The Fatigues
Encyclopedia
"The Fatigues" is the 140th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld
. This was the sixth episode for the eighth season. It aired on October 31, 1996.
is dating a girl, Abby (A.J. Langer), and is intrigued by the concept of his girlfriend having a mentor. Jerry meets Cynthia, his girlfriend's mentor, but finds out she is dating Kenny Bania. After they see Bania's act, Jerry's girlfriend loses respect for her mentor and eventually fires her. George
has to give a lecture on risk management
(because his résumé
gives the impression that he is an expert on the subject), but he finds that he can't study for it because books on tape
have spoiled him. When George discovers the blind can get any book on tape, he intentionally fails an eye test so he can get his book on tape. George encounters a problem when the person's voice on the tape sounds like his voice, much to his displeasure. Elaine
prepares to fire Eddie Sherman (Ned Bellamy
), an employee, but when face to face with him, is scared of him and promotes him instead (a technique reminiscent of The Dilbert Principle
, reflecting Elaine's inept management style). When he does a terrible job Elaine promotes him again to get rid of him. This plan backfires when the other employees quit because he was promoted over them, causing Elaine to work on the project alone with Sherman.
Kramer
runs a Jewish singles night at Frank's Knights of Columbus
hall. When he realizes he can't cook Jewish food, he asks for Frank's help. Frank refuses, because he hasn't cooked since the Korean War
where he sickened his fellow troops by using bad meat
and has become traumatized
because of it (Frank's memory is dramatized with a reenactment in which the onset of food poisoning is set to Barber's
"Adagio for strings
", as in the film Platoon
).
When Cynthia dumps Bania because of his poor act, he turns to Jerry for advice, and Jerry agrees to be his mentor. At the same time, Jerry's girlfriend is looking for a mentor and Jerry is surprised to find that she picked George. However, George's plans are for her to read and summarize his book on risk management so he can present it to the board. Unfortunately, their files get mixed, and Bania ends up talking about risk management (which ends up working out well for him) and George ends up talking about Ovaltine
. Frank, displeased at Estelle's cooking, decides to cook again and helps Kramer get the food ready for his Jewish singles night. Elaine and Sherman manage to finish the catalogue, and when Elaine finds out he adopted his frightening persona after a failure to meet a nice Jewish woman and settle down, takes him to the Jewish singles night. The food turns out to be a hit, and Frank feels reborn. Sherman ends up choking on the food because of Elaine; this, combined with the fact that Sherman is dressed in military fatigues, brings back the bad memories of the night Frank caused his soldiers so much distress. Thinking it was for the same reason, Frank wildly tries to stop people from eating, and the episode closes as he tips over the buffet (again to "Adagio for Strings").
& Andy Robin
won at the Episodic Comedy at the Writers Guild of America Awards 1997
.
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
. This was the sixth episode for the eighth season. It aired on October 31, 1996.
Plot
JerryJerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
is dating a girl, Abby (A.J. Langer), and is intrigued by the concept of his girlfriend having a mentor. Jerry meets Cynthia, his girlfriend's mentor, but finds out she is dating Kenny Bania. After they see Bania's act, Jerry's girlfriend loses respect for her mentor and eventually fires her. George
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
has to give a lecture on risk management
Risk management
Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities...
(because his résumé
Résumé
A résumé is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons but most often to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a summary of relevant job experience and education...
gives the impression that he is an expert on the subject), but he finds that he can't study for it because books on tape
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
have spoiled him. When George discovers the blind can get any book on tape, he intentionally fails an eye test so he can get his book on tape. George encounters a problem when the person's voice on the tape sounds like his voice, much to his displeasure. Elaine
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
prepares to fire Eddie Sherman (Ned Bellamy
Ned Bellamy
Ned Bellamy is an American actor.Bellamy was born in Dayton, Ohio. After graduating UCLA, he founded the Los Angeles based theater company The Actors' Gang with fellow actor Tim Robbins....
), an employee, but when face to face with him, is scared of him and promotes him instead (a technique reminiscent of The Dilbert Principle
The Dilbert Principle
The Dilbert principle refers to a 1990s satirical observation by Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams stating that companies tend to systematically promote their least-competent employees to management , in order to limit the amount of damage they are capable of doing...
, reflecting Elaine's inept management style). When he does a terrible job Elaine promotes him again to get rid of him. This plan backfires when the other employees quit because he was promoted over them, causing Elaine to work on the project alone with Sherman.
Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
runs a Jewish singles night at Frank's Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
hall. When he realizes he can't cook Jewish food, he asks for Frank's help. Frank refuses, because he hasn't cooked since the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
where he sickened his fellow troops by using bad meat
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
and has become traumatized
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
because of it (Frank's memory is dramatized with a reenactment in which the onset of food poisoning is set to Barber's
Samuel Barber
Samuel Osborne Barber II was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. His Adagio for Strings is his most popular composition and widely considered a masterpiece of modern classical music...
"Adagio for strings
Adagio for Strings
Adagio for Strings is a work by Samuel Barber, arranged for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11. Barber finished the arrangement in 1936, the same year as he wrote the quartet...
", as in the film Platoon
Platoon (film)
Platoon is a 1986 American war film written and directed by Oliver Stone and stars Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Charlie Sheen. It is the first of Stone's Vietnam War trilogy, followed by 1989's Born on the Fourth of July and 1993's Heaven & Earth....
).
When Cynthia dumps Bania because of his poor act, he turns to Jerry for advice, and Jerry agrees to be his mentor. At the same time, Jerry's girlfriend is looking for a mentor and Jerry is surprised to find that she picked George. However, George's plans are for her to read and summarize his book on risk management so he can present it to the board. Unfortunately, their files get mixed, and Bania ends up talking about risk management (which ends up working out well for him) and George ends up talking about Ovaltine
Ovaltine
Ovaltine is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract , sugar , cocoa, and whey...
. Frank, displeased at Estelle's cooking, decides to cook again and helps Kramer get the food ready for his Jewish singles night. Elaine and Sherman manage to finish the catalogue, and when Elaine finds out he adopted his frightening persona after a failure to meet a nice Jewish woman and settle down, takes him to the Jewish singles night. The food turns out to be a hit, and Frank feels reborn. Sherman ends up choking on the food because of Elaine; this, combined with the fact that Sherman is dressed in military fatigues, brings back the bad memories of the night Frank caused his soldiers so much distress. Thinking it was for the same reason, Frank wildly tries to stop people from eating, and the episode closes as he tips over the buffet (again to "Adagio for Strings").
Reception
The episode and Gregg KavetGregg Kavet
Gregg Kavet is a writer and director who worked on NBC's Seinfeld for several seasons with collaborator Andy Robin. The team wrote episodes including "The Jimmy", "The Hot Tub", "The Caddy", "The Bottle Deposit", "The Fatigues", "The Comeback", "The Nap", and "The Slicer"...
& Andy Robin
Andy Robin
Andy Robin is a writer and director and student at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. He started his career at Saturday Night Live and spent several seasons on NBC's Seinfeld, initially solo, later partnering with collaborator Gregg Kavet...
won at the Episodic Comedy at the Writers Guild of America Awards 1997
Writers Guild of America Awards 1997
The 50th Writers Guild of America Awards, given on 21 February 1998, honored the best writers of 1997.-Film:*Best Adapted Screenplay:**L.A. Confidential - Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland*Best Original Screenplay:...
.