Seinfeld: What's the best introductory episode?

[Mister Six]

Now that we have Hulu, I want to introduce Mrs Six to Seinfeld, but I'm not sure where to begin, since the first couple of seasons are a bit shite, but knowing the characters is key to appreciating the comedy.

For me, it was The Bizarro Jerry that made the series "click", but since Mrs Six isn't up on Superman either, that doesn't seem like a good way in for her.

Hulu recommends The Pony Remark (S2E2), The Library (S3E5) and The Red Dot (S3E12) in its Beginner's Guide, but I remember it still being a bit wonky in season three and not really taking off until season four.

What say you, CaB?

[DrGreggles]

The Race

[imitationleather]

The Finale

[chveik]

I remember it still being a bit wonky in season three and not really taking off until season four.

you don't deserve Seinfeld

[lankyguy95]

The Contest. Great intro to the four of them and their chemistry, I think.

And "I'm out!" might be my favourite moment in any sitcom ever.

[sutin]

you don't deserve Seinfeld

He's right though, let's be honest.

I would go for...
The Race
The Strike
The Bizarro Jerry
The Voice
or The Merv Griffin Show

[Mister Six]

Cheers!

(But keep the suggestions coming, folks!)

[sutin]

The Contest. Great intro to the four of them and their chemistry, I think.

And "I'm out!" might be my favourite moment in any sitcom ever.

I've never liked that episode TBH.

[colacentral]

The best episodes of season 3 - the limo, the parking garage, the red dot. Also could go with the chinese restaurant ep from season 2.

I don't get the love for the pony remark, it's one of the worst for me. It's like a parody of seinfeld, the premise based on someone taking ridiculous over the top offense to a comment that no one would ever take offense to, even in sitcom land. And the comment / banter about ponies is forced too. Really shite one that.

[daf]

Only Season One seemed a bit creaky - and that was only 4 episodes long. Essentially, all those can be viewed as one long pilot to shake the bugs out.

Season 2 onwards is pretty much fine, I think.

[colacentral]

I've never liked that episode TBH.

Yeah, I think that episode is overrated too, as well as the yada yada one. I get put off any time the episodes seem to be designed to be quoted by cunts in an office the day after they aired.

[sevendaughters]

The Race

My favourite. As perfect a 22 minutes as there is in television.

I think The Fix-Up (S3E16) is a great starter to the general vibe between the leads and the writing is really clicking, all 4 stories fusing perfectly. Also has Maggie "Janice from Friends" Wheeler (looking really hot) so has a nice waft of familiarity for some.

[buttgammon]

The Chinese Restaurant might be a good one. The lack of Kramer might be a little confusing but it's a good introduction to the style of the programme otherwise. The Subway is a good insight into all of the characters in their own right too.

[DrGreggles]

The Race

Forgot to mention why...

It's because I think the way this scene plays out, following them coming up with the plan, is the best example of the dynamic between Jerry and George.

[An tSaoi]

Not sure about The Bizarro Jerry suggestions. That episode relies on your familiarity with the regular characters, in order to appreciate the contrast with the opposite set of characters. I'm sure a first-time viewer would still "get" it from the context, but only academically. Things like Feldman politely knocking the door and introducing himself before asking permission to enter won't be that funny to someone who hasn't seen Kramer bursting into Jerry's apartment a hundred times.

[QDRPHNC]

I wouldn't start with the Merv Griffin Show, you really need to know the characters.

I would say... what's it called... The Dinner Party? It's not meta at all and all the characters get good storylines.

[Icehaven]

As a very recent Seinfeld convert (well it's not that I didn't like it before, I just hadn't seen it), I'd say just watch it from the start as like you say, it sets up the characters and there's only 5 episodes in the first series anyway. Part of what makes later episodes better is that the humour relies on you knowing the characters and their personality traits etc. If you didn't already know how neurotic George is or why Jerry says "Hello, NEWMAN" the way he does for example, it wouldn't work as well. I'm not sure someone who'd never seen it would detect quite so pronounced a difference in quality between the earlier series and the later ones if you dropped them in partway through.

[MojoJojo]

As a very recent Seinfeld convert (well it's not that I didn't like it before, I just hadn't seen it), I'd say just watch it from the start as like you say, it sets up the characters and there's only 5 episodes in the first series anyway.

Ahhh, I was just going to post saying that Amazon weirdly have every season except the second one. But they have 18 episodes in their season 1, so I guess that's season 1 & 2 combined.

[Icehaven]

Ahhh, I was just going to post saying that Amazon weirdly have every season except the second one. But they have 18 episodes in their season 1, so I guess that's season 1 & 2 combined.

I thought after posting that that maybe All4 had some missing from early seasons or something so I checked but according to Wikipedia there's 5 in S1, 12 in S2 and 20odd in the rest of the seasons.

[Mister Six]

Not sure about The Bizarro Jerry suggestions. That episode relies on your familiarity with the regular characters, in order to appreciate the contrast with the opposite set of characters. I'm sure a first-time viewer would still "get" it from the context, but only academically. Things like Feldman politely knocking the door and introducing himself before asking permission to enter won't be that funny to someone who hasn't seen Kramer bursting into Jerry's apartment a hundred times.

It worked for me as a key to unlocking what the show is about. Yeah, not as many laughs as if I'd approached it chronologically, but that was the point where I got a handle on who Jerry and co are and how their dynamics work.

[Dr Rock]

The Contest, no contest.

[cacciaguida]

Get her to read the post 9/11 spec script an onion/snl writer did that one time.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B50l484pDaMobXI2Wk5CX0NMbkU/view

if anyone isn't up to speed you can have a read here

[Mister Six]

Get her to read the post 9/11 spec script an onion/snl writer did that one time.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B50l484pDaMobXI2Wk5CX0NMbkU/view

if anyone isn't up to speed you can have a read here

Haven't read that for years. It's astonishingly plausible.

[Ferris]

The Library. You get a good feel for the characters and the sense of humour, and I'm pretty sure it is early on.

Also has the best one-off character in the whole show.

[Replies From View]

The episode where Kramer bursts in through the door and the audience goes absolutely ballistic.

[buttgammon]

The Library. You get a good feel for the characters and the sense of humour, and I'm pretty sure it is early on.

Also has the best one-off character in the whole show.

Good shout, and it's worth watching for Bookman alone. "Rock was never my bag, but you put on a pair of shoes when you walk into the New York Public Library, fella."

[Bernice]

Yeah, The Library is fantastic.

I'd also suggest The Marine Biologist - the pay off with the golf ball at the end is the perfect example of Seinfled storylines dovetailing just right, and Elaine insisting that the original title of War and Peace was War, What is it good for? to an irate Russian author is gold, Jerry. Gold!

[Ferris]

Good shout, and it's worth watching for Bookman alone. "Rock was never my bag, but you put on a pair of shoes when you walk into the New York Public Library, fella."

Yeah it's impossible to watch that performance and not want to see more of the show I reckon. That's just me though.

[Mr Farenheit]

Is she a fan of Oz? Most people are.

If so, Seinfeld in Oz is a great bite-sized intro to Jerry's character.

[Ja'moke]

Only Season One seemed a bit creaky - and that was only 4 episodes long. Essentially, all those can be viewed as one long pilot to shake the bugs out.

Season 2 onwards is pretty much fine, I think.

Agreed. Sure, it gets even better in later seasons. But season 2 and 3 are still good with some classic episodes mixed in.