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The Finale (Seinfeld episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Finale" is the name given to the final two episodes of the NBC
sitcom Seinfeld
. They were the 179th and 180th episodes of the show and the 23rd and 24th episodes of the ninth season. It aired on May 14, 1998 to an audience of 76 million viewers. Its initial running time was 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The fake working title for this show was "A Tough Nut to Crack" to throw off outsiders about the contents of the episode. For the first and final time since season seven, Jerry performs a stand-up comedy routine. Larry David returned to write the script for the Finale.
and George
have finally struck a deal with NBC to produce their pilot, Jerry, as a series and will be leaving New York City for California to begin work. Jerry is given use of NBC's private jet as a courtesy and he, George, Elaine
, and Kramer
decide to go to Paris for "one last hurrah". On the plane, George and Elaine argue over the quality of the plane and the way George is sitting while Kramer is still trying to get water out of his ears from a trip to the beach he made earlier in the day.
Kramer's desperation to get the water out of his ears causes him to jump up and down on the plane and as a result he stumbles and falls into the cockpit, which causes the pilots to lose control. While the plane is nosediving, George reveals he cheated in "The Contest
" but the plane steadied itself and they make an emergency landing in the small town of Latham, Massachusetts.
While waiting for the plane to be repaired, they witness an overweight man (John Pinette
) getting carjacked at gunpoint. Instead of helping him, they crack jokes about his size while Kramer films it all on his camcorder, then proceed to walk away. The victim notices this and tells the reporting officer, who arrests them on a duty to rescue
violation that requires bystanders to help out in such a situation. Because this is the first case implementing this law, the prosecutor wants to find out everything he can on Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer in order to win. Jerry and his main friends don't have any choice but to call on Jackie Chiles
to represent them for the upcoming trial.
A lengthy trial ensues, presided over by Judge Arthur Vandelay. George considers this to be a good sign, as Arthur Vandelay was one of the many fake names he used for himself and phony companies he claimed to have worked for. In addition to the officer who arrested them and the carjacking victim, many of the four's former acquaintances—including Marla Penny, the low-talker
, Donald Sanger, Babu Bhatt, Yev Kassem
, George Steinbrenner and Dr. Wexler from "The Invitations
"—are called as character witnesses against them. In addition, many others from New York have made the trip to watch the trial in the courtroom.
Despite the effort of George's mother to try and convince Judge Vandelay to reduce the punishment, the jury finds Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer guilty for doing nothing and they are sentenced to one year each in a state prison.
In the final scene before the credits, the four main characters sit in a jail cell. Kramer is finally able to get the water out of his ears after days of trying. Jerry begins a conversation about George's shirt buttons, using lines from the first episode. George then wonders if they have had that conversation before.
."
1 million.
In its original American broadcast, "The Finale" was viewed by an estimated 76.3 million households becoming the third most viewed series finale
in the United States
after M*A*S*H and Cheers
and the 4th most viewed finale of any kind (series finale
and season finale
) in the U.S after M*A*S*H, Roots, and Cheers.
When this episode originally aired on NBC, TV Land
paid tribute by not programming any shows opposite it, instead just showing a still shot of a closed office door with a hand written note that said "Gone watchin' SEINFELD -- Back in 60 minutes."
The finale of Seinfeld was criticized by many for portraying the main characters as bad people with no respect for society, and for mocking the audience who tuned in to watch them every week. Entertainment Weekly
s Ken Tucker seemed to echo this sentiment in declaring the episode "off-key and bloated...Ultimately, Seinfeld and David's kiss-off to their fans was a loud, hearty, 'So long, suckers!'"
Others valued it for the large number of cameo appearance
s from past episodes, as well as the perceived in-joke of the four characters being convicted and imprisoned on the charge that they did nothing, a play on the "show about nothing" mantra.
The night before "The Finale" aired, competing ABC
television show Dharma & Greg
aired the episode "Much Ado During Nothing". Their story centered around their title characters trying to win back a duck
lawn ornament
from Dharma's friend Jane by doing the most daring sexual act in public. After getting caught by the police once, they devise a scheme sure to succeed. Their plan centers on them "doing the deed" while the final episode is airing, saying that "...everybody in the country is going to be watching the last episode of Seinfeld
."
Although Larry David has stated he has no regrets about how the show ended, a 2010 Time
article noted that the Seinfeld reunion during the seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm
"was viewed by many as his attempt at a do-over." This was also referenced by Jerry in the Curb season finale
, saying "We already screwed up one finale" with David responding "we didn't screw up a finale, that was a good finale!"
The U.S. West Coast airing of the finale of Seinfeld
coincided with the death of Frank Sinatra
. Sinatra's ambulance was able to make it to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
in 10 minutes in very light traffic, due to many in Los Angeles
being indoors to watch the show.
In 2011, the finale was ranked #7 on the TV Guide Network special, TV's Most Unforgettable Finales.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom Seinfeld
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...
. They were the 179th and 180th episodes of the show and the 23rd and 24th episodes of the ninth season. It aired on May 14, 1998 to an audience of 76 million viewers. Its initial running time was 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The fake working title for this show was "A Tough Nut to Crack" to throw off outsiders about the contents of the episode. For the first and final time since season seven, Jerry performs a stand-up comedy routine. Larry David returned to write the script for the Finale.
Part one
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...
and 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"...
have finally struck a deal with NBC to produce their pilot, Jerry, as a series and will be leaving New York City for California to begin work. Jerry is given use of NBC's private jet as a courtesy and he, George, 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...
, and 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...
decide to go to Paris for "one last hurrah". On the plane, George and Elaine argue over the quality of the plane and the way George is sitting while Kramer is still trying to get water out of his ears from a trip to the beach he made earlier in the day.
Kramer's desperation to get the water out of his ears causes him to jump up and down on the plane and as a result he stumbles and falls into the cockpit, which causes the pilots to lose control. While the plane is nosediving, George reveals he cheated in "The Contest
The Contest
"The Contest" was the 51st episode of the NBC sitcom, Seinfeld. The eleventh episode of the fourth season, it aired on November 18, 1992. In the episode, George Costanza tells Jerry Seinfeld, Elaine Benes and Cosmo Kramer that his mother caught him unaware while he was masturbating...
" but the plane steadied itself and they make an emergency landing in the small town of Latham, Massachusetts.
While waiting for the plane to be repaired, they witness an overweight man (John Pinette
John Pinette
John Pinette is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He has toured the comedy club circuit since the 1980s and has appeared in cinema and television...
) getting carjacked at gunpoint. Instead of helping him, they crack jokes about his size while Kramer films it all on his camcorder, then proceed to walk away. The victim notices this and tells the reporting officer, who arrests them on a duty to rescue
Duty to rescue
A duty to rescue is a concept in tort law that arises in a number of cases, describing a circumstance in which a party can be held liable for failing to come to the rescue of another party in peril. However, in the United States, it is rarely formalized in statutes which would bring the penalty of...
violation that requires bystanders to help out in such a situation. Because this is the first case implementing this law, the prosecutor wants to find out everything he can on Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer in order to win. Jerry and his main friends don't have any choice but to call on Jackie Chiles
Jackie Chiles
Jackie Chiles is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Phil Morris in the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. He appears in the series' seventh through ninth seasons as Cosmo Kramer's lawyer.-Character:...
to represent them for the upcoming trial.
Part two
The second part starts with people associated with the main characters packing for the trial. Jerry's parents, George's parents, Newman, Uncle Leo, J.Peterman, David Puddy, Mickey, Kenny Bania, Susan's parents, the rabbi from Elaine's building, the pool guy, George Steinbrenner and Keith Hernandez are among those shown. Chiles mounts the defense that the witnesses are only exaggerating to settle scores with the four and that the four did not want to get shot by the criminal, and that the carjacker is free to "laugh and lie".A lengthy trial ensues, presided over by Judge Arthur Vandelay. George considers this to be a good sign, as Arthur Vandelay was one of the many fake names he used for himself and phony companies he claimed to have worked for. In addition to the officer who arrested them and the carjacking victim, many of the four's former acquaintances—including Marla Penny, the low-talker
The Puffy Shirt
"The Puffy Shirt" is the second episode of the fifth season of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 66th episode and originally aired on September 23, 1993. Larry David, the creator of the show, cites this episode as one of his favorites in the series.-Plot:George is upset because he is...
, Donald Sanger, Babu Bhatt, Yev Kassem
The Soup Nazi
"The Soup Nazi" is the title of the 116th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was the 6th episode of the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995....
, George Steinbrenner and Dr. Wexler from "The Invitations
The Invitations (Seinfeld episode)
"The Invitations" is the 24th and final episode of the seventh season of Seinfeld and the 134th overall episode. It originally aired on May 16, 1996. It is notable as being the last episode written by co-creator Larry David before he left the series at the end of this season. He did return,...
"—are called as character witnesses against them. In addition, many others from New York have made the trip to watch the trial in the courtroom.
Despite the effort of George's mother to try and convince Judge Vandelay to reduce the punishment, the jury finds Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer guilty for doing nothing and they are sentenced to one year each in a state prison.
In the final scene before the credits, the four main characters sit in a jail cell. Kramer is finally able to get the water out of his ears after days of trying. Jerry begins a conversation about George's shirt buttons, using lines from the first episode. George then wonders if they have had that conversation before.
Elaine's minor storyline
Throughout the first half of the episode, Elaine is trying to get a hold of her friend Jill. First, she can't get any reception with her cell phone on the street. Then, Jerry interrupts her with news of the pilot pickup and Elaine hangs up on Jill to take the call. Jerry then scolds her for first trying to rush the call before they all leave for Paris and then for thinking about calling from the plane. Finally, Elaine decides that she's going to use her one phone call from prison to call Jill, saying that the prison call is the "king of calls".Epilogue
In the final scene of the series, Jerry is wearing an orange jumpsuit, and performing a stand-up routine of prison-related jokes to an audience of fellow prisoners (including Kramer and George; Elaine is not seen as she is in a women's prison). No one is laughing, except for the studio audience and Kramer. As he is then yanked off the stage he says to his audience "Hey, you've been great. See you in the cafeteriaCafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
."
Trial
During the trial portion of the two-part finale, a large number of witnesses take the stand to testify against the group, often recalling scenarios from earlier seasons that help to implicate them.- Matt Vogel - The arresting officer. Vogel testifies that Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine were simply standing there while the fat guy was robbed. During his testimony, Kramer's video is played.
- Fat Victim - The victim of the robbing, claiming that Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George just did nothing while he was getting robbed.
- Mabel Choate - The elderly woman Jerry mugged for a loaf of marble rye bread in "The RyeThe Rye"The Rye" is the 121st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 11th episode for the seventh season. It aired on January 4, 1996.-Plot:...
". She recounts this incident. Her use as a witness leads to an objection by Jackie Chiles because she was not present at the crime, but the prosecution states that they plan to use a series of character witnesses and the judge allows her to testify. - Marla Penny - The virgin Jerry dates in "The Virgin" and "The ContestThe Contest"The Contest" was the 51st episode of the NBC sitcom, Seinfeld. The eleventh episode of the fourth season, it aired on November 18, 1992. In the episode, George Costanza tells Jerry Seinfeld, Elaine Benes and Cosmo Kramer that his mother caught him unaware while he was masturbating...
". She explains that she broke up with Jerry after learning of the contest that the four had to see who could go the longest without masturbationMasturbationMasturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
. - Donald Sanger - The Bubble Boy whom Jerry tried to visit. Sanger describes the argument he had with George while playing a game of Trivial PursuitTrivial PursuitTrivial Pursuit is a board game in which progress is determined by a player's ability to answer general knowledge and popular culture questions. The game was created in 1979 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, by Canadian Chris Haney, a photo editor for Montreal's The Gazette and Scott Abbott, a sports...
which ultimately led to the destruction of the protective bubble he lives in (due to an unspecified medical condition); the bubble actually popped while Donald was choking George. - Lola - Describes events from "The Handicap SpotThe Handicap Spot"The Handicap Spot" is the 22nd episode of the fourth season and the 62nd overall episode of Seinfeld. It aired on May 13, 1993.-Plot:The group travels to a mall in Lynbrook to buy a big-screen television as an engagement gift for their friend, "The Drake"...
": George parked in a handicapped space, which caused her to travel a greater distance to get to where she was going. Her wheelchair was destroyed in an accident and Kramer bought her a used wheelchair with faulty brakes, which caused her to go careening down a hill. - Dr. Wilcox - The doctor from "The Invitations" who treated Susan Ross, George's ex-fiancee, after she passed out from licking envelopes covered with toxic glue. Dr. Wilcox discusses a look of "restrained jubilation" on George's face when he was informed she died. His testimony caused Susan's parents to scream at George and call him a murderer.
- Sidra Holland - The woman Jerry dated from the health club in "The ImplantThe Implant"The Implant" is the 59th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 19th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on February 25, 1993.-Plot:...
". Sidra recounts an incident where Elaine tripped in the sauna and landed on her breasts, claiming that Jerry had sent Elaine into the sauna to find out if her breasts were real or implants. - Joe Bookman - The library cop from "The Library" who testifies about Jerry having a twenty-five year overdue library book. He calls Jerry a "criminal".
- Robin - George's girlfriend from "The Fire" recounts her child's birthday party, where George selfishly throws multiple children and elderly people out of the way to escape a small kitchen fire.
- Mall Security Guard - From "The Parking Garage". He testifies about catching Jerry urinating in public and his reasoning for doing so ("...I could get uromysitisis poisoning and die, that's why.").
- Detective - From "The Wig MasterThe Wig Master"The Wig Master" is the 129th episode of the NBC situation comedy Seinfeld. This was the 19th episode for the 7th season. It aired on April 4, 1996.-Plot:...
". The detective refers to an incident that took place due to an odd set of circumstances that led to Kramer being mistaken for a pimp and arrested. - The Low-Talker - Kramer's ex-girlfriend from "The Puffy ShirtThe Puffy Shirt"The Puffy Shirt" is the second episode of the fifth season of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 66th episode and originally aired on September 23, 1993. Larry David, the creator of the show, cites this episode as one of his favorites in the series.-Plot:George is upset because he is...
". It is apparent that she was testifying against Jerry for ruining her career by bad-mouthing the puffy shirt. However, due to her low-talking Jackie Chiles objects because no one can hear her. - George Steinbrenner - George's former boss with the Yankees, who stated that he fired George because he thought he was a Communist, as heard in "The Race" (this was not the actual reason George was let go by the Yankees, as he had been traded to a chicken company he claimed he was working for in "The Muffin TopsThe Muffin Tops"The Muffin Tops" is the 155th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 21st episode of the eighth season. It aired on May 8, 1997.-Plot:...
"). - Marcelino - The cockfighting ringleader from "The Little JerryThe Little Jerry"The Little Jerry" is the 145th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 11th episode for the 8th season.The table reading for this episode took place on Sunday, November 24, 1996, and the majority of this episode was filmed in front of a live studio audience on Wednesday, November 27, 1996...
". His testimony simply consists of him saying "cockfighting" in response to a question from the district attorney. - The SpongeThe Sponge"The Sponge" is the 119th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the ninth episode for the seventh season. It aired on December 7, 1995.-Plot:...
Pharmacist - The pharmacist testifies that Elaine "said she needed a whole case" of Today spongeToday spongeThe Today sponge is a brand of plastic contraceptive sponge saturated with a spermicide nonoxynol-9 to prevent conception. Within two years of its launch, Today had become the largest selling over-the-counter female contraceptive in the United States, and was soon rolled out into other...
s shortly after they were pulled from the market, adding that he is not referring to "the kind you clean your tub with". - Fred - Elaine's ex-boyfriend from "The PickThe Pick"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
". He testifies about Elaine's accidental nipple exposure in a Christmas card. - Justin Pitt - Elaine's former boss who fired her over a misunderstanding in "The Diplomat's ClubThe Diplomat's Club"The Diplomat's Club" is the 108th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 22nd episode for the 6th season. It aired on May 4, 1995.-Plot:...
". Pitt believed Elaine was trying to kill him and testifies she tried to smother him with a pillow. - The Soup NaziThe Soup Nazi"The Soup Nazi" is the title of the 116th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was the 6th episode of the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995....
, Yev Kassem - Testifies that the four used to come into his restaurant, and how he banned Elaine from the shop. Elaine later found soup recipes in an old armoire that once belonged to the Soup Nazi, and in an act of revenge reveals his recipes to the public. This caused the Soup Nazi to go out of business and move to Argentina. - Babu Bhatt - A former PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i restaurateur who appeared in "The Cafe" and "The VisaThe Visa"The Visa" is the fifty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 15th episode of the fourth season. It aired on January 27, 1993.-Plot:George meets Cheryl , a Chinese woman who is a lawyer, and who thinks he is very funny...
". Babu retells the story of Jerry's advice to change his restaurant's menu from varied to Pakistani caused his customer base to dry up and says that Elaine and Jerry purposely mixed up his mail so he did not get his visa renewal papers and had to be deported. Babu's story is only partially true; his restaurant did not get any business except for Jerry's patronage before he changed the menu and his renewal papers were accidentally delivered to Jerry's house while he was out of town.
Broadcast and reception
The top price for a 30-second commercial during the U.S. broadcast was approximately $United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1 million.
In its original American broadcast, "The Finale" was viewed by an estimated 76.3 million households becoming the third most viewed series finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after M*A*S*H and Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
and the 4th most viewed finale of any kind (series finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
and season finale
Season finale
A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program...
) in the U.S after M*A*S*H, Roots, and Cheers.
When this episode originally aired on NBC, TV Land
TV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
paid tribute by not programming any shows opposite it, instead just showing a still shot of a closed office door with a hand written note that said "Gone watchin' SEINFELD -- Back in 60 minutes."
The finale of Seinfeld was criticized by many for portraying the main characters as bad people with no respect for society, and for mocking the audience who tuned in to watch them every week. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Ken Tucker seemed to echo this sentiment in declaring the episode "off-key and bloated...Ultimately, Seinfeld and David's kiss-off to their fans was a loud, hearty, 'So long, suckers!'"
Others valued it for the large number of cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s from past episodes, as well as the perceived in-joke of the four characters being convicted and imprisoned on the charge that they did nothing, a play on the "show about nothing" mantra.
The night before "The Finale" aired, competing ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television show Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from September 24, 1997, to April 30, 2002.It starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a couple who married instantly on their first date despite being complete opposites...
aired the episode "Much Ado During Nothing". Their story centered around their title characters trying to win back a duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
lawn ornament
Lawn ornament
Lawn ornaments are decorative objects placed in the grassy area of a property.- Common lawn ornaments :Bird bath - A structure designed to hold water for birds to bathe in or drink, generally supported upon a pedestal....
from Dharma's friend Jane by doing the most daring sexual act in public. After getting caught by the police once, they devise a scheme sure to succeed. Their plan centers on them "doing the deed" while the final episode is airing, saying that "...everybody in the country is going to be watching the last episode of Seinfeld
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...
."
Although Larry David has stated he has no regrets about how the show ended, a 2010 Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
article noted that the Seinfeld reunion during the seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
"was viewed by many as his attempt at a do-over." This was also referenced by Jerry in the Curb season finale
Seinfeld (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
"Seinfeld" is the tenth and final episode of the seventh season of American situation comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm. The episode's story was written by Larry David and was directed by Jeff Schaffer. It originally aired on November 22, 2009 on HBO...
, saying "We already screwed up one finale" with David responding "we didn't screw up a finale, that was a good finale!"
The U.S. West Coast airing of the finale of Seinfeld
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...
coincided with the death of Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
. Sinatra's ambulance was able to make it to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
in 10 minutes in very light traffic, due to many in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
being indoors to watch the show.
In 2011, the finale was ranked #7 on the TV Guide Network special, TV's Most Unforgettable Finales.
Syndication version
This version had cut several parts from the original episode (US):- In the Plane:
- Jerry's opening stand-up comedy act, which was the first since the finale of Season 7, is cut out.
- When the plane was falling, Elaine said to Jerry "Jerry, I've always loved...", but in the syndication version, "loved..." is cut.
- In the trial:
- The Bubble Boy, George Steinbrenner, Ramon the Pool Guy and the police detective from the episode "The Wig Master"
- The scene between Jerry and Elaine before the jury reenters the courtroom
Deleted scenes
The scenes that had to be cut are now available on DVD.- First half
- The scene with Kramer in the car is much longer than originally aired.
- Dialogue between Jerry and George in a taxi.
- The coffee shop scene with Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and George is much longer, examining more locations than before.
- Second half
- The exchange between the minor cast members before the jury is cut down.
- Jackie Chiles' opening dialogue is much longer than aired.
- Following guest stars in the court has been shortened or cut throughout the scene.
- Jerry's final standup is much longer than before.
- An alternate ending was filmed where the New York Four were found not guilty of their "crimes." This ending can be found as an Easter eggEaster egg (media)Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
on the "Seinfeld" season 9 DVD set.