JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
Kramer takes this one in a walk for me. George was solid, but even in very limited appearances, Kramer was great., We got his perverse joy in the stock tanking and Jerry losing money proving him right, him selling his new tie dispenser business idea and his spying on women with the binoculars from the apartment window. It is good to see him quickly progressing from brooding Kessler to energetic Kramer so early on.
Best Storyline
The debate to sell the stock was the main story here and nothing else was really fleshed out enough to matter. There were some funny spots throughout and it was timely to the era, but this was my least favorite main story of the series so far. Jerry's obsessing rang true but it was silly seeing him stupidly checking different newspapers and expecting different results. This is a story that would have been easier to pull off once CNBC or the internet were more in vogue.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
How soon is too soon for a vacation in a new relationship? For Jerry and Vanessa it seemingly was much too soon...or perhaps it was just the wrong kind of vacation for them to give a go. Vanessa didn't seem like the type to enjoy a Vermont B&B and it seemed more like a reason to show that Jerry was still mixed up with trying to impress a woman like Elaine as opposed to Vanessa. I was prepared to include George going to the hospital to confront Wilkinson about the stock, but that fell really flat, especially when it turned out that Wilkinson had only had a nose job and wasn't sick or anything.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
This relationship tanked hard after a good first go around a few episodes ago. Their interaction in the supermarket was good so I thought that chemistry and flirtation would still be strong but shit turned dark in Vermont, especially when she basically said Jerry booked a crappy hotel because he lost his money in the stock market. I liked Vanessa in her debut. I did not enjoy her here at all and am glad Jerry is moving on. Relationship Grade: 2/10
What Worked
We get the real start of the traditional Seinfeld random conversation with the opening scene in the cafe when the group talks Superman, missing grapes and tuna sandwiches; Jerry & George easily had the best and most immediate chemistry here in season one and their argument at the dry cleaner was proof of that; despite his success, Cheap George rears his head at the end when takes a dollar back off his tip to the waitress after reviewing the bill.
What Didn't Work
Justin: Somebody needs to really talk to Elaine about her wardrobe because the hippie look was atrocious. Elaine is someone that should be viewed as more a classic beauty, not a hippie slob like she has been here so far. The show still hasn't been able to seamlessly blend multiple story lines, meaning stories with potential they don't all feel like they get the full attention. Part of that may be due to some scenes ambling on a bit too long, eating up time that could be used to flesh out the B stories; George winning and having success still feels wrong.
Key Character Debuts
None
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- First mention of Superman by Jerry
- Vanessa is first recurring love interest
- Jerry arguing with the dry cleaner about his shrunken shirt
- Elaine teases putting a hit on cats; not the last time she has this idea with an annoying animal
Oddities & Fun Facts
- George has $5,000 saved to invest in stocks
- Jerry maps out his road trip to Vermont with a map and highlighter
- George smoking a cigar inside the diner
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Season one wraps up with a whimper. This was my least favorite episode of the season as nothing besides Jerry & George seemed to really click. Kramer was great but wasn't involved nearly enough to make much of a dent. Elaine felt lost in the shuffle and Vanessa was a dud in her second showing. The stock story could have really popped but things just meandered on too much. Other than that, there is not much at all to see here. Final Grade: 2/10
Best Character
Kramer takes this one in a walk for me. George was solid, but even in very limited appearances, Kramer was great., We got his perverse joy in the stock tanking and Jerry losing money proving him right, him selling his new tie dispenser business idea and his spying on women with the binoculars from the apartment window. It is good to see him quickly progressing from brooding Kessler to energetic Kramer so early on.
Best Storyline
The debate to sell the stock was the main story here and nothing else was really fleshed out enough to matter. There were some funny spots throughout and it was timely to the era, but this was my least favorite main story of the series so far. Jerry's obsessing rang true but it was silly seeing him stupidly checking different newspapers and expecting different results. This is a story that would have been easier to pull off once CNBC or the internet were more in vogue.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
How soon is too soon for a vacation in a new relationship? For Jerry and Vanessa it seemingly was much too soon...or perhaps it was just the wrong kind of vacation for them to give a go. Vanessa didn't seem like the type to enjoy a Vermont B&B and it seemed more like a reason to show that Jerry was still mixed up with trying to impress a woman like Elaine as opposed to Vanessa. I was prepared to include George going to the hospital to confront Wilkinson about the stock, but that fell really flat, especially when it turned out that Wilkinson had only had a nose job and wasn't sick or anything.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
This relationship tanked hard after a good first go around a few episodes ago. Their interaction in the supermarket was good so I thought that chemistry and flirtation would still be strong but shit turned dark in Vermont, especially when she basically said Jerry booked a crappy hotel because he lost his money in the stock market. I liked Vanessa in her debut. I did not enjoy her here at all and am glad Jerry is moving on. Relationship Grade: 2/10
What Worked
We get the real start of the traditional Seinfeld random conversation with the opening scene in the cafe when the group talks Superman, missing grapes and tuna sandwiches; Jerry & George easily had the best and most immediate chemistry here in season one and their argument at the dry cleaner was proof of that; despite his success, Cheap George rears his head at the end when takes a dollar back off his tip to the waitress after reviewing the bill.
What Didn't Work
Justin: Somebody needs to really talk to Elaine about her wardrobe because the hippie look was atrocious. Elaine is someone that should be viewed as more a classic beauty, not a hippie slob like she has been here so far. The show still hasn't been able to seamlessly blend multiple story lines, meaning stories with potential they don't all feel like they get the full attention. Part of that may be due to some scenes ambling on a bit too long, eating up time that could be used to flesh out the B stories; George winning and having success still feels wrong.
Key Character Debuts
None
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- First mention of Superman by Jerry
- Vanessa is first recurring love interest
- Jerry arguing with the dry cleaner about his shrunken shirt
- Elaine teases putting a hit on cats; not the last time she has this idea with an annoying animal
Oddities & Fun Facts
- George has $5,000 saved to invest in stocks
- Jerry maps out his road trip to Vermont with a map and highlighter
- George smoking a cigar inside the diner
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Season one wraps up with a whimper. This was my least favorite episode of the season as nothing besides Jerry & George seemed to really click. Kramer was great but wasn't involved nearly enough to make much of a dent. Elaine felt lost in the shuffle and Vanessa was a dud in her second showing. The stock story could have really popped but things just meandered on too much. Other than that, there is not much at all to see here. Final Grade: 2/10
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