The Raincoats, Part 1
Encyclopedia
"The Raincoats" is a two-part episode of the American
sitcom Seinfeld
. It is the 82nd and 83rd episode. This was the 18th and 19th episode for the 5th season. The episode was first shown on NBC
on April 28, 1994.
The episode was written by Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Larry David
, and Jerry Seinfeld
and it was directed by Tom Cherones
.
and George
are in Monk's
discussing his parents staying with him for three days until they leave for Paris
and how he is dying for some private time with his girlfriend Rachel (Melanie Smith). Alec approaches them with an offer to join the Big Brother program. George reluctantly agrees to look after young Joey (Jason Manary).
Back at Jerry’s apartment, George asks Helen and Morty if they could send a postcard to Alec from Paris
, so it looks like he is in Paris
, thus getting out of the Big Brother program. George then tells them that Frank and Estelle (who is making paella
) want them over for dinner before they leave, but they claim they have plans for the night (Jerry's parents never liked George's). Jerry is frustrated that they lied about having plans because now his parents will be home and he can’t have Rachel over. Elaine
brings her new boyfriend, Aaron (Judge Reinhold
) up to the apartment. Aaron is a close-talker: a person who stands unusually close to others when speaking, in essence disrupting the person's personal space. Aaron volunteers to escort Jerry’s parents on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
, which Jerry and Elaine find quite weird. As they leave, Jerry quickly tries to phone Rachel but she is not home. Meanwhile the Costanzas seem puzzled by the Seinfelds' declining a dinner invitation. By the time Rachel calls Jerry back, his parents are already home. Kramer greets Helen and Morty. Morty then notices Kramer’s raincoat
, which is the Executive (a belt-less raincoat, created by Morty years ago). Kramer then goes on to explain they are a hot item at Rudy’s Antique Boutique.
Morty makes plans to get Jack Klompus to send up the boxes of old Executives up to New York City
before he leaves for Paris
. Meanwhile George tells Alec that he suddenly must go to Paris
. Alec replies that this is great news: Joey’s estranged father lives in Paris
but Joey is too scared to fly alone. Elaine questions Aaron regarding his actions with Helen and Morty.
George goes down to Rudy’s to sell Frank’s old clothes, pretending that his father has died. Kramer arrives and explains to George how he and Morty went into business over dinner last night; this alerts George that the Seinfelds lied about having ‘plans’. Kramer proceeds to arrange with Rudy the deal regarding the Executives.
As George confronts Jerry about lying about having plans, Elaine reveals that Aaron is taking her to see a stage production of My Fair Lady
. Aaron soon arrives with Helen and Morty in tow. That night, George spots the group riding in a buggy as he is getting into a taxi.
Jack Klompus has trouble retrieving the Executives from the garage. Meanwhile Frank realizes that his vacation clothes are missing. Back at Rudy’s, the clothes are being burned as they're discovered to be moth-ridden.
and Rachel go to see Schindler's List
but cannot help making out
since they have not been alone in such a long time. Newman
, also in the cinema, spots them and is aghast.
When Jerry arrives back at his apartment, Helen and Morty quiz him about the film and Jerry tries to bluff his way through. George
goes back to Rudy’s to buy back his father’s clothes. After giving Rudy the money back, Rudy tells George that he burnt them because they were moth-infested.
Newman, as expected, informs Helen and Morty that Jerry was making out with Rachel during Schindler's List. Jerry, in "trouble," realizes that Newman would be the one responsible for it. Jack Klompus rings again to tell Morty that he had to break a window to get into the garage and that the Executives will be in New York City
by 2:00 the next day. Morty decides that the trip to Paris
will have to wait; since their flight is at 3:00 they will not be able to make it as the business deal is more important.
Kramer
arrives at the Costanzas' for paella. Frank notices that Kramer is wearing one of his missing vacation shirts, which forces George to confess that he sold his vacation wear.
George asks Jerry for the tickets to France
, as they are non-refundable and the Seinfelds won't be using them, he can get a free trip to Paris
and become a hero in the Big Brother organization. Meanwhile, Rudy refuses to buy the Executives from Kramer and Morty; after the ordeal with Frank's clothes, he now has a policy of not buying off the street. Frank appears at Rudy’s and argues with Morty. At the airport, Jerry and Elaine say farewell to Morty and Helen as they leave to return to Florida
. Aaron goes crazy, thinking he could have done more to help them while they were in New York City
. This is an allusion to the movie Schindler's List in which the title character, Oskar Schindler
, is in a state of anguish for not being able to do more to help the doomed Jews during the Holocaust. In fact goes into an Oskar-type monologue, occasionally using the same phrases.
Jerry goes by Rachel’s house, but her father tells him to go away after explaining that his postman informed him of his "behavior" at Schindler's List with Rachel.
Back at Monk’s
, Jerry tells Elaine that when his parents got home they had been completely robbed because Klompus never fixed the window. Newman comes into the shop and Jerry confronts him and chases him out into the streets. George is in Paris
with Joey who is giving him a hard time. Helen and Morty go on a cruise and discover that the Costanzas are on the same one.
Conversational Distance, don't you hate these people that talk to you they talk into your mouth like you're a clown at a drive-through?
And handshakes is the worst, there's absolutely no guidelines for handshakes.
You know these people; too strong, too weak, sometimes they give you the three-quarter handshake, just the fingers.
Early release, late release, sometimes people will dispute your release, you let go they're hangin' on.
I have actually said to people 'Hey, the handshake is over!'
Too many pumps, coming in too high, too sweaty, coming from too far away.
Sometimes a guy will give you a strong grip, late release, and pull you in for the too close conversation.
To him I say 'That's three strikes; you're out!'
Newman(nervous): Oh, were you there?
Jerry: Yes, I was.
Newman: P.. Powerful film.
Jerry: Yes, shocking brutality, don't you think?
Newman(ever more nervous): Shocking.
Jerry: Yeah, well that was nothing!
Newman: Arghh!! (runs away, Jerry chases after him.)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 is the 82nd and 83rd episode. This was the 18th and 19th episode for the 5th season. The episode was first shown on 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...
on April 28, 1994.
The episode was written by Tom Gammill, Max Pross, 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 it was 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...
.
Plot, part 1
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...
and 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"...
are in Monk's
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...
discussing his parents staying with him for three days until they leave for Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and how he is dying for some private time with his girlfriend Rachel (Melanie Smith). Alec approaches them with an offer to join the Big Brother program. George reluctantly agrees to look after young Joey (Jason Manary).
Back at Jerry’s apartment, George asks Helen and Morty if they could send a postcard to Alec from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, so it looks like he is in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, thus getting out of the Big Brother program. George then tells them that Frank and Estelle (who is making paella
Paella
Paella is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near lake Albufera, a lagoon in Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. Many non-Spaniards view paella as Spain's national dish, but most Spaniards consider it to be a regional Valencian dish...
) want them over for dinner before they leave, but they claim they have plans for the night (Jerry's parents never liked George's). Jerry is frustrated that they lied about having plans because now his parents will be home and he can’t have Rachel over. 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...
brings her new boyfriend, Aaron (Judge Reinhold
Judge Reinhold
Judge Reinhold is an American actor, perhaps best known for co-starring in movies such as Beverly Hills Cop, Ruthless People, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and The Santa Clause trilogy.-Early life:...
) up to the apartment. Aaron is a close-talker: a person who stands unusually close to others when speaking, in essence disrupting the person's personal space. Aaron volunteers to escort Jerry’s parents on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
, which Jerry and Elaine find quite weird. As they leave, Jerry quickly tries to phone Rachel but she is not home. Meanwhile the Costanzas seem puzzled by the Seinfelds' declining a dinner invitation. By the time Rachel calls Jerry back, his parents are already home. Kramer greets Helen and Morty. Morty then notices Kramer’s raincoat
Raincoat
A raincoat is a waterproof or water-resistant coat worn to protect the body from rain. The term rain jacket is sometimes used to refer to raincoats that are waist length. A rain jacket may be combined with a pair of rain pants to make a rain suit.Modern raincoats are often constructed of...
, which is the Executive (a belt-less raincoat, created by Morty years ago). Kramer then goes on to explain they are a hot item at Rudy’s Antique Boutique.
Morty makes plans to get Jack Klompus to send up the boxes of old Executives up to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
before he leaves for Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Meanwhile George tells Alec that he suddenly must go to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Alec replies that this is great news: Joey’s estranged father lives in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
but Joey is too scared to fly alone. Elaine questions Aaron regarding his actions with Helen and Morty.
George goes down to Rudy’s to sell Frank’s old clothes, pretending that his father has died. Kramer arrives and explains to George how he and Morty went into business over dinner last night; this alerts George that the Seinfelds lied about having ‘plans’. Kramer proceeds to arrange with Rudy the deal regarding the Executives.
As George confronts Jerry about lying about having plans, Elaine reveals that Aaron is taking her to see a stage production of My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
. Aaron soon arrives with Helen and Morty in tow. That night, George spots the group riding in a buggy as he is getting into a taxi.
Jack Klompus has trouble retrieving the Executives from the garage. Meanwhile Frank realizes that his vacation clothes are missing. Back at Rudy’s, the clothes are being burned as they're discovered to be moth-ridden.
Plot, part 2
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...
and Rachel go to see Schindler's List
Schindler's List
Schindler's List is a 1993 American film about Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg, and based on the novel Schindler's Ark...
but cannot help making out
Making out
In human sexuality, making out is a sexual euphemism of American origin dating back to at least 1949, and is used synonymously with the terms necking, heavy petting, and hooking up to refer to non-penetrative sex, though "hooking up" is also used in some cultures to imply casual sex.-History:The...
since they have not been alone in such a long time. Newman
Newman (Seinfeld)
Newman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.-Background:...
, also in the cinema, spots them and is aghast.
When Jerry arrives back at his apartment, Helen and Morty quiz him about the film and Jerry tries to bluff his way through. 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"...
goes back to Rudy’s to buy back his father’s clothes. After giving Rudy the money back, Rudy tells George that he burnt them because they were moth-infested.
Newman, as expected, informs Helen and Morty that Jerry was making out with Rachel during Schindler's List. Jerry, in "trouble," realizes that Newman would be the one responsible for it. Jack Klompus rings again to tell Morty that he had to break a window to get into the garage and that the Executives will be in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by 2:00 the next day. Morty decides that the trip to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
will have to wait; since their flight is at 3:00 they will not be able to make it as the business deal is more important.
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...
arrives at the Costanzas' for paella. Frank notices that Kramer is wearing one of his missing vacation shirts, which forces George to confess that he sold his vacation wear.
George asks Jerry for the tickets to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, as they are non-refundable and the Seinfelds won't be using them, he can get a free trip to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and become a hero in the Big Brother organization. Meanwhile, Rudy refuses to buy the Executives from Kramer and Morty; after the ordeal with Frank's clothes, he now has a policy of not buying off the street. Frank appears at Rudy’s and argues with Morty. At the airport, Jerry and Elaine say farewell to Morty and Helen as they leave to return to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Aaron goes crazy, thinking he could have done more to help them while they were in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. This is an allusion to the movie Schindler's List in which the title character, Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler was an ethnic German industrialist born in Moravia. He is credited with saving over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories, which were located in what is now Poland and the Czech Republic respectively.He is the subject of the...
, is in a state of anguish for not being able to do more to help the doomed Jews during the Holocaust. In fact goes into an Oskar-type monologue, occasionally using the same phrases.
Jerry goes by Rachel’s house, but her father tells him to go away after explaining that his postman informed him of his "behavior" at Schindler's List with Rachel.
Back at Monk’s
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...
, Jerry tells Elaine that when his parents got home they had been completely robbed because Klompus never fixed the window. Newman comes into the shop and Jerry confronts him and chases him out into the streets. George is in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with Joey who is giving him a hard time. Helen and Morty go on a cruise and discover that the Costanzas are on the same one.
Quotes
- Jerry (Beginning of show): I really feel as human beings, we need more training in our basic social skills.
Conversational Distance, don't you hate these people that talk to you they talk into your mouth like you're a clown at a drive-through?
And handshakes is the worst, there's absolutely no guidelines for handshakes.
You know these people; too strong, too weak, sometimes they give you the three-quarter handshake, just the fingers.
Early release, late release, sometimes people will dispute your release, you let go they're hangin' on.
I have actually said to people 'Hey, the handshake is over!'
Too many pumps, coming in too high, too sweaty, coming from too far away.
Sometimes a guy will give you a strong grip, late release, and pull you in for the too close conversation.
To him I say 'That's three strikes; you're out!'
- Jerry: I happened to watch you coming out of Schindler's list the other night.
Newman(nervous): Oh, were you there?
Jerry: Yes, I was.
Newman: P.. Powerful film.
Jerry: Yes, shocking brutality, don't you think?
Newman(ever more nervous): Shocking.
Jerry: Yeah, well that was nothing!
Newman: Arghh!! (runs away, Jerry chases after him.)