The gang discovers a great yoghurt place that is non-fat; Kramer is skeptical it’s non-fat, leading them to send it out to be analysed, which ends up affecting the New York Mayoral election. Jerry swears in front of a kid that idolises him, forcing him to talk to him. George’s childhood nemesis Lloyd Braun runs into him; George nudges Jerry in disgust, and is then forced to lie about an injury to cover it up, only for the lie to escalate.
Written by: Larry David
Directed by: Tom Cherones
This is one of the weirder Seinfeld episodes, which says something because it’s not that far out of the show’s wheelhouse. I admit that, give or take an Al Gore, I find it morally and creatively offensive for a working politician to appear on a sitcom; I will admit to being biased against Rudy Guiliani in particular, but the idea of a sitcom validating any politician and boosting them merely by association with a funny comedy makes my skin crawl. But I’ll also admit that his use here, just another Seinfeld weirdo crossing our path, and indeed showing the gang’s activities extending out to the Mayoral election itself, is a pretty funny idea.
One thing that really preoccupies me here is George’s plot. Obviously, a lie escalating to the point that someone in authority can tell George he’s blatantly lying about something is inherently funny, but I’m tickled by his increasing frustration at everyone instantly becoming concerned with his apparently dodgy arm. One way of looking at Seinfeld is that it’s comedy about anxiety, which is really comedy about trying to have control; as a man riddled with anxiety, it’s funny how people around you constantly trying to ‘fix’ you or problems you have feels like giving up control.
Jason Alexander remarked that meeting George’s parents is a real eye-opener where you totally get how he turned out the way he did; these are people who assume control over everything around them every second of every day and react to problems (or perceived problems) like bloodhounds on the trail. I know for a fact growing up around that kind of parent can make you a little possessive about your personal problems and antsy when someone takes a ‘solution’ out of your hands, even when you’re not making it up entirely. To be clear, this makes it way funnier to me.
TOPICS O’ THE WEEK
- I’m intrigued how far in Larry David kept being a main writer. It feels fairly unusual for sitcoms at the time.
- I forgot how clearly you can hear the characters saying ‘fuck’ and ‘shit’.
- “It’s hard to believe with so much biting experience, a person could still make a mistake like that.”
- This has one of the most iconic examples of Kramer’s ‘giddy-up’ catchphrase, where he puts a long ‘nnnnn’ before it for some reason.
- I’m also amused by how much of this episode is driven by George’s raging envy for Lloyd, who is clearly much more successful and put together than him. It’s like, it’s reasonable for George to brimming with resentment and rage but also, this is why your life is miserable.
- Jerry measuring cereal is probably the show’s most insane bit of blocking that, while caused by the story, otherwise doesn’t affect it.
- “This is nothing to me! My whole life is a lie!”
Biggest Laugh: This honestly gets me every single time.
Next Week: “The Barber”