Seinfeld: The Series Rewatch - "The Pool Guy" (S7, E8)

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

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Best Character

A lot of good choices yet again. Elaine had some really funny one liners sprinkled throughout and George slowly melting down while his worlds collide was fantastic but I will go with Kramer. I love how cooly he told Jerry he fucked up with the world's theory and then his descent into becoming MovieFone was really well done. Honestly, it was well ahead of its time, like he was catfishing people and honing his fake character to insane levels, honestly believing he had become MovieFone.

Best Storyline

Kramer's MovieFone catfish gimmick gave me a lot of laughs but George's worlds colliding rang very true on many levels and had some great lines and jokes from everyone involved.

Ethical Dilemma of the Week

Jerry and Newman were real pieces of shit when they were willing to let Ramon perish due to latent homophobia. Not even a dilemma this time around, save the guy's life!

Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)

Independent George and Relationship George need to find a happy medium. He can't keep his two halves apart forever. They combined make one superior George and he needs to embrace the divide instead of driving a wedge further into it. Bring Bawdy George and Baby Bluey together for the good of your sanity! Relationship Grade: Chunnel/10

What Worked:

"Gorgeous George" and "Mano a Baldo"; Kramer stuffing Jerry's sandwich down his throat and saying his full; Kramer illustrating the world's theory with the exploding sandwich; Kramer's "deep end" line; Ramon offering the napkins to Jerry as in icebreaker; "I'm FILK?"; The pool boy excitedly asking Jerry if he was going to visit Ramon; Jerry's description of girl stuff; Elaine's "I don't really give a shit"; Kramer becoming the movie guy is a great storyline; Kramer's "What's the matter with you" when Jerry refuses to talk to the caller; Elaine immediately leaving after she told Jerry she would stick around; The Independent George speech to Jerry is a killer; Kramer's full on MovieFone spiel; Newman's towel bounty; Great Reggie's callback; Newman's bathing suit; Elaine asking Susan if she should sign the note with "love" always gets me; Her ordering "two adults, one child" for the movie tickets was great too; George calling FILK is an all timer; "What is he doing in the Chunnel?"

What Didn't Work

What is with Elaine's pajamas, are they from the historical exhibit?; How did Ramon get up to the apartment so quickly after buzzing?; Ramon is a real weird dude and his Lloyd Christmas haircut doesn't help; I can't stand the way Susan says "Hey Georgie Boy"; It's delivered in a funny way but Newman and Jerry refusing to do mouth-to-mouth on a potentially dying man is real next level dickhead stuff; Chill out Susan

Key Character Debuts

- Ramon

Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes

- "So. Listen ... You're not doing anything tomorrow, are you? Because I have an extra ticket to the historical clothing exhibit at the Met." - Elaine "I’m sorry." - Jerry "George?" "Would I want to see what Mary Todd wore to Lincoln's funeral?" - George
- "Oh, no, of course you don't. You're a Man's Woman. You hate other women, and they hate you." - Kramer
- "There's nothing more pathetic, than a grown man, who’s afraid of a woman." - Kramer
- "Hey well, ah, stay out of the deep end, eh." - Ramon "OK, see you later." - Jerry "What's in the deep end?" - Kramer
- "She was looking for someone to go to the show with." - Jerry "Well that was a really stupid thing!" - George
- "Oh, I don't know, you know, girlie stuff." - Elaine "Ah, so, ah, flower shows and, shopping for pretty bows, and then back to her place, strip down to bra and panties for a tickle fight?" - Jerry "That's really what you think girls do, isn't it?" - Elaine "Yes, I do." - Jerry
- "This is not good. World's are colliding! George is getting upset!" - George
- "Ah you have no idea of the magnitude of this thing. If she is allowed to infiltrate this world, then George Costanza as you know him, Ceases to Exist! You see, right now, I have Relationship George, but there is also Independent George. That's the George you know, the George you grew up with -- Movie George, Coffee shop George, Liar George, Bawdy George." - George "I, I love that George." - Jerry "Me Too! And he's Dying Jerry! If Relationship George walks through this door, he will Kill Independent George! A George, divided against itself, Cannot Stand! You're Killing Independent George! You know that, don't you?" - George
- "Hewwo and welcome to Movie phone. Brought to you by the New York Times and Hot 97. Coming to theaters this Friday ... Kevin Bacon, Susan Sarandon -- “You've got to get me over that mountain!” “Now” [bang, bang] “AHHHHHHHHHH” There is no place higher than ... Mountain High. Rated R. If you know the name of the movie you'd like to see, press 1." - Kramer "Kramer, is that you?" - Elaine "Elaine?" - Kramer "Uh, what time does Chow Fun start?" - Elaine "I don't know." - Kramer
- "Why don't you just tell me where you want to see the movie?" - Kramer

Oddities & Fun Facts

- George referring to himself in the third person is a callback to "The Jimmy" (S6, E19)

Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)

I thought this one started a little slow but really picked up when Kramer got into the MovieFone stuff. Susan was really annoying again here but I guess that is the idea. The world's colliding stuff is classic and the interaction between George and Kramer over the phone delivers every time. Ramon was a weirdo and that storyline got dark fast but the one liners came fast and furious throughout and buoyed this one up a bit. Not my favorite of

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