The Parking Space
Encyclopedia
"The Parking Space" is the thirty-ninth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld
. The episode was the 22nd episode of the third season. It aired on April 22, 1992.
The story of the parking confrontation was inspired by a similar incident that happened to writer Greg Daniels'
father.
tells Jerry
about his friend Mike (Lee Arenberg
) calling Jerry a phony. After borrowing Jerry's car, Elaine
notices that the car is now making a strange clanking noise; to explain it, she comes up with a wild story involving a pack of teenagers with a gun.
George
drives with Elaine to Jerry's to watch a big televised fight with him. He finds a space, and decides to back into it. He spends a good deal of time positioning himself perfectly (bragging to Elaine about his ability to parallel park
). When he starts backing into the space, Mike, also there for the fight at Jerry's, enters the same space, front first.
The two argue over who is entitled to the space, all the while blocking traffic. Mike argues that he entered the space first, while George argues that he saw it first and was simply positioning himself, entitling him to the space. People on the street, including a truck driver (played by Michael Costanza, a friend of Jerry Seinfeld
's who inspired George Costanza's name) also assess the situation and argue with each other over who should keep the space. To make way for the truck, George and Mike get neutral people to move the cars and position them perfectly after the truck is moved.
Jerry and Kramer also come down to try to settle the problem. Jerry inadvertently tells a little boy named Matthew (John Christian Graas) that his father, who owns the "fat free" yogurt store, is closing the store, and the boy gets upset. Kramer mistakenly thinks the boy's mother is pregnant. Near the end of the episode, two police officers finally arrive to supposedly resolve the situation. However, when one tells Mike to move his car, the other argues against him, and by now, it is nighttime.
At the end of the episode, Jerry is seen dashing back into his apartment, just in time to see the last few seconds of the count for knockout
(missing the actual knockout punch).
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...
. The episode was the 22nd episode of the third season. It aired on April 22, 1992.
The story of the parking confrontation was inspired by a similar incident that happened to writer Greg Daniels'
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
father.
Plot
KramerCosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
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...
about his friend Mike (Lee Arenberg
Lee Arenberg
Lee Arenberg is an American actor, best known for his role as Pintel, one of Captain Barbossa's crew of miscreants, in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series.-Career:...
) calling Jerry a phony. After borrowing Jerry's car, 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...
notices that the car is now making a strange clanking noise; to explain it, she comes up with a wild story involving a pack of teenagers with a gun.
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"...
drives with Elaine to Jerry's to watch a big televised fight with him. He finds a space, and decides to back into it. He spends a good deal of time positioning himself perfectly (bragging to Elaine about his ability to parallel park
Parallel parking
thumb|250px|right|Parallel-parked cars in [[Washington, D.C.]]thumb|250px|right|A motorist gets assistance parallel-parkingParallel parking is a method of parking a vehicle in line with other parked cars. Cars parked in parallel are in one line, parallel to the curb, with the front bumper of each...
). When he starts backing into the space, Mike, also there for the fight at Jerry's, enters the same space, front first.
The two argue over who is entitled to the space, all the while blocking traffic. Mike argues that he entered the space first, while George argues that he saw it first and was simply positioning himself, entitling him to the space. People on the street, including a truck driver (played by Michael Costanza, a friend of 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,...
's who inspired George Costanza's name) also assess the situation and argue with each other over who should keep the space. To make way for the truck, George and Mike get neutral people to move the cars and position them perfectly after the truck is moved.
Jerry and Kramer also come down to try to settle the problem. Jerry inadvertently tells a little boy named Matthew (John Christian Graas) that his father, who owns the "fat free" yogurt store, is closing the store, and the boy gets upset. Kramer mistakenly thinks the boy's mother is pregnant. Near the end of the episode, two police officers finally arrive to supposedly resolve the situation. However, when one tells Mike to move his car, the other argues against him, and by now, it is nighttime.
At the end of the episode, Jerry is seen dashing back into his apartment, just in time to see the last few seconds of the count for knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
(missing the actual knockout punch).
External links
- The Parking Space - Seinfeldscripts.com