The Shoes

The Shoes is the fifty-sixth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 16th episode for the 4th season. It aired on February 4, 1993.

Plot

Jerry and George struggle to keep NBC still interested in their show. Elaine is coming down with the flu and also is wearing a pair of shoes from Botticelli. Gale Cunningham (whom Jerry was never allowed to kiss, was earlier snubbed and is later to be kissed by Kramer) comes into Monk's and admires Elaine's shoes. Later, Elaine becomes paranoid and goes to confront Gale at her restaurant kitchen, where Elaine sneezes on a plate of Pasta Primavera which is then unwittingly served to Russell Dalrymple. After Jerry and George finish writing their script they give it to Russell. Now they can't get Russell's input because he is home sick with Elaine's flu.

Having finished their script for the pilot, Jerry and George reflect upon the fact that they didn't give Elaine any lines, commenting that they can't "write for a woman." This references the fact that Elaine wasn't in the pilot episode of Seinfeld.

They go to Dalrymple's place, and George stares at his 15 year-old daughter's (Denise Richards) cleavage. Russell catches George, is of course mad at the disrespectful leering, and sends them off without any input.

Later, at Jerry's apartment, George and Jerry discuss how they got into trouble and what to do to get the script approved. Elaine is also present. Jerry mentions how Russell probably would have stared at cleavage if he were in that situation and if "Elaine came by with a low-cut dress, he'd do the same thing." To which George says "Well maybe not Elaine, but someone like Gale." Of course Elaine is very stricken and listens to the rest of the conversation.

Jerry and George devise an elaborate plan to meet Russell at Gale's restaurant, on the condition of giving to Gale Elaine's 'Botticelli' shoes. Once there, they approach Russell to talk, and Elaine shows up in a low-cut dress. The show ends with Jerry, George, and Elaine eating, and Elaine convincing Jerry and George to write her into the 'Jerry' scripts.

Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (December 2008)

• This was the first episode of Season 4 in which "Seinfeld" was moved from its Wednesday time slot to Thursday at 9:30 right after "Cheers," which was in its last season . "Seinfeld" would take over Cheers' spot the following fall and remain there for the rest of the series. The four main characters apprised their viewers of this change in a short segment that ran during the Super Bowl. It's revealed in the DVD Inside Look that many on the show were worried that people would be viewing "Seinfeld" for the first time in this new spot and therefore would know nothing about the story arc of Jerry and George's NBC pilot. The show's popularity sky-rocketed through the rest of the season, however, starting its successful run.
• Elaine has her Botticelli shoes, and both George and Mr. Dalrymple eat Pasta Primavera at the restaurant. This is reference to Sandro Botticelli's painting Primavera.
• This restaurant will play a role in two episodes featuring Poppie in "The Pie" and "The Couch".
• Although George tells his therapist that he and Jerry pitched "the butler story" to Russel Dalrymple, they actually pitched it to Rita Kirsen, who was sitting in for Russel while he was in Los Angeles in "The Virgin".
• In the previous season (Season 3) it is said twice that Jerry's phone number is 555-8383, when Gail calls him in this episode, the phone number she dials is clearly not the same; it is obvious that it ends with a 6.
• Denise Richards was actually 22 at the time of filming.

This article about a Seinfeld episode is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e