Seinfeld DVD
Columbia Tri-Star
Rated: Not Rated
Genre: TV Series
Length: 448 minutes
Director: Tom Cherones
Year: (1989-1991)
Britt Gillette's Seinfeld DVD (Seasons 1 & 2) Review
The preeminent show of the 1990's decade, Seinfeld grew from an idea of "a show about nothing" into a sacred pop culture icon - not that there's anything wrong with that.
The show follows the life of comedian Jerry Seinfeld and the exploits of his "short, quirky, bald guy" best friend, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Jerry's neurotic neighbor Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), and Jerry's ex-girlfriend Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Through the years, they're joined by loveable cast of characters that includes Newman, Uncle Leo, the Soup Nazi, Frank and Estelle Costanza, the Bubble Boy, and countless others.
The first and second season DVD offers the very first glimpse into the world Jerry, starting with The Pilot (episode 1) which was originally titled The Seinfeld Chronicles. The first scene involves Jerry commenting to George about a button on his shirt (the same conversation later takes place in the last scene of the series finale). These opening episodes provide insight into the development of the four main characters with conversations that range from George's initial admission that he'd like to be an architect (episode 2) to Kramer's propensity for get rich quick schemes like a make-your-own-pizza pizzeria (episode 4). From day one, Seinfeld established itself as "must see TV," creating such memorable episodes as "The Stock Tip," "The Pony Remark," "The Deal," and "The Chinese Restaurant". Below is a synopsis of every episode from seasons one and two…
Episode 1 (Good News, Bad News): The pilot episode of Seinfeld, Elaine's character doesn't yet exist, and Kramer's character (not yet named Kramer) is more of an unemployed, pathetic, shut-in than the usual quirky and energetic Kramer. In place of Elaine is a wisecracking waitress named Claire (Lee Garlington) who never appears in later episodes.
Nevertheless, Episode One shows the flashes of brilliance that made Seinfeld a cultural phenomenon. The show is essentially about nothing. George and Jerry do some laundry… Jerry and his neighbor watch some TV… George and Jerry have some coffee… During that time, the dominant topic of conversation is a girl that Jerry met while taking his comedy act on the road. She's coming to stay at his place, but he doesn't know whether he should pull out a mattress for her or not. Kramer, George, and Jerry debate this until Jerry finds out, once the woman arrives, that she's engaged…
Episode 2 (The Stakeout): Elaine appears in Episode 2 as Jerry ex-girlfriend and she brings him along to a birthday party. At the party, Jerry hits it off with the woman across the table from him, but she leaves unexpectedly before he can get her name. The information he knows about her is the name of the law firm where she works. Thinking it would be awkward to ask Elaine what the woman's name was, George and Jerry decide to "stakeout" her building at lunchtime. But they need an excuse for why they are standing in the lobby. George suggests they say they're meeting an architect friend named "Art Vandelay" - a name and occupation which takes on greater relevance in later episodes…
Episode 3 (The Robbery): Perhaps after one of his trademark bursts into Jerry's apartment, Kramer inadvertently leave's the door open. Jerry subsequently gets robbed, leading to Jerry's decision to move to another apartment. When George shows Jerry a new apartment, he decides that he wants it too. Elaine wants the apartment of whoever gives up the one they're in…
Episode 4 (Male Unbonding): Jerry ponders a few courses of action when he sees that he no longer has anything in common with a clingy and obnoxious childhood friend. George has trouble with his latest relationship. Kramer has the idea to open a chain of make-your-own-pizza parlors (actually, not a bad idea) and is on the lookout for investors...
Episode 5 (The Stock Tip): Jerry decides to take a weekend trip with Vanessa, the woman he tracked down in Episode 2. George warns against it, saying that weekend getaways are relationship killers. George also offers advice on a stock tip from his friend Simons who heard from Wilkinson, an "inside" guy he knows. Jerry and George both buy into the stock of Cendrex - a company which has devised a new technique for televising opera. Meanwhile, Elaine's boyfriend has a pair of cats enflaming her allergies. George and Jerry warn against dating a guy who has cats. She decides to give her boyfriend an ultimatum - either her or the cats. As George predicted, Vanessa and Jerry's weekend is a miserable failure. When the stock starts going down, Jerry sells. But George declares "I'm going down with the ship!" Inevitably, the stock pays off big, and George makes a killing. Elaine reveals that she's been dumped in favor of the cats. As the episode concludes, George lets Jerry and Elaine in on another stock tip, a super secret company with "a new type of robot butcher"…
Episode 6 (The Ex-Girlfriend): George has doubts about his current relationship that he broke off. Elaine is curious about a relationship that she has with a guy in her building that has degenerated over the past two years. Jerry is reluctantly drawn into George's ex-relationship when he picks up some books left at her apartment. Although he wants to break it off with her, she has this "psycho-sexual" hold over him and he becomes worried about what George might think if he lets this relationship develop. Elaine confronts the guy in her building and Jerry's relationship may be in jeopardy when his girlfriend sees his act…
Episode 7 (The Pony Remark): Jerry's parents come to town for a 50th Anniversary party for Manya. Jerry brings Elaine with him to the dinner (where we meet Uncle Leo for the first time). Jerry and Elaine's conversation eventually turns to ponies, and Jerry says "I hate anyone who had a pony when they were little". Manya, who had a pony, gets upset and makes a scene. The next day, Manya is dead. Jerry is left with the conundrum of deciding to go to either the funeral or his championship softball game scheduled for the same time. Elaine makes an attempt to get Manya's rent-controlled apartment when she hears that Manya's husband is moving to Arizona…
Episode 8 (The Jacket): Jerry purchases a really expensive suede jacket with a red and white striped interior lining. He wears it out when he and George go to meet Elaine and her father, Alton Benes, for dinner. When George and Jerry arrive in the hotel lobby, Alton is waiting, but Elaine arrived yet. George and Jerry spend most of the episode suffering through a terrible conversation with Elaine's father. When Elaine finally arrives, we learn that Kramer needed her help for "two minutes" which turned into a much longer adventure. When it begins to snow, Jerry turns his jacket inside out to protect the suede, but Alton Benes goes ballistic, insisting he won't be seen in public with someone who looks so foolish. The snow inevitably ruins the coat…
Episode 9 (The Phone Message): When George turns down an invitation to go upstairs for coffee with his girlfriend, he later realizes he made a mistake. He calls the woman, leaving a stupid message on her answering machine. When she doesn't return his call, George begins leaving a series of progressively nastier messages. Meanwhile, Jerry breaks up with his girlfriend because she likes a commercial showing a group of men lounging around in their cotton Dockers. When George gets a call from his girlfriend telling him she's been out of town all week, he decides to break into her apartment and steal the answering machine tape. But it turns out that his girlfriend's neighbor had already played the messages, and they thought George was just joking…
Episode 10 (The Apartment): Jerry gets to opportunity to secure the apartment above him for Elaine. Elaine loves the idea, and the two of them are really excited until Jerry realizes the possible negative consequences of such a move. He spends the rest of the episode trying to figure a way out of the situation he's created. Meanwhile, George tries wearing a wedding band to see if it helps him pick up women…
Episode 11 (The Statue): In a box of stuff Jerry's grandfather left him, George finds an exact replica of a statue that he had broken in his parent's house years ago. He tells Jerry he'll pick up the statue later, but before he does, he tells his parents (to their great excitement) all about it. Meanwhile, Jerry agrees to have the boyfriend of an author whose latest work Elaine is editing clean his apartment. Jerry is amazed at the level detail with which the apartment was cleaned, but when George arrives, they notice the statue is missing. When Jerry and Elaine visit the author's apartment, Jerry notices the statue in her living room. When confronted, the boyfriend claims he bought the statue but can't say exactly where. In the end, Kramer poses as a detective and steals back the statue…
Episode 12 (The Revenge): George gets angry and quits his real estate job when the boss demotes him for using his private bathroom. Afterward, Jerry and George discuss the options available. Sportscaster and manager of a major league baseball team are two ideas George comes up with, but Jerry points out that they tend to reserve those jobs for "ex-ballplayers and people in broadcasting". Out of options, the two devise a scheme for George to just return to work like nothing happened. It doesn't work, and the boss fires George. Meanwhile, Jerry thinks the laundry mat stole $1,500 he had left in his laundry bag. Kramer suggests that Jerry exact revenge by filling one of the washing machines with concrete. At the same time, George and Elaine are carrying out a revenge plan of their own against George's boss to "slip him mickey" (like they do in the movies) at the office party. Elaine acts as a diversion, so George can carry out the plan…
Episode 13 (The Heart Attack): In typical fashion, George overreacts to ailment by insisting that he's had a heart attack. Once hospitalized, the doctor tells him otherwise, but mentions that George should have his tonsils removed. While treating George, the doctor and Elaine exchange flirtations and make a date. But the end of their date ends in disaster when the doctor spends his time discussing the fascinating aspects of the tongue. Balking as the expense of a hospital stay to have his tonsils removed, George listens (against Jerry's advice) to Kramer's theories about the medical industrial complex designed to pilfer people's pocketbooks. George agrees to visit a holistic healer recommended by Kramer. The healer is a total nut, and his proposed cure ends up turning George purple. As the ambulance speeds to the hospital, the driver and paramedic exchange words over some missing candy, eventually stopping to fight, thus delaying George's trip to the hospital…
Episode 14 (The Deal): While watching late night TV, Jerry and Elaine discuss the possibility of having a guilt-free, no-strings-attached, sexual relationship while retaining their current friendship. Despite reservations by George, they strike a deal and devise a "system". But it soon become apparent that the arrangement won't work when Elaine's birthday arrives and Jerry gives her cash. Elaine's unenthusiastic response creates and awkward vibe between the two…
Episode 15 (The Baby Shower): While out of town for a show, Jerry agrees to let Elaine use his apartment to host a baby shower for a friend of hers whom George once dated. George still carries a grudge against the woman because of the way she acted when his shirt got stained on their date. Before Jerry leaves, Kramer convinces him to install an illegal cable hookup. When the baby shower is in full swing, Kramer shows up with some seedy characters to install the cable, Jerry returns early from his cancelled show, and George arrives to confront the guest of honor - inevitably ruining Elaine's party…
Episode 16 (The Chinese Restaurant): In an attempt to grab dinner before a showing of the movie "Plan 9 From Outer Space," Jerry, George, and Elaine stop off at a Chinese restaurant where they're forced to put their names on a waiting list. They end spending the entire episode waiting for a table (with George impatiently waiting for a man to stop talking on the pay phone so he can call his girlfriend). During this time, Jerry sees a woman whose name he can't remember, and Elaine approaches a table with the intent of eating a stranger's egg roll to win a bet with Jerry. Everyone gets seated ahead of them, and when they finally leave in disgust, the host calls out the name for their table…
Episode 17 (The Busboy): While out to dinner, George inadvertently meddles in the life of a busboy, getting him fired. He tries to set things straight, but he ends up compounding the problem by losing the busboy's cat. Meanwhile, Elaine has had a weeklong houseguest and wracks her brain in an attempt to figure out how to get rid of him. Eventually, the busboy's life is saved and made for the better as a result of his involvement with George. At least, until he meets Elaine's houseguest...
Britt Gillette
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Posted on 20 November 2004