The Junk Mail
Encyclopedia
"The Junk Mail" is the 161st episode of the NBC
sitcom Seinfeld
. It was the 5th episode of the 9th and final season. The episode aired on October 30, 1997.
's childhood friend "Fragile" Frankie Merman (Dana Gould
) promises to get Jerry a new car because of a show he did for Frankie's car dealership, as well as that Kramer's blood ruined Jerry's engine, stating, "The engine clotted." George
prepares for his weekly call to his parents. Kramer
plans his revenge on Pottery Barn
because of the overabundance of catalogs they've sent him in the past month. Elaine
is back with David Puddy, but after having a "love at first sight
" encounter with diner patron Jack (Toby Huss
), she plans to keep Puddy in reserve until she finds out if the new guy can "handle the workload."
Kramer gets deluged with more catalogs and plans to stop the mail. George's parents cut him short on his weekly phone call. The "car" Jerry gets is a conversion van
and not the Saab
he'd hoped for. Frankie reminds him of the childhood dream they had where they got a van and toured the country. Jerry doesn't want the van, but doesn't want to hurt Frankie's feelings by refusing to take it. George pops in on his parents and reminds his parents that they didn't call him back, but they have to leave right away. Kramer bricks up his mailbox, but that doesn't stop his mail from being delivered to Jerry's mailbox.
Jerry plans to sell the van; Kramer helps him out by composing a classified ad that cites "interesting trades considered." Kramer goes to the post office to cancel his mail permanently. Newman confesses to him that no one really needs mail but that there is a greater conspiracy
at work.
George demands to know what's going on with his parents; they tell him they are cutting him loose. George isn't ready for abandonment; he plans to date his cousin Rhisa as a means of getting his parents involved in his life. While going through an old VHS tape, Jerry discovers an old commercial that features Jack as "The Wiz," a mascot for the electronics store of the same name. Meanwhile, Kramer wants Jerry's van and offers Anthony Quinn
's old T-shirt as an "interesting trade".
Elaine wants Puddy back but is rejected by him. Kramer uses the van to launch his anti-postal campaign. George's cousin is into their relationship; however, George schemes to have his parents catch him making out with her. Jerry searches Central Park
for Frankie, who has gone to dig a hole and sit in it. Meanwhile, George parks the van there and Frankie finds it and yells "Seinfeld's Van! Seinfeld's Van!", which George thinks is "Son of Sam". The Costanzas find the van and begin having sex in it. George, Rhisa, Jerry, and Frankie open the van and see them "in flagrante delicto
". Jerry must sell the van after seeing what they saw.
Kramer is captured and enlightened by the Postmaster General
(Wilford Brimley
, with the scene a parody of his role in the climactic scene of Absence of Malice
). As he leaves he sees Newman being led into the room who says to Kramer, "Tell the world my story." Elaine's new boyfriend gets his second piece of good news in one day: he's "The Wiz" again and she is taking him back.
".
's warning to Robert Redford
in Three Days of the Condor
.
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...
. It was the 5th episode of the 9th and final season. The episode aired on October 30, 1997.
Plot
JerryJerry 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...
's childhood friend "Fragile" Frankie Merman (Dana Gould
Dana Gould
Dana John Gould is an American comedian and comedy writer born and raised in Hopedale, Massachusetts. His upbringing and his extended family lent themselves to his stand-up routine, which has been seen on HBO, Showtime, and Comedy Central, among other places.-Career:After high school, he studied...
) promises to get Jerry a new car because of a show he did for Frankie's car dealership, as well as that Kramer's blood ruined Jerry's engine, stating, "The engine clotted." George
George 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"...
prepares for his weekly call to his parents. 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...
plans his revenge on Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn is an American-based home furnishing store chain with retail stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Since September 1986, when it was purchased from GAP, Inc, Pottery Barn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Williams-Sonoma, Inc....
because of the overabundance of catalogs they've sent him in the past month. 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...
is back with David Puddy, but after having a "love at first sight
Love at first sight
Love at first sight is a common trope in Western literature, in which a person, character, or speaker feels romantic attraction for a stranger on the first sight of them...
" encounter with diner patron Jack (Toby Huss
Toby Huss
Toby Edward Huss is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Artie, the Strongest Man in the World on the cult hit Nickelodeon TV series The Adventures of Pete & Pete, for his voice-over work on the long running animated series King of the Hill, and for his role as Felix 'Stumpy'...
), she plans to keep Puddy in reserve until she finds out if the new guy can "handle the workload."
Kramer gets deluged with more catalogs and plans to stop the mail. George's parents cut him short on his weekly phone call. The "car" Jerry gets is a conversion van
Conversion van
A Conversion van Is a full-size cargo van that is sent to third-party companies to be outfitted with various luxuries for road trips and camping.-History:...
and not the Saab
Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...
he'd hoped for. Frankie reminds him of the childhood dream they had where they got a van and toured the country. Jerry doesn't want the van, but doesn't want to hurt Frankie's feelings by refusing to take it. George pops in on his parents and reminds his parents that they didn't call him back, but they have to leave right away. Kramer bricks up his mailbox, but that doesn't stop his mail from being delivered to Jerry's mailbox.
Jerry plans to sell the van; Kramer helps him out by composing a classified ad that cites "interesting trades considered." Kramer goes to the post office to cancel his mail permanently. Newman confesses to him that no one really needs mail but that there is a greater conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
at work.
George demands to know what's going on with his parents; they tell him they are cutting him loose. George isn't ready for abandonment; he plans to date his cousin Rhisa as a means of getting his parents involved in his life. While going through an old VHS tape, Jerry discovers an old commercial that features Jack as "The Wiz," a mascot for the electronics store of the same name. Meanwhile, Kramer wants Jerry's van and offers Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
's old T-shirt as an "interesting trade".
Elaine wants Puddy back but is rejected by him. Kramer uses the van to launch his anti-postal campaign. George's cousin is into their relationship; however, George schemes to have his parents catch him making out with her. Jerry searches Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
for Frankie, who has gone to dig a hole and sit in it. Meanwhile, George parks the van there and Frankie finds it and yells "Seinfeld's Van! Seinfeld's Van!", which George thinks is "Son of Sam". The Costanzas find the van and begin having sex in it. George, Rhisa, Jerry, and Frankie open the van and see them "in flagrante delicto
In flagrante delicto
In flagrante delicto or sometimes simply in flagrante is a legal term used to indicate that a criminal has been caught in the act of committing an offence...
". Jerry must sell the van after seeing what they saw.
Kramer is captured and enlightened by the Postmaster General
United States Postmaster General
The United States Postmaster General is the Chief Executive Officer of the United States Postal Service. The office, in one form or another, is older than both the United States Constitution and the United States Declaration of Independence...
(Wilford Brimley
Wilford Brimley
Allen Wilford Brimley is an American actor. He has appeared in such films as The China Syndrome, Cocoon, The Thing and The Firm. He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons...
, with the scene a parody of his role in the climactic scene of Absence of Malice
Absence of Malice
Absence of Malice is a 1981 American drama film starring Paul Newman, Sally Field, and Bob Balaban, directed by Sydney Pollack.-Plot:Miami liquor wholesaler Michael Gallagher is the son of a deceased criminal who awakes one day to find himself a front-page story in the local newspaper, indicating...
). As he leaves he sees Newman being led into the room who says to Kramer, "Tell the world my story." Elaine's new boyfriend gets his second piece of good news in one day: he's "The Wiz" again and she is taking him back.
Series continuity
The old lady who got the flyer from Kramer was the same lady who wanted the seat that Elaine was saving in Season 4's "The MovieThe Movie
"The Movie" is the fifty-fourth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 14th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on January 6, 1993.-Plot:...
".
Cultural references
Newman's sidewalk warning to Kramer is very similar to Max von SydowMax von Sydow
Max von Sydow is a Swedish actor. He has also held French citizenship since 2002. He has starred in many films and had supporting roles in dozens more...
's warning to Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
in Three Days of the Condor
Three Days of the Condor
Three Days of the Condor is a 1975 American action thriller film produced by Stanley Schneider and directed by Sydney Pollack. The screenplay, by Lorenzo Semple Jr...
.