Analytical Episode Guide-Seinfeld (Season 8, Part 1)

An Analytical Episode Guide to :

 

Season 8, Part 1

As I said last week the big news as this season started was that Larry David would not be returning. This meant that Jerry Seinfeld was going to be in charge of the day to day production. So the question, would the show be the same? I hate to say it, but he answer is no. At least, not exactly the same. The first change was the elimination of the opening monologues since Jerry just didn’t have time to work on them anymore. Another change would be a direction toward more broad, slapstick kind of humor. I said that there were three phases to this series. Seasons 1-3 were the early years and they felt like it when you see the episodes, seasons 4-7 were the golden years when the show was at its best, and the last two seasons were the subpar years which had the show slowly deteriorate. So all in all, was this season really bad? That is the question we will be answering as we begin out look at the penultimate season.

Episode 1, Season 8

The Foundation

 

Plot Summary-Following Susan’s death, the Ross’s establish a foundation and make George the head of it. After Peterman has a breakdown, Elaine takes over the catalog. Jerry tries to figure out why no one buys his story about the end of his engagement, while Kramer takes up karate.

Best Quote-“KHHAANNN”….George mimicking the famous line

Nitpick of the episode-Isn’t there a board of directors at the J Peterman catalog to keep Elaine from running the company?

Seinfeldism of the episode-Elaine puts an odd hat called the Urban Sombrero on the cover of the catalog

Deleted Scenes-Elaine giving orders at the catalog

Episode Fun Fact-As a Star Trek fan, Ioved the references to Star Trek II and III littered through the episode.

Final Thoughts-Well, what can I say about this one? I guess I can’t blame them for following up on the least season’s final episode. George’s story when you come right down to it is showing him suffering from what happened to Susan. Honestly I would have preferred that whole thing just go away, reminding us of it doesn’t work. Maybe that’s why the foundation is only seen one or two more times. This episode is an example of the more silly stories that would pop up, as we see Kramer fighting children. I mean in what imaginary world would this be allowed? They even recreate the scene of Kramer being attacked in the alley from “The Sponge”, but this time the motivation for it is a little more sympathetic and since its kids we don’t mind as much. Elaine is back in evil bitch mode for the episode (though not as bad as “The Wait Out”).  I am on Jerry’s side when he knocks her ego down a peg, she deserved it. Jerry’s story is bland, I liked the quick end to his engagement and seeing “Mulva” again, but the story is still rather weak.

Grade=B-, only ok

Episode 2, Season 8

The Soul Mate

 

Plot Summary-Jerry and Kramer compete for the affections of the same girl. George suspects the foundation board thinks he killed Susan. Elaine meets a man who likes the same things she does.

Best Quote-“I once told a woman that I coined the phrase “pardon my french””…George

Nitpick of the episode-The tape story isn’t bad but the ending doesn’t add up. What they say happened to the tape doesn’t really correspond with the events that had been depicted when George played the tape, if it was just someone moving a chair and stumbling why did the voices sound so startled? If the tape stopped when the chair hit it, then why did George have to rewind it so long? And why didn’t the people in the room mention the incident to George when he came back in for briefcase? As I said, it doesn’t make sense.

Seinfeldism of the episode-Throat clearing as an indication of doubt

Deleted Scenes-None for this episode

Episode Fun Fact-We learn that Newman has feelings for Elaine (never made sense to me either)

Final Thoughts-This episode is a great example of the broad comedy that would begin in this series, with the scene of Jerry and Newman chasing each other in the hallway. I hated the story of Jerry and Kramer competing for the same girl. Why did they have to make it a competition? They could have told the same story with Kramer, making it a competition between the two was pointless. It just turns into another Cyrano story. Thank goodness we have George’s story, which is pretty good. The only bad thing is the end. Elaine’s story is pretty bland, all it really does is introduce to Kevin will have an important role in the following episode. And that vasectomy stuff? Ouch.

Grade=C+, George’s story is the only thing strong in this episode and even that fails in the end

Episode 3, Season 8

The Bizarro Jerry

 

Plot Summary-Elaine realizes that her friend Kevin is the exact opposite of Jerry. George uses a picture of Jerry’s girlfriend to infiltrate a model paradise. Jerry dates a woman with male-like hands. Kramer starts working.

Best Quote-”I can’t spend the rest of my life coming into the stinking apartment every ten minutes to pour over the excruciating minutiae of every single daily event”….Elaine basically summing of the premise of the shown

Nitpick of the episode-One question, what is Bizarro Elaine like?

Seinfeldism of the episode-Jerry’s date has man hands

Deleted Scenes-None for this episode

Episode Fun Fact-Kevin’s apartment is a mirror opposite of Jerry’s, right down to pasta rather than cereal and a Bizarro figure in the corner. My favorite is when the Bizarro Kramer brings food rather than taking it, brilliant! And of course Kevin is good buddies with their version of Newman.

Final Thoughts-Gotta be fair, and say this was a real funny episode. At this point the creators realized they could start making fun of themselves since they had been on so long. I hated that, I don’t want to see a parody of a coffee shop scene I want an actual scene! However this episode is an exception because it is really funny and well done. The Bizzaro Jerry is really the opposite, but the funny thing is watching Kevin and his friends make me really happy the show is about Jerry and co. I think the sitcom that would feature Kevin and his friends would be real boring! The scene where the two groups meet was surreal and very well done right down to the reversed color scheme on the clothes. Then you have Kramer going to work, and they get every laugh they can out of that idea. The scene where he is fired is really good. The indirect result of Kramer’s story is Jerry acting like the poor put upon housewife which is really funny. Jerry also gets the story of the woman with man hands, which is done pretty well. It’s obvious the hands we see in the close ups are a stand in, but the gag still works. George’s story is even good in this episode, as he gets into the model paradise only to blow it by accidentally destroying the picture. This is the first episode to show a regular gag where George calls Jerry, and Jerry pretends to not know is calling. George’s reaction is to yell at Jerry and slam the phone. Funny bit. Great episode! 

Grade= A, one of the seasons stand outs

Episode 4, Season 8

The Little Kicks

 

Plot Summary-Elaine horrifies her co-workers with her bizarre dancing. George enjoys being taken for a “bad boy”. Kramer’s friend bootlegs movies and gets Jerry involved.

Best Quote-“It was more like a full body dry heave set to music”….George describing Elaine’s dance

Nitpick of the episode-If I were Jerry I would have called the cops on Brodie, it certainly isn’t worth getting into trouble for. Though he does seem like a dangerous character, I certainly wouldn’t have anything to do with him.

Seinfeldism of the episode-Elaine’s odd dancing; George is the “bad boy”

Deleted Scenes-None for this episode

Episode Fun Fact-The last scene between Elaine and Frank took quite a few takes to get right

Final Thoughts-I give this episode credit for going the extra mile to make us think Elaine has always danced that way. We get a flashback where Julia Louis-Dreyfuss has a third season dress and hairstyle. Nice touch. The episode itself is, not too bad. Kramer’s friend is a little to real, to the point of being scary. That kind of spoils the episode since it isn’t funny. It is funny to watch George act like the bad boy to impress a girl. Then try to get the appeal back after Elaine kills it for him. As for Elaine and her dancing, there’s a reason why that dance is tattooed on people’s memories. It’s funny and, as someone who once thought he could dance but really can’t, a bit relatable.

Grade=B

Episode 5, Season 8

The Package

 

Plot Summary-George attempts to impress a woman at a photo store by having Kramer take seductive pictures of him. Jerry refuses to accept a suspicious package, which Uncle Leo signs for. Elaine learns she is considered a difficult patient.

Best Quote-“Oh, extra teeth I love that look”…Jerry

Nitpick of the episode-The scene with Uncle Leo at the doctor’s office is the dumbest; you mean the doctor really believes his drawn in eyebrows are real?

Seinfeldism of the episode-Jerry thinks he is “bombable” so he refuses the strange package

Deleted Scenes-Newman confiscating the photos

Episode Fun Fact-In an odd inconsistency, the stereo which is supposedly being shipped around the post office is still visible in Jerry’s apartment during those scenes.

Final Thoughts-What a dated episode! George’s story involves film which no one uses, and the whole medical chart thing is obsolete since most doctors where I go use laptops now. I never liked Elaine’s story, just the idea of a doctor avoiding helping a patient due to something written on a chart isn’t funny to me. The whole story seems to against the concept of doctors. It starts out ok but by the end it's just to silly and unbelievable. In real life you could sue the doctors in this episode the way they act.  I never understood the bit with Uncle Leo, I get the feeling they wanted to have him get bombed but changed their mind for obvious reasons. The payoff with George’s story is funny, although it isn’t a big surprise. I think this is yet another episode where Newman steals the scenes he is in, too bad he wasn’t on the show more often.Jerry doesn’t seem to have anything interesting to do, and neither does Kramer really after he takes the photos of George and gets Jerry into trouble by trying to scam the post office.

Grade=C-, Elaine’s story gets dumb