The Pitch (16 Sep. 1992)

NBC executives ask Jerry to come up with an idea for a TV series. George decides he can be a sitcom writer and comes up with "nothing." Kramer trades a radar detector for a helmet, and later Newman receives a speeding ticket.

Director:

Tom Cherones

Writers:

Larry David (creator), Jerry Seinfeld (creator),

Stars:

Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jerry Seinfeld	...	Jerry Seinfeld
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	...	Elaine Benes
Michael Richards	...	Cosmo Kramer
Jason Alexander	...	George Costanza
Wayne Knight	...	Newman
Bob Balaban	...	Russell Dalrymple
Heidi Swedberg	...	Susan Ross
Kevin Page	...	Stu Chermack
Peter Crombie	...	'Crazy' Joe Davola
Len Lesser	...	Uncle Leo (credit only)
Steve Eastin	...	Cop #1 (credit only)
David Graf	...	Cop #2 (credit only)
Al Fann	...	Judge (credit only)
Stephen McHattie	...	Dr. Reston - the Psychiatrist
Peter Blood	...	Jay Crespi

Storyline

After finishing his stand up act at the Improv Station, Jerry is approached by two men from NBC who say they would like him to think about a TV show based on his stand up routine. George suggests several ideas to him and then comes up wit the answer: he should do a show about nothing. NBC has a bit of trouble with the idea but George takes a liking to one of the executives, Susan. Kramer meanwhile swaps his radar detector with Newman for his helmet. He doesn't tell him it doesn't work leading Newman to get a speeding ticket. Jerry just happens to mention to Joe Davola that Kramer is having a party. He doesn't take the fact that Kramer failed to invite him very well.

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Plot Keywords:

trade | helmet | radar detector | drinking milk from carton | sour milk | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 1992 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shapiro/West Productions, Castle Rock Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

23 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

This episode was originally broadcast as a one hour special along with the following episode, "The Ticket."

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Quotes

Jerry Seinfeld: [after Newman leaves with Kramer's radar detector] Does that thing work?
Cosmo Kramer: [almost before Jerry is even finished] Nah.

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Connections

References Nightmare Cafe (1992)

User Reviews

"You must have a good story"

The real glory of Season Four begins here, with a two-part episode that emphasizes just how wonderfully insane the stories could get in Seinfeld and why Larry David and the other writers got away with it every time: it's just so much fun to watch.

Back in New York after the recent trip to L.A., Jerry is asked to pitch a sitcom to NBC executives. George decides to help and comes up with a show about "nothing". Meanwhile, a person known as "Crazy" Joe Davola starts stalking Jerry, Kramer has one of his quirky ideas again, and Newman has trouble with a speeding ticket.

There's nothing like hindsight, obviously, but even back in 1992 it must have been possible to realize Seinfeld was really becoming something special, despite Jason Alexander thinking Larry's idea about an "arc" went against everything the show embodied. Man, how wrong was he: predating Curb Your Enthusiasm's second season (in which Larry, playing "himself", tries to come up with a new successful comedy series) by nine years, the show-within-the-show storyline is arguably one of the funniest things that have ever aired on American network television. If it weren't for that arc and its shameless self-referencing (right down to the casting of Bob Balaban as Russell Dalrymple, a fictional version of Warren Littlefield, the NBC guy who gave Seinfeld the green light against all odds and whom Balaban played for real later on), there would be no 30 Rock.

Still not convinced? Okay, then how about this: when Jerry questions George's talents as a writer, the "Lord of the idiots" (who, let's remember this, is based on Larry David) replies: "What writer? It's a sitcom!". Considering this is the season that got Larry a long awaited Emmy for Best Writing, the irony is almost too delicious.