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Seinfeld

Plot

The famous "show about nothing," NBC's Seinfeld is regarded by many fans as the best network sitcom of the 1990s; some go farther than that, hailing it as the best sitcom ever. The series grew from the free-association monologues of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who in partnership with producer Larry David launched the program in a limited-run format beginning May 31, 1990. Slowly but surely, the series developed a rabid fan following, and by the time the 1993-1994 season rolled around, Seinfeld was America's third most popular program, reaching the number one slot the following year and never dropping below second place for the duration of its run. The eponymous star played "himself," a young, unmarried comedian named Jerry Seinfeld who lived in a medium-sized apartment (well stocked with breakfast cereals) in midtown Manhattan. However, we seldom saw Jerry at work. Most of the time, he hung out with his three best friends: the obnoxiously neurotic and self-absorbed George Costanza (Jason Alexander), who lived with his parents, Estelle and Frank (Estelle Harris, Jerry Stiller), who was for several years employed in the office of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (who never appeared on-camera), and who spent much of his spare time kvetching over his miserable love life; Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), wild-eyed, wild-haired entrepreneur, whose many get-rich-quick schemes had a tendency to backfire disastrously; and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Jerry's onetime girlfriend, who worked in the publishing industry and was ever on the lookout for a male companion who was truly "sponge-worthy."

A number of memorable supporting characters wandered through the series, including Jerry's acerbic uncle Leo (Len Lesser); his overbearing parents, Helen (Liz Sheridan) and Morty (played first by Phil Bruns, then by Barney Martin); corpulent bête noire, Newman the mail carrier (Wayne Knight); Elaine's lapdog boyfriend David Puddy (Patrick Warburton), her ubiquitous stalker Crazy Joe (Peter Crombie), and her eccentric employer J. Peterman (John O'Hurley); George's fiancée, Susan Biddle Ross (Heidi Swedberg), who in one of the series' most perverse comic twists died on the eve of the marriage after licking too many cheap wedding-invitation envelopes; Kramer's Cochranesque attorney, Jackie Chiles (Phil Morris), and his little-person crony Mickey Abbott (Danny Woodburn); and ulcerated NBC network executive Russell Dalrimple (Bob Balaban), to whom Jerry pitched his series proposal concerning (you guessed it!) a "show about nothing."

It is doubtful that any one sitcom has ever yielded as many memorable catchphrases as Seinfeld. Even non-devotees of the series cannot help but smile knowingly at the invocation of such bon mots as "Not that there's anything wrong with that," "It rhymes with a female body part," "Maybe the dingo ate your baby," "They're real -- and they're spectacular," and the deathless "Are you master of your own domain?" Even those episodes that did not bring forth the above-mentioned catchphrases are forever etched in the collective consciousness of the American viewing public: who could forget the plot convolutions connected with "The Bubble Boy," "The Soup Nazi," "The Puffy Shirt," "The Pez Dispenser," and the classic "backwards" episode, "The Betrayal"? Seinfeld's final first-run episode, telecast May 14, 1998, was the ne plus ultra in the "show about nothing" genre, in which the entire cast faced a stiff jail turn for literally doing nothing -- that is, they neglected to go to the aid of a mugging victim, and in consequence were charged with "criminal indifference"! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Credit

Jerry Seinfeld - Executive Producer, Fred Barron - Executive Producer, Howard West - Executive Producer, Larry David - Executive Producer, Alec Berg - Executive Producer, Jerry Seinfeld - Show Creator, Larry David - Show Creator

Episodes

Seinfeld: Season 01 (1990)
Before taking off and becoming one of the most popular and critically acclaimed sitcoms in the history of television, Seinfeld was just a little show about nothing, still struggling to find an audience. In its first season, viewers were introduced to the principal quartet of Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Kramer (Michael Richards), though the pilot episode had no Elaine character and Kramer was known as Kessler. Only five episodes long, the season was still able to establish such recurring gags as George's pseudonym, Art Vandelay, and Kramer's idea for a make-your-own pizza restaurant. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Seinfeld: Season 02 (1991)
Quite a lot happens in the "show about nothing" during season two of Seinfeld -- even though only 12 episodes were produced. For starters, there's the opening episode, "The Ex-Girlfriend," the one in which Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) doesn't want to get mixed up with the former girlfriend of George (Jason Alexander) -- except that she seems to have this "psychosexual" hold on him. Next up is the Emmy-nominated "The Pony Remark," said remark getting Jerry in a lot of trouble when the woman is most offended by it drops dead soon afterward. Veteran movie tough guy Lawrence Tierney makes his first (and only) appearance as the father of Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in "The Jacket," with the title "character" causing Jerry a lot of grief when he turns it inside out on a snowy night. In other episodes, George tests the "man with the wedding band" theory while looking for girls in "The Apartment," which also offers the spectacle of Kramer (Michael Richards) with mousse in his hair; "The Revenge" consists of a potent drink slipped to George's ex-boss, not to mention Kramer's sabotage of a washing machine with a bag of cement; Elaine falls for a doctor who only has eyes for her tongue in "The Heart Attack" (a classic episode, complete with "Flaming Globes!"); George has "unequivocally the worst date" of his life in "The Baby Shower"; and in the season's finale episode, "The Busboy," the hero of the piece loses his cat and nearly his life thanks to "helpful" George. ~ Rovi

Seinfeld: Season 03 (1992)
After two "mini-seasons" of six and 12 episodes each, Seinfeld finally gets off the ground in season three, toting up a whole 23 episodes -- and are they beauties! Things get off to a rousing start with "The Note," in which Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) prevails upon his dentist to commit insurance fraud on behalf of George (Jason Alexander) and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Next up is "The Truth," which poses the question: how much trouble can an ex-girlfriend who works for the IRS really be? A choice Seinfeld running gag is inaugurated in "The Pen" (the one that writes upside down, remember?). Other classic episodes include "The Parking Garage" (or "Four People in Search of Whatever"); "The Tape," which demonstrates how to talk dirty and influence people; "The Nose Job," which largely consists of a chess match with sexual undertones between Jerry's brain and his -- er -- other brain; "The Alternate Side," the one in which Kramer (Michael Richards) utters the immortal line, "These pretzels are making me thirsty"; "The Subway," the one with the fat naked man, the 600-dollar traffic fine, and the best man en route to the lesbian wedding; "The Pez Dispenser," which is all that and more; and the hour-long "The Boyfriend," which details Jerry's fateful encounter with ballplayer Keith Hernandez. And as a bonus, Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen) makes one of her rare non-Murphy Brown appearances (it makes sense in context). ~ Rovi

Seinfeld: Season 04 (1993)
Even though it's supposed to be the "show about nothing," Seinfeld actually provides something of a continuity from one episode to the next throughout its fourth season. Things get started with the two-part "The Trip," in which Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and George (Jason Alexander) head to California for the dual purpose of locating Kramer (Michael Richards) -- who has delusions of stardom since his Murphy Brown gig -- and appearing on The Tonight Show. This little escapade segues into a plot strand wherein NBC executive Russell Dalrymple (Bob Balaban in his first series appearance) asks Jerry to develop a sitcom about his life (now who'd watch something like that?). By the time Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) returns to New York after a trip to California, however, the sitcom deal is gone -- but not forgotten, as it continues coming back to life for the duration of the season, culminating in the hour-long season finale, "The Pilot." In other classic moments, Jerry and George run afoul of "The Bubble Boy"; Elaine disposes of a certain "Crazy Joe" with a well-aimed spurt of cherry Binaca; the gang makes its first foray to a theater showing the deathless cinematic masterpiece "Rochelle, Rochelle"; and yada yada yada? If for nothing else, season four will always be remembered for two landmark episodes. In "The Outing," a college journalist makes the false assumption that George is gay (all together now -- "not that there's anything wrong with that"). And in "The Contest," the gang places bets as to see who among them is truly "master of their own domain." ~ Rovi

Seinfeld: Season 05 (1994)
Though it may have seemed impossible for Seinfeld to top the brilliance of its fourth season ("They're real -- and they're spectacular"; "Not that there's anything wrong with that"; "Her name rhymes with a female body part"; and the immortal "Are you master of your own domain?"), season five of the "show about nothing" has more than its share of golden moments. In fact, the season is barely two episodes old before Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) is climbing into that famous "puffy shirt" for his appearance on The Today Show. A few weeks later, Jerry is suspecting his "sniffing accountant" of drug use, while Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is saddled with a boyfriend who is enamored of the exclamation point. And how about the one where Jerry has to handle his godson's circumcision? Or in another episode, where Elaine's next boyfriend has the same name as a notorious serial killer? And we can't forget the episode in which George (Jason Alexander) tries to score points with a girl by converting to Latvian Orthodox. Nor the introduction of Micky Woodburn (Danny Woodburn), the "little person" friend of good old Kramer (Michael Richards). And we can't let pass an acknowledgement of the deathless one-hour extravaganza "The Raincoats." There's no doubt about it, season five of Seinfeld is every bit as terrific as season four -- right up to the final episode, in which George vows to do everything the opposite of his normal instincts, while Elaine brings down a publishing empire by eating Jujyfruits. ~ Rovi

Seinfeld: Season 06 (1995)
With five brilliant seasons in the can (including the now-legendary seasons four and five), Seinfeld keeps up the pace, and then some, as the series enters its sixth year on the air. Things get off to a lively start with "The Chaperone," in which Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) persuades Kramer (Michael Richards) to act as the title character during his date with Miss Rhode Island, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) meets the "white socks guy" at Doubleday, and George (Jason Alexander) suggest that New York Yankees start wearing cotton uniforms. Can it get any better? How about, "The Pledge Drive," the one in which Elaine's boss eats his Snickers with a knife and Jerry nearly brings down PBS thanks to a misdirected finger. But wait, there's more! Consider Kramer's method of changing his sperm count in "The Chinese Woman." Or Seinfeld's contribution to NBC's famous "Blackout Thursday" (November 3, 1994), an in-depth look at George's bathroom habits titled "The Gymnast." Or Elaine's appearance on a Chinese restaurant "blacklist" and Jerry's "Superman moment" in "The Race." And how about "The Jimmy," with the guy who can't stop talking about himself in the third person (no, it's not Mel Tormé, though he's in the same episode). Season six calls it quits with another first-rate episode, "The Understudy," which explains why George and Jerry should never play softball with Bette Midler. ~ Rovi

Seinfeld: Season 07 (1996)
Season seven of Seinfeld maintains the series' brilliance almost from the outset, with an episode in which George (Jason Alexander) renews his relationship with Susan Biddle Ross (Heidi Swedberg) -- a relationship from which, ultimately, only one will emerge alive. Elsewhere, Kramer (Michael Richards) wins a lawsuit that allows him free coffee at any location in the world, and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) dates a man with a highly appropriate nickname in "The Maestro." Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld -- it's his show, remember?) can't get rid of a guy at the movies, while Kramer becomes "Mr. Movie Phone" in "The Pool Guy." Also, George finds himself up for a promotion just because he's been leaving his car overnight in the Yankees' parking lot. Jerry gets more than he bargained for when he steals a loaf of marble rye. And in a deathless moment, Elaine wonders if her current beau is truly "sponge-worthy" (funny about that word "deathless"...especially considering what happens to Susan at season's end). But when all is said and done, if anyone asks why the seventh season of Seinfeld is worthy of immortality, just say three little words: "The Soup Nazi." ~ Rovi

Seinfeld: Season 08 (1996)
A few sensitive viewers bailed out on Seinfeld at the end of season seven, in response to George's (Jason Alexander) apathetic reaction to the "death by envelope" of his fiancée, Susan. Others realized that a "show about nothing" can do just about anything, and thus stuck with Seinfeld as it entered its eighth season. As a reward for their loyalty, those viewers were treated to such first-rate episodes as the season opener, "The Foundation," in which Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) crosses paths with the girl whose name "rhymes with a female body part," Kramer (Michael Richards) takes up karate, and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) "becomes" her boss, J. Peterman (John O'Hurley). A few weeks later, Seinfeld's lifelong obsession with Superman manifests itself in "The Bizarro Jerry," in which we meet a group of people who are the exact opposites of the Seinfeld gang. Other highlights: a visit to a woman's prison yields strange results in "The Little Jerry"; Kramer begins to wonder what life would be like in a coma in "The Comeback"; a toothbrush in the toilet is the catalyst for disaster in "The Pothole"; Lloyd Bridges guest stars as 80-year-old physical fitness freak Izzy Mandelbaum in "The English Patient," which is also the episode in which Kramer gets involved with smuggling Cubans (cigars, that is); and in the season finale, "The Summer of George," things come full circle from the season opener, with another character "clinging to life" (sort of) in a hospital bed. ~ Rovi

Seinfeld: Season 09 (1997)
Rumors that the ninth season of Seinfeld would be the last were confirmed halfway through that season by Jerry Seinfeld himself. Though the series was still TV's top-rated show, Seinfeld was determined to quit while ahead, stop while on top, yada yada yada....And while some fans were complaining that the series had slipped quite a bit in the past few years, others felt that its valedictory season was the best yet. Things get under way with "The Butter Shave," in which George (Jason Alexander) has recovered from his comfort-threatening illness and Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) is afforded another opportunity to pitch a "show about nothing" to NBC. In later episodes, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) unexpectedly "gets tongue" from a boy at his bar mitzvah, Kramer (Michael Richards) recreates The Merv Griffin Show in Jerry's apartment, and Jerry's problems with a naked girlfriend coincide with George's efforts to cash in on an ex-alcoholic's "Step 9." And mention must be made of the celebrated "backwards episode," "The Betrayal," which begins with a bedraggled George and Elaine returning from India, then with each scene heads progressively back in time -- all the way to 1986! Is there anyone in the Free World who does not know what happens in the series' very last episode, cleverly titled "The Finale." Well, so as not to spoil it for the two of you who don't know, a word of warning: never commit an act of "criminal indifference" in Latham, MA. (And what's this about the second button on George's shirt? Haven't we had this conversation before?) ~ Rovi