The Seven
Encyclopedia
"The Seven" is the 123rd episode of the NBC
sitcom Seinfeld
. This was the 13th episode for the 7th season. It aired on February 1, 1996.
strains her neck trying to get a bike down from the wall in a store. In pain, she impulsively claims that she would give up the bike to whoever fixes her neck. When Kramer
gives her a treatment that makes her feel better, he demands the bike despite it being a girl's bike. Elaine complies, but her neck pain soon returns worse than ever, so she demands the bike back. The pair decide to have a neutral third party (Newman
) decide who should keep the bike. In a reference to the Judgment of Solomon
, Newman decrees that the bike be cut in half, with both Elaine and Kramer receiving one half. Elaine agrees, but Kramer tells Newman to give the bike to Elaine, saying he would rather it belong to her than see it destroyed. Much to Elaine's outrage, this leads Newman to decree the bike should be Kramer's (although Kramer later sells the bike to Newman for $50).
Meanwhile, George
reveals to Susan that he wants to name his future firstborn child Seven (after Mickey Mantle
's jersey number). When Susan discloses this to her expectant cousin Carrie and her husband Ken, they love the name and decide to give it to their child. This outrages George, who follows them to the hospital, desperately trying to get them to switch to a different name (among his ideas are Soda, Eight, and Thirteen).
Jerry is puzzled and frustrated when his girlfriend appears to always wear the same dress. He tries to find out if she owns any other clothing, but when she catches him rummaging through her closet, she dumps him before he can find out.
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...
. This was the 13th episode for the 7th season. It aired on February 1, 1996.
Plot
ElaineElaine 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...
strains her neck trying to get a bike down from the wall in a store. In pain, she impulsively claims that she would give up the bike to whoever fixes her neck. When 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...
gives her a treatment that makes her feel better, he demands the bike despite it being a girl's bike. Elaine complies, but her neck pain soon returns worse than ever, so she demands the bike back. The pair decide to have a neutral third party (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:...
) decide who should keep the bike. In a reference to the Judgment of Solomon
Judgment of Solomon
The Judgment of Solomon refers to a story from the Hebrew Bible in which King Solomon of Israel ruled between two women both claiming to be the mother of a child. It has become a metaphor referring to a wise judge who uses a stratagem to determine the truth, tricking the parties into revealing...
, Newman decrees that the bike be cut in half, with both Elaine and Kramer receiving one half. Elaine agrees, but Kramer tells Newman to give the bike to Elaine, saying he would rather it belong to her than see it destroyed. Much to Elaine's outrage, this leads Newman to decree the bike should be Kramer's (although Kramer later sells the bike to Newman for $50).
Meanwhile, 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"...
reveals to Susan that he wants to name his future firstborn child Seven (after Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
's jersey number). When Susan discloses this to her expectant cousin Carrie and her husband Ken, they love the name and decide to give it to their child. This outrages George, who follows them to the hospital, desperately trying to get them to switch to a different name (among his ideas are Soda, Eight, and Thirteen).
Jerry is puzzled and frustrated when his girlfriend appears to always wear the same dress. He tries to find out if she owns any other clothing, but when she catches him rummaging through her closet, she dumps him before he can find out.
Superman reference
- Jerry: What in God's name is going on here? Is she wearing the same thing over and over again? Or does she have a closet full of these, like SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
? I've got to unlock this mystery! - Jerry: (in girlfriend's apartment) So this is the Fortress of SolitudeFortress of SolitudeThe Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
.
Bloopers
- In the scene where Newman mediates the bike dispute between Elaine and Kramer, he is initially wearing an engagement ring. In the latter part of the scene, the ring is gone.
- There is a goof in this episode involving George's car. On exterior shots, the car is a Mercury SableMercury SableThe Sable was a very important sedan for both Mercury and the American auto industry.Ford had lagged in introducing mid-size front wheel drive cars to compete against General Motors' Chevrolet Citation and its best-selling Chevrolet Celebrity/Pontiac 6000/Oldsmobile Cutlass/Buick Century quartet as...
, but when it cuts to the car's interior, a Buick RegalBuick RegalThe Buick Regal is a mid-size car introduced by General Motors for the 1973 model year. North American production ended in 2004 and began again in 2011. For the 2011 model year, Buick re-introduced the Regal to the North American market, positioned as an upscale sport sedan...
is used instead.
Trivia
- The scene where Newman suggests cutting the bike in two is based on a similar situation in the Bible. Two mothers are arguing over who is the real mother of a baby. King Solomon's decision is to cut the baby in two so each can have a part of the child. The real mother voluntarily gives up custody of the baby to the false mother rather than see it destroyed. Wise King Solomon decrees that only the true mother would rather see it in the arms of another than to see it killed so she is awarded the baby (1 KingsBooks of KingsThe Book of Kings presents a narrative history of ancient Israel and Judah from the death of David to the release of his successor Jehoiachin from imprisonment in Babylon, a period of some 400 years...
3:16-27). - Elaine/Kramer's and George's plotlines are parallel: they are both about laying claim to something whose ownership is in question.
- Jerry makes a reference to Einstein splitting the atom (which is credited to Ernest RutherfordErnest RutherfordErnest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson OM, FRS was a New Zealand-born British chemist and physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics...
) instead of one of his own achievements. - Victoria Beckham gave birth to her fourth child, Harper Seven Beckham. Seinfeld has been a trending topic on Twitter since the name of the baby was revealed. A CNN producer joked: "Victoria & David Beckham gave their daughter the middle name Seven. They're officially an episode of Seinfeld." http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a329358/harper-seven-beckham-name-taken-from-seinfeld.html