Seinfeld (TV Series) The Phone Message (1991) User Reviews

"Take it easy"

[juanmaffeo · 8/10 · 11 October 2016]

Another great episode from the early days. It simultaneously has everything prevalent in the first 2 to 3 seasons: relatable social situations, relationship insights, inconsistent tone and some pretentious writing. I personally like better the early seasons over the latter ones. I am willing to see past its amateur faults because there's a sense of creativity, of doing something unique.

The main plot line isn't all that incredible: the episode revolves around George trying to get some messages out of his girlfriend's phone machine and I believe that's partially the weakness of this episode. The main idea isn't very strong and there is nothing else to complement it. There's a minor storyline involving Jerry's neurosis but Kramer and Elaine don't get to do anything. That being said, the episode has its moments. Jerry's insights on the Cotton Dokers commercial is really funny and the whole third act is amazing.

So yeah, just like the majority of the early episodes, it has good intentions and nice ideas, but they are still finding their tone and style.

The perfect early 'Seinfeld' portrayal of George Costanza, he singlehandedly elevates this episode

[SLionsCricketreviews · 7/10 · 30 January 2018]

I don't really consider "The Phone Message" to be a great 'Seinfeld' episode as much as I consider it to be a very decent and above average early episode of the show. I am sure that statement alone will have me crucified by many and while the laughs are slowly but surely beginning to land with the show, I am more impressed by the blueprint of the show becoming closer and closer to the show that it is today remembered as. The best thing the episode does, hands down, is absolutely nail the character of George Costanza and Jason Alexander gets to really dig into some very interesting material that absolutely screams classic George.

"The Phone Message" wholly works because of George and it's his episode out and out. Elaine has a few moments, nothing too remarkable and Kramer has a very amusing almost meta scene in which he is effectively mocking some of Seinfeld's stand-up routine (although I think this material would work later down the series, especially as the show really becomes a hit and Kramer would return to some of his mimicry of Jerry later on, to better effect in my opinion). Jerry himself gets a decent little piece about dating a girl and finding his relationship with her muddied after finding out she enjoys a television commercial that he despises. It really showcases the mundane nature of 'Seinfeld's' observational comedy as well as the utterly selfish nature of its characters and while the material here doesn't really reduce me to laughter, it's decent enough and more interestingly shows 'Seinfeld' edging closer to the show it would become.

Let's return to George here though as he is absolutely fantastic. First he manages to do the almost impossible, get himself a date with a woman who genuinely seems to enjoy his company. He's then invited into her apartment late in the night for "coffee" which he doesn't clue into its ulterior signal and then upon learning his mistake, attempts to fix it and ends up getting himself into far greater complications after leaving a series of increasingly angry messages on her phone.

This is it. This is the George Costanza that I absolutely adore and this is the real beginnings of the character whose pure brilliance has made 'Seinfeld' almost transcendent. This is a classic George predicament and it is achieved in the earlier days of 'Seinfeld' and "The Phone Message" is among the best episodes yet for my money. It doesn't quite nail the timing, the efficiency and the all-out hilarity of 'Seinfeld' down the road but it really showcases the overall series coming together in retrospect.

On a side note, I do think the 8.6 rating on IMDb can be somewhat problematic, especially to first time viewers of the show. While I consider this episode entertaining and funny with bursts of brilliance, a lot of it works for me in hindsight. A first time viewer might find his desire to continue watching Seinfeld a little halted should an episode as highly rated as this really underwhelm he/she.

Think, Before You Speak

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 20 January 2022]

George has let his shortsighted idiocy cause him to miss out on a very attractive woman. So Jerry and the gang push him into calling her. But she has an answering machine (ala 1991). He makes an ass of himself, leaving a message, and getting angry. He talks Jerry into trying to steal the recording cassette. The result is hilarious.

"The idiot's on!"

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 29 November 2007]

Ah, George Costanza, what a lovely TV creation: constantly insecure, awkward, selfish and cheap, incapable of having a lasting relationship with any woman and, finally, "Lord of the idiots" (his own words). Many of Seinfeld's best moments derive from his missteps, and The Phone Message is one of four Season 2 episodes (the others being The Ex-Girlfriend, The Apartment and The Revenge) where the character, played to endearing perfection by Jason Alexander, completely steals the show.

As suggested by the title, this episode has a lot to do with phones. Before that part, though, comes one of the most absurd conversations ever heard on mainstream television: Jerry and George go out on separate dates, and while the former doesn't seem to have that many difficulties, the latter "elegantly" turns down his lady companion's offer to come up to her apartment and "have coffee" by saying: "Oh, no thanks, I can't drink coffee late at night, it keeps me up". Realizing his mistake, he later tries to atone by leaving a message, only to decide to steal the tape because what he said over the telephone is, naturally, a load of garbage.

Of course, the story isn't all about George: Jerry, Elaine and Kramer appear as well, and everyone of them is memorable, but because of the script and the opportunities it gives the actor in terms of physical and verbal comedy, The Phone Message is best remembered for Alexander's zany antics, which range from discussing the significance of the word "coffee" to using an answering machine in the worst possible way. Perhaps the reason this episode made me laugh really hard was the fact that it constituted a reversal within the series: in the very first episode, The Seinfeld Chronicles, an unusually confident George chastised Jerry for not understanding the signals a woman conveys ("What do you need, a flag?"); this time it is Mr. Costanza himself who misinterprets the simplest of clues, spinning comedy gold out of what could have been an average, boring romance scene.

Overall, as fantastic as previous shows. For the real George-related comic triumph, however, there was one more episode to go...

One of the best early episodes

[Joe X. · 6 January 2021]

I just found out that Jerry and Larry wrote this episode in two days after the scheduled one was rejected after a read-through. It's a George tour-de-force that comes from Larry's real life (as so many of the classic bits do).

If you watch the series in order, this is one of the first ones where you can see the typical Seinfeld style really starting to taking shape. This feels like the Seinfeld we're used to seeing--unlike most of the earlier episodes.

Early classic episode

[kellielulu · 10/10 · 21 September 2022]

I like this one more each time I see it.

George at his most neurotic but still lovable. He ask out a woman ( Carol) and they actually have a good time. When she ask him up for coffee he declined saying it keeps him up! Realizing he's probably missed out on sex . He can't let it go and when she doesn't return a call he leaves a message with a rant he soon regrets! Elaine tells him about her brother in law doing something like that with a business deal and switched the tapes. He has an elaborate plan to do the same with Jerry making the switch after learning Carol has been out of town and he still has a chance to keep her from hearing it . Turned out she did hear it ! Her friend played them over the phone and both thought it was hilarious!

Meanwhile Jerry messes up with a current girlfriend ( Donna) due to his finding fault with the most pointless stuff. This time it's about a commercial he thinks is lame but Donna likes . The commercial they disagree on was an actual commercial at the time. When George drops by and accidentally blurts out knowing about their disagreement. Kramer does the same when he comes in .This upsets Donna . Jerry still thinks it's lame and sees nothing wrong with telling his friends, only them unable to not say anything about it.

George's girlfriend situation ends better than Jerry's. Jerry's just ends !

It's one of those early episodes that shows George and Jerry's personality quirks that often end up going too far. I also liked Carol and Donna . They were nicer than most characters were .

Don't do the apples. That's enough already with the apples.

[bombersflyup · 10/10 · 19 January 2022]

The Phone Message is about George leaving awkward messages on a girlfriend's answering machine, deciding to swap the tape.

This is classic George, in one of best episodes of the second season. He turns down his girlfriend without thinking and then goes on to make matters worse for himself, it's laughs throughout. He also puts his foot in it, messing up Jerry's relationship by speaking out of turn about the commercial they had argued about. We delve into George's neurotic thinking here, as well as Jerry not being able to let something minor go, as it eats at him. Jerry's opening standup's weak, it gets better though and strong at the end. Elaine and Kramer are pretty limited here as well, but an excellent episode.

Donna: Unless you want to go to your place. Jerry: OK, but there's no cake or anything, if that's what you're looking for.

Elaine: All she'll think is that you like her. George: Yes, she wants me to like her, if she likes me, but she doesn't like me! Elaine: I don't know what your parents did to you.

Jerry: I love my phone machine. I wish I was a phone machine. I wish if I saw somebody on the street I didn't want to talk to I could go "Excuse me, I'm not in right now. If you could just leave a message, I could walk away."

Beep

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 17 June 2020]

I like the bit where George leaves an awkward phone message

"i dont like cofee"

[akgonen61 · 9/10 · 18 January 2021]

Its astonishing to see george being as clever as he is not get the COFFEE REGERENCE IN THE BEGINNING of the episode

Lies and tape

[safenoe · 8/10 · 24 March 2024]

The Phone Message, from season two of Seinfeld, is a slice of time, with phone answering machines with cassette tapes, and I can remember them for sure. None of this digital stuff, but real life tape, and George is trying to extricate himself from being caught up in the tape by going on an expedition to retrieve it unlawfully I guess.

Anyway, I'm enjoying very much reflecting on Seinfeld, having watched it when it debuted back in the early 1990s, and it's a major achievement that it ensures on and on, and the younger generation like it, along with Friends and other series from the 1990s and init.

I don't drink coffee either. I drink water.

[ThunderKing6 · 10/10 · 6 March 2023]

The episode that made George, George an insecure, worried wart.

March 6th 2023 this review was published.

About: After denying Coffee, George leaves a silly phone message and he is must stop the presses before the lady hears it.

Jerry dislikes a girl who like the Cotton Docker Commercial.

Kramer and Elaine are basically flies on the wall.

Story: Both George's story and Jerry's was fun to watch. Production was also a delight.

This episode truly introduced George as a crazy bald guy.

Highlight: George leaving the message, Jerry and the girl arguing over a commercial. Kramer saying "Cotton Dockers"

Laugh meter: 10

Girlfriend Attractive level: 7

What can be learned?: never say no to coffee at 3am.

Should you watch this? Yes.

The Phone Message is an excellent episode, that's really funny, Jason Alexander is especially hilarious in this one!

[callanvass · 21 February 2006]

The Phone Message is an excellent episode, that's really funny, Jason Alexander is especially hilarious in this one!. This time around George starts to get paranoid about the stupid calls he made on his girlfriend Carol's machine, so he gets Jerry to switch the tapes in the machine. I thought the message George left about the whole Coffee thing was very funny, and while Kramer and Elaine don't have much to do in this one, there presence as always was still appreciated, plus it's very well made as well. It's also very well directed by Tom Cherones, and very well written by Larry David and Jerry, plus I loved the argument over the cotton docker pants!. Gretchen German(Donna Jerry's girl) and Tory Polone(Carol George's girl) do very well as the girlfriends and were both beautiful, and Jerry does have quite a bit of involvement in this, but this is George's show, plus the opening scene in the diner was funny as well. The ending is absolutely hilarious, and I loved George's reaction when he realizes what he says to Carol in the car, plus the whole episode was very clever itself. The Phone Message is an excellent episode, that's really funny, Jason Alexander is especially hilarious in this one, and I say it's a must see for every Seinfeld fan!. ****1/2 out of 5

P.S Jerry's opening stand up about Soda was funny

Favorite quotes.

Carol: So thanks for dinner it was great. George: We should do this again. Carol: Would you like to come up for some coffee?. George: Oh no thanks, I can't drink coffee late at night it keeps me up. Carol: Oh, so..OK goodnight. George: Yeah take it easy.

(*phone message segment #1*). George: If I call her now, she's gonna think i'm too needy, women don't wanna see need, they want a take charge guy, a kernel, Kaiser. Elaine: All She'll think is that you like her. George: That's exactly what i'm trying to avoid. Elaine: She wants you to like her. George: Yes she wants me to like her, if she likes me, but she Doesen't like me. Elaine: I don't know what your parents did to you.

*The famous phone message*. George: Hi It's George, George Costanza, remember me the guy who didn't come up for Coffee *laughing*, you see I didn't realize, that Coffee really didn't mean, well whatever, anyway it was fun, it was fun, so, Umm you call me back, if you want to, that's up to you, either way the balls in your court, so take it easy.

George: Hey come and listen to the idiot, the idiot's on!.

Take it easy!

[dannylee-78082 · 8/10 · 27 February 2023]

1. George and Jerry go on the date 2. Jerry doesn't like commercials 3. George tries to switch the tape

This was a fun episode. It highlights the struggles of dating as a men in their twentysomethings. This made me realize that it's always been challenging for men to date even before all the technology and dating apps. Perhaps the analog way of meeting women a little bit more "fun" to it as we see George trying to recover obnoxious messages. That can sure still happen, but much less likely (the only voicemail I ever get is from robots). There was more of situational comedy in this episode rather than dialogue-based as Jerry and George try to pull off a scheme (reminiscent of the Vanessa episode).

George's character has been further developed and now it's clear that he's a self-deprecating, nervous wreck. Hardly glorious but there's a part of him that's very relatable. It was also fun to see how such insignificant thing leads to a breakup in Jerry's relationship and for George, something seemingly so significant that he was worried it would be the cause of a breakup, ends up being perceived as harmless. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two main character's fate. One of the best episodes so far!

Think Before You Speak

[vivianla · 31 January 2022]

George misses the true meaning when his gf asks him to go up to her place for coffee at 12 am. He declines saying he doesn't drink coffee that late. Later Jerry and him discuss it with Elaine and George says no one drinks coffee that late. He decides to leave phone messages and he regrets it. He decides to go wait outside her apartment with Jerry and Jerry will switch the recorders. They successfully switched the recorders but Elaine reveals her neighbour played the messages for her and they found it hilarious.