The Merv Griffin Show (Seinfeld episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Merv Griffin Show" is the 162nd episode of the NBC
sitcom Seinfeld
. This was the 6th episode of the 9th and final season. It aired on November 6, 1997 and appeared on DVD 10 years later.
The working title for this episode was "The Merv Griffin Set". Jerry's apartment is not featured in the episode.
discovers the set of the old Merv Griffin Show
in a dumpster. George
's girlfriend, Miranda, is disgusted when George runs over some pigeons with his car. George believes that pigeons and humans "have a deal" (pigeons are to move out of the way when humans approach, and humans will overlook the pigeons' statue defecation), and that the pigeons have broken the deal. Jerry
is fascinated with his girlfriend's old toy collection that she won't let him near. Elaine's
new co-worker is a real "sidler" (Brent Hinkley
): he moves silently behind people. He causes Elaine to spill coffee that creates a stain that looks like Fidel Castro
.
Kramer takes the discarded set pieces and recreates The Merv Griffin Show set in his apartment. He pretends that the show is still on the air and acts as the new host, even using the show's theme when guests come onto the set, conducting interviews of everyone who enters his apartment. Kramer even stops interviews and cuts to a "commercial break" where he sips on a Diet Coke and eats from a bag of chips, before exclaiming "We're back!" Elaine
schemes to out-sidle the sidler who might be sidling her out of a job. While George swerves to avoid a pigeon, he hits a squirrel
. Jerry schemes for an opportunity to play with his girlfriend's toys. Kramer adds Newman
as a co-host for his show to help relieve the pressure of being a host. On his show Jerry says he has finally found a way to play with the toys, by drugging his girlfriend. Kramer is shocked and says, "Wait a minute! You mean to say that you drugged a woman so you could take advantage of her toys?!"
Miranda insists that George pay for the special surgery required to fix the squirrel. Elaine gives Tic Tacs to the sidler to make him noisy; unfortunately, the sound annoys J. Peterman
, which reminds him of an old Haiti
an torture
. Jerry
and George
treat Jerry's girlfriend to a dinner of turkey and wine, followed by a slow movie; they hope that the wine and the tryptophan
in the turkey will cause her to fall asleep, and she soon dozes off. Once she is asleep, Jerry and George happily play with the toys. Later, Elaine
joins in to play with an Easy-Bake Oven
.
Kramer is concerned about his "ratings" and decides to change the format of the show to "Scandals and Animals". On the "show" (still without cameras) Kramer gets Jerry to admit that he has been drugging his girlfriend. Kramer then brings out the angry girlfriend (who was "backstage"); she breaks up with Jerry as Kramer and Newman do their best to whip up the non-existent audience, à la The Jerry Springer Show
.
For the Animals segment of the show, Kramer invites animal expert Jim Fowler
, who arrives with a hawk
and asks Kramer, "Where are the cameras?" George brings the squirrel
over to the set to get Jim Fowler's
opinion, and the hawk goes after it. The Merv Griffin set
is destroyed in the process, and afterwards Kramer admits, "It was a grind having to fill ten hours a day."
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...
. This was the 6th episode of the 9th and final season. It aired on November 6, 1997 and appeared on DVD 10 years later.
The working title for this episode was "The Merv Griffin Set". Jerry's apartment is not featured in the episode.
Plot
KramerCosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
discovers the set of the old Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
in a dumpster. 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"...
's girlfriend, Miranda, is disgusted when George runs over some pigeons with his car. George believes that pigeons and humans "have a deal" (pigeons are to move out of the way when humans approach, and humans will overlook the pigeons' statue defecation), and that the pigeons have broken the deal. Jerry
Jerry 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 fascinated with his girlfriend's old toy collection that she won't let him near. Elaine's
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...
new co-worker is a real "sidler" (Brent Hinkley
Brent Hinkley
Brent Hinkley is an American actor, director, and playwright. He is best known for his role as "Lou" the sidler in the Seinfeld episode The Merv Griffin Show, Officer Murray in The Silence of the Lambs, and Conrad Brooks in Ed Wood.-Filmography:Film credits include:-External links:* * * *...
): he moves silently behind people. He causes Elaine to spill coffee that creates a stain that looks like Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
.
Kramer takes the discarded set pieces and recreates The Merv Griffin Show set in his apartment. He pretends that the show is still on the air and acts as the new host, even using the show's theme when guests come onto the set, conducting interviews of everyone who enters his apartment. Kramer even stops interviews and cuts to a "commercial break" where he sips on a Diet Coke and eats from a bag of chips, before exclaiming "We're back!" 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...
schemes to out-sidle the sidler who might be sidling her out of a job. While George swerves to avoid a pigeon, he hits a squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
. Jerry schemes for an opportunity to play with his girlfriend's toys. Kramer adds Newman
Newman (Seinfeld)
Newman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.-Background:...
as a co-host for his show to help relieve the pressure of being a host. On his show Jerry says he has finally found a way to play with the toys, by drugging his girlfriend. Kramer is shocked and says, "Wait a minute! You mean to say that you drugged a woman so you could take advantage of her toys?!"
Miranda insists that George pay for the special surgery required to fix the squirrel. Elaine gives Tic Tacs to the sidler to make him noisy; unfortunately, the sound annoys J. Peterman
J. Peterman
J. Peterman may refer to:*John Peterman, operator of the J. Peterman Company*The J. Peterman Company, an apparel company*Jacobo Peterman, a fictional version of John Peterman, portrayed by John O'Hurley on the television sitcom Seinfeld...
, which reminds him of an old Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
. Jerry
Jerry 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"...
treat Jerry's girlfriend to a dinner of turkey and wine, followed by a slow movie; they hope that the wine and the tryptophan
Tryptophan
Tryptophan is one of the 20 standard amino acids, as well as an essential amino acid in the human diet. It is encoded in the standard genetic code as the codon UGG...
in the turkey will cause her to fall asleep, and she soon dozes off. Once she is asleep, Jerry and George happily play with the toys. Later, 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...
joins in to play with an Easy-Bake Oven
Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven is a working toy oven introduced by Kenner in 1963, and currently manufactured by Hasbro. The original toy used an ordinary incandescent light bulb as a heat source; current versions use a true heating element. By 1997, more than 16 million Easy-Bake Ovens had been sold.The...
.
Kramer is concerned about his "ratings" and decides to change the format of the show to "Scandals and Animals". On the "show" (still without cameras) Kramer gets Jerry to admit that he has been drugging his girlfriend. Kramer then brings out the angry girlfriend (who was "backstage"); she breaks up with Jerry as Kramer and Newman do their best to whip up the non-existent audience, à la The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show is a syndicated television tabloid talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician, broadcast in the United States and other countries...
.
For the Animals segment of the show, Kramer invites animal expert Jim Fowler
Jim Fowler
Jim Fowler is a professional zoologist and was host of the Emmy Award-winning television show Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom....
, who arrives with a hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
and asks Kramer, "Where are the cameras?" George brings the squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
over to the set to get Jim Fowler's
Jim Fowler
Jim Fowler is a professional zoologist and was host of the Emmy Award-winning television show Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom....
opinion, and the hawk goes after it. The Merv Griffin set
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
is destroyed in the process, and afterwards Kramer admits, "It was a grind having to fill ten hours a day."