Male Unbonding
Encyclopedia
"Male Unbonding" is the second episode
of the NBC
sitcom Seinfeld
to be produced, and aired on June 14, 1990 as the fourth episode of the first season
. In it, Jerry Seinfeld
tries to avoid meeting an old childhood friend, Joel Hornick (Kevin Dunn
). Jerry's neighbor, Kramer
, conceptualizes "a pizza
place where you make your own pie." The episode was written by Larry David
and Jerry Seinfeld
, and was the first episode directed by Tom Cherones
. This was the first episode produced with Elaine Benes
(Julia Louis-Dreyfus
) as a character. It also was the first episode to use Jonathan Wolff's
title music. This is the only Seinfeld episode to have a title without the word "The" in front of it.
tells Jerry
that he was out with a girlfriend. They went to see a play, during which he put his hand in his pocket to get some money and accidentally got some dental floss
stuck to his hand. George worries that his girlfriend is going to leave him because of it.
Jerry has problems with a childhood friend, Joel Hornick, who persists in keeping in touch with him. He does not like Hornick, who does not pay attention to anything that Jerry says. Jerry claims that he feels uncomfortable "breaking up with" Hornick, so George suggests that he should pretend that Hornick is a woman and break up normally. Jerry therefore attempts to break up with Hornick at Monk's Cafe
, but when he does so, Hornick bursts into tears. Deeply uncomfortable, Jerry assures Hornick he didn't mean it, and agrees to take him to see the New York Knicks
, although he was supposed to take George.
As George tells Jerry that his girlfriend no longer wants to see him, Jerry tells George that he gave away his ticket to Hornick. George does not go to the game because he does not know Hornick, so Jerry decides to give Hornick both tickets, claiming that he cannot make the game because he is tutoring his nephew. Later, when talking to his ex-girlfriend Elaine
, she tries to provide Jerry with a list of excuses to help him avoid Hornick. He later discovers that Hornick took Kramer
to the game and that Hornick is in the building. When Hornick meets Jerry and Elaine, Hornick invites them out to another Knicks game. They come up with more unusual excuses in an attempt to avoid going out. However, Hornick then gets out a newspaper and tries to organize a time when they can all meet, weeks in advance. Jerry realizes that no matter what excuses he comes up with, he cannot avoid Hornick.
Kramer, working under the name "Kramerica Industries", conceptualizes building "a pizza place where you make your own pizza pie." Jerry and George try to persuade Kramer to forget the idea, but Kramer is determined to go on with it. Kramer's pizza parlor idea reappears in later episodes such as "The Puffy Shirt
" in season 5
, and "The Couch
" in season 6
.
, "The Seinfeld Chronicles". The title of the series was shortened to Seinfeld to avoid confusion with another sitcom called The Marshall Chronicles. This episode is the only Seinfeld episode title that does not start with the. A decision was made to name all the episodes in this way so that the writers would not waste time trying to think of funny titles and instead make the content of the episode funny. However, this decision was made after the script for "Male Unbonding" was completed.
This is the first episode written which stars the character of Elaine. The first version of the script does not include Elaine, despite the fact that one of the conditions given when Seinfeld was given a series was that a female character was included. Originally, the character's name was Eileen. Louis-Dreyfus claims that she was unhappy with only being given one scene in the first episode in which she appeared, but said that she performed well in the episode. Similarly, other early versions of the script refer to the character of Kramer as "Breckman". Kevin Dunn, who plays Joel in the episode, auditioned for the role of George Costanza in the original pilot. The episode also stars Anita Wise, who plays a waitress. Wise appeared again in another episode from the first season of Seinfeld
titled "The Robbery
". Frank Piazza, a customer at the bank appears in the season 2
episode "The Stranded
".
This episode features different title music from the pilot; this music, composed by Jonathan Wolff
, is used throughout the rest of the series. The standup interstitials for this episode were recorded twice. Originally, the set for the interstitials was brightly lit and was designed to look like that of a church basement, but then it was remade to look like a nightclub and the material was performed again. The scene that was set in the bank was originally set in a dry cleaner's. However, this was moved and some of the material was moved to a later episode called "The Stock Tip".
The episode had an alternative ending, in which Joel borrows a k.d lang tape from Jerry. Jerry then finally manages to "break up" with Joel. Joel leaves, but then comes back again to tell Jerry that he will bring back the tape. Jerry then refers to Joel as Jason
from the Friday the 13th films. "Male Unbonding" was filmed on February 13,1990.
of 13.6/24, meaning that 13.6% of American households watched the episode, and that 24% of all televisions in use at the time were tuned into it. Several reviews at the time compared Seinfeld to It's Garry Shandling's Show
, in which Garry Shandling
, like Seinfeld, plays a fictionalized version of himself.
Jonathan Boudreaux writes that of the four season one episodes produced after the pilot, "'Male Unbonding' is the strongest. This episode centers on the classic Seinfeld theme of the gang complaining about an outsider's self-centeredness while conveniently ignoring their own selfish, antisocial behavior. The characters slowly begin to fall into place as George takes great strides toward being the neurotic moron we love, and Kramer becomes more spastic and idiosyncratic."
Colin Jacobson for DVD Movie Guide was also positive, saying, "'Unbonding' marks a demonstrable improvement over the pilot. No one will mistake the episode for one of the series' greats, but at least the characters start to resemble the ones we'd come to know later. In addition, it tosses out just enough humor to make it enjoyable." David Sims of A.V. Club gave the episode a B+ saying "It’s a pretty funny episode – my main criticism is just that at this point, Kramer isn’t integrated at all into the stories, rather he just comes by and dispenses weird dialog for a couple minutes.".
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
to be produced, and aired on June 14, 1990 as the fourth episode of the first season
Seinfeld (season 1)
Season one of Seinfeld, an American television series created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, began airing on July 5, 1989 on NBC. Originally called The Seinfeld Chronicles, the series' name was shortened to Seinfeld to avoid confusion with another sitcom called The Marshall Chronicles...
. In it, Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
tries to avoid meeting an old childhood friend, Joel Hornick (Kevin Dunn
Kevin Dunn
Kevin Dunn is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films since the 1980s. His roles include Colonel Hicks in the 1998 version of Godzilla, Sam Witwicky's father in Transformers, and Oscar Galvin, the primary antagonist in the 2010 action thriller...
). Jerry's neighbor, Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
, conceptualizes "a pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
place where you make your own pie." The episode was written by Larry David
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
and Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
, and was the first episode directed by Tom Cherones
Tom Cherones
Tom Cherones is an American director and producer of several TV series.-Early life:He grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where his father operated a radio and TV repair shop. His grandfather was a Greek immigrant. From 1961 to 1965, he was a lieutenant in the United States Navy...
. This was the first episode produced with Elaine Benes
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
(Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedienne, widely known for her sitcom roles in Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine....
) as a character. It also was the first episode to use Jonathan Wolff's
Jonathan Wolff (musician)
Jonathan Wolff is an American composer best known for creating the slap bass guitar and percussion music between scenes on the television series Seinfeld. Wolff also provided music for Who's The Boss?, Perfect Strangers, Will & Grace, King of Queens, and Reba...
title music. This is the only Seinfeld episode to have a title without the word "The" in front of it.
Plot
GeorgeGeorge Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
tells Jerry
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
that he was out with a girlfriend. They went to see a play, during which he put his hand in his pocket to get some money and accidentally got some dental floss
Dental floss
Dental floss is made of either a bundle of thin nylon filaments or a plastic ribbon used to remove food and dental plaque from teeth. The floss is gently inserted between the teeth and scraped along the teeth sides, especially close to the gums. Dental floss may be flavored or unflavored, and...
stuck to his hand. George worries that his girlfriend is going to leave him because of it.
Jerry has problems with a childhood friend, Joel Hornick, who persists in keeping in touch with him. He does not like Hornick, who does not pay attention to anything that Jerry says. Jerry claims that he feels uncomfortable "breaking up with" Hornick, so George suggests that he should pretend that Hornick is a woman and break up normally. Jerry therefore attempts to break up with Hornick at Monk's Cafe
Monk's Cafe
Monk's Café is a fictional coffee shop from the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The exterior of Tom's Restaurant on the corner of West 112th Street and Broadway, near Columbia University, is often shown on the show as the exterior of Monk's, though the interiors were shot on a sound stage. The coffee shop is...
, but when he does so, Hornick bursts into tears. Deeply uncomfortable, Jerry assures Hornick he didn't mean it, and agrees to take him to see the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, although he was supposed to take George.
As George tells Jerry that his girlfriend no longer wants to see him, Jerry tells George that he gave away his ticket to Hornick. George does not go to the game because he does not know Hornick, so Jerry decides to give Hornick both tickets, claiming that he cannot make the game because he is tutoring his nephew. Later, when talking to his ex-girlfriend Elaine
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
, she tries to provide Jerry with a list of excuses to help him avoid Hornick. He later discovers that Hornick took Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
to the game and that Hornick is in the building. When Hornick meets Jerry and Elaine, Hornick invites them out to another Knicks game. They come up with more unusual excuses in an attempt to avoid going out. However, Hornick then gets out a newspaper and tries to organize a time when they can all meet, weeks in advance. Jerry realizes that no matter what excuses he comes up with, he cannot avoid Hornick.
Kramer, working under the name "Kramerica Industries", conceptualizes building "a pizza place where you make your own pizza pie." Jerry and George try to persuade Kramer to forget the idea, but Kramer is determined to go on with it. Kramer's pizza parlor idea reappears in later episodes such as "The Puffy Shirt
The Puffy Shirt
"The Puffy Shirt" is the second episode of the fifth season of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 66th episode and originally aired on September 23, 1993. Larry David, the creator of the show, cites this episode as one of his favorites in the series.-Plot:George is upset because he is...
" in season 5
Seinfeld (season 5)
Season five of Seinfeld, an American comedy television series created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, began airing on September 16, 1993, and concluded on May 19, 1994, on NBC.-Production:...
, and "The Couch
The Couch
"The Couch" is the 91st episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 5th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 27, 1994.-Plot:Kramer plans to start a "pizza business where you make your own pie" with Poppie . Jerry and Elaine's discussion of the abortion issue causes trouble at Poppie's...
" in season 6
Seinfeld (season 6)
Season six of Seinfeld, an American comedy television series created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, began airing on September 22, 1994, and concluded on May 18, 1995, on NBC...
.
Production
This is the first episode that was made after the original pilotTelevision pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
, "The Seinfeld Chronicles". The title of the series was shortened to Seinfeld to avoid confusion with another sitcom called The Marshall Chronicles. This episode is the only Seinfeld episode title that does not start with the. A decision was made to name all the episodes in this way so that the writers would not waste time trying to think of funny titles and instead make the content of the episode funny. However, this decision was made after the script for "Male Unbonding" was completed.
This is the first episode written which stars the character of Elaine. The first version of the script does not include Elaine, despite the fact that one of the conditions given when Seinfeld was given a series was that a female character was included. Originally, the character's name was Eileen. Louis-Dreyfus claims that she was unhappy with only being given one scene in the first episode in which she appeared, but said that she performed well in the episode. Similarly, other early versions of the script refer to the character of Kramer as "Breckman". Kevin Dunn, who plays Joel in the episode, auditioned for the role of George Costanza in the original pilot. The episode also stars Anita Wise, who plays a waitress. Wise appeared again in another episode from the first season of Seinfeld
Seinfeld (season 1)
Season one of Seinfeld, an American television series created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, began airing on July 5, 1989 on NBC. Originally called The Seinfeld Chronicles, the series' name was shortened to Seinfeld to avoid confusion with another sitcom called The Marshall Chronicles...
titled "The Robbery
The Robbery
"The Robbery" is the fourth episode of the first season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired as the third episode of the season on June 7, 1990. It was written by Matt Goldman, therefore making this the first Seinfeld episode not written by the show's creators: Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.In the...
". Frank Piazza, a customer at the bank appears in the season 2
Seinfeld (season 2)
Season two of Seinfeld, an American television series created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, began airing on January 23, 1991, on NBC. Because of the commencement of the first Gulf War, the second season's premiere was postponed one week. The season comprised 12 episodes, and concluded its...
episode "The Stranded
The Stranded
"The Stranded" is the twenty-seventh episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the tenth episode of the show's third season. It first aired on November 27, 1991...
".
This episode features different title music from the pilot; this music, composed by Jonathan Wolff
Jonathan Wolff (musician)
Jonathan Wolff is an American composer best known for creating the slap bass guitar and percussion music between scenes on the television series Seinfeld. Wolff also provided music for Who's The Boss?, Perfect Strangers, Will & Grace, King of Queens, and Reba...
, is used throughout the rest of the series. The standup interstitials for this episode were recorded twice. Originally, the set for the interstitials was brightly lit and was designed to look like that of a church basement, but then it was remade to look like a nightclub and the material was performed again. The scene that was set in the bank was originally set in a dry cleaner's. However, this was moved and some of the material was moved to a later episode called "The Stock Tip".
The episode had an alternative ending, in which Joel borrows a k.d lang tape from Jerry. Jerry then finally manages to "break up" with Joel. Joel leaves, but then comes back again to tell Jerry that he will bring back the tape. Jerry then refers to Joel as Jason
Jason Voorhees
Jason Voorhees is a fictional character from the Friday the 13th series of slasher films. He first appeared in Friday the 13th , as the son of camp cook-turned-murderer, Mrs. Voorhees, in which he was portrayed by Ari Lehman. Created by Victor Miller, with contributions by Ron Kurz, Sean S...
from the Friday the 13th films. "Male Unbonding" was filmed on February 13,1990.
Reception
When first broadcast on June 14, 1990, the episode attracted a Nielsen ratingNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
of 13.6/24, meaning that 13.6% of American households watched the episode, and that 24% of all televisions in use at the time were tuned into it. Several reviews at the time compared Seinfeld to It's Garry Shandling's Show
It's Garry Shandling's Show
It's Garry Shandling's Show is an American sitcom which was initially broadcast on Showtime from 1986 to 1990. It was created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. The show is notable for its frequent use of breaking the fourth wall to allow characters to speak directly to the audience...
, in which Garry Shandling
Garry Shandling
Garry Emmanuel Shandling is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for his work in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show....
, like Seinfeld, plays a fictionalized version of himself.
Jonathan Boudreaux writes that of the four season one episodes produced after the pilot, "'Male Unbonding' is the strongest. This episode centers on the classic Seinfeld theme of the gang complaining about an outsider's self-centeredness while conveniently ignoring their own selfish, antisocial behavior. The characters slowly begin to fall into place as George takes great strides toward being the neurotic moron we love, and Kramer becomes more spastic and idiosyncratic."
Colin Jacobson for DVD Movie Guide was also positive, saying, "'Unbonding' marks a demonstrable improvement over the pilot. No one will mistake the episode for one of the series' greats, but at least the characters start to resemble the ones we'd come to know later. In addition, it tosses out just enough humor to make it enjoyable." David Sims of A.V. Club gave the episode a B+ saying "It’s a pretty funny episode – my main criticism is just that at this point, Kramer isn’t integrated at all into the stories, rather he just comes by and dispenses weird dialog for a couple minutes.".