JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
I have to go with Jerry here. Elaine almost nabbed it because of how flawless she was throughout the Marla stuff, but Jerry made me laugh out loud throughout as he has gotten really damn good at nailing his quick wit zingers. The delivery here was really fantastic and he was the center of all the madness throughout the episode. Nod of appreciated to George too for his scheming and great switch in attitude after Susan got fired, going from empathetic to ecstatic to depressed all in under two minutes.
Best Storyline
George trying to dump Susan will become a running on and off story for a while, so it was great to see it in its infancy here. Poor Susan. All she does is love. All George does is destroy. I will give an honorable mention to Kramer's TV viewing as well. It wasn't much, but his enthusiasm and questioning was a nice backdrop to everything melting down around him.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should Elaine really have had to apologized for talking about her diaphragm in front of Marla? Marla is obviously a virgin by choice, so it isn't like she should be jealous and angry over it. I guess you could say she was embarrassed, but how would Elaine possibly have known? Give me a break!
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
George and Susan continue to dominate the season and the hits just keep on coming. Can their love survive? Time will tell. And go get her, Jerry. Show her the way. Relationship Grade: Kiss Is On My List/10
What Worked
I am enjoying the continuous stalling on script writing; Jerry mocking George's ski ticket made me laugh; The introductions with Marla and Stacey were well done, as was the Berlin stuff; Very good debate about Susan and George's status; George's Letterman scheme was tremendous; The timing on Marla revealing her secret offset by Elaine's diaphragm story was so good; Kramer running over for the Chinese order always makes me chuckle; George only being worried about the food after Ping gets in an accident is perfect; The meta stuff with the pilot idea is a nice nod to fans of the show; The fact that the execs love the butler idea is a nice dig at the mentality of the TV business; George's reactions over Susan's firing was tremendous, as was him approaching Letterman and then using the TV gig to hit on women and failing was Vintage Constanza
What Didn't Work
George continues to disrespect the wonderful Susan; Jerry and Marla making out was really awkward looking
Key Character Debuts
- Marla The Virgin
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "Let me ask you something. When's the last time you went skiing?" - Jerry "About six years ago." - George "I think you can take the lift ticket off your jacket now." - Jerry
- George's endless quest to break up with Susan officially begins
- "Let me ask you this. Is there any Tampax in your house?" - Jerry "Yeah." - George "Well, I'll tell you what you've got here." - Jerry "What?" - George "You got yourself a girlfriend." - Jerry
- "You know, it's a very interesting situation. Here you have a job that can get you girls. But, you also have a relationship. But if you try and get rid of the relationship so you can get the girls, you lose the job. You see the irony?" - Jerry
- "Why don't you go out? It's nice out." - Jerry "Oh, no. There's nothing out there for me." - Kramer "There's weather." - Jerry "Weather? I don't need weather. Weather doesn't do it for me." - Kramer
- "So your boyfriend never came back from Berlin." - Jerry "Never came back." - Marla "Oh, you must have been devastated being left for a wall." - Jerry
- "I just wanted to return your tape." - Elaine "Oh, thanks a lot, two weeks late. Now that costs me thirty-five dollars to see Havana." - Jerry
- "I was talking to this guy, you know, and I just happened to throw my purse on the sofa. And my diaphragm goes flying out. So I just froze, you know, ahh! Staring at my diaphragm. You know, it's just lying there. So then, this woman, the one who sold me this hair thing, she grabbed it before the guy noticed, so. I mean, big deal, right? So I carry around my diaphragm, who doesn't? Yeah, like it's a big, big secret that women carry around their diaphragms. You never know when you're gonna need it, right?" - Elaine
- "Was I being anti-virgin?" - Elaine
- "I don't think I could do it. You know, they always remember the first time. I don't want to be remembered. I wanna be forgotten." - George "You need a little pioneer spirit. You know, you don't have any of that Lewis and Clark in you." - Jerry "You know, sometimes those guys don't make it back." - George
- "I'm gonna get a Chow Fung." - George
- "My car's totaled. It's all his fault and now, he has absolutely no money. There is no way that he can pay me. So the judge decrees that he becomes my butler." - George
- "Hey, you watchin' Oprah?" - Kramer
- "A month and a half we had. We did nothing. I can't believe we put it off until today and then we couldn't do anything because Elaine runs out to apologize to a virgin, crosses against a light, and knocks over a Chinese delivery boy. Now we're gonna make fools of ourselves, we got nothing. You're not even in show business. I gotta reputation. You drag me into the sewer with you. I've been on TV buddy boy. You know how fast word spreads in show business? It's like that, like that! One bad impression, you're outta the business!" - Jerry
- "Where's Russell?" - Jerry "He, uh, had to go to LA. There's a problem on the set of Blossom." - Rita "Oh, poor Blossom." - Jerry
- "This is great! He fired her! This is incredible, he fired her. I'm out, baby! I'm out!" - George "Why did he fire her?" - Jerry "Because I kissed her in the meeting. Russell found out, he fired her over the phone. Finally, my stupidity pays off!" - George
- "Oh, this is unbelievable. I'm stuck. Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in." - George
- "Listen, I wouldn't put too much stock into what Elaine has to say about relationships. She comes from a broken home, and I mean that literally. A tree fell on her roof and cracked the whole structure. Her parents got along beautifully, but her house was in bad shape." - Jerry
- "I was just givin' her the straight dope." - Elaine "More like a dope was giving it to her straight. Another cup of coffee with you, she'll wind up in a convent." - Jerry
- "Yeah, since she met him she's been vomited on, her family cabin's been burned down, she learned her father's a homosexual, and she got fired from a high paying network job. Yeah, they had a real good thing going." - Elaine
Oddities & Fun Facts
- George skies
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
This episode felt a bit hacked together. Like they had a whole bunch of different random story ideas and just mashed them into one episode. That said, the dialogue and delivery completely saved and carried it from potential mess to very good. I really enjoyed Jerry as the center of all the madness, dashing out one liners like a bitter narrator. Elaine's scenes with Marla were very good as well. This is the type of episode that would have crashed a couple of seasons ago, but thanks to the strength and comfort of the cast, it ended being pretty damn good. Final Grade: 7/10
Best Character
I have to go with Jerry here. Elaine almost nabbed it because of how flawless she was throughout the Marla stuff, but Jerry made me laugh out loud throughout as he has gotten really damn good at nailing his quick wit zingers. The delivery here was really fantastic and he was the center of all the madness throughout the episode. Nod of appreciated to George too for his scheming and great switch in attitude after Susan got fired, going from empathetic to ecstatic to depressed all in under two minutes.
Best Storyline
George trying to dump Susan will become a running on and off story for a while, so it was great to see it in its infancy here. Poor Susan. All she does is love. All George does is destroy. I will give an honorable mention to Kramer's TV viewing as well. It wasn't much, but his enthusiasm and questioning was a nice backdrop to everything melting down around him.
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Should Elaine really have had to apologized for talking about her diaphragm in front of Marla? Marla is obviously a virgin by choice, so it isn't like she should be jealous and angry over it. I guess you could say she was embarrassed, but how would Elaine possibly have known? Give me a break!
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
George and Susan continue to dominate the season and the hits just keep on coming. Can their love survive? Time will tell. And go get her, Jerry. Show her the way. Relationship Grade: Kiss Is On My List/10
What Worked
I am enjoying the continuous stalling on script writing; Jerry mocking George's ski ticket made me laugh; The introductions with Marla and Stacey were well done, as was the Berlin stuff; Very good debate about Susan and George's status; George's Letterman scheme was tremendous; The timing on Marla revealing her secret offset by Elaine's diaphragm story was so good; Kramer running over for the Chinese order always makes me chuckle; George only being worried about the food after Ping gets in an accident is perfect; The meta stuff with the pilot idea is a nice nod to fans of the show; The fact that the execs love the butler idea is a nice dig at the mentality of the TV business; George's reactions over Susan's firing was tremendous, as was him approaching Letterman and then using the TV gig to hit on women and failing was Vintage Constanza
What Didn't Work
George continues to disrespect the wonderful Susan; Jerry and Marla making out was really awkward looking
Key Character Debuts
- Marla The Virgin
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "Let me ask you something. When's the last time you went skiing?" - Jerry "About six years ago." - George "I think you can take the lift ticket off your jacket now." - Jerry
- George's endless quest to break up with Susan officially begins
- "Let me ask you this. Is there any Tampax in your house?" - Jerry "Yeah." - George "Well, I'll tell you what you've got here." - Jerry "What?" - George "You got yourself a girlfriend." - Jerry
- "You know, it's a very interesting situation. Here you have a job that can get you girls. But, you also have a relationship. But if you try and get rid of the relationship so you can get the girls, you lose the job. You see the irony?" - Jerry
- "Why don't you go out? It's nice out." - Jerry "Oh, no. There's nothing out there for me." - Kramer "There's weather." - Jerry "Weather? I don't need weather. Weather doesn't do it for me." - Kramer
- "So your boyfriend never came back from Berlin." - Jerry "Never came back." - Marla "Oh, you must have been devastated being left for a wall." - Jerry
- "I just wanted to return your tape." - Elaine "Oh, thanks a lot, two weeks late. Now that costs me thirty-five dollars to see Havana." - Jerry
- "I was talking to this guy, you know, and I just happened to throw my purse on the sofa. And my diaphragm goes flying out. So I just froze, you know, ahh! Staring at my diaphragm. You know, it's just lying there. So then, this woman, the one who sold me this hair thing, she grabbed it before the guy noticed, so. I mean, big deal, right? So I carry around my diaphragm, who doesn't? Yeah, like it's a big, big secret that women carry around their diaphragms. You never know when you're gonna need it, right?" - Elaine
- "Was I being anti-virgin?" - Elaine
- "I don't think I could do it. You know, they always remember the first time. I don't want to be remembered. I wanna be forgotten." - George "You need a little pioneer spirit. You know, you don't have any of that Lewis and Clark in you." - Jerry "You know, sometimes those guys don't make it back." - George
- "I'm gonna get a Chow Fung." - George
- "My car's totaled. It's all his fault and now, he has absolutely no money. There is no way that he can pay me. So the judge decrees that he becomes my butler." - George
- "Hey, you watchin' Oprah?" - Kramer
- "A month and a half we had. We did nothing. I can't believe we put it off until today and then we couldn't do anything because Elaine runs out to apologize to a virgin, crosses against a light, and knocks over a Chinese delivery boy. Now we're gonna make fools of ourselves, we got nothing. You're not even in show business. I gotta reputation. You drag me into the sewer with you. I've been on TV buddy boy. You know how fast word spreads in show business? It's like that, like that! One bad impression, you're outta the business!" - Jerry
- "Where's Russell?" - Jerry "He, uh, had to go to LA. There's a problem on the set of Blossom." - Rita "Oh, poor Blossom." - Jerry
- "This is great! He fired her! This is incredible, he fired her. I'm out, baby! I'm out!" - George "Why did he fire her?" - Jerry "Because I kissed her in the meeting. Russell found out, he fired her over the phone. Finally, my stupidity pays off!" - George
- "Oh, this is unbelievable. I'm stuck. Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in." - George
- "Listen, I wouldn't put too much stock into what Elaine has to say about relationships. She comes from a broken home, and I mean that literally. A tree fell on her roof and cracked the whole structure. Her parents got along beautifully, but her house was in bad shape." - Jerry
- "I was just givin' her the straight dope." - Elaine "More like a dope was giving it to her straight. Another cup of coffee with you, she'll wind up in a convent." - Jerry
- "Yeah, since she met him she's been vomited on, her family cabin's been burned down, she learned her father's a homosexual, and she got fired from a high paying network job. Yeah, they had a real good thing going." - Elaine
Oddities & Fun Facts
- George skies
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
This episode felt a bit hacked together. Like they had a whole bunch of different random story ideas and just mashed them into one episode. That said, the dialogue and delivery completely saved and carried it from potential mess to very good. I really enjoyed Jerry as the center of all the madness, dashing out one liners like a bitter narrator. Elaine's scenes with Marla were very good as well. This is the type of episode that would have crashed a couple of seasons ago, but thanks to the strength and comfort of the cast, it ended being pretty damn good. Final Grade: 7/10
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