Seinfeld (TV Series) The Boyfriend (1992) User Reviews

This is how you write a sitcom

[rhemfelt1 · 10/10 · 29 August 2020]

This episode has both an A story and B story that are woven together so tactfully and purposefully that it's entirely possible you don't even realize there are 2 separate storylines.

The A story of Jerry and Elaine "competing" for Keith Hernandez's affection is hilarious, and the B story of George working harder to keep unemployment than anything else in his life is also hilarious.

The 2 storylines weave in and out and continue to feed each other hilarity. And of course the undisputed highlight, Jerry's dramatic JFK "magic loogie" demonstration.

Even the commentary on the social minutia of life is hilarious, helping someone move being the male platonic version of "going all the way."

You probably won't even notice that it's both a 2-parter with 2 separate storylines, great sitcom writing.

"And you want to be my latex salesman..."

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 2 December 2008]

Baseball, spitting, the JFK assassination: those are just a few of the ingredients that make two-part episode The Boyfriend an essential dish in Seinfeld's third year. On my personal list, it ranks right after The Parking Garage and The Fix Up as the absolute best of the entire season. It's silly, inspired and downright hilarious. Translation: a classic.

Premise: Jerry has a casual run-in with Mets player Keith Hernandez and the two become friends, quite unexpectedly. The situation takes an ugly turn, however, when Keith shows an interest in Elaine. George, on the other hand, has to come up with a scheme in order to keep collecting his unemployment checks, and tells the concerned people he has found a job at a latex-manufacturing firm, Vandelay Industries (what else?). Oh, and Kramer and Newman claim Hernandez spat at them once after a game.

This episode marks the first time that a celebrity appears as himself in a slightly self- spoofing mode, something that has since become a tradition of sorts in NBC sitcoms. Hernandez, whom I had never heard of before watching the show (partly because I'm not into sports, partly because I'm not American), does a superb job, especially when he shares scenes with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Jason Alexander is equally memorable in the now immortal Vandelay scene, which involves a phone, Kramer, underwear and an iconic ad-lib on Jerry's part.

The real gem, though, is the Simpsons-worth parody of JFK's "magic bullet" moment, with Jerry reconstructing and subsequently destroying Kramer and Newman's recollection of the spit incident. The whole thing is made exponentially funnier by the fact Wayne Knight jokingly recreates his own role from Oliver Stone's movie. Proof, if any was ever needed (probably, given crap like Scary Movie has branded the genre in a bad way), that when a spoof is done correctly, with intelligence and wit, no film is too sacred.

"Should I shake his hand?"

[juanmaffeo · 9/10 · 13 June 2016]

Although this isn't a perfect episode, it has some of the key elements that made Seinfeld The show on full force: mashing up relationships with an ordinary situation, cinematic style and, on a lower scale, inside thoughts on off.

Mash up relationship: throughout its run Seinfeld has re-utilize several times the concept of mixing relationship language with ordinary situations. Examples like: The Masseuse (S05), The Barber (S05), The Fusilli Jerry (S06), The Bottle Deposit (S07). But there is no doubt that this is the best executed. The references are so subtle and clever: Shake hands = Kiss, help move = have sex. Plus, decisions about what to wear, wondering why he hasn't call back. It's astounding.

Cinematic style: right from the beginning of the series you could see that they were trying not just to write differently but also to direct the show in a unorthodox way. Cherones is a complete underrated master (more so than Ackerman) because he shot the first five seasons in a cinematic way but always being aware of the TV format. On Ackerman's seasons they didn't pay attention to this and the weird camera angles feel out of place. This episode has some of the most astounding cinematic directions in the whole series. The obvious one is the, now iconic, magic loogie story. It's cinematic gold. From the way the shot the short film (in JFK's shooting style) to the acting on set, everything clicked.

Inside thoughts: they first used them in The Subway (Elaine's memorable outburst) and they are back in full form. From Jerry's insecurities in Keith's car to Elaine's thoughts on Keith to even Keith's insecurities about himself. It takes the episode to another level of funny (when done right).

What I believe restrains this episode of being perfect is George's story. Elaine's is almost part of the same story line as Jerry. Kramer has virtually none and George's starts off great (reaching its peak in the end of the first half), but slowly starts its downhill fall. The girl George's takes out is quite annoying and by the time George tries to make Hernandez appear in the unemployment office it just reaches a point of disbelieve that kills the story. Also I don't know what the purpose of Jerry and Kramer visiting the baby was. It's great that we see the annoyingly fantastic Carol, but it's kind of out of place.

The Boyfriend is an absolute favorite of mine, and a classic Seinfeld episode, as the story in it is one of my favorites!

[callanvass · 18 April 2006]

(plot). Jerry's friendship with his baseball idol Keith Hernandez makes him act like the two of them are dating. Kramer and Newman despise Hernandez for having spit on them after a game, though Jerry suspects the involvement of a second Spitter. Jerry gets jealous when Keith begins dating Elaine. George schemes for an unemployment extension by lying about his job interview with the fictitious Vandelay industries and dating his counselor's daughter.

The Boyfriend is an absolute favorite of mine, and a classic Seinfeld episode, as the story in it is one of my favorites!. It was really funny when the cab driver got sick of George's demands and threw him out of the cab, and this is very well written by Larry Levin and directed by Tom Cherones, plus this was the 1st ever episode two have 2 parts in it and be an hour long. The opening segment was hilarious as George claimed Keith wouldn't know he was, but he did after all, and I loved the ending too as George finally got his wish about having sex with a tall woman, plus Keith Hernandez is excellent in this episode and was very funny. Jerry's stand up's were very funny,and I can see why this is one of Jerry's favorite episodes, because it's one of mine too, plus this is one of Seinfeld's most clever episodes in my opinion. Jerry's explanation about the spitting segment was very funny, and This might just be the best episode on Season 3, plus Julia and Keith made a cool couple. The Boyfriend is an absolute favorite of mine, and a classic Seinfeld episode, as the story in it is one of my favorites, and I say go see it immediately if you Haven't Seinfeld fans!. ***** out of 5

Favorite quotes.

(Opening segment). Kramer: Wide open!, I was wide open underneath, I had three inches on the guy, see you two were hogging the ball. George: Me? it Wasn't me, I never even saw the ball, (George to Jerry): All you do is dribble. Jerry: I have to dribble, If I give it to you, you just shoot, your a Chucker!. George: Oh I'm a Chucker?. Jerry: That's right every time you get the ball you shoot. George: I can't believe you called me a Chucker, no way I'm a Chucker, I don't chuck, never chuck, never have chucked, never will chuck, no chuck!. Jerry: You chuck!. George: Kramer am I a Chucker?. Kramer: Oh your a Chucker!.

Kramer: Hey you know this is the 1st time we ever saw each other naked?. Jerry: Believe me I didn't see anything. Kramer: Oh you didn't sneak a peek?. Jerry: No did you?. Kramer: Yeah I Snuck a peek. Jerry: *laughing* why?. Kramer: Why not?, hey what about you George?. George: Yeah I Snuck a peek, but it was so fast, I didn't see anything, it was just a blur.

George: You know Keith what Iv'e always wondered is with all the ball clubs flying around all season, wouldn't you think There'd be a plane crash?.

Jerry: Vandelay industries Kell Varnsen speaking, how may we help you?.

Keith: You know I hate to brag about it but I did win 11 straight gold gloves, I wouldn't have brought it up but since you mentioned it. Elaine: I didn't mention it. Keith: Well I won them anyway. Elaine: Well so what?, I mean you played 1st base , I mean they always put the worst player at 1st base, that's where they put me and I stunk. Keith: Elaine You don't know the 1st thing about 1st base. Elaine: Oh well I know something about getting to 1st base,and I know You'll never be there. Keith: The way I see it Iv'e already been there, and I plan on rounding second tonight at around 11:00. Elaine: Well I'd watch the 3rd base coach if I were you, Cause I don't think He's waving you in.

The fun continues...

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 2 December 2008]

The Boyfriend comes to its end with this second twenty-minute batch of highly imaginative and entertaining gags, comprising relationship comedy, heartfelt slapstick and THAT spot-on JFK spoof.

Picking up from Part 1, Jerry is more unhappy than ever about Elaine's dealings with Keith Hernandez, although he needn't worry: since it's Elaine we're talking about, things are bound to go wrong. George has to find a new way to continue receiving unemployment checks, and Jerry's theory about a "second spitter" (the series' version of the second hit-man in the Kennedy assassination) regarding Kramer and Newman's embarrassing encounter with Hernandez a few years earlier is further investigated.

Is there really anything to say about the second episode part of the episode that hasn't already been mentioned in relation to Part One? No, not much so. Suffice to say, the conclusion to the story is just as hilarious as the build-up, with a special mention for how the JFK mockery plays out at the end. It's smart, quotable, a TV landmark, yada yada yada. Long story short: it's Seinfeld, thus an invitation to watch it many, many times, as always.

It Could Wipe Out an Entire Baseball Team

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 23 July 2022]

Often when there is a celebrity guest, things don't work out for sitcoms. Keith Hernandez keeps it low key and actually becomes an unwitting foil. And it works. Again the writing is superb. The role reversals with the males cast in stereotypical female roles works so well. They don't overdo it. And Elaine comes out so well with her first base comments. Now, the second story, with George trying to keep his unemployment is equal to that. Because he had made no effort to get work, he has to come up with a cock and bull story about being turned down as a salesman for a latex company (that makes latex). The woman at the unemployment office is aware of his ludicrous claims. He eventually dates her abrasive daughter to get in good. But the best thing is the effort to use Jerry's phone number as the offices of the latex company. Oh, I didn't mention the use of footage of the guys getting spit on, done like any investigation of the JFK assassination. Great episode.

Classic Sitcom Riot

[DKosty123 · 9/10 · 10 July 2007]

This 2 part episode is just brilliant in how it plays off all the characters involved with funny quotes galore and then plays off an actual event to illustrate how absurd the original event was. It does this without creating controversial waves. Jerry does have one of his best moments in the series with a long complicated monologue recreating the spitting on Kramer & Newman episode.

According to Jerry on the DVD he did this incredible monologue on the very first take. "Then the spit bounces off Kramer, pauses, in mid-air mind you, turns right, then left, then right & buries itself into Newmans armpit causing him to drop his baseball cap. That is one loaded luggie!" This sequence & the way he is telling it to Elaine, who with her glasses over her nose looks astounded, is priceless. This episode is when the show came of age in my mind. After this episode, things only got better, but this is one brilliant & screwball moment in the history of American sitcoms.

Seinfeld peak

[safenoe · 10/10 · 7 March 2024]

I'm very much re-watching many of the Seinfeld episodes, having first watched it when it debuted in the 1990s, so that's like 30 years ago which was at a time where there wasn't a barrage of streaming, and you had to wait a week to watch the next episode, and when the season of 22 to 24 episodes was over, you had to wait the whole summer for the next season!

The Boyfriend is a classic Seinfeld episode. Keith Hernandez guest stars as himself, and Wayne Knight steals the episode as Newman, especially with the JFK re-enactment, and in fact Wayne Knight starred in JFK. Soon after this episode, Wayne appeared in Basic Instinct alongside Sharon Stone and supporting actor Michael Douglas.

Kramer: Oh you're a chucker.

[bombersflyup · 6/10 · 25 August 2022]

The Boyfriend is about Jerry becoming friends with a baseball player, who soon starts dating Elaine. While George goes to desperate lengths to keep his unemployment checks coming in.

A solid hour-long episode, not a standout. I don't know baseball, so I'm unaware of Keith Hernandez. George's hilarious throughout though, sinking to all kinds of lows to keep this thing going. Asking someone to help you move's quite an ask. Jerry's standup's weak, other than the making new friends part.

Elaine: Wait a second wait a minute, you jealous of him or you jealous of me?