JT's comments below originally ran as part of Place to Be Nation's "Seinfeld: The PTBN Series Rewatch" project.
Best Character
Some tough choices here as I really liked the chemistry between Jerry and Meryl and I thought Elaine was on point, but I have to go with George. He wasn't in a ton, but he crackled in every scene he was in. He non stop defense of pissing in the shower was so full of spirit and soul that you wanted to side with him regardless of your feelings on the situation. Plus, the payoff with the sweaty machine was nicely done. IT'S ALL PIPES!
Best Storyline
Kramer's blackface gets an honorable mention but I really enjoyed the wife stuff. Jerry and Meryl worked off each other very well and getting Uncle Leo involved was perfect writing. But... who has THAT much dry cleaning?
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Was Meryl right to take advantage of the very generous 25% discount offer? I mean, it was such a grand gesture over just a returned picture, I feel like it was bad karma to jump in on the action like that. Too many quilts!
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
I liked Jerry and Meryl a lot and she instantly jumps to the top tier of Jerome's lady friends. Greg sucks. Relationship Grade: Pancakes/10
What Worked:
Jerry and Meryl have pretty good chemistry despite how over the top they are; The Monk's owner always makes me laugh; Kramer's quilt; George getting caught peeing in a public shower is such a perfect George transgression; Jerry's medical journals quip always makes me chuckle; The Uncle Leo discovery was perfect; The penmanship conversation is fantastic; George's bump off the stair master was well done, only matched by Kramer's sleepy collapse in the kitchen; Jerry and Meryl slowly realizing the truths of marriage is well executed; Always a treat to get a visit from Helen & Morty; The Elaine/George fight over the pipes is classic; Elaine's strap snap is good; Kramer showing up at the apartment with the absurd tan is so fantastic
What Didn't Work
Is dry cleaning such a hot commodity that Meryl would leap at the opportunity to lie for 25% off?; Greg is a soulless, rotten human; Greg is also ugly; Meryl > Paula, bad move Jerome; How much dry cleaning does Meryl do?
Key Character Debuts
Meryl
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "Uh, let me get a coat. I think I'll try a sport jacket and scarf thing, you know, like an unemployed actor." - Jerry
- "Uh, we don't allow any outside syrups, jams or condiments in the restaurant. And if I catch you in here with that again...I will confiscate it." - Owner
- "My wife has an inner ear infection." - Kramer
- "Hey. Hey Elaine, what do you say if neither of us is married in ten years, we get hitched?" - Kramer "Let's make it fifty." - Elaine "We're engaged! Alright, I'm gonna get my quilt." - Kramer
- "I don't know why you're interested in this guy, he's a jerk." - Jerry "Because, he doesn't pay any attention to me, and he ignores me." - Elaine "Yeah, so?" - Jerry "I respect that." - Elaine
- "Do you go in the shower?" - Elaine "No, never." - Jerry "Do you?" - Elaine "I take baths." - Kramer
- "Ever hear of...holding it in?" - Elaine "Oh, no...no, that's very bad for the kidneys." - George "How do you know?" - Elaine "Medical journals!" - George "Do the medical journals mention anything about standing in a pool of someone else's urine?" - Jerry
- "Who told you when you went to school that you print well?" - Uncle Leo "You did, you did." - Jerry "When he was younger, he had a beautiful penmanship. I used to encourage him to print." - Uncle Leo "I'm a good printer." - Jerry "I remember your 'V.' It was like a perfect triangle. Whoa, there's my bus!" Uncle Leo
- "I'm glad you're here. This can get really boring. Do you know where I can get some good olives?" - Greg
- "Hey...I'm not stupid. I'm looking in that drawer, there's no can opener." - Jerry "Did I say you were stupid?" - Meryl "Well, wouldn't I have to be? You tell me there's a can opener in the drawer, I'm looking in the drawer, there's no can opener - what other conclusion could one reach?" - Jerry
- "Are you kidding? That's very significant! If he was interested in me, he'd want my germs! He'd just crave my germs!" - Elaine
- "I was there! I saw a drain!" - George "Since when is a drain a toilet?!" - Elaine "It's all pipes! What's the difference?!" - George "Different pipes go to different places! You're gonna mix 'em up!" - Elaine "I'll call a plumber right now!" - George "Alright, can we just drop all the pee-pipe stuff here?" - Jerry
- "What if he left you a used Kleenex, what's that, a valentine?" - George
- "I guess I just wasn't ready for the responsibilities of a pretend marriage." - Jerry
- "I thought you said you was bringin' a white boy home! I don't see a white boy! I see a damn fool!" - Grandpa
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Meryl is portrayed by Courteney Cox
- Jerry references Gore-Tex in a call back to The Dinner Party
- Kramer uses tanning beds
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
This was a really rock solid episode but again is hurt by the fantastic curve of season five. George was on fire here and his arguments with Elaine over the pipes and gym show etiquette were great. I also enjoyed the physical humor that snuck in here from Kramer, George and Laney. The wife stuff was well executed and I will never complain about an Uncle Leo visit, especially when he pontificates about penmanship. A very good effort and (I feel like we say this a lot) if it were in a different season or part of a different show, it probably checks in higher. Final Grade: 6/10
Best Character
Some tough choices here as I really liked the chemistry between Jerry and Meryl and I thought Elaine was on point, but I have to go with George. He wasn't in a ton, but he crackled in every scene he was in. He non stop defense of pissing in the shower was so full of spirit and soul that you wanted to side with him regardless of your feelings on the situation. Plus, the payoff with the sweaty machine was nicely done. IT'S ALL PIPES!
Best Storyline
Kramer's blackface gets an honorable mention but I really enjoyed the wife stuff. Jerry and Meryl worked off each other very well and getting Uncle Leo involved was perfect writing. But... who has THAT much dry cleaning?
Ethical Dilemma of the Week
Was Meryl right to take advantage of the very generous 25% discount offer? I mean, it was such a grand gesture over just a returned picture, I feel like it was bad karma to jump in on the action like that. Too many quilts!
Relationship Scale (Scale 1-10)
I liked Jerry and Meryl a lot and she instantly jumps to the top tier of Jerome's lady friends. Greg sucks. Relationship Grade: Pancakes/10
What Worked:
Jerry and Meryl have pretty good chemistry despite how over the top they are; The Monk's owner always makes me laugh; Kramer's quilt; George getting caught peeing in a public shower is such a perfect George transgression; Jerry's medical journals quip always makes me chuckle; The Uncle Leo discovery was perfect; The penmanship conversation is fantastic; George's bump off the stair master was well done, only matched by Kramer's sleepy collapse in the kitchen; Jerry and Meryl slowly realizing the truths of marriage is well executed; Always a treat to get a visit from Helen & Morty; The Elaine/George fight over the pipes is classic; Elaine's strap snap is good; Kramer showing up at the apartment with the absurd tan is so fantastic
What Didn't Work
Is dry cleaning such a hot commodity that Meryl would leap at the opportunity to lie for 25% off?; Greg is a soulless, rotten human; Greg is also ugly; Meryl > Paula, bad move Jerome; How much dry cleaning does Meryl do?
Key Character Debuts
Meryl
Iconic Moments, Running Themes & Memorable Quotes
- "Uh, let me get a coat. I think I'll try a sport jacket and scarf thing, you know, like an unemployed actor." - Jerry
- "Uh, we don't allow any outside syrups, jams or condiments in the restaurant. And if I catch you in here with that again...I will confiscate it." - Owner
- "My wife has an inner ear infection." - Kramer
- "Hey. Hey Elaine, what do you say if neither of us is married in ten years, we get hitched?" - Kramer "Let's make it fifty." - Elaine "We're engaged! Alright, I'm gonna get my quilt." - Kramer
- "I don't know why you're interested in this guy, he's a jerk." - Jerry "Because, he doesn't pay any attention to me, and he ignores me." - Elaine "Yeah, so?" - Jerry "I respect that." - Elaine
- "Do you go in the shower?" - Elaine "No, never." - Jerry "Do you?" - Elaine "I take baths." - Kramer
- "Ever hear of...holding it in?" - Elaine "Oh, no...no, that's very bad for the kidneys." - George "How do you know?" - Elaine "Medical journals!" - George "Do the medical journals mention anything about standing in a pool of someone else's urine?" - Jerry
- "Who told you when you went to school that you print well?" - Uncle Leo "You did, you did." - Jerry "When he was younger, he had a beautiful penmanship. I used to encourage him to print." - Uncle Leo "I'm a good printer." - Jerry "I remember your 'V.' It was like a perfect triangle. Whoa, there's my bus!" Uncle Leo
- "I'm glad you're here. This can get really boring. Do you know where I can get some good olives?" - Greg
- "Hey...I'm not stupid. I'm looking in that drawer, there's no can opener." - Jerry "Did I say you were stupid?" - Meryl "Well, wouldn't I have to be? You tell me there's a can opener in the drawer, I'm looking in the drawer, there's no can opener - what other conclusion could one reach?" - Jerry
- "Are you kidding? That's very significant! If he was interested in me, he'd want my germs! He'd just crave my germs!" - Elaine
- "I was there! I saw a drain!" - George "Since when is a drain a toilet?!" - Elaine "It's all pipes! What's the difference?!" - George "Different pipes go to different places! You're gonna mix 'em up!" - Elaine "I'll call a plumber right now!" - George "Alright, can we just drop all the pee-pipe stuff here?" - Jerry
- "What if he left you a used Kleenex, what's that, a valentine?" - George
- "I guess I just wasn't ready for the responsibilities of a pretend marriage." - Jerry
- "I thought you said you was bringin' a white boy home! I don't see a white boy! I see a damn fool!" - Grandpa
Oddities & Fun Facts
- Meryl is portrayed by Courteney Cox
- Jerry references Gore-Tex in a call back to The Dinner Party
- Kramer uses tanning beds
Overall Grade (Scale 1-10)
This was a really rock solid episode but again is hurt by the fantastic curve of season five. George was on fire here and his arguments with Elaine over the pipes and gym show etiquette were great. I also enjoyed the physical humor that snuck in here from Kramer, George and Laney. The wife stuff was well executed and I will never complain about an Uncle Leo visit, especially when he pontificates about penmanship. A very good effort and (I feel like we say this a lot) if it were in a different season or part of a different show, it probably checks in higher. Final Grade: 6/10
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