The Trip, Part 1
Encyclopedia
"The Trip" is a two-part story (the forty-first and forty-second episodes to air) of NBC
's popular sitcom, Seinfeld
. Airing on August 12, 1992 and August 19, 1992, it kicked off the fourth season of the show.
is offered two free tickets from New York
to Hollywood to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
. He offers one to George
and they decide that while they are in Los Angeles
they will track down Kramer
, who headed to Los Angeles in the previous episode, "The Keys", to become an actor. A dead body turns up in another part of LA and Kramer's script he had given to the woman is found on her person. George thinks he has insightful conversations with the talk show guests (Corbin Bernsen
and George Wendt
) but they both call him "nuts". Jerry can't remember the wording for a joke and blames the hotel maid, Lupe (Dyana Ortelli), who threw it away while cleaning the room. As Jerry and George leave The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
, they see Kramer's picture on the news. He is the main suspect for the "Smog Strangler".
is arrested when he is mistaken for "The Smog Strangler," a serial killer
roaming the streets of Los Angeles
. While also in L.A., Jerry and George try to help resolve the accusation. They use a pay phone to call the police and they say they have some important information regarding the stranglings. Two policemen in a police cruiser come to pick them up and take them back to the station. On their way, the officers see a man (Clint Howard
) trying to break into a car. They arrest him and put him in the back with Jerry and George. They have to stop again when they get a police call regarding to the "Smog Strangler" and happen to be close to the scene. Jerry and George want to make sure Kramer is not imprisoned, so they open the door of the car, and, in their hurry, leave the door open. The man who was breaking into the car escapes.
Kramer is taken to the police station and is interrogated by the lieutenant. He has a nervous breakdown in the interrogation room and is reduced to hysterical sobbing, making it seem like he did the stranglings. While he is being questioned, the lieutenant receives a phone call stating that the Smog Strangler has killed another victim while Kramer was in custody, and so he is allowed to leave. After Kramer is exonerated, Jerry and George decide to return to New York
, but Kramer opts to remain in Los Angeles. However, by the end of the episode, Kramer has returned to New York and is once again living across the hall from Jerry. He offers no explanation of his return.
At the end of the episode, it is revealed that the Smog Strangler is suspected to be the man that was in the back seat with George and Jerry, the one they accidentally let escape. It is broadcast on a news program that his whereabouts are unknown.
, the main studio for Seinfeld. When Kramer is confronted by the police at his apartment (about 12 minutes into the episode), Larry David
and episode writer Larry Charles
can be seen standing in the crowd behind the officers, at the far right of the scene. The cop riding shotgun is the same actor that would later portray Jake Jarmel. The Hotel/Apartment that Kramer is staying in while in Hollywood is in the same building that was used in Pretty Woman
, in which Jason Alexander
co-starred.
This was the only two-part episode of "Seinfeld" to be made as two separate episodes instead of a one-hour special.
Elaine
does not appear in either part of "The Trip", and appears only minimally in "The Pitch
" and "The Ticket
", due to the fact that Julia Louis-Dreyfus
was on maternity leave
. Kramer's first name is missing from the script found on the dead woman's body, a reference to how - at this point in time - no one knows his full name.
Both episodes still feature the Seinfeld opening logo that was used for Season 3 rather than Season 4 for two probable reasons. The first was because writer Larry Charles
made "The Keys" and both parts of "The Trip" as a three-part story and as such is a continuation of season three. The other is because NBC made the "The Trip" two-parter as a tentpole leading up to the network's coverage of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.
stage, they walk by posters of the network's major hit shows at the time on the walls. In the order they appear, Quantum Leap, Wings, Sisters
, The Round Table
, and Law & Order
.
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...
's popular 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...
. Airing on August 12, 1992 and August 19, 1992, it kicked off the fourth season of the show.
The Trip, Part 1
In The Trip, 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...
is offered two free tickets from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Hollywood to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
. He offers one to 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"...
and they decide that while they are in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
they will track down 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...
, who headed to Los Angeles in the previous episode, "The Keys", to become an actor. A dead body turns up in another part of LA and Kramer's script he had given to the woman is found on her person. George thinks he has insightful conversations with the talk show guests (Corbin Bernsen
Corbin Bernsen
Corbin Dean Bernsen is an American actor and director, known for his work on television. He is best known for his roles as divorce attorney Arnold Becker on the NBC drama series L.A. Law, and as retired police detective Henry Spencer on the USA Network comedy-drama series Psych...
and George Wendt
George Wendt
George Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
) but they both call him "nuts". Jerry can't remember the wording for a joke and blames the hotel maid, Lupe (Dyana Ortelli), who threw it away while cleaning the room. As Jerry and George leave The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
, they see Kramer's picture on the news. He is the main suspect for the "Smog Strangler".
The Trip, Part 2
KramerCosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
is arrested when he is mistaken for "The Smog Strangler," a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
roaming the streets of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. While also in L.A., Jerry and George try to help resolve the accusation. They use a pay phone to call the police and they say they have some important information regarding the stranglings. Two policemen in a police cruiser come to pick them up and take them back to the station. On their way, the officers see a man (Clint Howard
Clint Howard
Clinton "Clint" Howard is an American film and television actor. He is a character actor with numerous brief appearances on television and films. He has played many bit parts in movies directed by his brother, actor-turned-director Ron Howard. He is also the uncle of actress Bryce Dallas Howard...
) trying to break into a car. They arrest him and put him in the back with Jerry and George. They have to stop again when they get a police call regarding to the "Smog Strangler" and happen to be close to the scene. Jerry and George want to make sure Kramer is not imprisoned, so they open the door of the car, and, in their hurry, leave the door open. The man who was breaking into the car escapes.
Kramer is taken to the police station and is interrogated by the lieutenant. He has a nervous breakdown in the interrogation room and is reduced to hysterical sobbing, making it seem like he did the stranglings. While he is being questioned, the lieutenant receives a phone call stating that the Smog Strangler has killed another victim while Kramer was in custody, and so he is allowed to leave. After Kramer is exonerated, Jerry and George decide to return to New York
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...
, but Kramer opts to remain in Los Angeles. However, by the end of the episode, Kramer has returned to New York and is once again living across the hall from Jerry. He offers no explanation of his return.
At the end of the episode, it is revealed that the Smog Strangler is suspected to be the man that was in the back seat with George and Jerry, the one they accidentally let escape. It is broadcast on a news program that his whereabouts are unknown.
Production
The scene in which the man breaks into the car was shot near the Bicycle Shack on Ventura Place in Studio City, California, a short distance from CBS Studio CenterCBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center is a television and film studio located in the Studio City district of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. It is located at 4024 Radford Avenue and takes up a triangular piece of land, with the Los Angeles River bisecting the site...
, the main studio for Seinfeld. When Kramer is confronted by the police at his apartment (about 12 minutes into the episode), 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 episode writer Larry Charles
Larry Charles
Larry Charles is an American writer, director, and producer. He is best known as a staff writer for the American sitcom Seinfeld for its first 5 seasons, contributing some of the show's darkest and most absurd storylines...
can be seen standing in the crowd behind the officers, at the far right of the scene. The cop riding shotgun is the same actor that would later portray Jake Jarmel. The Hotel/Apartment that Kramer is staying in while in Hollywood is in the same building that was used in Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film set in Los Angeles, California. Written by J.F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, this motion picture features Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and also Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy, and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Roberts played the only...
, in which Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
co-starred.
This was the only two-part episode of "Seinfeld" to be made as two separate episodes instead of a one-hour special.
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...
does not appear in either part of "The Trip", and appears only minimally in "The Pitch
The Pitch (Seinfeld episode)
"The Pitch" is the 43rd episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the third episode of the fourth season. It aired on September 16, 1992.-Plot:NBC executives meet Jerry after his nightclub act and ask to come up with an idea for a TV series...
" and "The Ticket
The Ticket (Seinfeld episode)
"The Ticket" is the forty-fourth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 4th episode of the fourth season. It aired on September 16, 1992 as a one-hour episode with The Pitch. That version is available on the Season 4 box set.-Plot:...
", due to the fact that 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....
was on maternity leave
Parental leave
Parental leave is an employee benefit that provides paid or unpaid time off work to care for a child or make arrangements for the child's welfare. Often, the term parental leave includes maternity, paternity, and adoption leave...
. Kramer's first name is missing from the script found on the dead woman's body, a reference to how - at this point in time - no one knows his full name.
Both episodes still feature the Seinfeld opening logo that was used for Season 3 rather than Season 4 for two probable reasons. The first was because writer Larry Charles
Larry Charles
Larry Charles is an American writer, director, and producer. He is best known as a staff writer for the American sitcom Seinfeld for its first 5 seasons, contributing some of the show's darkest and most absurd storylines...
made "The Keys" and both parts of "The Trip" as a three-part story and as such is a continuation of season three. The other is because NBC made the "The Trip" two-parter as a tentpole leading up to the network's coverage of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.
Cultural references
As Jerry and George are walking through a corridor at NBC's Burbank offices, to the The Tonight Show with Jay LenoThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
stage, they walk by posters of the network's major hit shows at the time on the walls. In the order they appear, Quantum Leap, Wings, Sisters
Sisters (TV series)
Sisters is a television drama which aired on NBC for six seasons, from 1991 to 1996. The series was created by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, who also created the Showtime series Queer as Folk and wrote the acclaimed Emmy and Peabody Award winning drama An Early Frost, also for NBC...
, The Round Table
The Round Table (TV series)
The Round Table is an American television series that aired on NBC on friday nights from September 18, 1992 to October 16, 1992.The 1992 TV-series The Round Table set in Washington D.C. focused on the lives of a group of 20-30 youths who frequently met at the bar The Round Table...
, and Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
.