Credit: Amazon.com
Creators:
Larry David
Jerry Seinfeld
Cast:
Jerry Seinfeld …. Jerry Seinfeld
Julia Louis-Dreyfus …. Elaine Marie Benes
Michael Richards …. Cosmo Kramer
Jason Alexander …. George Louis Costanza
The Show
Season Five of ‘Seinfeld’ marked an increased jump in viewers for the show. It took over the ‘Cheers timeslot on NBC Thursdays. They knew a whole lot of people would be watching the show after it won an Emmy for “Best Comedy as well. They had to deliver something different. Something so beyond reality..that it actually worked and was funny. And..that is what they did with Season Five.
Like Season Four..this was the best of the best for ‘Seinfeld’. Many of the memorable lines and “fan-favorite” episodes came from this season. Episodes like “The Puffy Shirt”, “The Marine Biologist”, “The Hamptons”, and “The Opposite”.
This season also had more recurring characters being a bigger part of the show. Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller) and Estelle Harris (Estelle Costanza) as George’s parents are so insane and wacky..you see where George gets it from. They almost stole certain episodes. As did Wayne Knight as Newman. There was more of him throughout this season and more of the love/hate relationship between him and Jerry.
The thing about this season as well is that some of the stuff on the script or just looking at it is not funny at all. In fact..if you just look at some of my favorite quotes below..they are not funny by themselves. But in the context of the show and the way the lines are delivered by “The Four”..just makes them that much funnier.
This season didn’t win an Emmy or anything, but this season was consistent. There are non-stop laughs in every episode. Any episode can be chosen as a favorite. This season solidify ‘Seinfeld’ as a ratings hit. There was no stopping the show now!
Episodes:
Disc One:
Episode 1 – The Mango
Jerry finds out that Elaine faked orgasms with him. Now he wants another shot in bed. Kramer gets banned from his local fruit stand, and George finds out that the mango has special sexual power.
Favorite Quote: “You know I ‘faked’ it. You know..if it’s enough already and I just wanted to get some sleep!” – Kramer
Episode 2 – The Glasses
George loses his glasses and thinks he sees Jerry’s girlfriend with his cousin, Jeffrey. A dog bites Elaine and Kramer buys Jerry a powerful air conditioner.
Favorite Quote: “I don’t know what to believe..you’re eating onions..you’re spotting dimes..I don’t know what the hell is going on!” – Jerry talking about George
Episode 3 – The Puffy Shirt
During dinner with Kramer’s low-talking girlfriend, Jerry agrees to wear a puffy pirate shirt on his “The Today Show” appearance.
Favorite Quote: “But I don’t want to be a pirate!” – Jerry
Episode 4 – The Sniffing Accountant
Jerry thinks his accountant is a drug addict. Jerry, Kramer, and Newman plot a stakeout. George plans another career change..that being a bra salesman.
Favorite Quote: “I base my whole life on knowing that the ‘D’ is the biggest!” – George to his dad talking about bra sizes
Episode 5 – The Bris
Jerry and Elaine agree to be godparents to their friends’ newborn boy, They find a shaky mohel to perform the bris. Kramer is convinced he say a “pigman” at the hospital.
Favorite Quote: “He’s about five-feet tall..hairless..pink complexion..looks like a pig!” – George describing the “pigman” who stole his car
Disc Two:
Episode 6 – The Lip Reader
George tries to get Jerry’s deaf girlfriend to read lips at a party. Kramer becomes a ball boy at the U.S. Open.
Favorite Quote: “When I see freaks on the street..I NEVER..EVER..stare at them. But yet I’m careful not to look away..see..because I want to make the freaks feel comfortable!” – Elaine talking about she is a nice person
Episode 7 – The Non-Fat Yogurt
Jerry and Elaine investigate to see if their favorite frozen yogurt is non-fat. Their research causes a stir during the New York mayoral election. Elaine dates George’s boyhood nemesis, Lloyd Braun.
Favorite Quote: “This yogurt is so *BLEEPIN* good!” – Jerry eating the “non-fat” yogurt
Episode 8 – The Barber
Jerry leaves his incompetent barber and worries over it. Elaine enlists Kramer to participate in a bachelor auction.
Favorite Quote: “He’s a high school graduate..um..equivalency..high school equivalency program graduate. He’s self-employed..he’s 6’3″ and 190lbs..he likes fruit and he just got a haircut!” – Elaine describing Kramer at the auction
Episode 9 – The Masseuse
Jerry’s masseuse girlfriend won’t give him a massage. Elaine dates Joel Rifkin, which happens to be the same name of a mass murderer.
Favorite Quote: “A woman that hates me this much..comes along only once in a lifetime!..I’ve got to go after her!” – George
Episode 10 – The Cigar Store Indian
Jerry offends Elaine’s friend with a cigar store Indian. Kramer sells his coffee table book idea to Elaine’s boss, Mr. Lippman.
Favorite Quote: “You know what would make a great coffee table book..a coffee table book about coffee tables!” – Kramer
Disc Three:
Episode 11 – Conversion
George coverts to the Latvian Orthodox religion for a girl. Jerry find a strange ointment in his girlfriend’s medicine cabinet.
Favorite Quote: “You’re cheating on your conversion test?!?!” – Jerry to George
Episode 12 – Stall
Elaine agonizes over a woman’s refusal to pass her some toilet paper under the stall of a public restroom. Kramer convinces Jerry that his girlfriend makes a living as a phone sex operator. George becomes friends with Elaine’s “mimbo” boyfriend.
Favorite Quote: “You can’t spare a square?!?!” – Elaine
Episode 13 – The Marine Biologist
George starts dating an old classmate when Jerry tells her that George is a marine biologist. Elaine’s electronic organizer injures a passerby when her Russian novelist client launches it from her limo. Kramer golfs on the beach.
Favorite Quote: “The sea was angry that day..my friends. Like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli!” – George
Episode 14 – The Dinner Party
The gang head for a dinner party. Jerry and Elaine go to buy a babka cake. George and Kramer look for a bottle of win, but George’s jacket gets in the way.
Favorite Quote: “I once had a bad experience with a hair when I was younger!” – Jerry
Episode 15 – The Pie
Jerry meets his girlfriend’s father, Poppie, and loses his appetite. Elaine discovers that a mannequin in a store window looks just like her. George creates a scheme to buy a suit on sale. Meanwhile, Kramer dates a cashier that works at Monk’s.
Favorite Quote: “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a hankering for some Double Mint gum!” – Jerry when he is driving in the car with Elaine and the “Elaine” mannequin next to him
Episode 16 – The Stand-In
Kramer is hired as a stand-in on a soap opera. He encourages Mickey to put lifts in his shoes, but his advice doesn’t sit well with the other little people stand-ins. George is ready to break up with his girlfriend until he finds out that she is ready to break up with him first.
Favorite Quote: “He took IT out!” – Elaine
Disc Four:
Episode 17 – The Wife
Jerry lets his girlfriend pretend to be his wife so she can get his dry-cleaning discount, but the scam backfires when his family finds out. Elaine’s health club boyfriend wants to George in for peeing in the shower.
Favorite Quote: “It’s all pipes..what’s the difference?!?!” – George
Episode 18 – The Fire
George panics during a fire at his girlfriend’s son’s birthday party and runs for the exit! Kramer saves Elaine’s co-worker’s pinky toe.
Favorite Quote: “You kept making all the stops?!?!” – Jerry to Kramer
Episodes 19 and 20 (One Hour) – The Raincoats (Parts 1 & 2)
Elaine dates a “close talker” who loves spending time with Jerry’s parents. Jerry is caught making out during Schindler’s List. Morty and Kramer go into business together.
Favorite Quote: “You were making out during Schindler’s List?!?!” – Elaine
Episode 21 – The Hamptons
The gang go on a weekend getaway to the Hamptons. It quickly spins out of control when Jerry’s girlfriend sees George naked, and he is the victim of “shrinkage”.
Favorite Quote: “Like a frightened turtle!” – Jerry after Elaine asks ‘It shrinks?’
Episode 22 – The Opposite
George decides to do the opposite of his instincts and everything falls into place, even a job with the New York Yankees. Meanwhile, Elaine loses her job and her boyfriend, but Jerry remains “even Steven”. Role reversal at its best!
Favorite Quote: “My name is George..I’m unemployed and I live with my parents!” – George talking to a woman to try to pick her up
Score: 10/10
The DVD:
Video –
The video is given in fullscreen color with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Transfer is decent with minimal distortion. Colors look bright. Looks like the early 90’s. Still..the same. Still as good as the original episodes.
Audio –
The audio included is in English Dolby Digital stereo sound. There is also an option for Spanish and French audio as well. Again..the same.
THE EXTRAS:
You know the drill. The special Features are AWESOME! Again..worth the price of admission alone!
Jason + Larry = George
It explains on how the character of George was created. It started out as Larry David’s alter ego, but Jason Alexander added his personality and that equaled George Costanza. Seeing as George is probably the best character from the show and I wrote about him earlier this year in a “IPTV Feature”..this was entertaining to me and to anyone who LOVES George!
Notes About Nothing
These are like subtitles that can be turned on. They give you behind-the-scenes stuff and production notes. Not always needed, but fun to watch to look at once you watch the show for the first time.
Inside Look
The cast and crew talk about what was happening behind-the-scenes in various episodes. I liked these a lot. More making-of’s type of thing.
In the Vault
These are the deleted scenes from Season 5. You know what these are. Not a must-see, but they are there.
Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That
These are the outtakes and bloopers from this season. Great stuff!
Yada, Yada, Yada
Creator and cast audio commentaries are right here. There are five groups of people again. You have Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David on “The Opposite”. You have Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael Richards on “The Mango” and “The Non-Fat Yogurt”. You have writers, Tom Gammill and Max Pross, on “The Glasses”, “The Cigar Store Indian”, and “The Pie”. You have some writers, Peter Mehlman and Carol Leifer, on “The Lip Reader”, “The Masseuse”, and “The Hamptons”. And finally you have, director/producer, Tom Cherones, and production designer, Tom Azzari, on “The Marine Biologist”. Again..these are great to watch. But less commentary like season four. I suppose this has to do with the shows being funnier than earlier seasons. But
Master of His Domain
Exclusive stand-up comedy footage of Jerry that was shot for the show, but was never used. Interesting.
Sponsored by Vandelay Industries
Original NBC promo ads and trailers for Seinfeld in the early days.
Again..you can’t go wrong with these special features. It is probably enough reason to buy the DVDs!
Score: 10/10
