I casually mentioned the idea of creating a top-five list of Seinfeld episodes the other day to my brother, who insisted it was an unlikely feat. "That's not possible," he insisted. "There's no way." So, obviously at that point, the once fleeting notion solidified in my mind, and over the next few days I went about sifting through my mental television library, categorizing and ranking the shows that, to me, were the strongest, with the most potential to make the short list.
Three jumped to the top immediately, and then a fourth. The fifth, however, proved to be my undoing. I was astounded that among all of the great and immortal Seinfeld episodes I could easily produce my final four but found it so difficult to come up with a fifth. I am not going to divulge which those were, or the episodes that were in contention for the fifth spot on the list. Instead, I am going to leave you with my top-ten favorite ones, which I feel are the best in the shows extensive catalog.
Before I do so, though, I am going to qualify my choices by explaining that, like the top-five list would have been, the top-ten list is compiled in no particular order, which is to say that they are not my first through tenth favorites: The list is merely the ten best episodes of Seinfeld, as I see it.
1. The Dealership (episode 11, season 9) Jerry attempts to procure a new Saab 900-S (in black) from David Puddy, who keeps insisting every one give him a "high five." Meanwhile, George is starving and Kramer takes a test drive.
2. The English Patient (episode 17, season 8) Elaine is forced to sit through "The English Patient" with Peterman, While Kramer has Jerry bring back some Cubans from Florida (are we talking about people?). In the interim, Jerry goes head-to-head with Izzy Mandelbaum, putting him, his son, and his father in the hospital (It's Go Time!).
3. The Fussilli Jerry (episode 21, season 6) Frank gets a likeness of Jerry, made of fusilli pasta, lodged in his ass.
4. The Nap (episode 18, season 8) George constructs a place to take naps under his desk, which leads to Jerry having to call in a bomb threat to Yankee Stadium. Kramer takes to swimming laps in the East River (Over there is Brooklyn. That's where Spike Lee lives). And Jerry has his kitchen redone.
5. The Merv Griffin Show (episode 6, season 9) Kramer discovers the old set of the Merv Griffin Show in a dumpster, and decides to haul it up to his apartment. Jerry drugs his girlfriend to play with her toys, and George develops a vendetta against pigeons.
6. The Betrayal (episode 8, season 9) Jerry, George, his girlfriend, Nina, and Elaine go to India for a wedding. Chaos ensues. (episode note: This story unfolds entirely in reverse order, from end to beginning. Hands down, one of the most ingenious -- and side-splitting -- half-hours of television ever produced.)
7. The Andrea Doria (episode 10, season 8) George goes "bummer-to-bummer" with a shipwreck survivor to win a new apartment.
8. The Butter Shave (episode 1, season 9) Kramer gets fried (technically, sauteed) while tanning up on the roof of the apartment building. Somehow George manages to get handicapped treatment at Play Now, and Jerry battles with Kenny Bania (yet again), while Elaine and Puddy are overseas.
9. The Reverse Peephole (episode 12, season 9) Kramer installs a reverse peephole in his apartment door, while Jerry, George, Elaine and Puddy go to a housewarming party at Joe Mayo's.
10. The Wizard (episode 15, season 9) Jerry buys his father a $200 Wizard organizer, which he claims is "hot," while Kramer runs for condo board president of Del Boca Vista. Elaine may be in an interracial relationship.
No comments:
Post a Comment