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The Parking Garage (Seinfeld episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Parking Garage" is the twenty-third episode of the situation comedy
Seinfeld
. The episode was the sixth episode of the show's third season. It aired on October 30, 1991 on National Broadcasting Company (NBC).
The episode was written by Larry David
and was directed by Tom Cherones
, and takes place entirely in a parking garage. The episode "The Parking Garage" has received overwhelmingly positive reviews with many critics calling it better than the previous episode "about nothing', "The Chinese Restaurant
". The episode received a 12.1/19 Nielsen rating.
's car in the multi-level parking garage of a shopping mall
after Kramer purchases an air conditioner. Unfortunately, no one can remember where the car was parked. After carrying the air conditioner for some time, an exhausted Kramer decides to leave it behind one of the parked cars and tries to memorize the number of the parking space. Elaine
fears that her new goldfish
will die in the airtight bag before they can arrive home, while George
must meet his parents by 6:15 to take them out to celebrate their anniversary
. Also, Jerry
has to go to the bathroom badly.
While the gang searches for the car, Elaine desperately begs people in the parking garage to offer them a ride around the building to find their car, but no one is willing to help or has any sympathy for the goldfish. As for Jerry, he is eager to urinate. Kramer encourages Jerry to do it in some dark corner where no one can see him. After Jerry reluctantly does so, he is spotted by a security guard and is held in the guard's office. Jerry tries to talk his way out of trouble by making up a story about a fictional disease of "uromysitisis", but the guard is not convinced; Jerry makes up some other stories, but the guard is still not convinced. Meanwhile, Kramer, Elaine, and George wonder where Jerry is, so Elaine goes off on her own to find him; Kramer and George decide to do the same. Later, George also gets caught in the act of urinating, after being convinced to do so by Kramer. Both Jerry and George are fined and released. After the two find Elaine, Jerry convinces George to ask an attractive woman, whom they saw earlier in the episode, to offer them a lift around the garage. After the woman accepts without hesitation, the gang all enter into the woman's car and drive off, but moments later, the woman kicks them out after George said something to the woman that makes her explode in anger (the viewer is not told exactly what George said to the woman, but it involves L. Ron Hubbard
and Scientology
). Then by luck, the gang is dropped off right by Kramer's car but unfortunately, Kramer, who has the car keys, is still lost somewhere in the garage.
Hours pass by as George, Jerry and Elaine wait. Finally, Kramer shows up, having gone on his own hunt for the air conditioner because he forgot where he left it. Elaine's goldfish did not survive and George is well past the time deadline to meet his parents. As they all enter the car, the engine fails to start.
The Parking Garage was written by Larry David
, his 4th writing credit for the season and was directed by Tom Cherones
, his 4th directing credit for the season. The episode was difficult to write and create as it all had to be done on the normal Seinfeld soundstage. Jerry's apartment and the studio audience seating was removed. Every shot used showed the entire set so it constantly required shooting from different angles. Mirrors all around the perimeters of the stage gave the illusion of further depth and with just a dozen cars, the illusion of being in a giant parking garage was complete. The end was scripted to have the gang drive off together.
The car failing to start at the end of the episode was an accident. An old car was used, and when it did not start, it was decided to keep it in the episode as something else going wrong. Jason Alexander
and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
can briefly be seen starting to laugh
when the car didn't start.
as a "show about nothing". Holly Ordway of DVD Talk
compared the episode to "The Chinese Restaurant
" from the second season
in which the whole episode takes place in a Chinese restaurant
. Many other critics had a similar reaction to season two
's "The Chinese Restaurant
".
The episode has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics with many saying it is better than "The Chinese Restaurant
". Holly Ordway called the episode "another classic Seinfeld episode" and also stated "the characters spend the whole episode in the same place resulting in an episode that's both memorable and funny.". She also said it was better than second season
's "The Chinese Restaurant". Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide said "Ala Season Two’s “The Chinese Restaurant”, this program uses one commonplace setting for its comedy, and I think it works even better than its famed predecessor".
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
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...
. The episode was the sixth episode of the show's third season. It aired on October 30, 1991 on National Broadcasting Company (NBC).
The episode was written by Larry David
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
and was directed by Tom Cherones
Tom Cherones
Tom Cherones is an American director and producer of several TV series.-Early life:He grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where his father operated a radio and TV repair shop. His grandfather was a Greek immigrant. From 1961 to 1965, he was a lieutenant in the United States Navy...
, and takes place entirely in a parking garage. The episode "The Parking Garage" has received overwhelmingly positive reviews with many critics calling it better than the previous episode "about nothing', "The Chinese Restaurant
The Chinese Restaurant
"The Chinese Restaurant" is the eleventh episode of the sitcom Seinfelds second season on NBC, and is the show's sixteenth episode overall. The episode revolves around protagonist Jerry and his friends Elaine Benes and George Costanza waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant, on their way to...
". The episode received a 12.1/19 Nielsen rating.
Plot
The cast is in search of KramerCosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
's car in the multi-level parking garage of a shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
after Kramer purchases an air conditioner. Unfortunately, no one can remember where the car was parked. After carrying the air conditioner for some time, an exhausted Kramer decides to leave it behind one of the parked cars and tries to memorize the number of the parking space. 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...
fears that her new goldfish
Goldfish
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....
will die in the airtight bag before they can arrive home, while 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"...
must meet his parents by 6:15 to take them out to celebrate their anniversary
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
. Also, 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...
has to go to the bathroom badly.
While the gang searches for the car, Elaine desperately begs people in the parking garage to offer them a ride around the building to find their car, but no one is willing to help or has any sympathy for the goldfish. As for Jerry, he is eager to urinate. Kramer encourages Jerry to do it in some dark corner where no one can see him. After Jerry reluctantly does so, he is spotted by a security guard and is held in the guard's office. Jerry tries to talk his way out of trouble by making up a story about a fictional disease of "uromysitisis", but the guard is not convinced; Jerry makes up some other stories, but the guard is still not convinced. Meanwhile, Kramer, Elaine, and George wonder where Jerry is, so Elaine goes off on her own to find him; Kramer and George decide to do the same. Later, George also gets caught in the act of urinating, after being convinced to do so by Kramer. Both Jerry and George are fined and released. After the two find Elaine, Jerry convinces George to ask an attractive woman, whom they saw earlier in the episode, to offer them a lift around the garage. After the woman accepts without hesitation, the gang all enter into the woman's car and drive off, but moments later, the woman kicks them out after George said something to the woman that makes her explode in anger (the viewer is not told exactly what George said to the woman, but it involves L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
and Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
). Then by luck, the gang is dropped off right by Kramer's car but unfortunately, Kramer, who has the car keys, is still lost somewhere in the garage.
Hours pass by as George, Jerry and Elaine wait. Finally, Kramer shows up, having gone on his own hunt for the air conditioner because he forgot where he left it. Elaine's goldfish did not survive and George is well past the time deadline to meet his parents. As they all enter the car, the engine fails to start.
Production
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
, his 4th writing credit for the season and was directed by Tom Cherones
Tom Cherones
Tom Cherones is an American director and producer of several TV series.-Early life:He grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where his father operated a radio and TV repair shop. His grandfather was a Greek immigrant. From 1961 to 1965, he was a lieutenant in the United States Navy...
, his 4th directing credit for the season. The episode was difficult to write and create as it all had to be done on the normal Seinfeld soundstage. Jerry's apartment and the studio audience seating was removed. Every shot used showed the entire set so it constantly required shooting from different angles. Mirrors all around the perimeters of the stage gave the illusion of further depth and with just a dozen cars, the illusion of being in a giant parking garage was complete. The end was scripted to have the gang drive off together.
The car failing to start at the end of the episode was an accident. An old car was used, and when it did not start, it was decided to keep it in the episode as something else going wrong. Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedienne, widely known for her sitcom roles in Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine....
can briefly be seen starting to laugh
Corpsing
Corpsing is a British theatrical slang term used to describe when an actor unintentionally breaks character during a scene by laughing or by causing another cast member to laugh...
when the car didn't start.
Theme
The episode, "The Parking Garage" follows the premise of the idea of SeinfeldSeinfeld
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...
as a "show about nothing". Holly Ordway of DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
compared the episode to "The Chinese Restaurant
The Chinese Restaurant
"The Chinese Restaurant" is the eleventh episode of the sitcom Seinfelds second season on NBC, and is the show's sixteenth episode overall. The episode revolves around protagonist Jerry and his friends Elaine Benes and George Costanza waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant, on their way to...
" from the second season
Seinfeld (season 2)
Season two of Seinfeld, an American television series created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, began airing on January 23, 1991, on NBC. Because of the commencement of the first Gulf War, the second season's premiere was postponed one week. The season comprised 12 episodes, and concluded its...
in which the whole episode takes place in a Chinese restaurant
American Chinese cuisine
American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by many Chinese restaurants in the United States. This type of cooking typically caters to Western tastes, and differs significantly from the original Chinese cuisine.-History:...
. Many other critics had a similar reaction to season two
Seinfeld (season 2)
Season two of Seinfeld, an American television series created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, began airing on January 23, 1991, on NBC. Because of the commencement of the first Gulf War, the second season's premiere was postponed one week. The season comprised 12 episodes, and concluded its...
's "The Chinese Restaurant
The Chinese Restaurant
"The Chinese Restaurant" is the eleventh episode of the sitcom Seinfelds second season on NBC, and is the show's sixteenth episode overall. The episode revolves around protagonist Jerry and his friends Elaine Benes and George Costanza waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant, on their way to...
".
Reception
In its original American broadcast, "The Parking Garage" received a Nielsen rating of 12.1 rating/19% share—this means that 12.1% of American households watched the episode 19% of televisions in use at the time were tuned to it.The episode has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics with many saying it is better than "The Chinese Restaurant
The Chinese Restaurant
"The Chinese Restaurant" is the eleventh episode of the sitcom Seinfelds second season on NBC, and is the show's sixteenth episode overall. The episode revolves around protagonist Jerry and his friends Elaine Benes and George Costanza waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant, on their way to...
". Holly Ordway called the episode "another classic Seinfeld episode" and also stated "the characters spend the whole episode in the same place resulting in an episode that's both memorable and funny.". She also said it was better than second season
Seinfeld (season 2)
Season two of Seinfeld, an American television series created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, began airing on January 23, 1991, on NBC. Because of the commencement of the first Gulf War, the second season's premiere was postponed one week. The season comprised 12 episodes, and concluded its...
's "The Chinese Restaurant". Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide said "Ala Season Two’s “The Chinese Restaurant”, this program uses one commonplace setting for its comedy, and I think it works even better than its famed predecessor".