Seinfeld: The Seinfeld Chronicles

Episode score 7.3 Good

The Seinfeld Chronicles

  • 1.
  • Season: 1
  • Episode: 1
  • First Aired: 7/5/1989
  • Prod Code: 101
« prev episode next » episode
add

TRIVIA

  • Kramer was called "Kessler" because the real Kramer (Kenny Kramer, not Michael Richards) did not want his name to be in the show. After the pilot, Jerry said to Larry that the name had to be Kramer, because it just sounded funnier, so after a lot of work it finally became Kramer.

    The coffee shop in which Jerry and George are was not intended to be implied [by viewers] as "Monk's". It has been said that Monk's and Pete's are two totally different shops. That explains why we never see the waitress, Claire, again. (Taken from "Notes About Nothing")

    The character of Elaine was not cast as of this episode. After the pilot NBC said to Jerry and Larry that they could make four more episodes, but only if they bring in a female character into the cast. edit »
  • Notice that when Jerry's door is open in this episode, there is no door or apartment for Kramer across the hall. It's just a wall with a Cuba picture. edit »
  • Regarding the coffee issue, you might recall that Jerry claims that he doesn't drink coffee in the "Librarian" episode. When Mr. Bookman asks for coffee, Jerry claims that he doesn't have any. edit »
  • Correction to the microphone wire goof, that cannot be a microphone because if it was he would have a big thing in the back of his pants like they do on talk shows. They use boom mics that go above the actors in tv sitcoms. edit »
  • A note on the white lab, I don't think that's Jerry's dog because Kramer takes responsibility for it. When it goes into the bathroom, Kramer says, "Ah, he's getting a drink of water," as if it's his or he's watching it for somebody. Plus, Kramer is with the dog when it enters Jerry's apartment. edit »
  • At the start of the episode when the waitress is pouring the coffee Jerry gets caffeinated coffee as she pours it with the opposite hand than Georges. You know this because George flips out that there is no decaffeinated indicator on the coffee jar. Later on in the series, Elaine states how Jerry NEVER drinks caffeine and that he drinks some tea but doesn't know that it has caffeine in it. [ Editor's note: Remember this the pilot episode, often what appears in a series is way different than what is established in a pilot. ] edit »
  • It was reported that this episode was the least/lowest watched (rating wise) episode in all of NBC's television history. edit »
  • In fact Kramer smokes cigars on many episodes. Also Jerry and George join him in at least one episode. edit »
  • As George and Jerry are carrying in the extra mattress for his guest, Jerry says that if his father was carrying the mattress, he'd have a cigarette in his mouth all the way up the stairs. In no other episode is there any indication that Jerry's father smokes, or ever smoked - in fact, the general impression the series presents is that neither [ of HIS PARENTS ] smoke. edit »
  • Response to Kramer: Chances are Jerry was making a joke, but when Jerry actually make that comment, Kramer becomes a little uneasy, as if Jerry believes that it's true, but Kramer knows otherwise. edit »
  • This is the 1st episode, we might as well count the way the apartment looked and everything else as goofs. They were just experimenting to get the feel right. edit »
  • In an early episode, George mentions that he has a brother. In later episodes, he mentions that he is an only child. edit »
  • This is in addition to the one about Kramer not being out of the building for 10 years. The Pilot aired in 1989. This means that Kramer supposedly has not left the building since 1979. However, in episode 34 - The Boyfriend (1), Newman and Kramer tell Jerry and Elaine about the time Keith Hernandez spit on them after a Mets/Phillies game. When, you ask? June 14th, 1987. edit »
  • In this episode, Jerry states that Kramer hasn't been out of the building in ten years. How would Jerry know that? According to the episode "The Betrayal", Jerry has only lived in this apartment building for 11 years and if Kramer hasn't left the building in ten years (from the time this episode was made), that means Kramer has lived there much longer than Jerry has, and Jerry REALLY has no proof of Kramer not being out of the building in ten years. Kramer could have simply TOLD Jerry that, but in all factuality, Jerry cannot prove this. (Pierce15) edit »
  • [fou_original] In the first scene, pay attention to Jerry's shirt. Albeit consistently unbuttoned, the top part of his shirt subtly opens and closes between takes. edit »
add

QUOTES

  • Jerry: Let's face it, a date is a job interview that lasts all night. The difference between a date and job interview is not many interviews is there a chance you'll end up naked at the end. edit »
  • Jerry: I swear, I have absolutely no idea what women are thinking. I don't get it, okay? I… I… I admit, I, I'm not getting the signals. I am not getting it! Women, they're so subtle, their little… everything they do is subtle. Men are not subtle, we are obvious. Women know what men want, men know what men want, what do we want? We want women, that's it! It's the only thing we know for sure, it really is. We want women. How do we get them? Oh, we don't know 'bout that, we don't know. The next step after that we have no idea. This is why you see men honking car-horns, yelling from construction sites. These are the best ideas we've had so far. The car-horn honk, is that a beauty? Have you seen men doing this? What is this? The man is in the car, the woman walks by the front of the car, he honks. E-eeehh, eehhh, eehhh! This man is out of ideas. How does it…? E-e-e-eeeehhhh! "I don't think she likes me." The amazing thing is, that we still get women, don't we? Men, I mean, men are with women. You see men with women. How are men getting women, many people wonder. Let me tell you a little bit about our organization. Wherever women are, we have a man working on the situation right now. Now, he may not be our best man, okay, we have a lot of areas to cover, but someone from our staff is on the scene. That's why, I think, men get frustrated, when we see women reading articles, like "Where to meet men?" We're here, we are everywhere. We're honking our horns to serve you better. edit »
  • George: Ho ho ho, "Had to"? "Had to come in"?
    Jerry: Yeah, but…
    George: "Had to come in" and "maybe we'll get together"? "Had to" and "Maybe"?
    Jerry: Yeah!
    George: No…no…no, I hate to tell you this: you're not gonna see this woman. edit »
  • George: Listen, your stuff has to be done by know, why don't you just see if it's dried?
    Jerry: No, no, no, don't interrupt the cycle. The machine is working, it, it knows what it's doing, just let it finish.
    George: You're gonna over dry it.
    Jerry: You, you can't over dry.
    George: Why not?
    Jerry: Same as you can't over wet. You see, once something is wet, it's wet. Same thing with dead: like once you die you're dead, right? Let's say you drop dead and I shoot you: you're not gonna die again, you're already dead. You can't over die, you can't over dry. edit »
  • Clair: Trust me George, no one has any interest in seeing you on caffeine. edit »
  • George: What, it was purple, I liked it. I don't actually recall considering the button!
    Jerry: Oh you don't recall?
    George: Uh no, not at this time.
    Jerry: Well senator I'd just like to know what you knew and when you knew it. edit »
  • Jerry: If you've got a t-shirt with blood stains all over it maybe laundry isn't your biggest problem right now. edit »
  • Kramer (Kessler): You got any meat?
    Jerry: Meat? I don't, I don't know, go… hunt! edit »
  • Jerry: Women know what men want,men know what men want. What do we want? We want women! edit »
  • George: (to Jerry) I can't believe you want to bring in an extra bed for a woman who wants to sleep with you. Why don't you bring in an extra guy too?! edit »
add

NOTES

  • According to "Notes about Nothing" Kramer wasn't originally in the pilot episode. edit »
  • Jason Alexander will be receiving the "And" credit. edit »
  • This episode's title was originally known as "Good News, Bad News." edit »
  • The show was supposed to be an hour-and-a-half documentary to fill in for SNL about how a comedian gets his material and would be called "Stand-Up". Jerry never actually wanted a sitcom but he got one and was then called "The Seinfeld Chronicles" then to just "Seinfeld". edit »
  • Not only did Julia Louis Dreyfus not appear in this pilot episode, but she was unaware that it existed. In fact, up until the time of the DVD release, she had never seen it. edit »
  • The episode title is "The Seinfeld Chronicles" on the Season 1&2 DVD. edit »
  • Initially aired on a Wednesday as a one-time special. edit »
  • There are two versions of this episode: the Original Pilot Version and the Revised Pilot version. Both are included on the Season 1&2 DVD. edit »
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus does not appear in this episode. edit »
  • The series does not have an opening credits sequence. Instead, the lead actor credits play out over a scene. Now commonplace in sitcoms and drama series, this was considered a novelty in 1990 and sparked a debate over the future of opening credits in TV series. edit »
  • Maybe Jerry's sweatpants are orange (not red) and has blue shirt on. Jerry is watching the Mets game (Mets colors are orange & blue) and there is a Mets poster on the wall behind the couch. edit »
  • On the Superman outfit, George is seen in a later episode, "The Summer of George," loafing in red sweatpants and blue t-shirt/sweatshirt. edit »
  • Pamela Brull played a character named Dr. Costanza in an episode of "Just The Ten Of Us" in 1988. edit »
  • Jerry had a different apartment number in this episode. edit »
  • Lee Garlington (Claire) was supposed to be part of the original cast, as the friendly waitress who gave advice to the boys about their daily lives (hence why she was in the opening credits, and not Pamela Brull, who played a bigger role in this episode) but was dropped because she was considered boring. edit »
  • In this episode, George advises Jerry that with women you should never go by your instincts, but always do the opposite. He admits not doing so himself, but later follows this tactic to perfection in "The Opposite." edit »
  • The sweatpants are red and the sweatshirt is blue! edit »
  • Check out Jerry's apartment in this episode! It's WAY different then it is in the other episodes! The walls are yellow, the kitchen cabinets are brown and are EMPTY! In the other episodes, the walls and cabinets are blue and the cabinets are filled with kitchen stuff. Another thing I should point out is Jerry has NO bedroom! In this episode all we see is a living room and a bathroom. In the other shows, Jerry has a bedroom and that and the bathroom are connected by a hallway which was also not present in the first episode. (Brandon) edit »
  • Didn't Kramer/Kessler also knock on Jerry's door in this episode? edit »
  • In this episode, the coffee shop Jerry and George go to is not Monk's. The exterior shot reads "Pete's". edit »
  • Even in the pilot episode, there is a Superman reference. When Jerry sits down to watch TV, he is wearing a bright blue pair of sweatpants, and a bright red sweatshirt. edit »
  • In this episode, Kramer/Kessler's apartment door is not there. In its place is a picture. Also, Kramer/Kessler has a dog in this episode. edit »
  • In the first scene of this episode, Jerry comments George about the button on his shirt. He repeats this same comment in the last scene of the last episode! [Editor's Note: Yes, as I mention in the description of the final episode.] edit »
  • In the TV Guide entry for this episode, his character is credited as Hoffman. I assume that this is the way it appeared in the script somewhere along the way. There were probably a number of name changes for this character, while Kenny Kramer was deciding whether or not his name could be used. edit »
  • In this episode, Jerry refers to Kramer as Kessler, because we later learn in "The Betrayal" this was the name on the buzzer for Kramer's apartment. This also discounts the fact that Kramer has sublet the apartment from Paul Buchman from Mad About You in an episode of that series that aired after "The Virgin." I suppose that Buchman could have sublet the apartment to someone named Kessler before Kramer had moved in. As strange as Kramer can be, perhaps he thought it best to not let anyone know he lived there and never changed the name. edit »
add

ALLUSIONS

Show Score 9.2 good
  • Show Statistics
  • 172 of 17,820 Rating Rank
  • 504 Reviews
  • 7,271 Tracked by
  • 9,481 Votes
YOUR SCORE
RESET
N/A n/a
advertisement
join now!

top contributors

contribute »
discuss »

related forums

advertisement