Seinfeld (TV Series) The Heart Attack (1991) User Reviews

One of the best of season 2.

[OllieZ · 9/10 · 8 June 2006]

Not much to say here really. I think this was a turning point in Seinfeld.

When George is purple in the back of an ambulance...strange but hilarious.

Seinfeld is the perfect sitcom for this very reason. It makes nothing seem so funny.

Kramer is great in this episode, as he persuades George to go to a herbal healer.

The healer reacts perfectly to the other characters. Like Curb Your Enthusiasm the comedy is superbly crafted.

Another classics, much like all the episodes.

Situational comedy at it's best.

Larry David :)

[tunaozates · 9/10 · 14 March 2021]

I watched Curb Your Enthusiasm before Seinfeld. In addition to this episode being a decent episode with two nice stories, appearance of Larry David even in a very short scene made me smile.

"My name is Bob!"

[juanmaffeo · 8/10 · 2 June 2016]

I noticed that Kramer is one character in the first seasons and a complete different one in the last ones. I mean, on this seasons he was an eccentric person but with a normal life. The late Kramer is an abomination of a human being that seems that jumped out of a cartoon. And this is a great example of how to write Kramer right.

George has a medical issue and Kramer has a friend (one of his many eccentric friends) who does alternative medicine. He's not swimming in the f-ucking East River (S08). Here he is a normal human being with relatable situations.

The episode in itself is really funny (with Jason on fire) and has some great supporting characters.

"I think I'm having a heart attack!"

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 27 January 2008]

Throughout its run, Seinfeld centered some of its most memorable jokes around doctors and hospitals (most notably in the Season Four episodes The Contest, The Outing and The Junior Mint), a trend that began hilariously in The Heart Attack.

As is often the case, the premise is related to one of George's misadventures: this time, he thinks he had a heart attack while talking to Jerry and Elaine. As it turns out, there was nothing to worry about, at least as far as the heart is concerned: his tonsils, which were removed when he was a kid, have grown back and are heavily inflamed. Surgery would be required, weren't it for Kramer, who is fascinated and repulsed by the subject at the same time and advises George to see Tor Eckman (Stephen Tobolowsky), a "talented" herbalist.

The show's notorious "no hugs, no learning" rule is depicted at its edgiest in this episode: while other examples of shallowness are perfectly believable, the sight of Jerry and Elaine exploiting George's paranoia to scare him borders on downright outrageous. Then again, this is Seinfeld, so such notions as rationality should be tossed outside the window, never more so than when Kramer is on screen - his description of a guy who became autistic during a hernia operation is insanely inspired and instantly amusing. Equally funny, which is generally impossible (I mean, how do you compete with Kramer?), is Tobolowsky's one-scene appearance, a mixture of all the things that make phony doctors look and sound fake, from the odd stare (the actor's trademark in later TV appearances) to the pseudo-philosophical reflections on his patients (upon learning George was born in April, he comments:"You should have been born in August").

Oh, almost forgot: this show also introduces the recurring gag of Elaine dumping her boyfriends for the silliest reasons. The crime in this case? He prefers talking about the tongue rather than jamming it down her throat (okay, maybe it's not that silly). Outstanding.

The Heart Attack is a brilliant episode, that's absolutely hilarious, as lots of wonderful crazy stuff happens!

[callanvass · 1 March 2006]

The Heart Attack is a brilliant episode, that's absolutely hilarious, as lots of wonderful crazy stuff happens!. This time around George seems to think he's had a heart attack, while Jerry can't figure out what funny note he had written down from the night before. I loved the way Elaine flirted with the Doc (John Posey), as it was really cute, and this is the 1st time we hear Kramer mention his friend Bob Sacamano(at least I think), plus Jerry's opening stand up about appetites was very funny. It's very well made, and Larry Charles does a fantastic job of writing, plus Tom Cherones does another perfect job of directing!. One of the funniest moments in this episode for me is when George's face turns totally red in reaction to Eckman's concoction, and I found it hilarious when Jerry put that pillow over George's face jokingly, plus Larry David had a cool cameo as a B movie actor,as it was quite funny. This is another classic early Seinfeld episode, and Stephen Tobolowsky has a very funny role here as Tor Eckman, as he was just simply bizarre but hilarious!. The Heart Attack is a brilliant episode, that's absolutely hilarious, as lots of crazy stuff happens, and I say go check it out immediately if your a Seinfeld fan!. ***** out of 5

Favorite quotes. Jerry: What have I done, I can't read this,Fullman, Hurtel, Vomel?, I got up last night, I wrote this down, I thought I had this great bit, wait a second, wait a second, "Fax me some Halibut", is that funny?, is that a joke?. Elaine: No let me see that, Don't mess with Johnny. Jerry: Johnny?, Johnny who?, Johnny Carson, did I insult Johnny Carson on the tonight show?. Elaine: Did you mess with Johnny Jerry?.

Doc: Mr. Costanza. George: Yeah, you know Doc, I gotta tell you I feel a lot better. Doc: Well we looked at your EKG's, ran some tests, did a complete workup. George: Oh god Mommy!. Doc: Well you simply Haven't had a heart attack. George: I Haven't?, I'm OK?, I'm OK, oh thank you!, thank you!, I don't know how to thank you. Jerry: Hey that was really fun George, can we go home now?. Doc: No actually,we would like to keep him overnight, for observation, just to be safe. George: Oh sure, sure anything, can you believe this, there's nothing wrong with me. Doc: Well I wouldn't go that far. George: What?, oh my god, what is it, is it Menegitis, Scoliosis, Lupus is it Lupus?.

*Kramer enters the hospital*. George: I have to have my tonsils taken out. Kramer: Oh man no!, George we gotta get you out of here, get out right now, They'll kill you in here. Jerry: It's routine surgery. Kramer: Oh yeah, routine surgery, my friend Bob Sacamano, he came in here for a hernia operation, now he's sitting by a window on a chair going my name is Bob!.

*George in ambulance*. George: I'm an Eggplant!, I'm a vegetable!.

Crosses Into the Bizarre

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 24 January 2022]

As is often the case in this show, there are vignettes that function on their own. While in the usual restaurant, George thinks he is having a heart attack. After five minutes of convincing his friends he is serious, he's in the hospital. While there, he is there it is discovered he needs his tonsils out. This is expensive and Kramer talks him into seeing his friend (recently released from prison) who is an herbalist. It gets truly wacky from that point on. Try not to fall apart in the scene with the pillow.

Jerry: Woman go after doctors like men go after models. They want someone with knowledge of the body.. we just want the body.

[bombersflyup · 9/10 · 4 February 2022]

The Heart Attack is about George experiencing what he thinks is a heart attack, only to discover he has tonsillitis. Kramer suggests an alternative to surgery.

A good episode centred around George who's hilarious. Jerry and Elaine pretending it's bad news and smothering him with the pillow excellent as well. Kramer's delivery about his friend Bob, gold. Jerry and Elaine's other minor plots not great. Jerry's standup's fairly unmemorable. Funny full circle ending "Kramer went to Eckman, he feels better already."

George: I'm an eggplant! I'm an eggplant!

He

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 17 June 2020]

I like the bit where they both have neck braces on

"There's Nothing Funny About That!"

[survivorofakuze · 6/10 · 23 October 2013]

Spoilers.

On the whole, I think Seinfeld is a good show. But sometimes, it has these moments that leave me thinking, Why the hell did they do that?.... *Jerry voice* You thought that was funny? Why would you think that's funny?

"There's nothing funny about that!"

It's a little hard to explain, but this wasn't just an episode that I didn't like, it was one that I definitely disliked.

This show is at its best when it's real-- real things that can happen to real people, and not just cops or super-heroes, etc. But this episode is just *so*.... *not* real. From George bickering about the bill at the diner while he thinks he's having a heart attack, to the EMTs stopping the ambulance so that they could have a scuffle over hard candy....

The whole thing leaves you knowing that it would NOT really go down like that.

That, and the show's cynicism flares up again, and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It pokes fun at alternative medicine, portraying the healer as a common quack, and that just.... isn't funny! The medical establishment isn't treated much better-- again, the EMTs throwing punches at each other; it was so beyond *not gonna happen*. That, and the show's knack for failed relationship gives Elaine a little doctor fiasco to add to everything else.

I guess that people must relate to the whole 'a pox on both your houses' stick, but it just seemed like chronic negative thinking. I know that Seinfeld is a little old, but I guess that I just wasn't expecting this level of.... hurt, I guess.

They just seemed to all act in a very unfriendly way, too. On top of everything-- joking that George was gonna die when they knew he wasn't, so that they could pretend to lay claim to his stuff, for example. The writers just seemed to be offering us this very negative picture of the world. They show us everything and everybody being hurt.... and they show this not-being-right, all being wrong, as being no big deal.

And I just didn't think that was funny.

I guess you could say that this just isn't what the show is like when it's well.

It's like what Jerry said about that note he wrote about the B-movie slasher he was watching: I thought that was funny, but I was wrong.

(6/10)

Egg plant

[ThunderKing6 · 10/10 · 10 June 2023]

Helo there.

This review was made on June 10th of year 2023rd in century 21st.

What was this episode of Seinfeld about?: George has health problems and see's a holestic wizard.

Jerry tries to figure out a joke after watching Larry David on TV.

Elaine likes a doctor

Kramer... Does Kramer.

The story and the production overview: A very nice episode. The holestic wizard did a fantastic job.

Highlight: The holestic wizard scene. He should have returned for at least one more run. Also parademics fighting. I also like how Jerry and Elaine atmre rude to George by asking for his things.

Villian: The health industry

Overall: a very great episode.

What can be learned?: do your research before you see a holestic wizard or you may be turned into an egg plant

Verdict: Dem catch heart attack!

is anybody listening

[dannylee-78082 · 6/10 · 28 February 2023]

1. George goes to the hospital 2. Elaine flirts with a doctor 3. George is purple

I thought this was one of the weaker episodes in season 2. I thought it was a little too "practical" with George turning purple and them seemingly getting in a car accident. I thought the holistic bit was fine but rest of it just didn't feel like a Seinfeld episode much. Jerry's illegible note was also not necessarily interesting as well. I thought the doctor bit was funny but that was barely a subplot. I think the more Seinfeld deviates from Jerry's room, it becomes less funnier. However, there's still 100s of episodes to go so we will see how it evolves. By this point, I'm definitely invested in the sitcom and will continue to watch it despite few hiccups here and there.

A disappointment for me personally, especially after "The Revenge" which almost indicated that 'Seinfeld' was finally figuring itself out

[SLionsCricketreviews · 5/10 · 2 February 2018]

Before I go any further, I want to state that 'Seinfeld' is one of my favourite television series (something I feel as though I'm stating in every single episode) and I get the idea that especially among fans they seem very cautious to be at all critical of these early episodes, at least here in the review section.

I disliked "The Heart Attack" quite a bit, perhaps even to the point where this is one of, if not *the* weakest episodes so far (and probably the series in general). After "The Revenge" which felt like a very Seinfeld-ian affair in terms of dialogue, story and characterization, this episode felt immensely overwritten. There's a few points to back this up, one being the really annoying scene in the back of the ambulance van with the paramedic officers bickering about candy. It seems to go so far against what 'Seinfeld' as a show is mostly about, which is an observational comedy set against the backdrop of mostly mundane and routine everyday life. The idea of bickering paramedic officers is far too implausible in my opinion and really pushes the show too far into a cartoon world which I feel is not what 'Seinfeld' as a show should be. This is somewhat excused here since the show is still gaining an identity all its own but it doesn't help elevate my enjoyment of the episode.

Mostly, I find the episode largely dull and painfully unfunny. I dislike the scene(s) in the hospital, I dislike the extremely shoehorned in sub-plot of Elaine dating a doctor, I dislike the scene with the herbalist and mostly, I just dislike the episode as a whole. The episode seems to aimlessly wonder around, never really finding any substantial comedy or substance for its characters and it ultimately comes to a halt in a fashion that is largely ambiguous. Jerry having struggled throughout the episode to recollect the meaning of a joke he wrote in bed one night (after watching a television program that appears to be another Larry David cameo appearance, could be wrong however) finally figures out the 'joke' at the end, almost to immediately realize that it wasn't funny. Whether this is writer Larry Charles admitting at the end of the episode that it isn't funny and that it was a concept conceived into an episode out of desperation and frustration, I don't know, but I find "The Heart Attack" largely dull. It's simply too overwritten, whether it be the interactions between the main characters or the story itself.

This is a bit of a departure after the very impressive previous episode, "The Revenge".

Hypochondriac

[vivianla · 6 February 2022]

George watched a coronary show last night even though Jerry warned him not to after seeing it on the TV guide. In the restaurant George thinks he is having a heart attack and so they go to the hospital. Elaine comes in and asks George sweetly if he is alright. Elaine flirts with the doctor who flirts back. Kramer tells the guys George is going to have to be careful of sex now because of his heart. George is told his tonsils grew back and he has to get them removed. George decides tu go to Kramer's friend instead. George says he skipped healthy adulthood. He hasn't gotten out of puberty as he cannot orgasm and now he has old people problems. The tea that George is given makes him purple. They get into a car crash and end up paying more.