JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
Kramer was amazing throughout this whole thing. The start of the story was a bit contrived but once he got that old TV set into his apartment, the magic flowed through him. It was an inspired performance as he lived inside his own little old school TV world, creating an entire production out of nothing that eventually became too much to handle. Dance like nobody is watching, they say? How about cos-play Merv Griffin when nobody is watching, budro.
Best Storyline
This was a nice bounce back across the board but the Merv Griffin stuff takes it for me. Kramer was awesome as he went through all the stages of hosting a talk show, from excited, to serious, to depressed to... edgy? All of his small tics and quips while navigating through the every day updates of his friends carried the episode. It was a fresh, unique idea that still fit within Kramer's personality.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should you drug a woman to play with her toy collection? That would be a no, Jerome.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
I am glad they didn't have Elaine just start hooking up or falling for Lou. It was nice to see her in a non sexual relationship storyline for a change. Relationship Grade: Tic/Tac
What Worked:
I enjoyed the inane Cain and Abel conversation to open the show; "Merv Griffin's cigar" cracked me up too; Jerry cutting Celia's sad story off to celebrate her toys is perfect Jerry; Kramer immediately acting like a TV show host is tremendous; Kramer hitting zingers and playing the entrance music cracks me up every time; And then him sitting and having a snack during "commercial" and saying "ok we're back" is an all timer; Peterman trashing Lou's work was funny; George was vintage Costanza at the vet office: cheap and whipped; As dark as the whole thing is, the scene with George and Jerry force feeding Celia wine and turkey was well executed; Newman's wax bean tale; George getting changed by his parents on the home movie
What Didn't Work
Lou Filerman... eh; Fuck Jerry for mocking Hakuna Matata and Cup O' Soup; I love the concept and it goes glorious places but how does Kramer fit the entire TV set in his living room?; Miranda is annoying AF, George should have just bailed; Celia had to catch on to this scheme at some point, right? How much turkey and wine can she ingest before it clicks?; Also, I appreciate them trying to tie everything together, but Elaine bringing Lou to Celia's was overkill at the end and made Celia look even dumber
Key Character Debuts
- Miranda
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "Look at this. Boy, one minute Elliot Gould is sitting on you and the next thing - you're yesterday's trash." - Kramer
- "Oh, the sex is wild but she's got this incredible toy collection and she won't let me near it!" - Jerry
- "Wha-You never see him. He sidled me again in my office. I was sitting there making Cup-A-Soup singing that song from "The Lion King". - Elaine "Hakuna Matata?" - Jerry "I thought I was alone." - Elaine "That doesn't make it right." - Jerry
- "You, sidle? Y-You ... you stomp around like a Clydesdale!" - Jerry
- "I don't get these birds! They're breaking the deal. It-it's like the pigeons decided to ignore me!" - George "So they're like everyone else." - Jerry
- "So when I saw George on the street with an 18 pound turkey and a giant box of wine, I thought: ... What a coincidence. We're just about to eat." - Jerry
- "Lately, though, I've been, uh, - I've been buying the generic brand of waxed beans. You know, I rip of the label… I can hardly tell the difference." - Newman
- "Oh, we're discharging the squirrel. We think he'll be better off at home." - Doctor "He has no home. He's a squirrel." - George "Hmm-hm. Your home, Mister Costanza. Just make sure he gets his medicine six times a day and keep his tail elevated." - Doctor
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Wild Kingdom's Jim Fowler plays himself on the set
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Last episode we talked about how the characters were doing stuff outside of the scope of their normal behavior. That was all corrected here as even though these stories were a bit outlandish, all of the actions were solidly within their personalities. Jerry is definitely the type of man-child that would go to great lengths to play with toys. George is the type of pussy whipped loser that would become caretaker to a squirrel just to be with an attractive woman. Elaine dealing with workplace nonsense is right in her wheelhouse and Kramer, well, this storyline was perfect Cosmo. I am prepared to be told I am overrating this one, but the Merv Griffin stuff is some of all time favorite Seinfeld foolishness: in that sweet spot of nonsensical but sensical within the universe. Kramer was pitch perfect throughout it all and this may be one of his finest episodes as a character. Final Grade: 8/10
Best Character
Kramer was amazing throughout this whole thing. The start of the story was a bit contrived but once he got that old TV set into his apartment, the magic flowed through him. It was an inspired performance as he lived inside his own little old school TV world, creating an entire production out of nothing that eventually became too much to handle. Dance like nobody is watching, they say? How about cos-play Merv Griffin when nobody is watching, budro.
Best Storyline
This was a nice bounce back across the board but the Merv Griffin stuff takes it for me. Kramer was awesome as he went through all the stages of hosting a talk show, from excited, to serious, to depressed to... edgy? All of his small tics and quips while navigating through the every day updates of his friends carried the episode. It was a fresh, unique idea that still fit within Kramer's personality.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should you drug a woman to play with her toy collection? That would be a no, Jerome.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
I am glad they didn't have Elaine just start hooking up or falling for Lou. It was nice to see her in a non sexual relationship storyline for a change. Relationship Grade: Tic/Tac
What Worked:
I enjoyed the inane Cain and Abel conversation to open the show; "Merv Griffin's cigar" cracked me up too; Jerry cutting Celia's sad story off to celebrate her toys is perfect Jerry; Kramer immediately acting like a TV show host is tremendous; Kramer hitting zingers and playing the entrance music cracks me up every time; And then him sitting and having a snack during "commercial" and saying "ok we're back" is an all timer; Peterman trashing Lou's work was funny; George was vintage Costanza at the vet office: cheap and whipped; As dark as the whole thing is, the scene with George and Jerry force feeding Celia wine and turkey was well executed; Newman's wax bean tale; George getting changed by his parents on the home movie
What Didn't Work
Lou Filerman... eh; Fuck Jerry for mocking Hakuna Matata and Cup O' Soup; I love the concept and it goes glorious places but how does Kramer fit the entire TV set in his living room?; Miranda is annoying AF, George should have just bailed; Celia had to catch on to this scheme at some point, right? How much turkey and wine can she ingest before it clicks?; Also, I appreciate them trying to tie everything together, but Elaine bringing Lou to Celia's was overkill at the end and made Celia look even dumber
Key Character Debuts
- Miranda
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "Look at this. Boy, one minute Elliot Gould is sitting on you and the next thing - you're yesterday's trash." - Kramer
- "Oh, the sex is wild but she's got this incredible toy collection and she won't let me near it!" - Jerry
- "Wha-You never see him. He sidled me again in my office. I was sitting there making Cup-A-Soup singing that song from "The Lion King". - Elaine "Hakuna Matata?" - Jerry "I thought I was alone." - Elaine "That doesn't make it right." - Jerry
- "You, sidle? Y-You ... you stomp around like a Clydesdale!" - Jerry
- "I don't get these birds! They're breaking the deal. It-it's like the pigeons decided to ignore me!" - George "So they're like everyone else." - Jerry
- "So when I saw George on the street with an 18 pound turkey and a giant box of wine, I thought: ... What a coincidence. We're just about to eat." - Jerry
- "Lately, though, I've been, uh, - I've been buying the generic brand of waxed beans. You know, I rip of the label… I can hardly tell the difference." - Newman
- "Oh, we're discharging the squirrel. We think he'll be better off at home." - Doctor "He has no home. He's a squirrel." - George "Hmm-hm. Your home, Mister Costanza. Just make sure he gets his medicine six times a day and keep his tail elevated." - Doctor
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Wild Kingdom's Jim Fowler plays himself on the set
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Last episode we talked about how the characters were doing stuff outside of the scope of their normal behavior. That was all corrected here as even though these stories were a bit outlandish, all of the actions were solidly within their personalities. Jerry is definitely the type of man-child that would go to great lengths to play with toys. George is the type of pussy whipped loser that would become caretaker to a squirrel just to be with an attractive woman. Elaine dealing with workplace nonsense is right in her wheelhouse and Kramer, well, this storyline was perfect Cosmo. I am prepared to be told I am overrating this one, but the Merv Griffin stuff is some of all time favorite Seinfeld foolishness: in that sweet spot of nonsensical but sensical within the universe. Kramer was pitch perfect throughout it all and this may be one of his finest episodes as a character. Final Grade: 8/10
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