Analytical Episode Guide-Seinfeld (Season 8, Part 4)

An Analytical Episode Guide to:

 

Season  8, Part 4

Episode 18, Season 8

The Nap

 

Plot Summary-George discovers a way to sleep at work. Jerry hires a handyman who has trouble making simple decisions. Kramer takes up swimming in the East River. Elaine’s boyfriend gives her a mattress.

Best Quote-“Fitted hat day? That’s what you asked Steinbrenner for?”….George

Nitpick of the episode-Man, that handyman is so annoying; I would have fired him the first day. For pete’s sake, make a decision!

Seinfeldism of the episode-Kramer funks up Elaine’s mattress

Deleted Scenes-Elaine returning the funked up mattress, the scene with George and Steinbrenner talking to the terrorist bomber was longer

Episode Fun Fact-The first time Larry David came back to do Steinbrenner

Final Thoughts-This is actually a pretty good episode, but I guess after The English Patient the bar is pretty low. The opening scene in the coffee shop is one of the worst paced scenes in any episode; the exposition dump feels so forced when Jerry explains about his handyman. The scene with Jerry’s new kitchen configuration is cute; it’s funny to see how the arrangement throws off the normal flow of the group. I love what happens to George after his little nap area is created, he really suffer for that one. The scene with Steinbrenner in his office is a classic. Sure, having Jerry call in a bomb threat is weak (and today a bit taboo) but that’s ok. Kramer and Elaine’s stories kind of wind around each other as Elaine’s boyfriend believes they had a prior relationship. The worst thing may be the corny ending we get. The site gag of George napping in the cupboard followed by Jerry’s cheesy one liner. This is another example of how the show had lost focus and entered the realm of more silly, broad comedy. I prefer it the way it was, when it was supposed be about the stuff in real life people deal with everyday. I wish they’d bring back Larry David to write, I mean it’s not like if he came back he would do a half-ass, insulting episode worst than anything this season had to offer. Right??

Grade=B-, much improved but still has its flaws

Episode 19, Season 8

The Yadda Yadda

 

Plot Summary-George’s girlfriend is fond of the phrase Yadda Yadda. Jerry is suspicious when Tim Whatley converts to Judaism. Kramer and Micky go on a double date. Elaine botches a friends chances at adopting a baby.

Best Quote-“No it offends me as a comedian”….Jerry

Nitpick of the episode-Ok, there is something about this episode that always baffled me. Here are the events: Jerry has offended dentists all over and starts dating Beth, Kramer is mad at Jerry for hating dentists, and Elaine is dating the social worker to make sure Beth and Arnie get their baby. Then we jump a week to Mickey’s wedding. Wait a minute, A WHOLE WEEK AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED??? What did these guys do that week? Kramer is still mad at Jerry, Elaine has no idea Beth and Arnie broke up…did they all just avoid each other for a week or something? You may able to get away with that on another show, but not this one.

Seinfeldism of the episode-Yadda Yadda Yadda, anti-dentite never caught on thank goodness

Deleted Scenes-George talking to his girlfriend

Episode Fun Fact-Three recurring characters for the price of one

Final Thoughts-I’ll never forget when I first saw this episode, the very next morning Al Roker used the phrase Yadda Yadda on the Today Show, and I realized how big this show was now. Anyway this episode had lots of potential to be a great episode, but it just doesn’t quite make it. True, there are lots of good things in it. The Yadda Yadda, and the whole competition between Kramer and Mickey. Jerry in the confessional is hilarious. George doesn’t really get much to do here as we ponder what his girlfriend is glossing over. We get Beth again but this time Jerry isn’t set to evil like he was in “The Wait Out”. This feels like the Jerry we’re supposed to get, caring about her not just “pretending” to. So what spoils this episode? Two things, the first is Elaine and what she does to ensure Arnie and Beth get a baby. She basically prostitutes herself. Way over the top. The second is the whole anti-dentite thing which is so lame. Comparing the plight of dentists to the plight of the Jewish people? Really? I am not Jewish and almost find that insulting. The writer himself admitted this was a botched attempt to start a catch phrase, and is just lame. Jerry’s a comedian for goodness sake, why would people take a little joke he made so seriously??? Anyway, as I said it’s not a totally bad episode and Elaine has the best line of the episode regarding the time she Yadda Yadda’d after sex. If you’re a fan I’m sure you’ve heard. If not, check it out it’s one of her best lines.

Grade=B-, just average

Episode 20, Season 8

The Millennium

 

Plot Summary-Kramer and Newman have competing New Year’s parties. Jerry discovers her girlfriends speed dial is like a rating meter. George tries and fails at getting fired. Elaine tries to run a Putumayo store out of business.

Best Quote-“Those aren’t for New Years. Those are my everyday balloons”….Kramer

Nitpick of the episode-I think someone messed up Jerry’s final speech to Newman at the end of the episode. Not sure if it was written wrong or if Jerry may have messed it up, but what he says is incorrect. Since there was no year zero the new Millennium didn’t begin until 2001, making Newman’s party a year EARLY. It would have been lame to, except the big celebration for the Millennium happened on the year 2000 anyway so not only is Jerry inaccurate with his fact, but if this were the real world his attempt to spoil Newman’s party wouldn’t have worked.

Seinfeldism of the episode-Newmanium and Kramanium

Deleted Scenes-Elaine showing off her purchased items to the Putumayo store

Episode Fun Fact-Kramer gets to play Pennypacker once again

Final Thoughts-Ladies and gentlemen, the king of the dated episodes! I have pointed out different things as we have gone which are dated today, but this one definitely takes the cake. It’s been twelve years now since the Millennium! Anyway, this is a pretty good episode. I sympathize with Elaine’s plight in this one, if I had a sales woman treat me the way the sales woman treats Elaine in the beginning I wouldn’t be amused either. It is kind of funny to see George fail at getting fired, isn’t that something which should come naturally? The lame story is the one about Jerry and the speed dial. It kind of starts out ok with the speed dial acting as a relationship barometer, but the story gets real silly real fast. I know I made fun of Kramer’s story being dated, but it really is pretty good as he and Newman compete over parties. My favorite bit in this one is after Kramer brings some folding chairs into Jerry’s apartment; George and Elaine sit in them as if they have always been there.

Grade=B, another average episode

Episode 21, Season 8

The Muffin Tops

 

Plot Summary-Mr.Lipman steals Elaine’s idea for muffin tops. George pretends to be a tourist. Jerry accidentally shaves his chest and can’t stop. Kramer starts a Peterman reality bus tour.

Best Quote-“Well I’ll tell you what I’ll pick you up a sundress and a pair of thongs you can just sachet your pretty little self around the town square”….Kramer  

Nitpick of the episode-Why in the world did Kramer and Elaine have so much trouble disposing of that trash? I could go on about Jerry shaving his chest hair, but I think I will spare everyone that rant

Seinfeldism of the episode-Top of the Muffin to you!

Deleted Scenes-George pretending to be a dumb tourist

Episode Fun Fact-Yes, there is such a thing as muffin tops and you can even purchase special pans which will make them. Of course Kramer’s Peterman Reality Tour is a spoof on Kenny Kramer’s Reality Tour. Finally, the chicken company was supposed to by Tyson. But Jerry Seinfeld couldn’t acquire the rights so it became Tyler instead.

Final Thoughts-Yet another episode which is just plain bad. Especially Jerry’s story. I said in another episode that I don’t like it when Jerry goes out of character and that is what he does here. He is just plain annoying in this episode. Why does he shave his chest hair? And the final werewolf gag is just plain dumb. George’s story isn’t so bad but why he goes to such lengths to pretend to be a tourist is a little hard to swallow. He ends up getting fired from the Yankees, I’m surprised he held that job as long as he did. The one highlight in the episode is the Kramer story, mostly because we know full well what the story is a parody of which makes it really funny. Then of course we have the whole thing with the muffin tops. I am not even sure what to say about that, so I will just say the story was laughable and not in a good way. At least Elaine is bearable in this one. And the Pulp Fiction parody in the end was kind of funny.

 Grade= D, probably Jerry’s worst story of the series

Episode 22, Season 8

The Summer of George

 

Plot Summary-George severance package from the Yankees allows him to take the summer off. Jerry dates a woman who is high maintenance. Elaine is harassed by a co-worker who does not swing her arms when she walks. Kramer works as a seat filler at the Tony Awards.

Best Quote-“Because men think if women are grabbing and clawing at each other, there's a chance they might somehow kiss”….Jerry on why men like catfights

Nitpick of the episode-I kind of get the cat fight stuff, but when Elaine plays the tape with Molly Shannon’s character threatening her suddenly it isn’t very funny. If Raquel Welch’s dancing is so bad how did her show manage to win a Tony?

Seinfeldism of the episode-A good old fashioned cat fight!

Deleted Scenes-Elaine trying to give it back to her co-workers who called her catty

Episode Fun Fact-Raquel Welch enjoyed playing a parody of herself in this episode

Final Thoughts-Why did they feel the needed to end this season with a callback to the last season’s final episode? The scene is so awful at the end, it feels like the show is basically doing a parody of itself! Before we get to that lame moment, the episode that precedes it really isn’t that bad. Raquel Welch is really funny in this episode, and since we don’t see her actually fight Elaine and Kramer we can laugh. The story of Jerry and the woman who needs another dude because she is so high maintenance is clever. I love how Kramer gets swept up with the whole Tony Award euphoria, even though he didn’t technically win a thing. George’s story is lame, all set up for that last scene which, as I said, I hated. It just wasn’t funny and felt like the show had run out of ideas. Maybe it’s no big surprise the next season would be the last one.

Grade=C, That last scene truly ruins the episode for me

Seeason 8 wasn’t all bad, but there were lots of bad episodes toward the end. How would Season nine go, would it stay the course or improve? Join me next week as we begin our look at the final season.