Costanza is amazing right out of the gate, stealing any scene he is in with his charisma and insanity. George and Kramer were top notch too, and I really loved the scene at the wheelchair store. I think there was maybe a bit too much tying everything together here, with the big screen TV and busted wheelchair colliding in the final scenes, but outside of that there was a lot to enjoy in this one but the heightened curve for this show affects it. Final Grade: 6/10
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