Analytical Episode Guide-Seinfeld (Season 5, Part 2)

An Analytical Episode Guide to:

 

Season 5, Part 2

Episode 6, Season 2

The Lip Reader

 

Plot Summary-At a tennis match Jerry is so smitten with a lineswoman he asks her out. George is caught on TV with ice cream all over his face, which quite possibly is the reason his latest girlfriend suddenly ends their relationship. The linewoman is deaf so George tries to get her to read his girlfriends lips at a party. Kramer becomes a ball boy while Elaine is caught faking hearing loss to avoid talking to her driver.

Best Quote-“Alright it’s terrible but I’m not a terrible person”….Elaine  

Nitpick of the episode-I am with Elaine on this one. I don’t need to chit chat when I am being driven, just drive! However, faking being deaf probably wasn’t the way to go. She should have just been honest.

Seinfeldism of the episode-George is given the “it’s not you it’s me” routine, which he invented (and perfected)

Deleted Scenes-None for this episode

Episode Fun Fact-The first episode written by Carol Leifer, who went on to write many episodes.

Final Thoughts- This is a clever episode. The whole thing with the lip reader is done very well. A big part of that was Marlee Matlin who was real good in this episode. The best scene is the one where Jerry and George discuss asking her to help eavesdrop while covering their mouths with anything they can. I am surprised Elaine is so upset that the driver caught her overhearing, if she was going to worry about it then why pretend to be deaf in the first place? Her story is kind of weak. Kramer’s story is also weak but he does get the last laugh at the end of the episode. Of course seeing the tables turned with George, where his girlfriend dumps him for superficial reasons is really clever.

Grade=B+, the end of the episode is kind of lame.

Episode 7, Season 5

The Non-Fat Yogurt

 

Plot Summary-Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine have discovered an amazing new yogurt shop which serves no fat yogurt. Kramer invested in the place, and Jerry is so impressed he accidentally swears in front of a child. George runs into old childhood friend Lloyd Braun who is now an advisor for Mayor Dinkins. Braun also dates Elaine, who comes up an idea about name tags which Dinkins actually runs with, unfortunately. Kramer’s fling with a lab tech causes Giuliani’s cholesterol level to be misreported. George has to pretend something is wrong with his arm after Braun catches him poking Jerry.

Best Quote-“Lloyd doesn’t know what he is up against. This is nothing to me. My whole life is a lie”….George

Nitpick of the episode-Kind of hard to believe that the test tube Kramer knocks over wasn’t taken better care of at an FDA lab.

Seinfeldism of the episode-Jerry uses bleeped out profanity

Deleted Scenes-A longer ending where we see Braun upset with Elaine for coming up with the lame nametag idea (you’re the idiot who told your boss Braun, but I digress). We also get more bragging about Braun from George’s parents.

Episode Fun Fact-There is actually two versions of this episode. One where Dinkins wins and Giuliani is the guy who ok’d the nametag idea. The reason was of course because the creators had no idea who would win when the episode was being produced. When Giuliani won, the episode aired as we are familiar with. The Giuliani scenes were filmed just two days before the episode aired! It is worth getting the DVD to see the alternate footage which would have been used had Dinkins won. Also, If Dinkins had emerged as the winner; the character of Jackie Chiles might not have existed. As Dinkins declined to appear in person the actor who was later cast as Chiles in the seventh season was going to be used as a spokesman for Dinkins in this episode.

Final Thoughts-Very good episode. This is such a New York episode with the whole governor’s race being part of the story but it’s still enjoyable for those of us who don’t live in The Big Apple. So glad Giuliani won because the version that made it to air is much better. Seinfeld is amazing, how many shows would have a character swearing in front of a child several times and get away with it? Elaine’s story is kind of small but it’s also pivotal since she is the one starts the whole name tag idea (which was stupid, by the way).

Grade=A-, This is a great episode, it’s fun to watch Seinfeld’s small world effect a mayoral election.

Episode 8, Season 5

The Barber

 

Plot Summary-Jerry worries about hurting his barber’s feeling if he stops going to him. An attempt to see another barber on the side is ruined by Newman. Kramer agrees to help Elaine in a bachelor auction. George isn’t sure if he was hired or not, so he goes in to work anyway.

Best Quote- "I could raise enough money to cure polio."….Kramer

Nitpick of the episode-The idea Jerry is more worried about his barber’s feeling is ludicrous. It is out of character and makes no sense. He’s an entertainer; wouldn’t he be more interested in looking his best if he is going to be on stage?

Seinfeldism of the episode-The line “I want you to have this job, of course,….” And not following up the thought.

Deleted Scenes-None for this episode.

Episode Fun Fact-The series usual music is replaced in this episode by opera music throughout the episode

Final Thoughts-I really didn’t want to watch this one because I really hate this episode! It is just so awful. Ok the site gag of Jerry’s haircut is funny but this episode is so lousy. I am not even referring to the opera music though the whole show. As bad as that is, the real problem here is the story. It’s just so dumb! Jerry really cares about his barber’s feelings so much he is willing to look foolish? Is this the same Jerry who will complain about the low flow shower heads in a few seasons? The whole episode feels off, the characters are so broad they are almost cartoons and there is even a moment where Jerry lets Newman hang out in his apartment. How wrong is that! Then to top it off Elaine’s story is stupid too. Bachelor auctions are a big cliché which never works, and this episode is no exception. It’s no surprise that her story was a replacement for another. The only bright side is George; his story is kind of funny but gets mired down by the rest of this terrible episode. It’s also rehash, isn’t his showing up not knowing if he had the job a lot like him walking back in after quitting? Still, I’ll take it considering the rest of this episode.

Grade=D-, I’m keeping it from being F because George’s story is pretty good.

Episode 9, Season 5

The Masseuse

 

Plot Summary-Jerry is dating a masseuse who refuses to give Jerry a massage and does not like George. George obsessed about the fact she does not like him to the point it ruins his relationship with a girl who does like him. Elaine dates a man who happens to have the same name as a horrible serial killer.

Best Quote-“This woman hates me so much, I’m starting to like her”…..George

Nitpick of the episode-We learn in this episode that someone can’t just hate George for no reason but it is perfectly fine to hate him with a reason. OK.

Seinfeldism of the episode-We learn Jerry hasn’t vomited in 13 years

Deleted Scenes-None for this episode.

Episode Fun Fact- It’s always amusing to hear Elaine suggest her boyfriend change her name to OJ to avoid confusion with a serial killer. Who knew what would happen with OJ Simpson a few months later?

Final Thoughts-This could have been a great episode except Elaine’s story, which starts out so strong, goes nowhere! It’s such a great idea, dating someone who happens to have the same name as a horrible serial killer. The first half is well done including the scene at the football game. But, the second half I get the feeling the writer just had no idea where to go with it and it ends with the two yelling alternate names at each other. Aside from that, it’s a good episode. Jerry can occasionally be as neurotic as George and this is a good example. He has the idea in his head he wants a massage, and that’s all he can focus on. We’ll see an even better example of this in a couple weeks. George is always neurotic and the fact that he obsesses over the fact the girl hates him, while ignoring the girl who does like him, seems exactly like something he would do. Kramer gets a bit shortchanged in this ep as he just advances Jerry’s story.

Grade=B-, stories just kind of fade in the end, a trademark of this writer he never seems to know how to end his stories after building them up

Episode 10, Season 5

The Cigar Store Indian

 

Plot Summary-Jerry has to get George’s parents coffee table fixed after he leaves a coffee ring on it. Elaine takes a TV Guide to read on the subway and runs into an odd character. Kramer comes up with an idea for a coffee table book about coffee tables. George’s parents discover just what their son did on their bed while they were away. Jerry buys a cigar store Indian to impress a woman, but the woman is Native American and is offended. He tries to apologize but instead makes one politically incorrect goof after another.

Best Quote-Aren’t we all getting a little too sensitive? I mean if somebody asks me which way is Israel, I don’t fly off the handle”…Jerry

Nitpick of the episode-The whole premise for Jerry buying the cigar store Indian in the first place feels forced. He says he did it because he and Elaine had a fight earlier. Really, when? I thought it was because he didn’t drive her home. It just isn’t believable he would buy it, obviously the writers needed to come up with some way for him to offend Elaine’s friend. A little too obviously.

Seinfeldism of the episode-Kramer’s coffee table book about coffee tables

Deleted Scenes-None for this episode.

Episode Fun Fact-Of course TV Guide is at the center of this episode, and it’s actually a bit dated since TV Guide is a very different magazine today. I could do a whole article about how as a kid I looked forward to it every week with anticipation and then absorbed every word when it did. Strange as it sounds, I have some fond memories of that magazine. I actually think Frank Costanza was smart, I wish I had more than just a couple old issues lying around. They are like little time capsules. Ah, the good old days! I miss the old TV Guide.

Final Thoughts-The scene where George’s parents find a condom wrapper on their bed is one of the best of the series. It is funny to see the effect George’s folks have on him, it makes us better understand his character. I think the reason this episode works is because we can see that Jerry doesn’t mean to offend anyone. When he asks the Chinese man if there are any Chinese Restaurants in the area, because he is a postal worker who probably knew the neighborhood, it makes a certain amount of sense. Seinfeld got into a trend of having angry characters that were angry for no reason, and the postal worker here is a good example. Kramer’s idea for a coffee table book about coffee tables is one idea that actually sticks, as we will see in the next few episodes. The best part of this episode is that the whole story is centered around a TV Guide with Al Roker on the cover, and Al Roker himself appears at the very end in small but effective cameo.

 Grade=A-, I always really liked this one