"Who figures an immigrant's going to have a pony? Do you know what the odds are on that? I mean, in all the pictures I saw of immigrants on boats coming into New York harbor, I never saw one of them sitting on a pony. Why would anybody come here if they had a pony? Who leaves a country packed with ponies to come to a non-pony country?" Jerry's little monologue at the dinner table is one of my favourite moments of "Seinfeld". This episode is hilarious - filled with beautiful irony, quotable jokes, and even philosophical moments (consider that diner scene before the funeral when Elaine, Jerry, and George sit and talk about how they've wasted their lives so far and wonder how they can stop doing that.) Jerry must pick between going to his softball team's game or going to the funeral of someone that he may have killed because of an inappropriate remark. This is also happens to be the first episode of the show that introduces Uncle Leo. It's worth a watch.
12 Reviews
Seinfeld becomes Seinfeld
kellielulu14 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This episode feels like Jerry's character found the right tone. The entire scene at the family dinner with the pony remark is the Jerry we know. His way of trying to back out of his comment while defending himself is hilarious! The look on his mother's face always gets to me. She isn't defending him or judging him either. Later his dad Morty expresses support for Jerry. " who likes a kid with a pony?!"
This is also the episode a couple of recurring themes with Kramer . First he has this special bond with Jerry's parents that seems a little unexpected but makes for future interactions with them interesting as they all seem to be fond of each other.
The other is Kramer's often bizarre and usually one sided logic . The bet he makes with Jerry and loses shows he comes up with his own take on things that will inevitably benefit him even if he has to bend his own rules.
While not a perfect episode it's definitely one that sets some of the tone for the series.
Early Elaine is rather sweet.
This is also the episode a couple of recurring themes with Kramer . First he has this special bond with Jerry's parents that seems a little unexpected but makes for future interactions with them interesting as they all seem to be fond of each other.
The other is Kramer's often bizarre and usually one sided logic . The bet he makes with Jerry and loses shows he comes up with his own take on things that will inevitably benefit him even if he has to bend his own rules.
While not a perfect episode it's definitely one that sets some of the tone for the series.
Early Elaine is rather sweet.
non-pony country
dannylee-7808226 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
1. Jerry goes to a family dinner
2. Jerry talks about ponies
3. Jerry goes to the funeral
Season 2 has been coasting so far. I like that this episode featured a lot of ethnic background and family history of Jerry - him coming from an immigrant family. Even though not distinctively, it captures the clash between the older immigrant family members vs the newer ones who don't identify with that much anymore. I also found this episode quite different than others because it felt less "realistic". Not in a negative sense, but there was that sort of absurdist element to it that I love to see in comedy. It talks about mortality, the "spiritual world" in a very light manner that it still maintains comedic value and without letting it get too heavy.
Season 2 has been coasting so far. I like that this episode featured a lot of ethnic background and family history of Jerry - him coming from an immigrant family. Even though not distinctively, it captures the clash between the older immigrant family members vs the newer ones who don't identify with that much anymore. I also found this episode quite different than others because it felt less "realistic". Not in a negative sense, but there was that sort of absurdist element to it that I love to see in comedy. It talks about mortality, the "spiritual world" in a very light manner that it still maintains comedic value and without letting it get too heavy.
Best achievement of the second season!
MaxBorg8911 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Following a smart inaugural season and an exhilarating start of the second, The Pony Remark stands out as the first must-see episode of Seinfeld, and even though I haven't seen the entire series I'm placing it directly in my personal Top 10.
Much of the episode revolves around the titular event, which is supposedly based on writer Larry David's personal experience, as many other memorable moments of the show: Jerry's parents ask him and Elaine to come with them to a dinner hosted by a foreign relative, leading to an excruciating evening, especially for the protagonist, who has to sit next to his really boring uncle Leo. For some reason the people at the table start discussing ponies, prompting Jerry to fearlessly say he never understood and in fact hated anyone who had a pony when they grew up. Predictably, someone isn't thrilled, namely Manya (the Polish relative I mentioned earlier), who angrily states: "I had a pony!". With the dinner ruined, all Jerry can do is try to apologize, although that ends badly too ("Who figures an immigrant is gonna have a pony?").
The second half sees our beloved comedian dealing with remorse, a feeling that is increased by the news that Manya has passed away and the implication that he may have caused her death with the pony remark. As if that weren't enough, the funeral is set to occur on the same day as an important baseball game Jerry is supposed to take part in.
Seinfeld always stunned audiences for its innovative formal and narrative choices, turning the ordinary into something extraordinary, and while previous episodes were justly praised for how they toyed with conventional ideas, The Pony Remark deserves extra marks for sheer originality: the remark itself is the single best piece of writing in the whole season (and laid the foundations for Larry David's autobiographical misbehavior in Curb Your Enthusiasm), and the brief digressions, such as Kramer's decision to rebuild his apartment to make it similar to a pyramid, are clever enough to amuse the viewer but never distract from the embarrassingly funny main misadventure.
Still fresh, intelligent and timed to perfection, The Pony Remark is essential Seinfeld, even if you don't know anything about horses.
Much of the episode revolves around the titular event, which is supposedly based on writer Larry David's personal experience, as many other memorable moments of the show: Jerry's parents ask him and Elaine to come with them to a dinner hosted by a foreign relative, leading to an excruciating evening, especially for the protagonist, who has to sit next to his really boring uncle Leo. For some reason the people at the table start discussing ponies, prompting Jerry to fearlessly say he never understood and in fact hated anyone who had a pony when they grew up. Predictably, someone isn't thrilled, namely Manya (the Polish relative I mentioned earlier), who angrily states: "I had a pony!". With the dinner ruined, all Jerry can do is try to apologize, although that ends badly too ("Who figures an immigrant is gonna have a pony?").
The second half sees our beloved comedian dealing with remorse, a feeling that is increased by the news that Manya has passed away and the implication that he may have caused her death with the pony remark. As if that weren't enough, the funeral is set to occur on the same day as an important baseball game Jerry is supposed to take part in.
Seinfeld always stunned audiences for its innovative formal and narrative choices, turning the ordinary into something extraordinary, and while previous episodes were justly praised for how they toyed with conventional ideas, The Pony Remark deserves extra marks for sheer originality: the remark itself is the single best piece of writing in the whole season (and laid the foundations for Larry David's autobiographical misbehavior in Curb Your Enthusiasm), and the brief digressions, such as Kramer's decision to rebuild his apartment to make it similar to a pyramid, are clever enough to amuse the viewer but never distract from the embarrassingly funny main misadventure.
Still fresh, intelligent and timed to perfection, The Pony Remark is essential Seinfeld, even if you don't know anything about horses.
Who figures an immigratant's gonna have a pony?
Otoboke1 February 2008
Great episode, full of great laughs and a very memorable plot line, but I wouldn't say I'm as impressed as most Seinfeld fans appear to be with it. I actually preferred the opening episode of season two, and felt it had much more laughs and interesting character development in it. Nevertheless, 'The Pony Remark' is a fine effort itself and is certainly one of the best I've seen thus far (8 episodes in to Seinfeld).
My main problem with the episode comes from the distinct lack of George, a character who I grew to love during the very first episode. Instead Larry and Jerry decide to focus this one on Elaine, hoping to maybe flesh out her character a little more. Unfortunately it still hasn't worked for me. I still don't get Elaine; don't know who she is as a character and don't really find her funny. This episode was a good chance to fix that, but ultimately it fails to do so.
Even Uncle Leo who is first introduced here, I feel I know more than Elaine. Maybe Elaine is more of subtle character than the rest featured so far, and I'm sure I'll grow to love her soon enough- but for now, her focus in this episode in place of George kind of ruined the episode in terms of laughs. Furthermore, I have the same problem with Jerry's parents, they seem like they have identity's here but it's still not clear at this point. So I had a real problem enjoying their scenes, at least until Jerry arrives to strengthen things up.
Kramer's brief involvement is humorous with Richards giving yet another amazing performance, which is always wonderful to watch. My favourite scene however comes from inside the Diner where Jerry, George and Elaine are eating whilst discussing George's sex life (briefly), the nature of spirits' travelling habits and Jerry's guilt over his relative's death. I think it's the way the dialogue is written in combination with the everyday-casual nature of the cast's tone that brings out the real comedy in this scene. Everything about it works, and it's a joy to watch, really helping to solidify the episode.
In addition to this I enjoyed the various stand-up scenes (as I always do) and thought the main plot involving the funeral being on the same day as Jerry's baseball final was pretty clever and evenly paced out. Overall, a great episode for sure, but perhaps missing the mark on some jokes here and there and failed to convince me of Elaine's character, again. Nevertheless I did get to know the rest of the characters a little bit more, so the characterisation on the whole, was good.
My main problem with the episode comes from the distinct lack of George, a character who I grew to love during the very first episode. Instead Larry and Jerry decide to focus this one on Elaine, hoping to maybe flesh out her character a little more. Unfortunately it still hasn't worked for me. I still don't get Elaine; don't know who she is as a character and don't really find her funny. This episode was a good chance to fix that, but ultimately it fails to do so.
Even Uncle Leo who is first introduced here, I feel I know more than Elaine. Maybe Elaine is more of subtle character than the rest featured so far, and I'm sure I'll grow to love her soon enough- but for now, her focus in this episode in place of George kind of ruined the episode in terms of laughs. Furthermore, I have the same problem with Jerry's parents, they seem like they have identity's here but it's still not clear at this point. So I had a real problem enjoying their scenes, at least until Jerry arrives to strengthen things up.
Kramer's brief involvement is humorous with Richards giving yet another amazing performance, which is always wonderful to watch. My favourite scene however comes from inside the Diner where Jerry, George and Elaine are eating whilst discussing George's sex life (briefly), the nature of spirits' travelling habits and Jerry's guilt over his relative's death. I think it's the way the dialogue is written in combination with the everyday-casual nature of the cast's tone that brings out the real comedy in this scene. Everything about it works, and it's a joy to watch, really helping to solidify the episode.
In addition to this I enjoyed the various stand-up scenes (as I always do) and thought the main plot involving the funeral being on the same day as Jerry's baseball final was pretty clever and evenly paced out. Overall, a great episode for sure, but perhaps missing the mark on some jokes here and there and failed to convince me of Elaine's character, again. Nevertheless I did get to know the rest of the characters a little bit more, so the characterisation on the whole, was good.
Hilarious Episode
Hitchcoc31 October 2021
Jerry is feeling great after a semifinal softball game where he was the hero. His parents are visiting an he is excited. Kramer has one of his dreamworld plans which never come to fruition. Jerry gets dragged to a dinner party for an elderly relative and ends up ruining the evening by making disparaging remarks about ponies. Then the lady he insulted dies and he has to go to the funeral. The dialogue is priceless.
Pony
safenoe23 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I'm enjoying reflecting on Seinfeld, having first watched it when it debuted in the early 1990s, wow that long long, and it has endured for sure. Anyway, The Pony Remark really lifted the profile of Seinfeld, and this episode had the first appearance of Barney Martin as Morty Seinfeld, Jerry's dad, replacing Phil Bruns, who had portrayed Morty in the season one episode The Stake Out. To be honest, I can't remember Phil Bruns, but still no doubt he would have made a decent Morty. Anyway, it's amazing Seinfeld is so popular with the current generation of viewers because it's so popular and all init.
I don't think she ever laughed...
ThunderKing621 January 2023
I think they should have checked her husband's closet...
This Review right here has been published on January 21 23
About: Jerry jokingly says he hated anyone who had a pony, and the lady took it too seriously. She and her went upstairs, and only the husband came back downstairs.
Story and Production: I loved the production of Seinfeld from season 1 to maybe 6. It had an awesome, sentiment feel. This episode is of no exception. It was a funny episode.
The dialogue with Jerry and Kramer is iconic.
George: Barely in it
Kramer: Decides he wants to build levels.
Elaine: Tags around with Jerome.
Uncle Leo: Discusses Jeffery, who works at the Park Department.
Morty and Helen: The actor that plays Morty debuts in this episode, and it feels like he's been on the show for ages.
Laugh Meter: 8. Solid, chilled, funny, dark episode.
What can be learned?: Don't take everything too seriously at a dinner party, and keep an eye on her husband.
Should you watch this? Yes. A great episode. They made death so funny. Though, South Park made death hilarious.
This Review right here has been published on January 21 23
About: Jerry jokingly says he hated anyone who had a pony, and the lady took it too seriously. She and her went upstairs, and only the husband came back downstairs.
Story and Production: I loved the production of Seinfeld from season 1 to maybe 6. It had an awesome, sentiment feel. This episode is of no exception. It was a funny episode.
The dialogue with Jerry and Kramer is iconic.
George: Barely in it
Kramer: Decides he wants to build levels.
Elaine: Tags around with Jerome.
Uncle Leo: Discusses Jeffery, who works at the Park Department.
Morty and Helen: The actor that plays Morty debuts in this episode, and it feels like he's been on the show for ages.
Laugh Meter: 8. Solid, chilled, funny, dark episode.
What can be learned?: Don't take everything too seriously at a dinner party, and keep an eye on her husband.
Should you watch this? Yes. A great episode. They made death so funny. Though, South Park made death hilarious.
I appreciate the status of this one as a mild classic of early Seinfeld but I far prefer the season premiere
SLionsCricketreviews13 January 2018
Having just re-watched the second season premiere a few days earlier and being pleasantly surprised by not only how much I enjoyed it but how much it felt like a Seinfeld episode, my expectations towards "The Pony Remark" this time around were heightened somewhat and despite its status as an early Seinfeld classic, my feelings on the episode have not changed too greatly.
This episode effectively introduces two of my favourite supporting characters on the show: Uncle Leo (played superbly by Len Lesser) and Morty Seinfeld (yes he appeared in "The Stakeout" but this is the first time Barney Martin took over the role) and for that alone, this episode is worthwhile. However, it lacks the laughs and solid characterization for characters who are fairly young in their screentime so far to make it as enjoyable.
One of the more upsetting elements of this episode is the almost total lack of George having given plenty of material the previous episode around. It goes back to my criticisms with season one, and in particular "The Stakeout" where the writing lacks the total fluidity to effectively introduce the core characters within each episode. George simply takes far too long to get any screentime here and Elaine is not as enjoyable as she can become during the series and I will argue, not as enjoyable as she was in the previous episode.
Kramer comes up with the idea of removing all furniture in his apartment and instead creating levels and it amusingly goes nowhere and watching him bickering over the outcome of his wager with Jerry is classic Kramer but it would have been nice to see more of him here. Michael Richards is good but he lacks the nuance at this stage that makes his performance quite remarkably in later seasons.
The gist of it is, I don't find the anniversary dinner scene particularly funny nor do I find the dialogue very engaging either. There's potential for something that I can find funny but the performance by Julia Louis Dreyfus (still in her early days, not as funny as she can be down the road) coupled with Seinfeld's always on-the-verge-of-cracking-up delivery make it a scene I find difficult to enjoy.
And no, I do not and have never owned a pony.
Ultimately, "The Pony Remark" still left me a little disappointed. The best elements of this episode for me generally involve Uncle Leo and to a lesser extent, Jerry's parents. It is unfortunately, the core group of characters and the story as it relates to them that I find disappointing.
This episode effectively introduces two of my favourite supporting characters on the show: Uncle Leo (played superbly by Len Lesser) and Morty Seinfeld (yes he appeared in "The Stakeout" but this is the first time Barney Martin took over the role) and for that alone, this episode is worthwhile. However, it lacks the laughs and solid characterization for characters who are fairly young in their screentime so far to make it as enjoyable.
One of the more upsetting elements of this episode is the almost total lack of George having given plenty of material the previous episode around. It goes back to my criticisms with season one, and in particular "The Stakeout" where the writing lacks the total fluidity to effectively introduce the core characters within each episode. George simply takes far too long to get any screentime here and Elaine is not as enjoyable as she can become during the series and I will argue, not as enjoyable as she was in the previous episode.
Kramer comes up with the idea of removing all furniture in his apartment and instead creating levels and it amusingly goes nowhere and watching him bickering over the outcome of his wager with Jerry is classic Kramer but it would have been nice to see more of him here. Michael Richards is good but he lacks the nuance at this stage that makes his performance quite remarkably in later seasons.
The gist of it is, I don't find the anniversary dinner scene particularly funny nor do I find the dialogue very engaging either. There's potential for something that I can find funny but the performance by Julia Louis Dreyfus (still in her early days, not as funny as she can be down the road) coupled with Seinfeld's always on-the-verge-of-cracking-up delivery make it a scene I find difficult to enjoy.
And no, I do not and have never owned a pony.
Ultimately, "The Pony Remark" still left me a little disappointed. The best elements of this episode for me generally involve Uncle Leo and to a lesser extent, Jerry's parents. It is unfortunately, the core group of characters and the story as it relates to them that I find disappointing.
Bread
bevo-1367817 June 2020
Why would anybody come here if they had a pony? Who leaves a country packed with ponies to come to a non-pony country? It doesn't make sense.. am I wrong?
bombersflyup1 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The Pony Remark is about Jerry making an inappropriate comment at a family gathering and the subsequent death thereof.
One of the weakest episodes of the series. The problem's that the show already has a successful outline, yet here decides to focus merely on Jerry and this family gathering, which isn't all that interesting. Other than Kramer and his levels, it excludes plot from the other characters, George in particular. Morty's mildly amusing, Jerry's standup not great, though the line of the guy in a suit with a pillow's good. Why isn't Jeffrey at this gathering anyway, when he's being discussed all the time.
Jerry: So, when do I get my dinner? Kramer: There's no dinner. The bet's off. I'm not gonna do it. Jerry: Yes. I know you're not gonna do it. That's why I bet. Kramer: There's not bet if I' not doing it. Jerry: That's the bet! That you're not doing it! Kramer: Yeah, well, I could do it. I don't want to do it. Jerry: We didn't bet on if you wanted to. We bet on if it would be done. Kramer: And it could be done. Jerry: Well, of course it could be done! Anything could be done! But it only is done if it's done. Show me the levels! The bet is the levels. Kramer: But I don't want the levels! Jerry: That's the bet!
One of the weakest episodes of the series. The problem's that the show already has a successful outline, yet here decides to focus merely on Jerry and this family gathering, which isn't all that interesting. Other than Kramer and his levels, it excludes plot from the other characters, George in particular. Morty's mildly amusing, Jerry's standup not great, though the line of the guy in a suit with a pillow's good. Why isn't Jeffrey at this gathering anyway, when he's being discussed all the time.
Jerry: So, when do I get my dinner? Kramer: There's no dinner. The bet's off. I'm not gonna do it. Jerry: Yes. I know you're not gonna do it. That's why I bet. Kramer: There's not bet if I' not doing it. Jerry: That's the bet! That you're not doing it! Kramer: Yeah, well, I could do it. I don't want to do it. Jerry: We didn't bet on if you wanted to. We bet on if it would be done. Kramer: And it could be done. Jerry: Well, of course it could be done! Anything could be done! But it only is done if it's done. Show me the levels! The bet is the levels. Kramer: But I don't want the levels! Jerry: That's the bet!
Family gathering and baseball game
vivianla30 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Jerry's parents from Florida came to NYC for a gathering. Jerry did well in his baseball game and says it was the greatest moment of his life besides Sharon Besser. Jerry groans at having to see his second cousin who he has met like three times. His uncle grabs his arms and talks about his cousin working at the parks all day long. He is bragging about his son like he split the atom. An elderly woman is offended when Jerry and Elaine make a comment about ponies. She says everyone had a pony in Poland. Jerry says how should he have expected an immigrant to have a pony?! In all the photos of immigrants getting off boats there is no pony pictured! Why would you want to immigrate here if you had a pony?! When Jerry's parents are about to leave Jerry gets a call informing she died. Jerry's mom says no one is forcing him to go to the funeral. Elaine and bald guy discuss it with him over lunch. Bald guy says he can't see himself getting sex in any way. At the funeral they mention that she loved her pony. Elaine wants her husband's apartment. They owned it since World War II and the rent is only three hundred dollars.
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