Elaine is mistakenly referred to as ‘Susie’, leading to massive misunderstandings. Mikey has become a bookie, and Kramer pulls Jerry into gambling. George wants to take his girlfriend to the Yankee ball, but she ‘wants to talk’, and fearing breakup, tries to avoid her until then.

Written by: Peter Mandel
Directed by: Andy Ackerman

I’m kind of with people in recognising that the post-David seasons of Seinfeld are wackier than the previous ones, and this feels like a good example of that, and it’s not so much the premises as where they end up. The eponymous storyline in particular feels like classic Seinfeld, even if it also feels like classic sitcom TV; it shares a lot in common with the 1973 M*A*S*H episode “Tuttle”, in which a name the protagonist uses to sign off on minor acts of charitable fraud ends up ballooning into a persona that also gets killed off. The difference here, of course, is that Elaine’s motivation is a mixture of laziness and spite; I love that it’s criticism of her short time at the top that sets off her pushing this into a Thing. Nobody quite plays desperation like Julia Louis-Dreyfus (except Jason Alexander, of course).

Meanwhile, George’s plot is also classic Seinfeld; the thing that gets me most of all is how much glee George takes in acting out his schemes, and I think that’s what makes him so watchable. To refer to George as sympathetic would be overstating it considerably – maybe say it was a soft ‘sym’ – but the complete conviction he has that his dumb ideas are not only worthwhile but brilliant makes it very fun to watch him go. I think you see it best during the famous shots of him listening to his own answering machine message, with that bizarre not-frown he does.

The thing here is that the former plot turns into a fake memorial and the latter turns to George sincerely engaging with Kramer about trying to negotiate the relationship, and neither of those turns really makes sense. Even Peterman would figure out Susie isn’t real in the process of making the memorial (or, more accurately, someone else would figure it out), and while George would probably get into trying to convince Kramer at the dinner, he probably wouldn’t hold it up afterwards. That said, both these situations lead to very funny lines and situations, so it’s hard to complain too much.

TOPICS O’ THE WEEK

• “Did I force you into this life?” / “Yes! You and every woman like you!”
• “Jerry, that was five years ago!”
• “What am I, a bulimic chainsmoking stenographer from Staten Island?” ? “Who are you describing?” / “Someone I know.” / “Named Sharon?” / “Rather not say.”
• “Nobody needs to talk.” / “Who would want to?”
• “I’ve never made a great entrance!” / “You’ve made some fine exits.”
• “The nerve – talkin’ about ya behind your back, and right to your face!”
• “He visits the guy across the hall from me every ten minutes.”
• “Look, we don’t have to name names, or point fingers, or… name names!” One gets why Elaine is worried about the concept of naming names, outside of the situation.
• “Mmmmm… nah.”
• “Where did Susie find the time to meet all these people?”

Biggest Laugh:

Next Week: “The Pothole”