Seinfeld (TV Series) The Hot Tub (1995) User Reviews

Kramer Should Stay Away from Hot Liquids

[Samuel-Shovel · 8/10 · 18 May 2018]

In "The Hot Tub", Elaine's friend Jean-Paul comes to town to race in the NYC marathon. Jerry gets obsessed with making sure that Jean-Paul doesn't oversleep the night before the race. George pretends to be frustrated at work so people assume he's always busy. He's tasked with showing some execs from the Astros a good time while they're in town. Elaine has writers block and needs to think of a good paragraph for the catalogue. Kramer gets himself a hot tub but the heat pump breaks and the water goes cold while he's asleep inside of it. He buys a new industrial strength one that shorts out the entire floor's electricity, turning off Jerry's alarm clock and making Jean-Paul almost late for the race. Near the finish line, Jean-Paul mistakes Kramer's steaming hot cup of tea for water and burns himself whilst leading the race, a nice call back to the burning coffee earlier this season.

The slow motion shot of Jean-Paul grabbing the cup of tea from Kramer is something that has been etched into my brain for years now. I hadn't watched this episode in forever but that one shot still stuck out in my mind, even after everything else fell by the wayside. It's strange how those little moments can do that.

Seinfeld is as good as any show at interweaving its subplots ingeniously. Kramer's, Jerry's, George, and Elaine's all relate to each other so perfectly. Elaine accomplishes her goal for the catalogue because she's looking for Jean-Paul because Jerry had to find him new housing because George told Jean-Paul how people speak in Houston. It's all so well-crafted.

"All right, adult contemporary!"

[juanmaffeo · 9/10 · 8 August 2016]

Another great filler. By that I mean that it's one of the episodes that doesn't propel the season's arc (George's engagement) and on this particular one Susan doesn't even appear.

The main story here is Jean Paul Jean Paul. Elaine is letting him stay in her apartment but Jerry is concerned that Jean Paul might oversleep again under Elaine's hospitality. This is kind of a throwback to Elaine storyline with the wake up guy because they do hire one on this episode for Jean Paul. Jerry and Elaine are particular great on this episode, Jerry giving one of his best performances of the season and Elaine getting one of her first assignments as a J. Peterman Catalogue writer. The conclusion of her writer's block is a thing of beauty.

But what I think drags this episode down is the other two stories. Kramer's is the best of the two because it is directly related with Jerry and Jean Paul but nevertheless I have to say I miss the old Kramer. The Kramer that was a eccentric person but with a normal life. On the first five seasons Kramer would never have a story where he would put a hot tub in the middle of his apartment. I'm not saying it isn't funny but it definitely sets him apart from the rest of the gang. And George's story is funny sometimes but it's really dumb. Nothing really happens and George's best moments of the season comes from his arc with Susan and she's not even in this episode.

An entertaining episode nevertheless.

Baseball

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 23 June 2020]

I like the bit where they yell at each other and called each other names

he sounded more Jamaican with a weak patio

[ThunderKing6 · 7/10 · 4 June 2023]

Hey there reader.

This review was created in the month of June on the number date of the 4th in year 2023rd in century 21st of the Gregory calendar.

What was this Seinfeld episode about?: Elaine is looking after a runner while trying to come up with some story for work

Jerry is determined to make sure John Paul makes the race

Kramer installs a hot tub in his apartment. We're just not sure if he has any running water in his own apartment.

George is angry.

The story and the production overview: A good episode saved by Jerry. His story is the most interesting of the four cadets.

Laugh Meter: 8 all because of Jerry.

Highlight: When Jerry is desperate to help John Paul and When John Paul burns him self with hot tea during the race.

Villain: The separate Knob. Why separate knob, why!!!

Overall: A good episode thanks to Jerome's storyline

What can be learned?: Be mindful of that separate knob, or you'll be asking Why??

Verdict: Don't hit the snooze.

Cool runnings

[safenoe · 6/10 · 6 March 2024]

Jeremiah Birkett plays Jean-Paul in this episode from season seven, The Hot Tub. I think the sub-plot of George and his salty terminology quickly wore out its welcome, and kind of was like an over-extended Saturday Night Live sketch. The Hot Tub was made not long after Cool Runnings, so the Elaine's reference to Trinidad and "Toboggan" was kind of a Seinfeldian nod to Cool Runnings.

Ernie Lively plays Zeke. Anyway, I'm enjoying re-watching most of the Seinfeld episodes, having first watched it when it debuted in the 1990s, when we couldn't really binge-watch episodes unless we had them recorded on video!