Seinfeld remains one of the most beloved television sitcoms of all time. Dubbed by many as the "show about nothing" it followed the misadventures of a group of selfish and eccentric friends living in New York City. With characters who were seen as pretty awful people and a style of comedy that found humor in the mundane, Seinfeld paved the way for a new kind of sitcom.
Seinfeld is one of those shows that you can revisit again and again without ever getting tired of it. However, along with the many iconic episodes in the series, there are a few that fall a little flat. Here are the worst episodes of Seinfeld according to IMDB.
The Stakeout
As is evident throughout this list, Seinfeld took a little time to find its footing. The first season of the show, while an intriguing change of pace from most sitcoms, paled in comparison to the much-improved later season. This very first episode showed that there was potential, but things were still messy.
The episode deals with Jerry and George staking out the office building of a girl Jerry likes. It is the kind of everyday situational comedy the show would eventually excel at but it feels like they aren't quite confident about it yet.
The Robbery
Appropriately, the next episode on the list is actually the next episode of the season. While first episodes are often unpolished and awkward, the second episode proved there were still some things the show needed to work out.
The main story follows Jerry looking for a new apartment after he was robbed. The episode started to have some fun with the interactions between the main characters, but there remains a slow pace to the whole thing compared to the constant jokes that come in later seasons.
The Finale
It's probably not much of a surprise that the notorious finale episode would make its way onto the list. Derided as one of the most disappointing finales of all time, looking back on the episode now, it's really not all that bad.
The show wraps up with the four main characters on trial for basically being terrible people. While prison is a pretty fitting and hilarious end for these characters, the episode is little more than a giant clip show. It's not terrible, but we would have liked some more substance to the final episode.
Good News, Bad News
In a bit of confusing trivia, this is actually the first episode of Seinfeld that ever aired. It was the pilot episode that convinced NBC to go ahead with the show. It aired almost a whole year before the series properly started so you can imagine it's a little disted from the rest of the show.
It's hard to judge this episode too harshly under the circumstances. In fact, the episode is so different from the eventual show that Kramer is introduced as Kessler. It's a messy first effort that shows there was a lot of room for improvement.
The Stock Tip
While the show would see some huge improvements in its second season, the final episode of the first season highlighted many of the initial problems. Although with only four episodes in that first season, the show really can't be blamed for not having a memorable start.
The story followed Jerry and George getting a stick tip and investing their money. When the stock starts plummeting, the man who gave them the tip falls into a coma. It hinted at the cringe-worthy comedy and selfish character that would come, but the show still seemed too scared to totally commit to that.
The Baby Shower
The second season of the show featured a lot more of the aspects viewers would come to love from the show. It began embracing its more unusual style and let the characters become more outlandish. However, there were still some speedbumps along the way.
This episode followed Jerry agreeing to allow Kramer to hook up illegal cable in his apartment while Elaine hosted a baby shower for a woman George wanted revenge on. The problem with the episode is that it was two solid plotlines, but doesn't know which to focus on so both feel like missed opportunities.
The Stranded
By Season 3, the show has really come into its own and was feeling like a fresh new show. It had already delivered some classic episodes like "The Chinese Restaurant" and "The Parking Garage". That's why this mediocre and dull episode feels out of place.
The initial set-up about Jerry and Elaine getting stranded at a party outside the city is pretty funny. If the show had stayed with that awkward situation, it could have been great. Instead, it maneuvers into an odd story about an unwanted guest at Jerry's place.
Male Unbonding
The third episode of the first season is indeed the worst episode out of that first batch and a good example of what could have happened to the show if they had miscalculated the tone. The mundane and awkward situations are made funny by how these characters deal with them. This episode fails to understand that.
The story focuses on Jerry trying to find a way to "break up" with his obnoxious male friend. Instead of having fun with the awkwardness and mundanity, it just feels uncomfortable and boring. The show knew what situations could be funny, they just didn't yet know how to make them funny.
The Dog
The story seems to be the deciding factor in whether or not an episode is effective. The show seems to excel at exploring comedy in simple situations, but it can also provide a lot of laughs with outrageous scenarios. Where the show finds itself in trouble is when doesn't have a handle on the story.
This episode finds Jerry reluctantly taking care of a dog for someone he just met. Right away, you can tell they weren't overly ionate about this story idea. The jokes don't feel organic and whole episode drags as a result.
Highlights Of A Hundred
Clip shows are never very popular with fans. In the age of streaming and Youtube, these kinds of episodes feel especially pointless. You can't fault the show for wanting to celebrate reaching the milestone of 100 episodes. But you also can't fault the fans for being uninterested in a "greatest hits" reel.
After a hundred episodes, there were plenty of great moments to fill the show, but it's still not the most exciting episode to watch. It's not necessarily lazy of the show to do, but it is pretty uninspired.