Jerry Seinfeld is famously unsentimental about the series, while millions of fans worldwide have fallen in love with it and can recite and perform many scenes from nearly every episode.
Along with Larry David, Seinfeld gave us the gift of 180 episodes, each one of them memorable for one reason or another. The series became a cultural phenomenon and enriched our everyday language with its unique phrases and terms that have become commonplace. Among the most memorable contributions are "shrinkage," referring to the effect cold water has on male anatomy, or "spongeworthy," which humorously gauged the worthiness of a partner based on the availability of birth control sponges.
The show also introduced "Serenity now!" as a comedic mantra for stress management and "yada yada yada" as a way to gloss over unpleasant details in a story. The show is also responsible for "close talker" and "low talker," as well as phrases like "double-dipping" and "man-hands." Even a new holiday, Festivus, was even popularized through the show, highlighting Seinfeld's lasting impact on us all.
If there is ever a show that people from all walks of life can say (about real-life situations) "This is just like that episode of..." it's got to be Seinfeld.
Below, I've compiled a list of one or two trivia bits per episode, all 180 of them, in an attempt to showcase just how big and important Seinfeld was (and still is!) to us all. See how many you already know!
Episode 1 - "The Seinfeld Chronicles"
The character Elaine didn't exist yet, but the show intended to have a fourth character, the waitress at Pete's Luncheonette named Claire (Lee Garlington). Claire and Pete's would be replaced after the pilot with Elaine and Monk's.
Episode 2 - "The Stake Out"
This episode features Jerry's parents for the first time and also includes the line "Sagman, Bennet, Robbins, Oppenheim, and Taft." Liz Sheridan portrays Helen, and Phil Burns plays Morty Seinfeld. Following this episode, Larry David decided Phil Burns was too laid-back as Morty and replaced him with Barney Martin.
Episode 3 - "The Robbery"
While Elaine did make her on-screen debut in "The Stake Out," this episode was actually filmed first, making it Julia Louis-Dreyfus's first performance as Elaine.
Episode 4 - "Male Unbonding"
This is the only episode without the word "The" in its title. Seinfeld and Larry David chose the "The (insert subject of the episode)" title format because they didn't want the show's writers to waste time coming up with clever names for episodes that most people would never see or hear.
Episode 5- "The Stock Tip"
Some fans have pointed out a continuity mistake here, as George smoked a cigar to celebrate his big stock-market win. Later in Season Four, he tells Jerry that he was given Cuban cigars from Susan's father and that cigars make him very sick, so he never smokes them. Also, this is the first time Superman is mentioned as an interest of Jerry's.
Episode 6 - "The Ex-Girlfriend"
This episode was delayed for over a week due to the news coverage of the start of the Gulf War.
Episode 7 - "The Pony Remark"
This episode, along with "The Deal," was nominated for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for the 1991 Emmys. Both lost out to Murphy Brown, but they were the first of an eventual 11 Seinfeld episodes to receive the honor. Julia Louis Dreyfus has claimed this was her favorite episode.
Episode 8 - "The Jacket"
This was the one and only appearance of Elaine's father. Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld liked actor Lawrence Tierney for the part, but his bizarre behavior backstage gave them reason to never have him back. Apparently, he stole a butcher's knife from the set of Jerry's apartment and, when confronted, pulled it out and made several threatening gestures towards Seinfeld.
Episode 9 - "The Phone Message"
After this episode, the ratings were a big disappointment when "ONLY" 13 million viewers tuned in. Any show would kill for that today, but back then, it caused NBC to place Seinfeld on a two-month hiatus while they did a "production retooling" and marketing campaign.
Episode 10 - "The Apartment"
Jerry's apartment is established as "5A," and this is the first Elaine "GET OUT" shove.
Episode 11 - "The Statue"
Jane Leeves (Daphne on Frasier) first auditioned for the role of Rava, but later appeared in several episodes as Marla the virgin.
Episode 12 - "The Revenge"
This is the first appearance of Jerry's neighbor and rival, Newman. The character only appears off-screen, threatening to jump off the building. Newman was voiced by Larry David in this episode, but the vocals were later replaced by Wayne Knight when the episode entered syndication.
Episode 13 - "The Heart Attack"
This episode contains the first mention of Kramer's friend, Bob Sacamano. Sacamano, based on a real-life friend of writer Larry Charles, would be mentioned but not seen in at least 10 episodes.
Episode 14 - "The Deal"
This episode showed Jerry and Elaine working out a “friends with benefits” arrangement and was written in response to NBC's request to make them a couple. Several subtle jabs were intended to be directed at the network, such as when Kramer says, “Boy, I really liked you two better when you weren’t a couple.” They ended the episode as a couple but were split up again without explanation by the next episode.
Episode 15 - "The Baby Shower"
Michael Richards (Kramer) was said to have improvised the "My little cable boy" line, causing Jerry to break (smile) during the scene. Jerry's smile is partially visible in the final version of the episode.
Episode 16 - "The Chinese Restaurant"
NBC sat on this episode for months, fearing it would be a disaster with fans because it never leaves the one set and is truly about "nothing." It's now widely considered to be one of the show's best episodes. The series also poked fun at NBC later in "The Virgin" when Jerry pitches the idea about a Chinese restaurant to an unimpressed NBC staff.
Episode 17 - "The Busboy"
According to reports, Castle Rock executives approached Jerry after this episode and told him he was too generous with his co-stars and should always include a story for himself from then on. It's also generally considered one of the least-liked episodes of the series.
Episode 18 - "The Note"
This marks the first episode Kramer is seen in Monk's Diner. Initially, he was intended to only be seen in the apartment (as a type of stay-at-home slacker) but the writers quickly figured out it severely limited his storylines.
Episode 19 - "The Truth"
This was the first episode written by a female, Elaine Pope.
Episode 20 - "The Pen"
This episode takes place in Florida at Jerry's parents' condo and only features Jerry and Elaine. It was the only episode without George. Jason Alexander threatened to quit the show when he realized his character wasn't in the episode. Kramer was also absent but wasn't in "The Chinese Restaurant" either.
Episode 21 - "The Dog"
The fictional film "Prognosis: Negative" is named after an unproduced screenplay by Larry David in which the main character wrongly assumes a negative prognosis from a doctor is bad news.
Episode 22 - "The Library"
Philip Baker Hall, the actor who played Mr. Bookman, has said his life "changed significantly" after his appearance. Despite his list of credits, it was the role he was most often recognized for.
Episode 23 - "The Parking Garage"
During the final scene, Kramer's car's inability to start was unplanned. When it didn't start, the shot was left in for a much funnier ending than the planned "back up and drive off camera." As the episode ends, the actors can be seen cracking up with laughter in the car as the show ends.
Episode 24 - "The Cafe"
Babu is from Pakistan. The actor who plays him, Brian George, is from Israel.
Episode 25 - "The Tape"
It is the first appearance of Ping, the delivery boy who would return in the later episodes of The Visa, The Virgin, The Pilot, and The Finale.
Episode 26 - "The Nose Job"
This was the first appearance of Kramer's "alter-ego," Dr. Von Nostrand.
Episode 27 - "The Stranded"
This episode was filmed during Season Two, but Larry David really didn't like the finished product. NBC wanted to air it immediately but held it until the next season when Larry finally relented.
Episode 28 - "The Alternate Side"
This is Jerry's least favorite episode of the entire series, as he was uncomfortable with the scenes feeding a character who had very recently had a stroke. He also claims Jerry Seinfeld credits the phrase "These pretzels are making me thirsty" as the first of the show's many catchphrases. During his next stand-up tour, audience members would chant this during virtually every performance.
Episode 29 - "The Red Dot"
Jason Alexander has said his favorite line as George comes from this episode when George responds to his boss with, "Was that wrong? Should I not have done that? I tell you, I gotta plead ignorance on this thing because if anyone had said anything to me at all when I first started here, that sort of thing was frowned upon… You know, because I’ve worked in a lot of offices, and I tell you, people do that all the time."
Episode 30 - "The Subway"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus was visibly pregnant at this time, and throughout this episode, Elaine carries a large present in front of her stomach, concealing Louis-Dreyfus' pregnancy. When Louis-Dreyfus went on maternity leave, she was not available for the first two episodes of season four. Her absence was explained by saying she was vacationing in Europe.
Episode 31 - "The Pez Dispenser"
This episode features Kramer's cologne idea, "The Beach," for the first time.
Episode 32 - "The Suicide"
While Episode 12 was the character's first appearance, this was Wayne Knight's first on-screen appearance as Newman.
Episode 33 - "The Fix Up"
This was the first of only two episodes to win an Emmy for Outstanding Writing. The other was "The Contest."
Episode 34 - "The Boyfriend: Part One"
Before appearing on the set for the two-part episode, Keith Hernandez had never seen an episode of Seinfeld.
Episode 35- "The Boyfriend: Part Two"
Being a giant Mets fan, Seinfeld was adamant that Keith Hernandez would be the baseball player in these two episodes because he was his favorite player at the time and wanted an excuse to meet him.
Episode 36 - "The Limo"
Suzanne Snyder, who played the Hitler-loving "Eva," would later return as Poppie's daughter. The character Eva is named for Eva Braun, Adolf Hitler's girlfriend and wife, during World War II.
Episode 37 - "The Good Samaritan"
This episode was directed by Jason Alexander, the only episode directed by any cast member.
Episode 38 - "The Letter"
After being hit in the head by a baseball, Kramer refers to Elaine as "Carol" and to George as "Mike." This is a reference to Carol Leifer and Michael Costanza, the real-life people Elaine and George are loosely based.
Episode 39 - "The Parking Space"
The actor who played the driver of the ice cream truck was Michael Costanza, Seinfeld's personal friend and the inspiration behind George.
Episode 40 - "The Keys"
According to IMDB, there are three things Elaine and George mumble under their breath that Jerry can't hear. According to the script, when Jerry asks Elaine if she saw him try to give Kramer the keys back, she says, "I mean, it was complete bullshit, but I saw it." Later, when Jerry has a very long explanation on how he should be the one with Elaine's keys, George replies, "You're right. How did I miss that? Maybe because it's a crock of shit." And finally, when Jerry and Elaine are talking about wanting to be a writer, Jerry is explaining show business and what she has to do to be able to write a sitcom. After getting annoyed, she whispers, "Oh, God, what an asshole."
Episode 41 - "The Trip: Part One"
This episode marked Ruth Cohen's first appearance as the cashier at Monk's. She would appear in the background of nearly every episode after, making her Seinfeld's most recurring guest star with a total of 101 appearances on the show. However, she only received on-screen credit a few times when she had a couple of lines of dialogue during the last seasons.
Episode 42: "The Trip: Part Two"
Elaine doesn't appear in either episode of "The Trip" because Julia Louis-Dreyfus was on maternity leave during filming.
Episode 43: "The Pitch"
This episode has the first appearance of George's future fiance, Susan Ross.
Episode 44: "The Ticket"
The Ticket was originally paired with The Pitch as an hour-long special. Funny enough, the two-part story "The Trip" aired separately just before these two episodes.
Episode 45: "The Wallet"
The wallet lost in this episode by Mr. Seinfeld would be found 18 episodes later in the Season Four finale, "The Pilot."
Episode 46: "The Watch"
When Jerry jokes about George's negotiating skills, it is the first mention of Bizarro World (a popular alternative reality storyline in D.C.'s Superman comics), which was later reused for the basis of the episode "The Bizzaro Jerry."
Episode 47: "The Bubble Boy"
The 20th-anniversary edition of Trivial Pursuit features a card asking, "What series co-creator supplied the voice for Seinfeld's Bubble Boy?" According to the card, the answer is Larry David. However, it's a misprint; it should say Jon Hayman.
Episode 48: "The Cheever Letters"
This was one of several appearances by Susan's parents, but after this episode, it takes about three years for them to appear again in "The Rye." When "The Rye" aired in 1996, we see that Mr. and Mrs. Ross have stayed together despite the revelation of past infidelity in this episode.
Episode 49: "The Opera"
Jerry refers to George's toast as "something from a Redd Foxx album" because of his use of profanity. The ticket-taker at the opera is Bill Saluga, known for his character Raymond J. Johnson Jr., a Redd Foxx variety show regular.
Episode 50: "The Virgin"
This classic episode marked the first professional writing credits of the Farrelly Brothers, who would write classic 90s comedies Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About Mary, and Shallow Hal.
Episode 51: "The Contest"
Larry David has repeatedly called this episode his favorite. It was based on a similar real-life contest he and his friends had earlier in life, and he claims he won the real-life contest. He also has said that if NBC rejected this episode, he would have quit the show immediately. In the end, NBC received only 31 complaints from viewers.
Episode 52: "The Airport"
This episode contained one of several voice cameos by Larry David, who played the voice of the guy ordering a kosher meal on the plane.
Episode 53: "The Pick"
Newman's appearance lasts for just 13 seconds in this episode when he quickly notices Elaine's wardrobe malfunction on her Christmas card. The scene where Elaine rubbed George's face into her breasts was not in the script.
Episode 54: "The Movie"
This episode was the first appearance in which the fake movie "Rochelle, Rochelle" (A young girl's strange erotic journey from Milan to Minsk) was mentioned. It's also the only episode that does not feature any scenes in Jerry's apartment.
Episode 55: "The Visa"
Joe Pepitone, a New York Yankee from 1958 to 1969, is mentioned twice during the series, including this episode and The Rye. Kramer attributes the design of New York's Central Park to Joe Pepitone.
Episode 56: "The Shoes"
This episode marks the beginning of Seinfeld's schedule change to being a regular part of NBC's Thursday Night Comedy lineup. The main four characters appeared in a segment that aired during the Super Bowl, advising viewers of the change. There were fears that new viewers of the show would be unaware and confused by the story of Jerry and George's NBC pilot, but the popularity of the show turned out to be higher than ever.
Episode 57: "The Outing"
When Estelle Harris (Estelle Costanza) was unable to film a scene during the taping in front of the studio audience, Fran Drescher of The Nanny stood in for her. Harris filmed her scenes later in the week. By having Drescher fill in, they could record the laughter from the audience and use that for when Harris was available to film. That scene with Fran Drescher can be seen on the Inside Look in the Season 4 DVD set.
Episode 58: "The Old Man"
The 'old man' was named Sidney Fields in this episode, for Sid Fields, an actor on The Abbot and Costello Show. Seinfeld frequently claims Abbot and Costello were major influences in his career.
Episode 59: "The Implant"
Sidra's parting shot to Jerry at the end of this episode was scripted as simply, "And, by the way, they're real." Teri Hatcher ad-libbed the "...and they are spectacular."
Episode 60: "The Junior Mint"
According to the DVD commentary, the show used a York Peppermint Patty instead of a Junior Mint so the camera (and viewer) could easily see the falling candy during the surgery scene.
Episode 61: "The Smelly Car"
Peter Mehlman, the writer of this episode, says the story was based on an actual event that happened to his good friend.
Episode 62: "The Handicap Spot"
This was Frank Costanza's first appearance; however, he was played by actor John Randolph. Randolph can be seen as Frank in the original airing of this episode and can be seen at this link. The scenes in this episode were later reshot for syndication with Jerry Stiller, but Hulu began showing the original version in 2015.
Episode 63: "The Pilot: Part One"
Larry Hankin, who played Tom Pepper, the actor who played Kramer in the pilot episode of "Jerry," had initially auditioned for the role of Kramer during the original Seinfeld casting call but lost out to Michael Richards. Read more about the great Larry Hankin HERE.
Episode 64: "The Pilot: Part Two"
Larry Hankin once said that trying to imitate Michael Richards was difficult. He never got to work with Richards because he (Richards) would rehearse in private, not wanting to "give away his humor" beforehand.
Episode 65: "The Mango"
The subplot where Kramer was banned from a fruit shop is based on one of Larry David's personal experiences, where he himself was banned from a bodega for squeezing the fruit too much.
Episode 66: "The Puffy Shirt"
The puffy shirt Seinfeld wore in this episode now hangs in the Smithsonian Museum.
Episode 67: "The Glasses"
Jason Alexander said he ate an actual onion in this episode, but it was "gimmicked." The crew boiled it a few times to soften the flavor.
Episode 68: "The Sniffing Accountant"
The story for this episode was inspired by the real-life accountant who stole $50,000 from Seinfeld. Michael Richards took 2 takes to perform the famous scene where Kramer smokes and drinks simultaneously. During the first take, Richards burped out the smoke, which ended up as an outtake, and the second take was used for the final cut. This scene also gave Richards his second Emmy.
Episode 69: "The Bris"
This is the last episode in which audiences applaud wildly when Kramer enters the room. After it began in episode 24, Larry David began begging audiences to stop doing it as it disrupts the comedic timing of the actors and the flow of the scene.
Episode 70: "The Lip Reader"
When George comes up with the idea of using Laura to eavesdrop on his ex-girlfriend, Carol Leifer's script has Jerry and George talking out of the sides of their mouths so that Laura can't read their lips. The actors came up with the idea of using mouth-covering gestures on their own.
Episode 71: "The Nonfat Yogurt"
This episode centered around the New York City mayoral race between Rudy Giuliani and David Dinkins. Unlike Giuliani, who appeared in the episode, Dinkins refused to appear, and several scenes with a fake Dinkins spokesperson were filmed instead. Most of those scenes were never used after Giuliani won the race. Actor Phil Morris, who would later play Jackie Chiles, was cast as that spokesperson. Had Giuliani lost the race, Morris would likely have never become Jackie Chiles, depriving us of some great scenes.
Episode 72: "The Barber"
In lieu of the usual Seinfeld theme song, pieces from The Barber of Seville were used to fit the theme of the episode.
Episode 73: "The Masseuse"
In this episode, Elaine dates a man with the same name as serial killer Joel Rifkin, and she wants him to change his name to a less embarrassing one. One name she suggested was O.J., and six months later, O.J. Simpson was arrested and charged with the murder of his ex-wife and her friend. His famous ride in the white Bronco was parodied in "The Big Salad."
Episode 74: "The Cigar Store Indian"
When cutting up the TV Guide magazine, the Elaine-obsessed character Ricky (Sam Lloyd) hums the theme song from I Love Lucy.
Episode 75: "The Conversion"
For the brief exterior scenes shot in New York City, a stand-in was used for Kramer so that Richards wouldn't have to fly to New York for a few seconds' worth of material. The exterior shot of the Latvian Orthodox Church is actually the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Episode 76: "The Stall"
This was one of two episodes in the series where Jerry actually uses the computer seen in the background of his apartment. The other is "The Strongbox." The computer is shown to be an Apple Mac; however, a copy of Windows 95 is on the desk.
Episode 77: "The Dinner Party"
Amjad J. Qaisen (who played Saddam Hussein) had a thick accent, and his lines were deemed incomprehensible. If you've ever wondered why his voice always sounded funny, it's because Larry David dubbed over it using an English accent.
Episode 78: "The Marine Biologist"
Seinfeld once told Uproxx that George pulling the golf ball out of his jacket at the end of the episode was his favorite moment in the entire series. The audience response to the end of George's story is regarded by many as one of the longest sustained laughs by the "Seinfeld" studio audience in the show's history. It is rivaled only by the response to Kramer's (Michael Richards) line "I'm out" from Season 4's The Contest.
Episode 79: "The Pie"
Jerry references "Winchell vs Mahoney" when pretending to be Elaine's lawyer. This was a reference to the famous ventriloquist Paul Winchell and his dummy, Jerry Mahoney.
Episode 80: "The Stand In"
Danny Woodburn once mentioned in an interview that he was upset about the show using the word 'midget.' He didn't want it to go unacknowledged, so what was originally a casual mention by George, Woodburn asked they put in the line of Mickey yelling, "Listen, pal!"
Episode 81: "The Wife"
Courtney Cox's appearance in this episode is just six months before the debut of Friends.
Episode 82: "The Raincoats: Part One"
Judge Reinhold was nominated for an Emmy based on his guest-starring role as Aaron, the close talker.
Episode 83: "The Raincoats: Part Two"
The inclusion of Seinfeld making out during Schindler's List came about from Seinfeld learning that Steven Spielberg would lift his spirits while filming the emotionally draining Schindler's List by watching episodes of Seinfeld.
Episode 84: "The Fire"
In his television debut, Eric the Clown was played by now-famous actor/director Jon Favreau.
Episode 85: "The Hamptons"
Writer Peter Mehlman was struggling with the script for this episode, and Larry David suggested, "What if instead of George seeing Jerry's girlfriend topless as quid pro quo, she ends up seeing George naked after he's just come out of the pool? " Mehlman asked if George would have any shrinkage, and Larry loved it. The rest, as they say, is history.
Episode 86: "The Opposite"
This episode marks a significant transition point in the show, as Elaine loses both her job and the apartment she has had since the series began, while George ends more than three years of unemployment and one year of living with his parents. His job with the Yankees would become a significant part of the series for the next three seasons. This was also the first time Larry David provided the voice of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
Episode 87: "The Chaperone"
This is the first time the phrase "That's a shame" is used, first by George and then by Jerry. This episode also marks the first appearance of Elaine's boss, Mr. Pitt.
Episode 88: "The Big Salad"
Newman's pillows and decor in this episode were dinosaur-themed, a reference to his role as Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park.
Episode 89: "The Pledge Drive"
Lauren Bowles, who played a waitress in this episode that George thinks is flipping him off, is Julia Louis-Dreyfus' half-sister; they share the same mother.
Episode 90: "The Chinese Woman"
Larry David appeared in this episode as more than just a voice. He played Frank Costanza's friend, "the man in the cape."
Episode 91: "The Couch"
This episode marked the 200th "Kramer entrance" of the series.
Episode 92: "The Gymnast"
Ian Abercrombie, who played Mr. Pitt, really couldn't see that 3-D picture until the live audience taping. He became so excited to finally see it that Larry David told him to calm down; they had a show to tape. The 3D art is actually a spaceship traveling around Saturn.
Episode 93: "The Soup"
This was Kenny Bania's first appearance. The episode title does not refer to "The Soup Nazi," but instead, the soup that Bania orders when he convinces Jerry to take him out to dinner.
Episode 94: "The Mom and Pop Store"
This episode's "B" storyline involves George Costanza buying a car because he thinks it once belonged to actor Jon Voight. Jon confirmed this plot was based on a true story when writer Tom Gammill once bought a car because it was sold as Jon Voight's old car. One day, on set, the writer even brought Voight to the parking lot to show him the car, where Voight could, in person, confirm or deny owning it. He immediately denied it. He had to deny it, having never owned the car. Also, Jon Voight did not tell Michael Richards (Kramer) that he would bite him, so his resistance and reaction to this action were completely real.
Episode 95: "The Secretary"
This episode mentions the real-life MLB lockout, which began in August 1994 and lasted seven months.
Episode 96: "The Race"
When Elaine calls Hop Sing's, her name appears on a list posted on the wall of other people who have also been blacklisted. The other names include the names of some of the crew members.
Episode 97: "The Switch"
In this episode, we finally learn that Kramer's first name is "Cosmo."
Episode 98: "The Label Maker"
In this episode, Elaine starts dating Tim Whatley, and they share a kiss. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine) was suffering from a very bad cold, with a temperature of 103. Knowing the kiss was going to happen, Louis-Dreyfus apologized in advance to Bryan Cranston (Whatley). Sure enough, two days later, Cranston spent a week in bed and lost three pounds after catching whatever she gave him.
Episode 99: "The Scofflaw"
This is the first of only two episodes in which George wears a wig. The other is "The Beard," which is the next in filming continuity despite being separated by the two-part "Highlights of 100" clip show.
Episode 100: "The Highlights of 100: Part One"
The first clip shown in this episode is the salsa conversation from “The Pitch” because it led to George’s idea of “a show about nothing.”
Episode 101: "The Highlights of 100: Part Two"
Both parts of this two-part episode were the first to not open with Jerry doing stand-up. Instead, it opened with him talking to the audience as he introduced the clips.
Episode 102: "The Beard"
Katherine LaNasa plays the female officer to whom Jerry denies having seen Melrose Place. She would marry one of Melrose Place's actors, Grant Show, 17 years after this episode aired.
Episode 103: "The Kiss Hello"
Scriptwriter Carol Leifer had a small cameo in this episode as the receptionist. Leifer and Seinfeld had previously dated before the show was created, and Seinfeld credits her with the inspiration for the Elaine character.
Episode 104: "The Doorman"
Seinfeld's good friend Larry Miller played the doorman. Years earlier, he had auditioned for the part of George but didn't get it. The show would have been entirely different.
Episode 105: "The Jimmy"
Bryan Cranston totally improvised the scene where Tim Whatley gasses himself, which reduced Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David to fits of laughter. This is also the episode where George begins to refer to himself in the third person.
Episode 106: "The Doodle"
In a deleted scene, it is explained how Newman (Wayne Knight) acquired the fleas. While doing his mail route, he had a run-in with a bulldog named Buford, who was loaded with them. That's the same dog that Kramer unleashed on the mailman after he eats his last Mackinaw peach.
Episode 107: "The Fusilli Jerry"
This episode marked the first appearance of Patrick Warburton as David Puddy.
Episode 108: "The Diplomat's Club"
The airline pilot who distracts Jerry while on stage is played by a delivery man for Sparkletts Water. He arrived at the Seinfeld office one day to learn that he had the perfect look for the character. He had two non-speaking scenes in the episode but enjoyed it so much that he quit his job to become an actor.
Episode 109: "The Face Painter"
Kenny Kramer, the real inspiration behind the character, can be seen at Madison Square Garden behind Patrick Warburton, wearing a blue Rangers jersey and cheering for the team.
Episode 110: "The Understudy"
This episode featured the first appearance of John O’Hurley as J. Peterman.
Episode 111: "The Engagement"
After having separated in the previous season, Estelle and Frank Costanza were revealed to be back together in this episode. Originally, Estelle was supposed to have a romance with bra salesman Sid Farkus for several episodes, but the storyline was abandoned when Harris asked for more money for the would-be season-long story arc.
Episode 112: "The Postponement"
The scene where Jerry and George watch a guy remain calm and keep eating his sandwich while his girlfriend is making a scene was inspired by a real-life event that Jason Alexander witnessed. He claims to have witnessed a similar scene between a famous actor who kept calm and indifferent while his famous actress girlfriend cried uncontrollably.
Episode 113: "The Maestro"
Phil Morris’ first appearance as attorney Jackie Chiles was during this episode.
Episode 114: "The Wink"
During the closing scene, George Steinbrenner (Larry David) runs through the names of Yankee managers he had let go. Steinbrenner ends by naming Buck Showalter, who had not yet been fired by the Yankees, adding, "...but you didn't hear that from me." Showalter would indeed be let go as Yankees manager by the real Steinbrenner two weeks after the episode aired.
Episode 115: "The Hot Tub"
When Elaine suspects Jerry has revealed the secret about Judy's out-of-wedlock baby, Jerry tells her to "check with the rabbi," referring to Rabbi Kirschbaum, the gossip in Elaine's building in "The Postponement."
Episode 116: "The Soup Nazi"
One summer, Jerry Seinfeld and some writers frequently went outside to hit baseballs in the parking lot while in pre-production. Often, there weren't many cars in the lot at the time, but a stray ball crashed through the window of one of the cars. Jerry found the owner, Alexandra Wentworth, and paid for the damage. Alexandra was later cast as Sheila in this episode.
Episode 117: "The Secret Code"
Kramer fulfills his dream of being the ladder man for a fire company. The Firehouse where the firemen reside is actually the Hook and Ladder Company 8 building at 14 North Moore Street in Tribeca, the same one used for exterior shots in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II.
Episode 118: "The Pool Guy"
While George is standing in front of the movie screen supposedly showing Chunnel, the film playing on the screen is The American President (1995), starring Michael Douglas.
Episode 119: "The Sponge"
Kramer's refusal to wear the red ribbon while doing the New York City AIDS Walk caused much controversy and was inspired by actual events. Every year, when the cast & crew went to the Emmy Awards, they were asked to wear the same AIDS ribbon. Writer Peter Mehlman said that none of them saw the need to do this because wearing a ribbon doesn't cure anything, and everybody was already aware of the disease. He took great pleasure in satirizing the whole idea.
Episode 120: "The Gum"
Larry David guest-starred (uncredited) as the newsstand owner who refuses to take George's $20 bill. It was his final on-screen appearance on the show.
Episode 121: "The Rye"
Jerry Seinfeld may have thought the final scene in "Marine Biologist" was the best in the series, but during the DVD commentary, he cited "The Rye" as his favorite episode.
Episode 122: "The Caddy"
In the courtroom, Jackie (Phil Morris) comments to Sue Ellen that a bra has to "fit like a glove," which refers to Johnnie Cochran and the trial of O.J. Simpson.
Episode 123: "The Seven"
The scene where Newman decides who gets to keep the bike is based on the biblical story, "The Judgement of Solomon" (1 Kings 3:16-28), in which King Solomon is asked to decide between two women, which is the true mother of a child. After deliberation, he asks for a sword and declares that the only fair solution is to split the child in two. The boy's true mother cries out, "Please, My Lord, give her the live child! Do not kill him!" Solomon instantly gives the baby to her, realizing that the child's true mother would instinctively protect him.
Episode 124: "The Cadillac: Part One"
Marisa Tomei’s name is mentioned 26 times over this two-part hour-long episode.
Epsidoe 125: "The Caillac: Part Two"
While Seinfeld was always involved with the show's production, this was the final episode in which he was credited with writing the script. He co-wrote it with Larry David.
Episode 126: "The Shower Head"
When Newman comes into Jerry's apartment to talk to Kramer about the shower heads, you can see a wedding band imprint on his left ring finger. Wayne Knight had recently gotten married, and in one scene in a previous episode, The Seven, he accidentally wore the band.
Episode 127: "The Doll"
Kathy Griffin, who played Sally Weaver, performed a stand-up comedy routine after filming this episode, alleging that Jerry Seinfeld was rude to her during the making of the episode. Jerry found it amusing and wrote her a humorous letter, as well as showed the clip of her routine to Seinfeld audiences. He wrote it into a later episode, The Cartoon, and had Griffin return as Sally Weaver again.
Episode 128: "The Friar's Club"
The Friar's Club is a real private club whose membership is mostly composed of comedians. It is known for its risqué roasts of members and celebrities.
Episode 129: "The Wig Master"
The exterior shot of the Broadway theatre where Kramer meets the wig master is The Majestic Theater on West 44th Street and has been the home of the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" since 1988. The production the wig master is working for, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, was also written by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Episode 130: "The Calzone"
This episode featured another nod to Jurassic Park as a dinosaur poster was hung on Newman’s wall.
Episode 131: "The Bottle Deposit: Part One"
This is the first episode to depict the use of a cell phone.
Episode 132: "The Bottle Deposit: Part Two"
The farmer's daughter's cry of "Goodbye, Norman! Goodbye!" at the end was not originally scripted. Actress Karen Lynn Scott forgot that Wayne Knight's character was called Newman and accidentally called him "Norman." However, this made the scene funnier, so it was kept in. Newman's first name was never revealed during the series.
Episode 133: "The Wait Out"
This is the second time George has made an inadvertent comment that breaks up a marriage; he also broke up Robin and Michael's marriage in "The Good Samaritan" with his "God bless you" comment.
Episode 134: "The Invitations"
This was the last episode to feature Jerry's stand-up routines until the series finale. This is because Jerry Seinfeld took over from Larry David as executive producer and head writer for seasons 8 and 9 and was too busy to come up with new stand-up material while simultaneously running the show.
Episode 135: "The Foundation"
Susan's date of death on her headstone is the date the episode aired in which she died.
Episode 136: "The Soul Mate"
In the bookstore, Newman secretly coaches Kramer as he talks to Pam. In the episode "The Old Man," the roles are reversed, with Kramer as Newman's "coach," whispering what to say to the record store owner.
Episode 137: "The Bizarro Jerry"
Just as Jerry has a statue of Superman in his apartment, Kevin, The Bizarro Jerry, has a statue of Bizarro Superman in his apartment. Jerry has cereal on the shelf above his sink, and Bizzaro Jerry has pastas.
Episode 138: "The Little Kicks"
One of the fictional movie titles used in this episode was "Death Blow." In 1995, an aspiring filmmaker placed a full-page ad in Variety seeking a $100,000 investment in his screenplay. Episode writer Spike Feresten liked the title and decided to use it for this episode.
Episode 139: "The Package"
This episode, in which Newman grills Jerry about mail fraud, is a parody of Basic Instinct, in which Wayne Knight (Newman) has a role.
Episode 140: "The Fatigues"
Frank Costanza tells Kramer about his experiences in the Army while serving in Korea. In real life, Jerry Stiller, who played Frank, was an actual Army veteran; however, he served in World War II.
Episode 141: "The Checks"
George Wallace, who plays the doctor who examines Brett, is a stand-up comedian and was the best man at Jerry Seinfeld's wedding.
Episode 142: "The Chicken Roaster"
In a deleted scene from this episode, Mr. Marbles's silhouette holds a knife over a sleeping Jerry.
Episode 143: "The Abstinence"
This episode generated one of the most famous bloopers from the series, where Jerry couldn't get through the scene without laughing at the disfigured (from cigarette smoke) Kramer. As was often the case, Michael Richards refused to break character and grew angry at Jerry for breaking. The other most famous "blooper" scene, according to Cracked, is Jerry Stiller's inability to say "Del Boca Vista" in "The Shower Head."
Episode 144: "The Andrea Doria"
When Jerry says, "In my home. My home, Elaine! Where I sleep, where I come to play with my toys," he references dialogue from The Godfather Part II when Michael says, "In my home! In my bedroom, where my wife sleeps! Where my children come and play with their toys."
Episode 145: "The Little Jerry"
In this episode, the real name of Monk's Coffee Shop (Tom's Restaurant) is visible. At the beginning, the camera is pulled back to reveal the full name, whereas usually, we only see 'Restaurant.'
Episode 146: "The Money"
Actor Sandy Baron, who played Jack Klompus in several episodes, awoke from a coma just days before this episode was shot. The episode was being rewritten for another character, but Baron came out of his coma in time.
Episode 147: "The Comeback"
The video cover of the fake movie "The Other Side Of Darkness" is based on the movie "Malice," which starred Alec Baldwin and Nicole Kidman and was produced by Castle Rock Entertainment, which also produced "Seinfeld."
Episode 148: "The Van Buren Boys"
Guest Actress Christine Taylor would subsequently marry Ben Stiller, son of series semi-regular Jerry Stiller (Frank Costanza).
Episode 149: "The Susie"
The song on George's answering machine is a parody of The Greatest American Hero's theme song, "Believe It or Not."
Episode 150: "The Pothole"
We learn that Elaine lives on the south side of West 86th St. Jerry, we learned earlier, lives on West 81st Street. Both addresses are actual apartment buildings in New York.
Episode 151: "The English Patient"
Earl Schuman (Izzy Sr) was born on February 24, 1916. His son in the episode, Izzy, is played by Lloyd Bridges, who is three years older than him in real life. He was born on January 15, 1913.
Episode 152: "The Nap"
This episode is Larry David's first time back on Seinfeld, doing the voice of George Steinbrenner since leaving the show at the end of the previous season. The crew wasn't sure how David would take to performing lines scripted for him since, in previous seasons, he had the final say on all scripts and also ad-libbed much of Steinbrenner's dialog. David performed the script without incident or complaint.
Episode 153: "The Yada Yada"
This episode represents the first time the internet was acknowledged.
Episode 154: "The Millenium"
Kramer mentions Newman being "stuck between the moon and New York City"- a reference to "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" by Christopher Cross, whom Newman booked for his party.
Episode 155: "The Muffin Tops"
The Peterman Reality Tour story was inspired by Kenny Kramer, the man Cosmo Kramer is based on. Looking to capitalize on Seinfeld, Kenny Kramer began doing tours around New York City, talking about his life.
Episode 156: "The Summer of George"
In this episode, Kramer has to fire Raquel Welch from the fictional musical Scarsdale Surprise. This story was based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's famous firing of Faye Dunaway from Sunset Boulevard.
Episode 157: "The Butter Shave"
At one point, Newman is shown to be reading the novel Alive, the story of a group of plane crash survivors who resort to cannibalism to survive. He later desires to "eat" the buttered-up Kramer.
Episode 158: "The Voice"
Kramer had the idea of mixing ketchup and mustard in one bottle, which sounded absurd at the time. A few years later, the product became available in stores nationwide.
Episode 159: "The Serenity Now"
The inspiration for Frank's computer business was the 1995 film The Net. Frank refers to the film starring "The Girl from the Bus," referring to Sandra Bullock's other film, Speed.
Episode 160: "The Blood"
Jerry's parents are in town for (the never before mentioned) Mr. Kessler's funeral. The character Kramer was originally going to be called Kessler.
Episode 161: "The Junk Mail"
As the Postmaster General, Wilford Brimley sits on a desk and threatens Kramer, parodying Brimley's performance in "Absence of Malice" where, as an Assistant U.S. Attorney General, Brimley threatens a room full of lawyers and subordinates using similar statements.
Episode 162: "The Merv Griffin Show"
In real life, one of Jerry Seinfeld's first TV appearances was on The Merv Griffin Show in 1981. Seinfeld was just 27 years old.
Episode 163: "The Slicer"
When Jerry Seinfeld went on vacation to Mexico, a photographer offered to take his photo for five dollars. Something went wrong with the photo, and it required fixing. When the photographer showed Jerry the 'fixed' photo, Jerry's image was replaced with a cartoon version drawn on top of it. This became the inspiration behind this episode.
Episode 164: "The Betrayal"
This episode is commonly called "The Backwards Episode," and all events occur in reverse chronological order. However, on the Season Nine DVD set, a feature allows the viewer to watch this episode play out in the proper order.
Episode 165: "The Apology"
Elaine’s curly hair returned in this episode.
Episode 166: "The Strike"
The holiday of Festivus was created in 1966 by the father of Dan O'Keefe, one of the show's writers. In the "Seinfeld" episode, he invented many "holiday" traditions, including the airing of grievances.
Episode 167: "The Dealership"
This episode was the first to air after Jerry Seinfeld announced on December 26, 1997, that the series would end in May 1998.
Episode 168: "The Reverse Peephole"
The real Joe Mayo is a Seinfeld crew member and is listed as a "Utility" person in the credits of the previous episode. However, he is not included as part of the crew in this episode, which includes a character named Joe Mayo (played by Pat Finn). The real Joe Mayo, however, makes a cameo in this episode. He's the guy with a mustache who gets scolded by Puddy.
Episode 169: "The Cartoon"
The order of the last scenes is different in syndication. In the original, the epilogue has Jerry and George at Monk's, where he says, "We must never ever speak of this again." That scene was removed for syndication, and the episode ends with Janet and George in her apartment, where he sees her with her hair cut. In the original, that appeared BEFORE the last scene of Jerry, Elaine, and Kramer watching the Sally Weaver special on cable.
Episode 170: "The Strongbox"
In this episode, Kramer mentions that he was in the Army and keeps his military discharge papers in his strongbox. In real life, Michael Richards was drafted into the United States Army in 1970. He trained as a medic and was stationed in West Germany before being honorably discharged.
Episode 171: "The Wizard"
Michael McShane plays the hot dog vendor George talks to near the beginning of the episode. He also played Kramer's enemy, Franklin Delano Romanowski, aka FDR, who wants him to drop dead in "The Betrayal." FDR was also a hot dog vendor, so it's likely its meant to be the same character.
Episode 172: "The Burning"
John O'Hurley, who also plays J. Peterman in the show, is the preacher's voice on the second preset radio station Elaine listens to in Puddy's car.
Episode 173: "The Bookstore"
When Kramer and Newman were hiring homeless men to pull rickshaws, one of them introduced himself as “Rusty.” Kramer told him, “I once knew a horse named Rusty,” referring to the horse he fed Beef-o-Reeno in “The Rye.”
Episode 174: "The Frogger"
According to the official Twin Galaxies' world rankings, George's (Jason Alexander) Frogger's high score of 860,630 would have been the #1 score in the world at the time. As of 2015, it would rank #3.
Episode 175: "The Maid"
In this episode, Kramer finds himself at the intersection of "1st and 1st," (1st Avenue and 1st Street), which he refers to as “the nexus of the universe.” Later, the Nexus Lounge opens at that intersection, named after Kramer's line.
Episode 176: "The Puerto Rican Day"
Media helicopters constantly flew over the Universal Studios "New York City back lot" during the filming of this episode, thinking that they were capturing exclusive images of the final episode being recorded. The final episode was two episodes later.
Episode 177: "The Chronicle: Part One"
The first montage of clips is set to John Williams' Superman (1978) score, a favorite of Seinfeld's.
Episode 178: "The Chronicle: Part Two"
Jerry introduces the clips in this second of the two-part episode, similar to the first portion. However, a scene was filmed where Kramer interrupts him and briefly says "Hello" to the audience at home. This makes Jerry and Kramer the only two to break the fourth wall during the entire series.
Episode 179: "The Finale Part One"
Seventy-six Million people watched the final episode of Seinfeld, making it the fourth highest-rated series finale ever, following MASH, Cheers, and The Fugitive.
Seventy-six Million people watched the final episode of Seinfeld, making it the fourth highest-rated series finale ever, following MASH, Cheers, and The Fugitive.
Episode 180: "The Finale Part Two"
On the night the finale aired, TV Land paid tribute to the iconic series by not airing any programming during that hour. Instead, it showed a closed TV Land office door with handwritten signs that read: "We're TV fans, so... We're watching the last episode of Seinfeld. Will return at 10pm ET, 7pm PDT."
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Comments
That’s a TON of info about a show that was supposed to be about nothing… =P
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