CNET Networks Entertainment GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer | MP3.com | TV.com | Metacritic
Score: 7.5 Good 92 votes

The Van Buren Boys

Episode Number: 148    Season Num: 8    First Aired: Thursday February 6, 1997    Prod Code: 814
Jerry's girlfriend, Ellen, seems perfect in every way, but everyone else seems to have a problem with her. George interviews candidates for the Foundation's first scholarship. The candidates seem over-qualified, until one comes in who is a lot like he was. Elaine is going to ghost write Peterman's biography. Kramer goes to Lorenzo's pizza, where he has an encounter with the Van Buren boys. He accidentally flashes their gang sign and saves himself. Peterman wants his day to day life covered in his bio; the exotic adventures are for the catalog. His day-to-day life is very boring. She tells him about Kramer's encounter with the gang and he suggests buying the story for his biography. George's scholar makes a change in his plans that causes George to disqualify him from the scholarship. Kramer sells Peterman all of his stories for $750 dollars. Elaine is put at his disposal. To Elaine, Kramer's stories aren't much more interesting. George and Kramer perform an intervention on Jerry's relationship with Ellen. George's scholar joins the Van Buren boys, who apply pressure on George to get the scholarship back. Elaine tells Kramer that he can no longer tell his stories, since they now belong to Peterman. Elaine tries to embellish Kramer's stories, but Peterman finds the rewrites "too clichéd and obvious." She tells him the real Kramer story that he finds much more interesting. He tells Kramer he can have his stories back. George tries to save himself from the Van Buren boys. Jerry flies his parents in to get their impression of Ellen. He begins to see the light.

Cast and Crew

Add Cast | Add Crew
Writer: Darin Henry
Director: Andy Ackerman
Star: Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer),  Jason Alexander (George Louis Costanza),  Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Marie Benes (not in pilot)),  Jerry Seinfeld (Himself)
Recurring Role: Liz Sheridan (Helen Seinfeld),  Barney Martin (Morty Seinfeld),  John O'Hurley (J. Peterman)
Guest Star: Steve Hofvendahl (Man),  Michelle Maika (Kim),  Justine Slater (Melissa),  Dublin James (Maurice),  Yunoka Doyle (Lydia),  Tony Colitti (Leader),  Jed Rhein (Steven Koren),  Christine Taylor (Ellen),  Bruce Davison (Wyck),  David Moscow (Lomez Jr.)

Notes

add »
Jerry might think that every Twilight Zone episode has the plotline that 'a guy wakes up to find he's the same and every one else is different', but only two of the original TZ episodes really fit that description. 1) "A World of Difference" starring Howard Duff as businessman Arthur Curtis who suddenly finds everyone convinced that he's an actor playing the part of Arthur Curtis in a movie. 2) "Person or Persons Unknown" starring Richard Long as a man who indeed wakes up to find no one knows who he is. (edit)
The character Steven Koren is named after the Seinfeld writer with the same name. (edit)

Quotes

add »
Jerry: So you're denying him the scholarship just because he wants to be a city planner?
George: I was betrayed! That kid was like a son to me. And if there's one person you should be able to hold down, it's your own flesh and blood. Like my father… my father's father before him. (edit)
George: Maybe she decided to celebrate her birthday the Monday after the weekend.
Jerry: She's not Lincoln! (edit)
Jerry: There's a street gang named after President Martin Van Buren?
Kramer: Oh yeah, and they're as mean as he was. (edit)
Jerry: (about the scholarship candidate) Is he smart?
George: He knows how to read. And he knows that finishing a whole book doesn't mean anything. (edit)
George: I think we're all aware of the flaws and biases of standardized tests.
Wick: These aren't standardized tests, these are his grades. (edit)

Trivia

add »
When Kramer is running his "new" stories that he bought from Newman to Elaine and Jerry, he runs in and leaves the door open behind. When he goes to leave, the door is now closed and reopens it. (edit)
Kramer's story about returning the very pants he was wearing is entirely believable. In "The Secretary" (Season 6), he sells Kenny Bania the suit he's wearing leaving him with nothing to wear home. What's more, it was the middle of winter. (edit)
When George encounters the Seinfelds on the street, they ask him how his parents are, and then tell him to say hi for them. However, in "The Raincoats" it's revealed that the Seinfelds don't like the Costanzas. I detect sarcasm in the Seinfeld's voices. They cannot stand the Costanzas, and are quite irritated and annoyed by George's odd behavior. (edit)

Allusions

add »
Kramer: (Holding up 8 fingers) That's their secret sign! See, Van Buren, he was the eighth president. They thought I was a former Van B. Boy.
Not only that, but Martin Van Buren, a native of Kinderhook, New York, was nicknamed "Old Kinderhook," and a political organization of the time named themselves the OK Club after him. Some say this is the origin of the English expression "OK" meaning fine, good, all right. (Wallace et al., "Significa," E.P. Dutton, 1983.) And a common hand gesture for "OK" -- tips of index finger and thumb touching, the other three fingers extended -- becomes half of the Van B. Boys' gang sign. (edit)
Tell the world what you think of The Van Buren Boys, write a review for this episode.
Write a Review

Community Reviews (5)

 
9.1
Superb
The Van Buren Boys
"Fine example"
George gives away The Susan Ross Scholarship.
Continue » Posted Jul 18, 2008 8:10 pm PST
8.0
Great
The Van Buren Boys
"Average"
To be honest it was more below average to me.
Continue » Posted Aug 26, 2007 8:56 pm PST
9.2
Superb
The Van Buren Boys
"Another great installment"
Kramer is in Lorenzos pizza and is ambushed by the VanBuren Boys, but accidentally holds up 8 fingers so they think he was a member. George has to pick someone for the Scholarship. Elaine uses Kramer stories b/c Peterman is really boring for his bio.
Continue » Posted Jun 25, 2007 11:52 am PST
9.0
Superb
The Van Buren Boys
"Well written"
It was good!
Continue » Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:00 pm PST
8.2
Great
The Van Buren Boys
"Exactly why I watch this series"
Under-rated
Continue » Posted May 8, 2006 7:22 pm PST
Previous Next
advertisement

Episode Vital Stats

 
Episode: The Van Buren Boys
Season Number: 8
Episode Reviews: 5
Episode
Score:
7.5 Good 92 votes
Your The Van Buren Boys Score
This content requires Macromedia Flash Player 7 or higher. Get Flash
Review This Episode Contribute

Top Contributors

 
Editor DennisKytasaari
Score: 1,459 points
RabbiRotes
Score: 867 points
Trusted Lion4Life
Score: 743 points
jekyll
Score: 376 points
witchinsider
Score: 347 points
LisaGansky
Score: 264 points
mquattrocchi
Score: 218 points
air_gurl13
Score: 214 points
Apostasies
Score: 184 points
2Cool127
Score: 162 points