Seinfeld (TV Series) The English Patient (1997) User Reviews

One of the All Time Greats

[Samuel-Shovel · 10/10 · 12 April 2019]

In "The English Patient" Elaine becomes an outcast from friends and coworkers when the y learn she doesn't like the recently released movie "The English Patient". George starts dating a beautiful woman after she mistakes him for her old boyfriend but he gets too obsessed with meeting this man and seeing how similar they look. Kramer imports a trio of Dominican men claiming to be Cubans to have them start rolling cigars. Jerry gets into a family feud with some old men who claim to be able to lift anything. They all end up in the hospital and blame Jerry for it.

I absolutely love this episode. This is one that always seemed to be on TV reruns. It's been a while since I've seen it but it still holds up as one of the all time greats. Every character's subplot is great with an appearance from the Seinfeld parents to boot! You really can't go wrong here.

Fantastic episode just as "Seinfeld" looked to lose its form

[SLionsCricketreviews · 8/10 · 5 January 2016]

I have been a tad concerned as to whether or not "Seinfeld" will reach its peak once again, especially after the exit of Larry David. "The Little Kicks" managed to reinstate some hope, and since then, I've seen good episode after good episode, without any real greatness. "The English Patient" changes it all, as this is a fantastic episode.

Elaine's story is obviously the highlight of the episode, as it is not only hysterical but something quite factual. People will rally behind a movie, endlessly praise it, even if it may not be spectacular. I am not sure about whether the film, "The English Patient" is great, but her situation was one I could identify with. This could almost be a sin against "Seinfeld", as the show is more about laughing AT the characters, rather than with. In Elaine's case, I managed to laugh WITH her as much as I did AGAINST her, so it evens out nicely. Her breakdown in the cinema was outstanding. JLD is the highlight of this episode.

It was also great to see Jerry's wonderfully funny parents, and the Mandelbaums were some of the most eccentric, yet hilarious characters of the season!

"The English Patient" has two strong stories: Elaine and Jerry.

"How could you not like that movie?" Elaine- " How about it sucked." The English Patient- another hilarious offering from the second to last season of Seinfeld

[nleonardn · 10/10 · 16 August 2015]

The English Patient was another impressive entry in the later years of Seinfeld. It had the great connecting of the four characters separate story lines that all the classic episodes have. Elaine's story was particularly amusing and very relatable. Although I haven't seen The English Patient, I'm sure we can all relate to a time where everyone was raving about a movie, and when you finally sat down to watch it, you despised it and were left wondering what all the fuss is about. This feeling was perfectly summarized with Elaine's retort to J. Peterman' question "Elaine, you don't like the movie?" "I HATE IT !!" Although this may not compare as well, when I was in middle school, all the other guys loved the Transformers movies, and we're constantly talking about how awesome they are, and every time they did, I'd cringe a little. The other stories in the episode are also very amusing, particularly when a gorgeous woman comes up to George at the diner, mistaking him for her boyfriend Neil. George spends the episode trying to meet Neil, to figure out how a guy who looks like him ( actually shorter and more out of shape) could get that kind of woman. But Geoge ends up getting the woman, without knowing it , while he's still trying to meet Neil. There's some great sight gags in Jerry's story, when 80 year old Izzy Mendelbaum throws his back out trying to lift some weights, and then his peculiarly old son throws his back out trying to lift a TV while visiting his dad in the hospital. But the topper comes when Izzy's father! (Still alive! ) comes to visit his son and grandson in the hospital, and throws his back out trying to lift the same TV. There's also some connecting plot with Kramer having Jerry bring back some Cubans ( not cigars) who turn out to be Dominicans, to roll cigars for him, that ends up having bad consequences for all four characters. But for me the highlight of the episode is Elaine's hilarious reactions and hate for a movie everyone else somehow loves.

The real joke is when you re-think on it

[muratmihcioglu · 9/10 · 23 April 2022]

Strangely, this was one of the best Seinfeld episodes ever. And that is mostly thanks to the storyline of Jerry. I wonder what the inspiration was behind that family of crepe makers. The three stooges? Feels like there is some strong reference or homage there, but can't nail it.

Lloyd Bridges was great in the role. How the story of the three Cubans interact with that of the crepe dynasty was cool, but got even cooler as we got to see how it didn't really "pan out" as one would expect.

What I love about the episode is what transcends its silly plots, though. Come to think of it: How could a family line of such idiots, people who have not even figured out how to teach and franchise their craft, ever been successful in the first place?

Just think on the characters of these men from three generations, and you will be amazed how improbable it would have been for such idiots to have ever run a business. And to me, that is the true gem behind this strangely charming episode!

Another Gem

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 15 April 2023]

When Jerry goes to Florida, Kramer asks him to pick up some Cubans. Jerry assumes he means cigars but when he gets there, there are no cigars--only three men who seem to be Cubans. Kramer has plans to get the guys to make cigars for him, but they are not from Cuba. Meanwhile, the movie Elaine wants to see is full, so she ends up watching "The English Patient." She hates it, even though the rest of the world loves it. Her mouthiness gets her into trouble. Kramer must figure out what to do with the "Cubans," and gets them a job rolling crepes at a crepe restaurant. When Elaine goes with her boss for a viewing of the movie, she ends having to go to a foreign country to appease the boss and learn the culture. One of the best.

Another one funny as hell!

[mrgoodvibrationsmichigan · 8/10 · 13 December 2019]

This is one hilarious episode of Seinfeld. Great side stories and ribsplitting laughter abounds.

I hate it!

[juanmaffeo · 8/10 · 27 May 2016]

Great episode from the bizarre eight season.

Being the bizarre season it is, this is a quite normal episode, with just one story line being weird.

Elaine's story is the funniest with Julia on fire. Jerry's story starts kind of slow but picks up when the second Mandelbaum appears. George's story (the weirdest) starts off great, with George trying to be like someone who gets beautiful women to the point he can't notice he is already getting a beautiful woman, but ends pretty forced. Kramer's is the weakest with no real funny scenes.

Two great story lines, one good story line and one bad story line.

8.5 vs 7.4

[mikeyboy26 · 9/10 · 4 January 2023]

So the English Patient that Elaine despises so much at the horror and disapproval of her boyfriend her friends and J Peterman appears to be well founded. The IMDB score for this episode of Seinfeld (E8.17) has a score of 8.5 from 3061 viewers compared to The English Patient with an IMDB score of just 7.4. So you see in time Elaine was vindicated of her hatred of The English Patient even though today as in 1997 of you dare publicly so any animosity or even just disagree on the merits of such a long and tedious " romantic" movie where Ralph Fiennes and some other actress attempt to have sex in " a tub!" for Gods sake! Who even does that! You see that doesn't work, I tell you!!

Of course...

[m-47826 · 8/10 · 17 June 2020]

Just like I talked about in that season 6 episode review. People who hated this one, did because of the Kramer storyline I'm sure. And the overall Cuba theme. Cry me a river... One thing I like about this show, is how unapologetic it can be sometimes. Of course, the funniest part, was the « Cubans » misunderstanding. The Elaine storyline was hilarious too, and reminded me how I watched the movie myself, but never felt the need to rewatch it again. Not because it (like she said), but because it was definitely too long, and not one to be remembered either. Who remembers it anyway? The George storyline, was just the usual. New girlfriend, new trouble. And Jerry's, was funny at first, then got annoying and repetitive.

Cav

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 23 June 2020]

I like the bit where they roll the crepes too tight and squirt people in the eye

what an overacting by elain!

[sudarshan-52058 · 8/10 · 30 July 2020]

Jerry's story was the funniest. when george gets beautiful girl he becomes a fool

I haven't seen it!

[safenoe · 8/10 · 3 April 2024]

Lloyd Bridges guest stars in The English Patient, well now the actual movie starring Ralph Fiennes, but the eighth season Seinfeld episode called The English Patient. Anyway, I must admit, I still haven't seen The English Patient, and maybe this episode will once again (I first saw this episode back when it debuted). Anyway, I'm impressed this episode has been the subject of several academic journal articles, for example "Seinfeld on Resources: Causal Ambiguity, the Perils of Imitable Resources, and the Durability of Resource-Based Advantages" by Alison Mackey and Tyson B. Mackey and published just last year in Management Teaching Review.