# Worst episode of Seinfeld is... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 21, 2019, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843 "2019-04-21T08:22:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/21 "2019-04-22T05:41:27Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > The one I couldn’t stand is the episode about spitting on a baseball player. Allusions to the JFK assassination weren’t funny and the subject matter was quite disgusting. Not the assassination itself, but Oliver Stone’s _ **JFK** _, which had recently come out. I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized they were parodying the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/22 "2019-04-22T06:35:56Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I really loved _The Pen_ - maybe you had to grow up with Jewish parents to appreciate it. The aesthetics of the interior of their home killed it for me, made the experience stuffy, and I’m not one who usually takes much notice in things like that. I don’t know if they were trying to be ridiculous or what. Like I could see having wallpaper like that in your bathroom. In the living quarters though? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/23 "2019-04-22T07:08:50Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > “The Chinese Restaurant” > > I know some people love that one. I hate it, though. It’s a concept episode, set in real time with no scene breaks. I found it exactly as boring as sitting in a restaurant lobby waiting for a table in real life. It just seemed pointless. The point was, it was “a show about **nothing**.” ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/24 "2019-04-22T09:08:16Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > The point was, it was “a show about **nothing**.” The show was never intended to be ‘about nothing’. It’s a misconception that’s become deeply established. In the ‘show within a show’ (brilliant!) where the characters pitch a TV show about themselves, they make a big deal about it being ‘about nothing’. People then wrongly assumed that applied to the main show itself. But that was never the case. Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld never saw it that way. Seinfeld says, “The pitch for the show, the real pitch, when Larry and I went to NBC in 1988, was ‘we want to show how a comedian gets his material’. The show about nothing was just a joke in an episode many years later, and Larry and I to this day are surprised that it caught on as a way that people describe the show, because to us it’s the opposite of that.” ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/25 "2019-04-22T10:45:02Z")
**"The Voice"** The one that centers around Jerry making a character out of his stomach. “Helllooo…” Can’t remember the details but I remember it being so annoying that Jerry’s girlfriend of the week wound up leaving him for over it. (Because he couldn’t stop doing the voice.) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/26 "2019-04-22T11:50:30Z")
First one that comes to mind is the wedding in India. I think that might be the only episode that I won’t watch when it’s on. The other night I saw a rerun of _The Limo_, where George and Jerry get mixed up with some white supremacists who think George is the head of the Aryan Union. I’d forgotten how tiresome that one is. One thing I’ve been noticing lately is that JS really was a better “actor” on the show than, I, at least, gave him credit for. I realize / assume he’s just being himself, but he really is does have comedic talent outside of his stand up stuff. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/27 "2019-04-22T13:20:29Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > **“The Voice”** > > The one that centers around Jerry making a character out of his stomach. > > “Helllooo…” Can’t remember the details but I remember it being so annoying that Jerry’s girlfriend of the week wound up leaving him for over it. (Because he couldn’t stop doing the voice.) The best part is Jerry pondering his future with the girlfriend as he gazes at loving families, then dining by himself at an upscale restaurant doing the voice (does it have Lionel Richie singing “Hello”?). And he rushes to her door… and says “Helllooooo…”! Interestingly, I agree with many of the comments in this thread, but MeTV runs two episodes a night and we’ll always watch, even as we say “Never really liked this episode”…and we’ll still laugh. I decided the mark of a Show That Holds Up is that you’ll watch even when you know exactly what’s going to happen. ETA: Forgot to answer the OP: The finale. Many shows fall flat when they try to end them… X-Files, Quantum Leap, How I Met Your Mother, LOST… and The Prisoner (?!?) ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/28 "2019-04-22T13:25:35Z")
> [@Z-man](#): > > The laser pointer shtick was mildly amusing. And the return H. E. Pennypacker, a wealthy American industrialist. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/29 "2019-04-22T15:03:40Z")
> [@Z-man](#): > > Forgot about that one…it doesn’t even feel like a real episode. OK…that may be the worst. I do like the part about George painting over his shoes though. > > The finale is stupid because of the whole Good Samaritan law premise. They weren’t able to help the guy getting mugged anyway since the robber had a gun and could have shot them. Kramer videoed the whole thing. Seems a good defense would be that yes, they saw him getting mugged, they didn’t interfere as they were in fear of getting shot, but we did take video of the whole thing which you can use to convict the guy. The finale made no sense to me either. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/30 "2019-04-22T16:12:59Z")
> [@Covfefe](#): > > The Pen is byfar the worst. I never liked when the residence of Jerry’s parents was featured and there’s no Costanza in this one. Nor does Kramer appear, not much of a plot either. The Pen is the only episode I like. _Only_. It’s hilarious. If only the rest of the show could have been like that. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/31 "2019-04-22T16:24:23Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I found the episode where Jerry babysits Farfel the dog pretty dull and unfunny. Word. The only episode that I’ll turn off if it comes on. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/32 "2019-04-22T16:52:33Z")
> [@digs](#): > > ETA: Forgot to answer the OP: The finale. Many shows fall flat when they try to end them… X-Files, Quantum Leap, How I Met Your Mother, LOST… and The Prisoner (?!?) _The Prisoner_ gets an asterisk - the previous episode was written as the “Season 1” finale, but then some combination of ITV and CBS said there would not be a Season 2 but they needed 3-4 more episodes for the one season, so Patrick McGoohan had to quickly come up with a script for the final episode - one that did not use Portmeirion as they could not film there any more. In fact, McGoohan himself that he never planned for Nunmber 1 to be (whoever it turned out to be - I won’t reveal it here) until he wrote out that scene. As for why there is so much hate for the finale - I am one of those who considers it the worst episode, and yes, that includes Puerto Rico Day - my problem with it was, there were two things I was hoping would not be how the series ended: one, that they all die somehow; two, “Hey, you know all of the people that think they’re better than the four of them? Guess what? They are!” And guess what - they _are_ better than the four of them, since they’re not the ones in jail! ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/33 "2019-04-22T16:52:52Z")
Seconding(thirding?)“The Dog” and “The Baby Shower.” I feel like people view the early seasons of Seinfeld the same way they view the early seasons of Saturday Night Live. They only remember the highlights and forget there were some real stinkers. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/34 "2019-04-22T17:52:39Z")
I’ve never seen a single whole episode, but I enjoyed reading the thread. Is that weird? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/35 "2019-04-22T18:01:05Z")
The India wedding seems to me to be the just most innovative sitcom episode I’ve ever seen. I don’t recall not laughing at it. The final season got skimpy. I’d say the New Yorker cartoon one where they just ignored the fact that the cartoons aren’t like that, and are often very funny. Desperate. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/36 "2019-04-22T18:16:14Z")
I’m a huge fan of Seinfeld, but there were a lot of bad episodes in the final season. I’m not sure I have the stamina to try to figure out which one was the worst. It’s easier to identify the Season 9 episodes that weren’t terrible – “The Voice” (Kramer’s intern is gold), “The Maid” (T-Bone!) … and that’s about it. George becomes way too stupid during that last season. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/37 "2019-04-22T19:12:23Z")
Hmmm… thought I posted but now it’s evaporated. I said: The first season it took them a while to get it right because initially their characters were presented as unsure anxious neurotics and that wasn’t funny. I liked the backwards Indian episode which had a great punchline at the end: JERRY: Why not? We’re neighbors. What’s mine is yours. KRAMER: (Eyeing Jerry’s empty apartment) Really? Yeah, season nine was a desperate search for ideas but it did have Serenity Now and the Merv Griffin Show among others. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/38 "2019-04-22T19:16:59Z")
The first and the last were awkward in various ways. All the rest were gold Jerry, GOLD! ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/39 "2019-04-22T21:57:39Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I’m a huge fan of Seinfeld, but there were a lot of bad episodes in the final season. I’m not sure I have the stamina to try to figure out which one was the worst. > > It’s easier to identify the Season 9 episodes that weren’t terrible – “The Voice” (Kramer’s intern is gold), “The Maid” (T-Bone!) … and that’s about it. > > George becomes way too stupid during that last season. I agree, I hated the entire last season and didn’t like the previous one much. It got way too wacky and George becomes completely unlikeable, ranting about everything. ---
**Author:** ![Z-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ab992/32.png) [@Z-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Z-man)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843/40 "2019-04-23T03:30:37Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > The Pen is the only episode I like. _Only_. > > It’s hilarious. If only the rest of the show could have been like that. The joke timing and bizarre conversations between the old people is what makes it great. One of my favorite episodes, and according to DVD commentary…one of Larry’s and Jerry’s too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-episode-of-seinfeld-is/832843.md?page=3)