JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
I thought this was a strong showing for everyone but Kramer nudged out the rest for me. I still lose it when he snaps the beef jerky into the back of that dude's head and him riding the back of the accidental Tony to a life of excitement was perfect for him. Jerry, George and Elaine all deserve praise here too.
Best Storyline
I liked the Jerry & Lanette stuff the best. George spending his summer as a dating intern was funny stuff and I love that they still failed in the end. Plus Lyle was awesome and Lanette is a smokeshow. "HEY JER! WHAT'S UP!"
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should you tell a coworker that you barely know about their deficiencies as a normal human being? Probably not. Just let them vent and move along... not worth the potential cat fighting, Laney.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
Lanette was worth dealing with Lyle too. Good work keeping up that pursuit Jerry. Hache mache! Relationship Grade: 10 Towels/10
What Worked:
I really liked the opening scene, it set up the episode in a funny and organic way and George getting chased by the bee as he celebrated was a nice touch; Elaine's war against cat fighting is a worthy one; Jerry's comment about his suit being a breakaway; Lyle; Kramer as a seat filler was quite inspired; Kramer snapping the beef jerky into the back of the guy's head is an all time scene for me; Jerry asking George if he is still decomposing always gets me; Lyle excitedly saying "What's up" to "Jer" while walking around in his towel was tremendous; George asking if they make swaddling clothes for adults; Lanette congratulating Kramer; Peterman getting excited about the catfight but fucking up the sounds; George as Jerry's relationship intern is another great idea and I liked Jerry thinking he meant a threesome at first; Kramer's uncontrollable excitement over a catfight is good stuff; the invitations callback is tremendous; George stumbling into a frolf game was well done; Jerry's hairless chest is a nice callback too; The cops watching Raquel and Elaine brawl on the street was a fine payoff; I love the last scene and its parallels to the finale of season seven, especially since invitations caused the issues again
What Didn't Work
Why would a guy who worked on Scarsdale Surprise get up and leave when his play was nominated in an upcoming category?; The Raquel Welch not moving her arms story felt a bit force fed; Who is sending out mailed invitations the week of a party? Jerry's date outfit is terrible, the color of his sweater is the least of his problems
Key Character Debuts
- Sam
- Lanette
- Raquel Welch
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "Severance package...The Yankees are giving me three months full pay for doing nothing." - George "They did it for three years. What's another few months." - Jerry "I'm really going to do something with these three months." - George "Like what?" - Jerry "I'm gonna read a book. From beginning to end. In that order." - George "I've always wanted to do that..." - Jerry
- "What's with her arms? They just hang like salamis." - Walter "She walks like orangutan." - Dugan "Better call the zoo." - Elaine
- "How did you get that job?" - Elaine "Mickey, Mickey he hooked me up. He's a member of the academy." - Kramer "What academy?" - Jerry "Well, he didn't say..." - Kramer
- "How do you know it was her dude?" - George "What do you think it could've been just some dude?" - Jerry "Sure, dudes in this town are dime a dozen." - George "I reckon." - Jerry
- "Aah, Jerry I'm not gonna let you bring me down from this high. I've been partying all night. I saw the sunrise at Liza's!" - Kramer "What, Minelli's!?!" - George "No." - Kramer
- "Do they make swaddling clothes for adults?" - George
- "...so I said to him: Arthur, Artie come on, why does the salesman have to die? Change the title; The life of a salesman. That's what people want to see." - Kramer
- "Well, I see what's going on in here. I am smack dab in the middle of a good old fashioned cat fight." - Peterman "Mr. Petermen, this is not a cat fight. This is violent psychotic behavior directed at me all because are told her to swing her arms." - Elaine "Woof!" - Peterman "Do you mean "reer?"" - Elaine "Yes, that's the one! Good day Elaine." - Peterman
- "We don't have it. But maybe the two of us, working together at full capacity, could do the job of one normal man." - Kramer "Then each of us would only have be like a half man. That sounds about right!" - Jerry
- "Because they're terrified of her. I heard from someone that when they cut one of her lines, she climbed up the rope on side of the stage and started dropping lights on peoples heads. Story like that has got to be true." - Kramer "She seems very nice." - Jerry "Jerry, you're not in show business. You don't know what these people are like." - Kramer "I'm in show business." - Jerry "Oh, come on!" - Kramer
- "Well, it seems that due to the vagaries of the production parameters of this fragmenting of the audience to the cable television, carnivals, water parks..." - Kramer "Out with it!" - Raquel "Well, you're fired because you don't move your arms when you tap dance, you're like a gorilla out there I've gotta go..." - Kramer
- "I slipped on the invitations...how's the towels?" - George "Back on the rack." - Jerry "With the two of us?" - George "I think we're still a man short." - Jerry
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Saturday Night Live actress Molly Shannon portrays Sam
- Actress Amanda Peet portrays Lanette
- George shopping for invitations is a call back to The Invitations (S7, E24)
- Raquel Welch portrays herself
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Another season is officially in the books and i think this was a worthy finale to all of the chaos that unfolded here in season eight. Everyone turned in strong performances and all of the guest stars were on point as well. I really liked all of the callbacks peppered in here and all of the ideas were very inspired too. "Summer of George" is a great tagline and the episode also had a few legit laugh out loud moments for me with the beef jerky, Lyle greeting Jerry and Kramer's Liza anecdote. The closing scene was really framed well too, mirroring the exact scene from a year ago. And with that... just one season remains! Final Grade: 8/10
Best Character
I thought this was a strong showing for everyone but Kramer nudged out the rest for me. I still lose it when he snaps the beef jerky into the back of that dude's head and him riding the back of the accidental Tony to a life of excitement was perfect for him. Jerry, George and Elaine all deserve praise here too.
Best Storyline
I liked the Jerry & Lanette stuff the best. George spending his summer as a dating intern was funny stuff and I love that they still failed in the end. Plus Lyle was awesome and Lanette is a smokeshow. "HEY JER! WHAT'S UP!"
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should you tell a coworker that you barely know about their deficiencies as a normal human being? Probably not. Just let them vent and move along... not worth the potential cat fighting, Laney.
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
Lanette was worth dealing with Lyle too. Good work keeping up that pursuit Jerry. Hache mache! Relationship Grade: 10 Towels/10
What Worked:
I really liked the opening scene, it set up the episode in a funny and organic way and George getting chased by the bee as he celebrated was a nice touch; Elaine's war against cat fighting is a worthy one; Jerry's comment about his suit being a breakaway; Lyle; Kramer as a seat filler was quite inspired; Kramer snapping the beef jerky into the back of the guy's head is an all time scene for me; Jerry asking George if he is still decomposing always gets me; Lyle excitedly saying "What's up" to "Jer" while walking around in his towel was tremendous; George asking if they make swaddling clothes for adults; Lanette congratulating Kramer; Peterman getting excited about the catfight but fucking up the sounds; George as Jerry's relationship intern is another great idea and I liked Jerry thinking he meant a threesome at first; Kramer's uncontrollable excitement over a catfight is good stuff; the invitations callback is tremendous; George stumbling into a frolf game was well done; Jerry's hairless chest is a nice callback too; The cops watching Raquel and Elaine brawl on the street was a fine payoff; I love the last scene and its parallels to the finale of season seven, especially since invitations caused the issues again
What Didn't Work
Why would a guy who worked on Scarsdale Surprise get up and leave when his play was nominated in an upcoming category?; The Raquel Welch not moving her arms story felt a bit force fed; Who is sending out mailed invitations the week of a party? Jerry's date outfit is terrible, the color of his sweater is the least of his problems
Key Character Debuts
- Sam
- Lanette
- Raquel Welch
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "Severance package...The Yankees are giving me three months full pay for doing nothing." - George "They did it for three years. What's another few months." - Jerry "I'm really going to do something with these three months." - George "Like what?" - Jerry "I'm gonna read a book. From beginning to end. In that order." - George "I've always wanted to do that..." - Jerry
- "What's with her arms? They just hang like salamis." - Walter "She walks like orangutan." - Dugan "Better call the zoo." - Elaine
- "How did you get that job?" - Elaine "Mickey, Mickey he hooked me up. He's a member of the academy." - Kramer "What academy?" - Jerry "Well, he didn't say..." - Kramer
- "How do you know it was her dude?" - George "What do you think it could've been just some dude?" - Jerry "Sure, dudes in this town are dime a dozen." - George "I reckon." - Jerry
- "Aah, Jerry I'm not gonna let you bring me down from this high. I've been partying all night. I saw the sunrise at Liza's!" - Kramer "What, Minelli's!?!" - George "No." - Kramer
- "Do they make swaddling clothes for adults?" - George
- "...so I said to him: Arthur, Artie come on, why does the salesman have to die? Change the title; The life of a salesman. That's what people want to see." - Kramer
- "Well, I see what's going on in here. I am smack dab in the middle of a good old fashioned cat fight." - Peterman "Mr. Petermen, this is not a cat fight. This is violent psychotic behavior directed at me all because are told her to swing her arms." - Elaine "Woof!" - Peterman "Do you mean "reer?"" - Elaine "Yes, that's the one! Good day Elaine." - Peterman
- "We don't have it. But maybe the two of us, working together at full capacity, could do the job of one normal man." - Kramer "Then each of us would only have be like a half man. That sounds about right!" - Jerry
- "Because they're terrified of her. I heard from someone that when they cut one of her lines, she climbed up the rope on side of the stage and started dropping lights on peoples heads. Story like that has got to be true." - Kramer "She seems very nice." - Jerry "Jerry, you're not in show business. You don't know what these people are like." - Kramer "I'm in show business." - Jerry "Oh, come on!" - Kramer
- "Well, it seems that due to the vagaries of the production parameters of this fragmenting of the audience to the cable television, carnivals, water parks..." - Kramer "Out with it!" - Raquel "Well, you're fired because you don't move your arms when you tap dance, you're like a gorilla out there I've gotta go..." - Kramer
- "I slipped on the invitations...how's the towels?" - George "Back on the rack." - Jerry "With the two of us?" - George "I think we're still a man short." - Jerry
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Saturday Night Live actress Molly Shannon portrays Sam
- Actress Amanda Peet portrays Lanette
- George shopping for invitations is a call back to The Invitations (S7, E24)
- Raquel Welch portrays herself
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
Another season is officially in the books and i think this was a worthy finale to all of the chaos that unfolded here in season eight. Everyone turned in strong performances and all of the guest stars were on point as well. I really liked all of the callbacks peppered in here and all of the ideas were very inspired too. "Summer of George" is a great tagline and the episode also had a few legit laugh out loud moments for me with the beef jerky, Lyle greeting Jerry and Kramer's Liza anecdote. The closing scene was really framed well too, mirroring the exact scene from a year ago. And with that... just one season remains! Final Grade: 8/10
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