After nine seasons, there are plenty of belovedSeinfeldepisodes, but some are more instantly memorable than others. Despite airing so late in the show’s run, Season 8, Episode 3, “The Bizarro Jerry,” is often considered one of the show’s finest (half) hours, and rightly so. Written byDavid Mandeland directed byAndy Ackerman, this classic episode introduced Elaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) group of “Bizarro” friends, the “man-hands” girlfriend Gillian (Kristin Bauer), andCosmo Kramer’s (Michael Richards)brief tenure at Brandt-Leland, where he goes to work carrying a mysterious briefcase.But what’s in the briefcase? Well, Ritz crackers, of course!
Kramer’s Fake Job Is One of the Show’s Best Bits
Though it’s not the main focus of an already fabulous episode, Kramer’s time at Brandt-Leland is a hysterical addition that only makes “The Bizarro Jerry"even better. After all,The best episodes ofSeinfeldare the ones where every individual plot is exceptional, and this is one that folks have remembered distinctly since it first aired.It all starts when Kramer helps a Brandt-Leland employee with their printer, only to be mistaken as a co-worker. From there on, Kramer continues to “go to work” every day without pay simply because he enjoys the structure that the job adds to his life. While that may seem odd, remember, this is a guy who, for years, didn’t leave his apartment building. Every day, Kramer brings his briefcase with him, stacked with three full sleeves of Ritz crackers.
‘Seinfeld’s Strangest Episode Was So Offensive That Jason Alexander Demanded a Rewrite
Even George Costanza thought it went too far.
Undoubtedly,the best sequence from this plotline isthe “day in the life” bit,where we see what Kramer actually does all day. From taking the subway in the morning and giving presentations to spending a strange amount of time at the water cooler or eating the Ritz crackers he brings fromJerry Seinfeld’s home (all to the tune ofSheena Easton’s “9 to 5,” aka “Morning Train”), the whole thing is just perfect. It’s no wonder Kramer is “fired” from his fake job before the end of the episode. But it begs the question, why does Kramer bring crackers with him to the office? Likeall the best Kramer gags, it’s never fully explained, and that’s what makes him Kramer! Because ofthe nature of the character, it’s best not to ask why he brings Ritz crackers along and just enjoy the joke.
“The Bizarro Jerry” is David Mandel’s Favorite ‘Seinfeld’ Episode
According to the Season 8 audio commentary for the episode, “The Bizarro Jerry” is writer David Mandel’s favorite tale from the show. And it’s no wonder why, asevery action (especially of the Bizarro crew) is perfectly in step with the themes and characters within the show. Sure, Kramer’s whole job experience is worth an episode alone, but it’s Elaine’s plotline with the Bizarro friends that just makes it work. “When I pitched the concept of the Bizarro Jerry, Jerry [Seinfeld] was all over it,” Mandel explained in an oral history of the episode (viaCracked). “He knew what it was and loved it and he saw why that would be funny.” The episode embraces the reference to the Superman villain, in part because of encouragement from Jerry Seinfeld himself, and the joke paid off.
Seinfeldchanged a lot in its final three seasons. After the departure of many of the writersandLarry Davidhimself,Jerry Seinfeld sought out a new breed of comedic scribes who could continue the beloved sitcom. Mandel was one of many who joined the show after first watching it from home, bringing with him his own unique blend of meta-humor long before self-referential comedy was as popular on television as it is today. “The Bizarro Jerry” is an oddity that probably wouldn’t have worked early on but was made better because of the show’s long history on NBC. Well, that and the added Ritz crackers.
The continuing misadventures of neurotic New York City stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his equally neurotic New York City friends.
Seinfeldis available for streaming on Netflix in the U.S.
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