Discuss in Boards Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips"Seinfeld" The Betrayal (1997)
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
David Mandel (writer) &
Peter Mehlman (writer) ...
more
TV Series:
Original Air Date:
20 November 1997 (Season 9, Episode 8)
Plot:
The infamous "backwards episode". Elaine decides to spite her old college roommate Sue Ellen Mischkie by taking her... more | add synopsis
User Comments:
A very clever parody of Harold Pinter's movie "Betrayal." more (3 total)
Cast
(Episode Cast overview, first billed only) | Jason Alexander | ... | George Costanza |
 | Michael Richards | ... | Cosmo Kramer |
 | Julia Louis-Dreyfus | ... | Elaine Benes |
 | Jerry Seinfeld | ... | Jerry Seinfeld |
 | Wayne Knight | ... | Newman |
 | Brenda Strong | ... | Sue Ellen Mischke |
| Michael McShane | ... | FDR (as Micheal McShane) |
 | Justine Miceli | ... | Nina Stengle |
| Bart Braverman | ... | Zubin Ranawat |
 | Shaun Toub | ... | Pinter Ranawat |
| Heidi Swedberg | ... | Susan Biddle Ross |
| Noor Shic | ... | Usha Ranawat |
| Jocelyne Kelly | ... | Model |
| Brian Kaiser | ... | Postman |
 | Shelley Malil | ... | Usher |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
30 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Canada:PG (video rating)
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The expression "You can stuff your sorries in a sack, mister" is used throughout this episode and is a reference to an "Odd Couple" episode entitled "Strike Up the Band or Else." more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the pilot episode Michael Richards' character is named "Kessler" (it would be changed to "Kramer" in the second episode) and Jerry refers to him by that name. Continuity error, possibly intentional. In episode 9.8 there is a flashback to the first meeting between Jerry and Richards' character, which occurs prior to when episode 1 takes place. Jerry says something like, ". . . you must be Kessler," and the reply is, "Actually, it's Kramer." If the conversation portrayed in episode 9.8 took place it's unlikely that Jerry would have referred to him as "Kessler" in the pilot episode. more
Quotes:
Nina Stengle:
George, you've been wearing those boots since I met you. You're not gonna wear them to the wedding, are you?
George Costanza:
No.
[snorts]
George Costanza:
I'm gonna wear black shoes.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Pineapple Express (2008) more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (3 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for "Seinfeld" (1990)Related Links
| Main series | Episode guide | Full cast and crew |
| Company credits | IMDb TV section | IMDb Comedy section |
| IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |
This episode is based on the movie "Betrayal" by Harold Pinter (winnerof the Nobel Prize for Literature, 2005). The movie starred Jeremy Irons and Ben Kingsley as long-time friends and business associates. As the movie opens, Irons's character meets with Patricia Hodge, the wife of Kingsley's character, to reminisce about an affair they'd broken off about a year earlier. The movie then moves backward in time until the closing scene that occurs just before Irons and Hodge embark on their affair. At every moment, the audience knows more than the characters do, which gives the story a compelling poignancy.
Seinfeld takes this conceit to hysterically funny levels by continually introducing "prior" information that makes what we just saw happen "later" all the funnier. The episode incorporates some inside jokes as well: there are several "love triangles" going on (Elaine, Susan, Pinter form one; Jerry, George, and Nina the other) and of course, the character of Pinter is an homage to Harold Pinter. The fact that they all go to India for the wedding may be a nod to Kingsley's heritage (he's half Indian).
Very creative and very funny, this episode proved that "Seinfeld" could be fresh and innovative even in its 9th season.