An Analytical Episode Guide to :
Season 6, Part 4
Episode 19, Season 6
The Jimmy
Plot Summary-Jerry, George, and Kramer meet a man named
Jimmy who likes to refer to himself in the third person. Kramer’s drooling
causes him to hurt himself which put a kink in George’s new business venture.
Elaine accidentally asks him out to see Mel Torme. Jerry finds very odd reading
material at his dentist office, where he believes he was violated while under
the laughing gas.
Best Quote-“You know just admitting a man is handsome
doesn’t necessarily make you a homosexual”….Elaine
Nitpick of the episode-I wouldn’t be able to stand Jimmy for
a second. Who refers to himself in the third person like that? But that’s just
me. I also didn’t care for the final scene with Kramer and Mel Torme. It just
wasn’t funny to me. Yes I know I am in
the minority on that.
Seinfeldism of the episode-George’s sweating when being
questioned about the stolen property which makes him appear guilty. This is
actually clever, and in the next couple seasons we will learn how winking and
throat clearing can have similar repercussions.
Deleted Scenes-Jerry telling Ellaine about Whatley’s new
policy, more with Whatley’s new nurse
Episode Fun Fact-The scene with Kramer and Deensfry in the
cab was alluded to in the series finale, but that was removed from that
episode.
Final Thoughts-This episode seems to be trying hard to be
insensitive. We have Kramer being mistaken for a mentally challenged person,
Jerry discovering his dentist has a Penthouse in his office and later being
violated. The funny thing is that the episode doesn’t seem that offensive.
George’s story is really pointless and goes nowhere. Elaine’s story is ok but
it’s really Kramer who steals the show at the end. Jerry does a good job in this
episode being disgusted at his dentist, you really feel like there is something
rotten going on. The amazing thing is that he goes back to Whatley in a later
episode!
Grade=B+, I like it but it’s not a favorite
Episode 20, Season 6
The Doodle
Plot Summary-George dates a woman who doesn’t think he’s
attractive. Jerry has fleas which causes his parents to stay at the Plaza
thanks to Elaine’s new job interview. Kramer loses his sense of taste after
breathing in toxic gas. He also loses Elaine’s manuscript which she needed for
the interview.
Best Quote-“I’m grotesque. I look like a troll”…..George
Nitpick of the episode-I would have liked an explanation why
the gas didn’t kill Kramer. And what in the world happened to that manuscript?
Seinfeldism of the episode-George gets to live his dream,
being draped in velvet
Deleted Scenes-The scene between Jerry and Newman was longer
as Newman makes a full confession
Episode Fun Fact-This may be the first we see of Jerry being
anal retentive, when he gets upset about eating a pecan which his girlfriend
already had in her mouth and then can’t use her toothbrush. By the way, there
is no such thing as a Mackinaw peach.
Final Thoughts-The stuff with Jerry’s parents doesn’t work,
but otherwise this is a pretty good episode. The scene between Jerry and Newman
is one of the better Newman moments in the series. Elaine really has nothing to
do here except to advance everyone else’s plot. Kramer’s story is kind of lame
but as usual Michael Richards makes the most of it. The whole thing with the
fleas really doesn’t go anywhere either in fact. It is funny to watch George
when he realizes that first his girlfriend doesn’t think he is attractive, and
then discovers the benefits of that.
Grade=C, The stuff with Jerry’s family isn’t funny and
Kramer’s story is hard to swallow
Episode 21, Season 6
The Fusilli Jerry
Plot Summary-Kramer makes an image of Jerry with Fusilli
pasta. His new vanity license plates cause a stir. George’s mom has an eye job
while he tries to master Jerry’s sex move, which it appears Elaine’s boyfriend
has adopted and used on Elaine. Frank believes Kramer made a move on his wife,
and he ends up 0falling on the Fusilli Jerry.
Best Quote-“I can’t believe he stole my move!”….Jerry
Nitpick of the episode-Why wasn’t this episode called “The
Move”? Think the whole story of Jerry and his “move” was an attempt to
duplicate what L.A.Law had done years earlier with the Venus Butterfly (look it
up) but it didn’t have the same kind of appeal. George having to write it on his
hands is a bit hard to swallow, how complicated a move could it be? Even if it,
how stupid would you have to be to write it on your hands????
Seinfeldism of the episode-Kramer is The Assman
Deleted Scenes-None for this episode.
Episode Fun Fact-First appearance of David Puddy
Final Thoughts-Amazed by how much sex happens in this
episode, literally and in discussion. This is a really good episode, including
the Assman stuff with Kramer who finally gets a funny story with a good payoff!
The end with Frank falling on the fussilli is one of those silly things that
manages to work and not be incredibly stupid. Jerry’s story is funny, you would
think they would use comedians stealing each other’s material as a metaphor for
sex, but instead it’s the other way around as Jerry is upset Puddy stole his
sex move the same way he would be upset about a comedian stealing his material.
Very good writing. Finally, as noted this is the first time we see Puddy who
will become one of the more popular characters on the series for being so
delightfully dimwitted.
Grade=A
Episode 22, Season 6
The Diplomat’s Club
Plot Summary-Jerry has trouble making it back to New York
for a date. Kramer gambles on planes at the airport. George tries to prove he
has black friends, while Mr.Pitt believes that Jerry tried to poison him and
fires Elaine.
Best Quote-“But you don’t really have any black friends, and
aside from us you don’t have any white friends either”….Jerry to George
Nitpick of the episode- I guess it’s only fitting in his final
episode I make fun of Mr.Pitt a little. Why does he think Jerry is a pharmacist
exactly? Don’t pharmacists have white coats on and name tags and stuff? Mr.Pitt
was many things but an idiot was never one of them.
Seinfeldism of the episode-Kramer’s betting problem comes up
again
Deleted Scenes-George working the ticket booth at Yankee
stadium (not sure why)
Episode Fun Fact-The story about Jerry and the pilot in his
audience was based on a true story, this episode was filmed with no live
audience at all
Final Thoughts-When I first saw this episode I hated it.
Seeing Jerry so freaked out was unsettling, and the episode just didn’t work
for me. Now time has passed and while I realize it wasn’t so bad, it is still a
weak one. It was an ambitious episode,
and maybe it was a little too big to the point where it doesn’t feel like an
ordinary Seinfeld. While the stuff with Jerry is actually kind of funny, the
other stories are so boring. George trying to prove he has black friends to
impress his boss? Lame. Kramer betting on incoming planes? Lame. And Elaine’s
story was obviously leading to the end when she is fired. I wasn’t sad to see
that happen, Mr.Pitt got boring fast.
Grade=D, everything
just feels off in this one
Episode 23, Season 6
The Face Painter
Plot Summary-Elaine’s boyfriend paints his face before a
hockey game. Kramer runs into trouble with a monkey at the zoo. George wants to
say he loves his girlfriend, while Jerry decides to put a stop to having to say
thank you a million times.
Best Quote-“Well he started it!”….Kramer about the fight
with the monkey
Nitpick of the episode-Kramer is right in this episode when he
tells Jerry that calling and saying hello after the hockey game is a rule of
society. Jerry was foolish for not listening, and waiting so long to finally
call to say thank you. While I agree with Jerry that it’s annoying, it’s still
a rule of society especially when Jerry wants to get more tickets.
Seinfeldism of the episode-Jerry points out if George
doesn’t get the return after saying I love you, he’s a pretty big matzo ball
hanging out there
Deleted Scenes- Jerry tries to convince George not to try to
say he loves Siena again, an alternate ending where she hears him and says yes
to a marrying him. Larry David still didn’t believe in the shows strength at
this point and filmed that in case they were cancelled (yeah, like that was
going to happen).
Episode Fun Fact-The character Alec Berg was named after one
of the show’s writers
Final Thoughts- This is a great episode, as we get to see Puddy’s
odd habit of face painting. Puddy really steals the show in this episode. The
story about Kramer and monkey is classic, I admit it. The bit with George is
great, for once he feels confident and sure of himself only to get shot down by
the girl he tries to tell he is in love with. Elaine just reacts to Puddy’s eccentrics. The story with the priest is funny but could
have been developed more. Jerry also has a weak story; he basically spends the
second half sitting on his couch waiting for the phone ring. Boring, and dumb.
The classic moment in this episode is the funeral scene; we see Jerry and
Elaine totally passive while mourners are crying around them. Then Elaine turns
to Jerry and comments on her clothes? That is a typical Seinfeld moment, and isn’t
so dark that the characters come off as totally cold hearted.
Grade=A-, Jerry’s story is boring, it’s just build up for
the (predictable) payoff at the end with no substance
Episode 24, Season 6
The Understudy
Plot Summary-Jerry’s girlfriend is the understudy to Bette
Midler in a play and cries a lot, George injures Bette during a softball game.
Kramer makes it a point to take of care of her. Elaine uses Frank to find what
the Korean Manicurists are saying about her.
Best Quote-“Hey, you know what, I didn’t like the show, I
didn’t like you. You just really stunk. The whole thing real bad. Stinkaroo.
Thanks for the tickets though”….Jerry pretending to tell someone they stink.
Nitpick of the episode-What is up with Elaine in this
episode? When she finds out what the manicurists are saying behind her back,
she should be enraged (Frank has it right when he screams at them). Instead she feels guilty? And since when does Elaine cry like that?
Obviously this was all designed to set up her meeting with J Peterman, even if
it meant taking her way out of character. Actually her character unfortunately
goes in a very different direction next week, but we’ll get to that.
Seinfeldism of the episode-Rochelle Rochelle becomes a
musical on Broadway
Deleted Scenes-This overstuffed episode had lots of stuff
trimmed including Jerry and George running into the apartment after being
chased out of the park, more of Jerry and George in the hospital, Bette Midler
commenting on George in the park, and
more of Bette and Kramer in the hospital room.
Episode Fun Fact-Too much story made this the first episode
to open with no stand-up routine, we meet the character of J Peterman for the
first time.
Final Thoughts- This is such a great episode. The whole
send-up of the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding incident was just brilliant! Elaine’s
story is out of character for her, but I already talked about that. The stuff
with Frank and the Korean woman feels like filler, in fact I don’t know why
they bothered I guess it was here the writers started over stuffing the episodes
with stories. The story is pointless; if they dropped it the episode would lose
nothing. The bit with Kramer and Bette Midler works well, and Jerry and George
are funny in this too. Truth is George may have the weakest role, after plowing
into Bette Midler in the ballgame he has nothing else to do. This episode has
one of my favorite endings ever; the bit with Gennice having to stop the show
due to an untied lace is an hysterical parody of Tonya Harding in the '94 Olympics. The boot even looks like a hockey skate,
and she bears a strong resemblance to Harding. I realize that people who
weren’t around at that time may not get the joke, but it was just and still is
a huge laugh for me.
Grade=B+, Elaine’s
story keeps it from being an A but overall a great (albeit overstuffed) season
finale!
The season didn’t start strong, but it ended pretty well.
However, it was pretty clear the show needed a new direction for season 7.
Maybe a story arc! But what could they
do that would be shake things up a bit and be interesting enough to last a
season? Come back next week as we begin our look at season 7.
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