Season 9

The Butter Shave The Voice Serenity Now The Blood The Junk Mail
The Merv Griffin SHow The Slicer The Betrayal The Apology The Strike
The Dealership The Reverse Peephole The Cartoon The Strongbox The Wizard
The Burning The Bookstore The Frogger The Maid The Millenium
The Puerto Rican Day The Clip Show, Parts 1 and 2 The Finale, Parts 1 and 2

#154 -- The Butter Shave


Original Air Date: 9/25/97


Following an accident that cost him his job and left him on crutches, George starts looking for work. And much to his surprise, his first inquiry with a playground equipment manufacturer leads to an interview. As Jerry suspects that comic Kenny Bania is taking advantage of his own popularity, a month in Europe with boyfriend David Puddy is too much for Elaine. Meanwhile, with Bania claiming credit for ideas that are Jerry’s, George’s interview immediately turns into a job. And realizing that his crutches led to him being mistaken for having a handicap, George does nothing to suggest otherwise. As Kramer experiments with butter as a shaving cream, Jerry discovers that Bania is dating his previous girlfriend and has been scheduled to follow him at a TV comedy showcase. While Elaine and David find it hard to end their relationship during a flight home, Kramer’s experiment backfires when he butters his skin before sunbathing. With Kramer basting himself to keep his skin from drying out, a shaving accident leaves George with a sprained ankle. Yet upon concluding that George has been minimizing the severity of his handicap, his boss gives him a motorized cart so he doesn’t have to walk at all. As Elaine and Davidts efforts to make up in flight fall flat, Jerry decides to sabotage Bania by giving him a poor act to follow at the showcase. And as Newman finds it hard to resist Kramer’s delicious smell, George’s untimely encounter with an elderly man lets Mr. Thomassoulo see that he may not be handicapped after all. Finally, after a cab shortage throws Elaine and David together again, Jerry’s plan backfires when Bania is asked to write a new TV comedy pilot instead of him.

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#155 -- The Voice


Original Air Date: 10/02/97


Although his boss asks him to leave because he isn’t really handicapped, George is determined to stay on the job. And even as his co-workers give him a taste of just how hard it’s going to be, they only strengthen George’s resolve. After badgering Jerry to reveal the inside joke he’s created at his girlfriend’s expense, Elaine denies that she’s reuniting with David Puddy. Convinced she’ll backslide, Jerry bets Elaine $50. And as Kramer hires a college intern to be his executive assistant, Elaine makes up with David. While Jerry upsets Claire with the joke, Kramer discovers the college is taking Darin away. And as Elaine arrives to pay up, Jerry bets that she’ll do it again. When Claire decides to stop being mad at him if only he’ll stop making fun of her, Jerry chooses to keep his joke, only to find that George and Kramer are getting tired of it. And while Kramer is surprised when Darin arrives on his own for work, George turns down six months salary in order to keep his job. When Elaine realizes she’ll have to pay up again, she redoubles her efforts to win the money back, only to continuing backsliding. . . .and losing. And as George fends off Mr. Thomasoulos efforts to get him to quit, Kramer and Darin arrive at his office to test a potentially valuable new idea. But when they accidentally hit Claire on the head and she sues for $26 million, the settlement leaves the company bankrupt and unable to pay George’s salary.

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#156 -- Serenity Now


Original Air Date: 10/09/97


As Elaine prepares for the bar mitzvah of her former employer’s son, George is helping repair his parent’s screen door when he learns that his father has gone into computer sales. While George is surprised to find that Frank expects him to work, Jerry tries to convince his girlfriend Patty that he can get mad. Then, as young Adam Lippman gives Elaine more than just a friendly kiss and Jerry learns to make anger work for him, George’s dad hires neighbor Lloyd Braun to sell computers, too. And when Lloyd racks up some impressive numbers, Frank threatens to fire George unless he wins a sales contest. After a forced apology provokes Adam to renounce his religion, Elaine must fend off the elder Lippman’s advances, too. As Kramer uses the Costanza’ s old screen door to recreate a small town atmosphere right outside his apartment door, Jerry’s angry breakup up with Patty unleashes a flood of emotions. Meanwhile, as George sets out to win the contest, Elaine suspects it’s her not being Jewish that attracts him, forcing Mr. Lippman to also renounce his religion just to prove she’s wrong. And as Jerry decides to go with his emotions and propose to Elaine, George stores computers at Kramer’s in order fool his dad. Although Kramer adopts Frank Costanza’s technique for easing stress, Lloyd warns that it only bottles up anger. And the claim proves true when Kramer suddenly explodes and destroys the cache of computers just as George is retrieving them. Meanwhile, as Jerry’s emotions influence his work, Elaine learns that the Lippman’s rabbi is interested in her as well. And as George’s own emotions cause Jerry to revert to his former self, Frank finally discovers that Lloyd was also a fraud as he and George try to save their business.

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#157 -- The Blood


Original Air Date: 10/16/97


While hoarding his own blood at a blood bank, a rate increase causes Kramer to start storing it at home. And as Elaine is upset by a friend who doesn’t consider her responsible enough to baby-sit, George can’t keep thinking about food during sex. So while agreeing to experiment, his girlfriend Tara draws the line when George brings pastrami to bed. Undeterred, George then starts sneaking his snacks into the bedroom. Meanwhile, news that Vivian has asked Kramer to sit for little Jimmy angers Elaine. Stopping Kramer on his way to the job, Elaine makes herself the substitute baby-sitter. But after finding Jimmy more than she bargained for, she worries that Vivian’s medical problems may require her to baby-sit again. Meanwhile, after complaining about Kramer’s using his refrigerator to store blood, Jerry is accidentally stabbed and given an emergency transfusion. As Jerry is coming to grips with being Kramer’s blood brother, his parents hire the elderly Izzy Mandelbaum as his personal trainer \ one who’s old fashioned gym and antiquated techniques cause him to worry. As George fails to fool Tara when he tries adding TV to their sexual routine, Elaine can’t convince Vivian that she’s nowhere near responsible enough to care for Jimmy and asks George for help. But when George discovers that Vivian shares his passion for pastrami, Elaine gets off the hook when he agrees to take care of Jimmy himself. Meanwhile, when Kramer asks to use Jerry’s car to store his blood, the engine accidentally overheats and he uses the blood to cool it off. And after he’s injured when Izzy and his son toughen the workouts, Jerry finally begs to have Kramer’s blood removed.

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#158 -- The Junk Mail


Original Air Date: 10/30/97


Courtesy of a childhood friend, Jerry is all set to get a new car. Although surprised when he shows up with a van instead, memories of Frankie Merman‘s fragile feelings make Jerry reluctant to say anything. Then, as Kramer strikes a blow against unsolicited catalogs by refusing the mail, George suspects his parents of avoiding his calls. So, as Elaine dumps current boyfriend David Puddy for a coffee shop patron, George learns his parents want him out of the way so they can have sex. After Jerry learns to tread lightly when it comes to the van, Kramer suggests trading it. Talking Jerry into placing an ad for the van, Kramer is the first to respond. But when Jerry lets Kramer use it for his post office protest, he’s spotted by Frankie. As Kramer’s demonstrations trouble Newman and his post office colleagues, Jerry’s realizes that Elaine’s attraction to her new boyfriend Jack stems from his role as a TV pitch-man for a discount electronics store. Meanwhile, when George vows to get his parent’s attention by making a pass at his cousin Rhisa, he’s surprised to find she actually wants to have sex. When his dad arranges to borrow the van, George hopes to use the opportunity to get caught with Rhisa. But when Frankie approaches the van in the park, George runs, certain that he and Rhisa are being stalked by a serial killer. So, after Frank and Estelle find the abandoned van and are using it to make love, they are surprised by George, Rhisa, Frankie and Jerry. Finally, as the Postmaster General’s interrogation of Kramer lands Newman in trouble, Jack returns to the commercials that made him famous and Elaine realizes that things just won’t work out between them after all.

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#159 -- The Merv Griffin Show


Original Air Date: 11/06/97


As Kramer salvages a discarded set from the old Merv Griffin Show, Jerry discovers a collection of mint condition vintage toys in the closet of his girlfriend, Lizbeth. But when he asks to play with them, Lizbeth refuses, claiming they are an inheritance from her late father. Meanwhile, when a fellow employee sidles up beside her trying to claim credit for her hard work, Elaine wants revenge. And while George can’t keep from injuring pigeons that won’t get out of his way, Kramer puts the discarded talk show set in his apartment. When he tries to impress his girlfriend by avoiding another pigeon, George injures a squirrel instead. And to keep Miranda happy, he must agree to pay for an operation to save the squirrel’s life. After Jerry drugs Lizbeth in order to play with her toys, Elaine’s claiming credit for Lou’s work lands her in trouble with Peterman. But when Jerry reveals how he got to Lizbeth’s toys, he’s banned from Kramer’s set. Meanwhile, after Jerry and George use a combination of food and some old home movies to put Lizbeth to sleep so they can play with her toys, boredom forces Kramer to adopt an edgier format for his show. After learning he’ll have to care for the squirrel at home, George decides to unload the ailing animal on Kramer’s guest, animal expert Jim Fowler. Then, after Elaine’s sidling causes Peterman to complain, Lou suggests that one of Lizbeth’s toys could keep him from ruining her job. Meanwhile, after Jerry admits to drugging her, Kramer surprises him with a visit from an angry Lizbeth. And in the ensuing chaos, Fowler’s hawk attacks George’s squirrel, destroying the set. Finally, as George tries to rehabilitate the squirrel, Elaine goes after Lizbeth and her toys.

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#160 -- The Slicer


Original Air Date: 11/13/97


While interviewing for a new job, George spots himself in a photo of the company owner’s family. Recalling their unpleasant encounter at the beach several years ago, he decides to get rid of the photo before Mr. Kruger remembers. And when Kramer suggests airbrushing himself out of the picture, George steals it. Meanwhile, as Kramer buys a fancy new meat slicer and Elaine is kept awake by a vacationing neighbor’s alarm clock, Jerry’s date with a doctor goes badly when she criticizes his job. Stunned to find that Kruger was taken out of the picture instead of him, George waits for it to be repaired as Kramer’s efforts to stop the alarm clock also turn off Elaine’s neighbor’s automatic cat feeder. As Kramer uses his slicer to cut food that can be slipped underneath the door to the hungry cat, Jerry is unimpressed that Sara is a dermatologist until hearing a cancer patient thank her for saving his life. So when George needs a photo of Mr. Kruger without his shirt and Elaine suggests using a skin cancer screening at the office, Jerry is forced to keep dating Sara. As Elaine tries to keep Kramer from learning that she ruined his slicer, Sara agrees to do the screening, though she wants nothing more to do with Jerry. Noticing he has a rash, Jerry then accuses her of contaminating him as revenge. And once Jerry’s complaints prompt Sara to leave, Kramer pretends to be a dermatologist in order to get the photo of Kruger. Meanwhile, with Elaine accidentally locked inside her apartment where she’s forced to listen to the screeching cat, George gets the photo repaired as Kramer concludes that Kruger has cancer. And after George recommends referring Kruger to a real dermatologist, Jerry discovers that his rash wasn’t Sara’s doing at all. Finally, after Kruger makes fun of the man in the photo, George confesses that it’s him as Kramer’s slicer keeps Elaine alive until she can be freed.

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#161 -- The Betrayal


Original Air Date: 11/20/97


Upon their return from Sue Ellen Mischke’s wedding in India, Jerry, George and Elaine are barely speaking to each other. Having learned that Jerry slept with his girlfriend, Nina, George is demanding, as compensation, a chance to sleep with Elaine. And as Elaine is upset at having ruined Sue Ellen’s wedding by revealing that she once slept with the groom, Kramer is haunted by a friend’s evil wish. Recalling their ill fated trip to India, Elaine admits that having too much to drink led her to tell George about Jerry’s indiscretion. To make matters worse, Elaine’s revelation of her own affair with groom Pinter Ranawat came only after she agreed to be the maid of honor for her longtime rival, Sue Ellen. Asked why she went in the first place, Elaine claims it was only to deprive Sue Ellen of the satisfaction of inviting her to the wedding, certain that she wouldn’t go all the way to India to attend. Meanwhile, as George remembers how highly he thought of Jerry before his affair with Nina, Kramer tries to keep his friend from wishing him ill. Going back even further, George recalls his first date with Nina as Elaine remembers learning of Jerry’s affair. And as Jerry worries about her being able to keep his secret, Elaine recalls how Pinter’s parents tried to convince her just to buy their son and Sue Ellen a gift. Then, after Jerry explains how he ended up in bed with Nina, Kramer recalls the innocent snowball attack that upset his friend, FDR. Finally, as George thinks back to how he and Nina met, Jerry recalls meeting Kramer for the very first time.

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#162 -- The Apology


Original Air Date: 12/11/97


As Jerry marvels at the frequent nudity of his girlfriend, Melissa, George hears that Jason Hanke is making amends as part of his Alcoholics Anonymous program. Recalling that Jason once insulted him, George is convinced that he’s in line for an apology. However, while Jason takes the time to apologize to Jerry, he doesn’t do anything similar for George. Meanwhile, as Elaine is insulted by a fellow employee’s efforts not to be exposed to her germs, Jerry teaches Kramer how to save time in the shower. When approached about an apology, Jason’s sarcasm only makes George look foolish. So George now feels he’s owed two apologies. However, his complaints to Jason’s Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor only get him invited to a recovery group for those with uncontrollable rage. Concluding that seeing her unclothed all the time is too much to bear, Jerry then decides to use his own nudity to give Melissa a taste of what he’s been experiencing. But the demonstration backfires and drives Melissa away. Meanwhile, Elaine is ostracized by her colleagues over her treatment of Peggy. Having decided to do everything in the shower from now on, Kramer calls on Elaine’s boyfriend David for help installing a garbage disposal. When Elaine complains about how things backfired, David reveals that he also used to be very afraid of germs just like Peggy. However, his efforts to intervene only cause a relapse of David’s own fears. Meanwhile, when they try to resume a fully-clothed relationship, Jerry can only think about how great she looks naked, while Melissa is repulsed by her own memories of him nude. Finally, when an offer to apologize doesn’t satisfy him, George’s complaints cost Jason both his sanity and his new job.

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#163 -- The Strike


Original Air Date: 12/18/97


At a Hanukkah party, Elaine tries avoiding a man in a denim vest as Jerry pursues a date with Gwen. While George complains about Tim Whatley’s making a donation in his name to a local charity, Kramer learns that a twelve-year-long strike at the bagel shop where he once worked is over. So, as Kramer returns to work at H&H Bagels, Elaine discovers that a card she gave Denim Vest with a fake phone number on it was one she needed for a free submarine sandwich. At the betting parlor whose number she’s been giving out to undesirable men for years, Elaine asks that they have Denim Vest call her at H&H Bagels. And as Jerry wonders why Gwen seems to alternate between being beautiful one day and ugly the next, George gives his co-workers Christmas cards claiming he’s made a donation on their behalf to a charity whose name he’s made up. Meanwhile, when he inspires Frank to revive Festivus, a holiday he created as an alternative to Christmas, Kramer can’t convince his boss at H&H to give him the day off, forcing him to go out on strike again. So, as Kramer pickets H&H, Elaine waits inside for Denim Vest’s call. When Denim Vest arrives to see Elaine, her mussed up look causes him to give her a fake phone number and leaves before she can get her sandwich card back. And after donating $20,000 to the Human Fund, Mr. Kruger learns it’s all a ruse, forcing George to invite him to celebrate Festivus with his family and friends. Finally, as Kruger is attracted to the fake holiday, George unwillingly participates in the family’s Festivus traditions.

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#164 -- The Dealership


Original Air Date: 1/08/98


When Elaine’s on again/off again boyfriend David Puddy gives up being a mechanic to sell cars, Jerry goes to see him about buying a new Saab. While Jerry is certain of getting the best possible deal, George recalls his own family’s disastrous history with buying new cars and warns against relying on anything David says. Meanwhile, as George struggles to get a candy bar that’s stuck inside the car dealership’s stubborn vending machine, Kramer persuades a salesman named Rick to give him a test drive. After Elaine complains about David’s persistent use of the "high five" handshake, they break up again and leave Jerry with little hope of getting the deal he was promised. To make matters worse, George is convinced that the dealership has it out for him after the vending machine gives the candy bar he bought to one of the mechanics. Meanwhile, after using the test drive to run his errands, Kramer convinces Rick to see just how far they can go on a tank of gas. When Jerry begs her to make up with David so he can get a good deal, Elaine extracts some concessions before she’ll agree. Faced with David’s reluctance to make up, Jerry must find a compromise that will allow for the resumption of the relationship. Meanwhile, once George assembles his case for the candy bar, he’s undercut when both staff and customers help themselves to his carefully prepared evidence. Finally, as Kramer and Rick press the car’s gas tank to the limit, Jerry finds common ground to reunite David and Elaine.. .until his refusal to acknowledge a high five ruins the deal.

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#165 -- The Reverse Peephole


Original Air Date: 1/15/98


As Elaine finds her boyfriend’s fur coat obnoxious, she, Jerry and George decide to buy a massage chair for their friend, Joe Mayo. When George sees the chair cheaper elsewhere, he offers to get it and save some money. But only at a party for Joe does George reveal that sending it overnight delivery was too expensive, leaving them without the gift. Meanwhile, Elaine throws what she thinks is David’s fur coat out the window, only to discover that it was Joe’s. And after reversing the peepholes on their doors, Kramer and Newman convince Jerry that wallets are passé. After Newman is threatened with eviction over his modified peephole, Kramer intervenes with their super, unaware that his friend is having an affair with Silvio’s wife. And as Elaine reluctantly agrees to buy Joe a new coat, George develops back problems due to his overly-large wallet, prompting him to keep the massage chair before delivering it to Joe. After Elaine recommends that the wallet-less Jerry start carrying a purse, Newman discovers the discarded fur hanging in a tree. But when Elaine asks for it back, she’s told that Newman already gave it to Silvio’s wife, forcing Jerry to pretend it’s his in order to keep their suspicious super from learning the truth. Upon learning that Mayo doesn’t appreciate his taste in music, Jerry asks George to cancel their order for the chair. As Jerry learns that George has been using it all along, Kramer asks him to put on the fur and make things look good for Silvio. However, when Elaine tries to claim the coat, Kramer covers by suggesting that Svetlana is having an affair with Joe Mayo. Finally, Silvio seeks revenge against Joe as the massage chair wears out as a result of George’s constant use.

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#166 -- The Cartoon


Original Air Date: 1/29/98


After Jerry confides that his friend Sally Weaver should have abandoned her acting career long ago, Kramer doesn’t hesitate to make the opinion public. But when Sally decides to quit, Jerry doesn’t want to be responsible and begs her to ignore his comments. And when she does just that, Sally ends up getting rave reviews for her new one woman show attacking Jerry. Then, after claiming that George’s girlfriend looks just like Jerry, Kramer decides to give up talking after he’s criticized for the conclusions he’s drawn. Meanwhile, when a magazine editor who is responsible for an enigmatic cartoon hasn’t a clue as to what it means, Elaine is encouraged to submit some of her own. After seeing Sally’s performance, Jerry asks that she not be so harsh on him. But following a TV news story about the show, he’s upset to find that she used his plea as material for her show. After learning that she recorded another conversation with him to use in her act, Jerry cuts off all communication so as not to accelerate Sally’s rapidly rising star. Meanwhile, as George struggles to find a reason other than looks as a basis for his relationship with Janet, Elaine attempts to crack the cartoon market. But when her cartoon is published, Peterman recognizes it as the work of a famous cartoonist. As George tries using their mutual love for gum as the foundation for his relationship with Janet, Kramer starts talking again. And after seeing her cable TV special, Jerry is stunned to learn that he did all his talking about him to Sally. Finally, after the cartoonist Elaine subconsciously plagiarized gets published in the magazine, a gum chewing accident forces Janet to cut her hair short, making her look even more like Jerry.

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#167 -- The Strongbox


Original Air Date: 2/05/98


As George plots to get rid of his latest girlfriend, Elaine is attracted to someone new. But when Glenn remains secretive about his phone number and job, Elaine suspects he’s married -- until an invitation to his apartment reveals he’s hiding the fact that he’s poor. Meanwhile, as George finds that Maura has no interest in breaking up, Kramer gets a strongbox for his valuables and then hides the key in Jerry’s apartment. But Jerry keeps finding it by accident, undermining Kramer’s efforts. Hoping it will put off Maura, George decides to have an affair with a woman at work. But the ploy backfires when Loretta and Maura agree to work things out. Then, before hiding the key in their neighbor’s apartment, Kramer locks up a pair of cufflinks Jerry bought in hopes of meeting their original owner, comedian Jerry Lewis. But after hiding the key in the bowl used to feed Phil’s pet parrot, it’s suddenly missing and the bird mysteriously dies. Realizing that the key is what killed their neighbor’s bird, Jerry takes Kramer to the pet cemetery to recover it. But when Phil and his wife come to visit the grave, they find them digging it up. Finally, because Kramer actually left the strongbox unlocked, everything, including Jerry’s cufflinks, is stolen. And after Elaine learns that Glenn is both poor and married, she decides to call off their relationship.

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#168 -- The Wizard


Original Air Date: 2/26/98


Upon buying his father an expensive electronic organizer for his birthday, Jerry tells him that he got "The Wizard" on the street for just $50. And when Susan’s parents call for the first time since her funeral, George avoids an invitation to a black tie charity dinner by claiming he has a summer home in the Hamptons. Meanwhile, as Elaine wonders if her boyfriend Darryl is black, Kramer decides to retire when his coffee table book is optioned by a Hollywood producer. But Jerry is stunned when Kramer moves into his parent’s Florida retirement community. As Kramer endears himself to the neighbors, Morty decides that he’s just what the condo association needs as its new president someone he can control. With Morty as his manager, Kramer campaigns until a serious breach of clubhouse rules puts his candidacy in jeopardy. To placate the condo board, Morty suggests that Jerry get them all electronic organizers, unaware that they really cost $200 each. Meanwhile, as he continues his elaborate ruse for the Rosses, George worries that Elaine may have blown his cover story. So he invites them to see his summer home. When Elaine is forced to reveal that she thinks Darryl is black, that’s when he not only says that he isn’t, but that he thought she was Hispanic. Then, on a tip from Kramer, Jerry gets some cut rate electronic organizers. But when they don’t work, Kramer loses the election and forces Jerry to admit to deceiving his dad. Finally, after going with him to the Hamptons, the Rosses admit they knew all along that George was lying about the summer house.

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#169 -- The Burning


Original Air Date: 3/19/98


After borrowing her boyfriend’s car, Elaine is surprised to find its radio has been preprogrammed to Christian rock stations. Wondering if he’s religious or just too lazy to change them, she switches the radio’s buttons. And once Puddy changes them all back, she’s disappointed to realize that he’s not as shallow as she thought. Meanwhile, as George learns how to exit after making a good joke, Kramer and his friend Mickey hone their acting skills at a medical school where they are hired to pretend they are sick. And while Mickey hits the jackpot with bacterial meningitis, Kramer is disappointed to draw gonorrhea. As George continues to polish his comedic skills on his co-workers at Kruger, Jerry discovers that his new girlfriend hasn’t been totally honest about herself. So, as Puddy announces that Elaine is going to Hell, Jerry wonders just what secret Sophie is harboring. Meanwhile, Kruger dismisses everyone else on the staff, leaving George responsible for keeping the company afloat. As Kramer discovers his gonorrhea performance has typecast him at the medical school, Elaine is upset with David’s unhelpful attitude. So she takes him to consult with a priest and feels vindicated upon learning that they are both headed for an eternity in Hell. Finally, as Kramer secretly switches diseases with Mickey, Jerry learns that Sophie’s secret involves her own case of gonorrhea.

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#170 -- The Bookstore


Original Air Date: 4/09/98


At a local bookstore where he, George and Kramer are hoping to meet some women, Jerry sees Uncle Leo shoplifting. Questioned about it later, Leo reveals that all senior citizens do it. And while hoping to scare him by alerting the store’s security guard the next time it happens, Jerry is stunned when his uncle is arrested. Meanwhile, after he’s forced to buy a $100 book he was caught reading in the bookstore’s bathroom, George tries to take it back, only to find that it’s been flagged as unreturnable. As Elaine worries about what making out with a co-worker at an office party will do to her reputation, Kramer and Newman team up to start a rickshaw service in New York. So, while Elaine tries to salvage her reputation by claiming that she and Zach are dating, the homeless man Kramer and Newman hire to help out steals their rickshaw. Meanwhile, when his mom and dad call to complain about him turning Leo in, Jerry discovers that not only does his uncle have a criminal record, but that his parents steal, too. After his book is refused by stores all over town, George tries passing it off on Elaine, until Jerry reveals why it can’t be returned. As Kramer and Newman set out to recover their stolen rickshaw, Peterman asks that Elaine help her boyfriend Zach recover from a heroin addiction. While Elaine struggles to help Zach go cold turkey and Jerry worries about Uncle Leo’s revenge, George can’t even give his book away. And when he steals another copy to return for the refund, Jerry turns him in exchange for getting Uncle Leo off the hook. Finally, an out of control rickshaw accidentally runs over Zach, forcing Elaine to nurse him through his recovery.

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#171 -- The Frogger


Original Air Date: 4/23/98


To mark the closing of their old high school hangout, George and Jerry head for Mario’s Pizza, where George finds his favorite arcade game is still there. Surprised to see the high score he achieved many years ago is still unbeaten, George hatches a plan to buy the "Frogger" to immortalize his record. Meanwhile, asJerry finds a date’s habit of finishing his sentences annoying and Elaine grows tired of endless office parties, Kramer warns of a serial killer who’s on the loose. After George discovers that unplugging the game will erase his score, Kramer suggests an electrician who can help. And while he would like to bring their date to an early end, the serial killer’s presence in Lisi’s neighborhood forces a reluctant Jerry to ask her to spend the night with him. Meanwhile, Elaine unwittingly eats some wedding cake that Peterman bought at an auction for $29,000. And as Elaine looks for a way to repair the famous cake without her boss finding out, Jerry worries that the killer’s presence will make it hard for him to break up with Lisi in person. As George assembles his team to salvage the "Frogger," Elaine’s efforts to fix the cake result in her actually finishing it off. And after he’s stranded at Lisi’s, Jerry is stuck having to take a weekend trip with her. Once his team prepares the "Frogger," for the trip home, a dying battery forces George to try and save his high score, only to have the game destroyed in the process. Finally, Elaine’s efforts to replace the cake are undermined by a surveillance camera that caught her in the act.

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#172 -- The Maid


Original Air Date: 4/30/98


As Jerry hires a new maid to keep his apartment clean, George decides that what he needs is a nickname with some spark. But after failing to get his work colleagues to use T-Bone, he’s stuck being called Koko. And as Jerry starts an affair with Cindy, she’s suddenly working less and less. Meanwhile, when Elaine is upset over being assigned a new telephone area code, Kramer’s girlfriend moves downtown. An elderly neighbor’s death allows Elaine to get her old area code back. But as Kramer returns from a weekend at Madeline’s new downtown home, Elaine discovers that her problems have just begun when the late Mrs. Krantz’s grandson calls, unaware that his grandmother is dead. Meanwhile, the disheveled condition of Jerry’s apartment is all that Kramer needs to realize that Jerry is simply paying Cindy for sex. And as Jerry’s complaints cause them to break up, George hires someone named Coco in hopes of putting an end to the name being used for him. After refusing to move back uptown, Madeline throws Kramer out on the street, forcing him to call Jerry for help. But as Jerry tries tracking Kramer down, Cindy’s boss shows up demanding payment for her last visit. Meanwhile, after he arrives at work with Coco, George’s co-workers then take to calling him Gammy. Finally, as Jerry is arrested for soliciting a prostitute while trying to square things with Cindy, Elaine’s effort to break the bad news to Mrs. Krantz’s grandson backfires.

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#173 -- The Puerto Rican Day


Original Air Date: 5/07/98


After leaving a baseball game early to avoid the traffic, Jerry and his friends get stuck in the annual Puerto Rican Day parade. And Jerry’s one chance at beating the traffic tie-up is ruined by a confrontation with a man in a maroon Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, as Elaine frets over missing 60 Minutes because of the traffic, George decides to repeat a joke he made during a movie that made the audience laugh. But, as Elaine debates whether walking would be faster than taking a cab, George arrives at the theater to find another prankster who’s entertaining the audience with a laser pointer. After insincerely negotiating with the maroon Golf’s driver in order to get his car moving again, Jerry’s escape is cut off by Elaine’s cab. And as George is stalked by Gary and his laser, Elaine organizes a group of disgruntled pedestrians to navigate beneath the parade’s bleachers. Meanwhile, in order use the bathroom, Kramer poses as a potential apartment buyer in a nearby luxury building. And after learning he can watch the rest of the baseball game on the apartment’s TV, Jerry decides to have a look as well. As Elaine and her group find their escape route blocked, George sets out to stop Gary. However, after accosting the wrong person and ending up with ink all over his hands, he heads for the apartment to wash up as he continues to be tormented by the laser. Meanwhile, Kramer is forced to run for his life after accidentally setting a Puerto Rican flag on fire. And after making his way to the apartment in his escape, Kramer and his friends watch as Jerry’s car is attacked by the angry mob.

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#174 & #175 -- The Clip Show, Parts 1 and 2


Original Air Date: 5/21/98


INTRODUCTION: This special episode of SEINFELD looks back at the 9 years of moments which have defined the show, including George’s embarrassment in the famous "shrinkage" episode, Elaine’s awkward dancing, and Kramer’s hosting "The Merv Griffm Show" from his apartment. We also take a look at Jerry and his many dating experiences. RELATIONSHIPS: Here we take a look at getting in and out of relationships. This retrospective gives us a view of the SEINFELD crew’s philosophy’s on relationships, including George’s wanting to break up over the phone, Elaine’s "spongeworthy" interview for a boyfriend, Kramer’s ideas about girlfriends in general and Jerry’s inability to remember his girlfriend Dolores’ name. DANCE MONTAGE: This segment captures many of the cast members getting down and showing us how they can boogie. Set to music, it’s non-stop laughter from beginning to end. OUTTAKES/BEHIND-THE-SCENES: Compiled here are a series of outtakes and behind-the-scenes clips that are hysterical. Included here are Jerry’s inability to perform with Michael Richards because of a severe case of the giggles, and Julia Louis Dreyfus’ struggle to keep it together in a scene with Jerry Stiller. To close this special episode, a sentimental music montage follows with behind the scenes footage of the cast throughout the 9 years of production.

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#176 & #177 -- The Finale, Parts 1 and 2


Original Air Date: 5/21/98


After getting a call from NBC about the pilot they wrote several years ago, Jerry and George are asked to write thirteen episodes for the new Fall schedule. Despite George’s pessimism, Jerry is ecstatic about the prospect of moving to California. Although Kramer worries that they will never come back, he’s more than happy to come along when NBC lets Jerry and George take their friends to Paris on the corporate jet. And while George is less than taken with the network’s plane, Jerry and the others are quite happy to be on their way to Paris -- until Kramer’s bumbling nearly causes a crash and forces the pilot to land in Latham, Massachusetts for repairs. Sent into town to wait until the plane can be readied to resume their trip, Jerry and company witness a car jacking. After failing to stop the crime, the foursome is arrested for breaking the town’s new Good Samaritan Law. Faced with a large fine and prison if found guilty, they hire lawyer Jackie Chiles to argue their case. And aware of the upcoming media circus the trial will generate, the district attorney sets out to prove that their callous indifference to the victim was just one in a long string of the defendant’s heartless and selfish acts. As family and friends arrive in Latham for the trial, the D . A. calls a parade of witnesses who testify to the thoughtlessness of Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine. And despite lawyer Chiles ‘s objections, the judge allows the testimonies. Having taken a beating at the hands of the D . A. ‘s witnesses, Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer anxiously await the jury’s verdict. Although everyone settles in for a long deliberation, the jury quickly returns to pronounce the four defendants guilty. Finally, with their fates decided, Jerry and friends prepare to serve their time together.

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