The Pen

"**The Pen**"
"The Pen"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 3; Episode 3
Directed by	Tom Cherones
Written by	Larry David
Production code	305
Original air date	October 2, 1991
Guest appearances
	Barney Martin as Morty Seinfeld ; Liz Sheridan as Helen Seinfeld ; Sandy Baron as Jack Klompus; Ann Morgan Guilbert as Evelyn; Len Lesser as Uncle Leo ; Annie Korzen as Doris Klompus; Magda Harout as Aunt Stella; Roger Nolan as Chiropractor; Tucker Smallwood as Photographer;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Truth"	Next →; "The Dog"
	Seinfeld season 3
	List of episodes

Last updated November 17, 2024

"The Pen" is the 20th episode of Seinfeld , the third episode of the third season which first aired on NBC on October 2, 1991.^[1]

This is the only episode in which the character of George Costanza does not appear^[2] and one of two episodes in which Kramer does not appear (the other being "The Chinese Restaurant").^[3] Additionally, this episode is the first appearance of Morty's rival Jack Klompus^{[ citation needed ]} and of Uncle Leo's wife (and Jerry's aunt) Stella.^{[ citation needed ]}

Plot

Jerry and Elaine travel to Florida to visit Jerry's parents Morty and Helen for the weekend, and plan on going scuba diving. Morty, the outgoing condo association president, is being honored at a ceremony the next night. Jack Klompus and his wife Doris come over to write Morty a check for a previous night's dinner, and Jerry takes interest in Jack's pen. When Jerry asks him about it, Jack tells him that it can write upside down and that astronauts use it in space. Jack offers an interested Jerry the pen. Jerry refuses his offer several times, but Jack persists and Jerry finally gives in. Helen asks why he took the pen and says he should give it back because Doris will tell everyone in the condo that Jerry made Jack give it to him.

That night, Jerry and Elaine struggle to sleep in the heat, since Jerry's parents refuse to turn on the air conditioning; Elaine sleeps on a sofa bed with a bar that sticks up through the mattress and injures her back, causing extreme pain. Jerry tries to console her by saying they only have two more days left before they go back to New York. The next morning, Elaine's back is so sore that she cannot go scuba diving with Jerry, so he goes without her. Morty suggests she take muscle relaxants to ease the pain. Just as Helen predicted, their neighbor Evelyn tells the Seinfelds about the rumors that are beginning to spread around the Pines of Mar Gables Phase II that Jerry wanted Jack to give him the pen. When Jerry returns, he has black eyes because the capillaries around his eyes burst when he went underwater.

Jack comes over again and Jerry returns the pen. Morty takes umbrage with Klompus for "taking that kid's pen".^[4] Elaine takes an excessive dose of the muscle relaxants. Upon being introduced to Uncle Leo's wife Stella at the dinner honoring Morty, an addled Elaine falls to her knees screaming "Stella! Stella!" like Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire. Jerry has to wear sunglasses because of his black eyes. Jack turns the dinner into a roast, joking at Morty's expense as the host. Morty starts arguing with Jack again about taking back the pen and they start fighting, breaking Jack's dental plate in the process. Helen tells Jerry to do a comedy bit to calm the crowd, which he reluctantly does with no success.

The next day, a chiropractor looks at Elaine's back and tells her she should not go anywhere for at least five days, much to her and Jerry's dismay. Evelyn appears and asks Helen if Morty found a lawyer yet. Helen states that he hasn't found a lawyer yet. Evelyn offers her nephew's services as a brilliant lawyer in Jack's impending lawsuit against Morty with her nephew claiming that Jack wouldn't have a case. Evelyn even states that her friend Arnold commented that it would take six votes to throw Morty and Helen out of the condo for unruly behavior according to the condo constitution and not five votes as they will have to suck up to Dr. Chernov. Having slept on the same sofa bed, Morty wakes up with a sore back like Elaine's as he is informed by Evelyn about the six votes. Elaine laments having to stay for five more days and Jerry once again tries to console her that it won't be long.

Production

"The Pen" is the only episode not to feature Jason Alexander as George Costanza. Alexander discovered after the table read that he was not featured in the episode.^[2]. He asked executive producer Larry David to release him from his contract if he wasn't included in every episode, even with only a couple of lines. He stated that his dream was to win a Tony as he was an experienced Broadway actor and not an Emmy or Oscar. Alexander would later admit that this was caused by insecurity on his part, as he was worried that Louis-Dreyfus's role would cause George's role to be diminished over time.^[5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elaine Benes</span> Major character on the TV show "Seinfeld"

Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld, played by former SNL cast member Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend in the sitcom is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld, and she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer. Louis-Dreyfus received critical acclaim for her performance as Elaine, winning an Emmy, a Golden Globe and five SAG Awards. She reprised the role during season 41 of Saturday Night Live in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Seinfeld (character)</span> Main character on the TV show "Seinfeld"

Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the title character and the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998). The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, and played by Seinfeld himself. The series revolves around Jerry's misadventures with his best friend George Costanza, neighbor Cosmo Kramer, and ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes. He is usually the voice of reason amid his friends' antics and the focal point of the relationship.

"The Stake Out" is the second episode of the first season of the American sitcom Seinfeld.

"The Raincoats" is a two-part episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 82nd and 83rd episode of the show, and the 18th and 19th episodes of the fifth season. The episode was first shown on NBC on April 28, 1994, and garnered an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Judge Reinhold.

"The Pony Remark" is the second episode of the second season of the American sitcom Seinfeld, and the seventh episode overall. The episode was written by series co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, based on a remark David once made.

"The Apartment" is the fifth episode of the second season of the American sitcom Seinfeld and the show's tenth episode overall. In the episode, protagonist Jerry Seinfeld gets his ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes an apartment above his, but regrets this after realizing it might be uncomfortable living so close together. Meanwhile, Jerry's friend George Costanza wears a wedding ring to a party to see what effect it will have on women.

"The Good Samaritan" is the 37th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 20th episode of the third season, and first aired on NBC on March 4, 1992. This is the only episode of Seinfeld to be directed by one of the show's stars, Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza.

"The Wallet" is the 45th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the series, and first aired on September 23, 1992. In this episode Morty's wallet goes missing from his trousers while at a back specialist's office, Jerry tries to conceal his having thrown away the watch Morty gave him, and George turns down his and Jerry's deal for a television pilot.

"The Fusilli Jerry" is the 107th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. Featuring the introduction of David Puddy, the episode also features Kramer receiving vanity plates that say "ASSMAN" as well as marital problems between George's parents. This is the 21st episode of the sixth season. It aired on April 27, 1995.

"The Money" is the 146th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode for the eighth season, originally airing on NBC on January 16, 1997. In a follow-up to the episode "The Cadillac", the story has Jerry traveling to Florida to buy his parents' Cadillac back from Jack Klompus. Meanwhile, Jerry's father Morty Seinfeld gets a job at The J. Peterman Company and Kramer and his girlfriend have problems sleeping together.

"The English Patient" is the 151st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 17th episode for the eighth season and aired on March 13, 1997. The English Patient, central to Elaine's storyline in this episode, won Best Picture at the 69th Academy Awards, eleven days after this episode aired.

"The Wizard" is the 171st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 15th episode for the ninth and final season. It aired on February 26, 1998. In this episode, Kramer retires and moves into the same condo as Morty and Helen Seinfeld, Elaine tries to find out if her pale-skinned boyfriend is actually black, and George gets upset that the Rosses will not call him a liar after they catch him lying about buying a house in the Hamptons.

"The Finale" is the series finale of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 23rd and 24th episode of the ninth season, and the 179th and the 180th episode overall. The episode, written by series co-creator Larry David and directed by Andy Ackerman, originally aired on NBC on May 14, 1998, to an audience of 76 million viewers, making it so the fourth-most watched overall television series finale. In the preceding hour, a clip show called "The Chronicle" aired. The initial running time for the finale was 1 hour and 15 minutes.

"The Highlights of 100" is the 14th and 15th episode of the sixth season of the American sitcom Seinfeld, and the 100th and 101st episode overall. Written by Peter Mehlman and directed by Andy Ackerman, the episode originally aired on NBC on February 2, 1995. The episode is a clip show to celebrate the series' 100th episode with no new content apart from a 50-second-long intro by Jerry Seinfeld. In syndication, it airs as two separate episodes of 30 minutes each, with a second intro at the beginning of the second episode. This is the first episode in the series not to open with a stand-up routine.

"The Kiss Hello" is the 103rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This is the 17th episode for the sixth season. It aired on February 16, 1995. Although this was the 102nd episode to air, the cast and crew of the series credit this as the 100th episode because it is the 100th episode created. In this episode, Kramer posts the names and photos of all the tenants in his apartment building on a board in the lobby so that everyone will know each other. Jerry is uncomfortable with such pervasive socialization, bringing him to conflict with his neighbors at the same time as he investigates his Nana's story that his Uncle Leo owes his mother Helen $50.

"The Doorman" is the 104th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This is the 18th episode for the sixth season. It aired on February 23, 1995. In this episode, Jerry and Elaine contend with a creepy doorman, George fears he is developing male breasts, and Kramer and Frank Costanza try to go into business with a bra for men.

"The Rye" is the 121st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 11th episode of the seventh season, originally airing on January 4, 1996. It was the final episode of the series to be written by American comedian Carol Leifer. In this episode, Elaine's relationship with her saxophonist boyfriend is complicated by the issue of oral sex, George tries to avert a feud between his parents and his fiancée Susan's parents over a loaf of marble rye bread, and Kramer takes on a temporary job as a hansom cab driver.

"The Caddy" is the 122nd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode for the seventh season, originally airing on January 25, 1996. In this episode, George takes an unapproved vacation, leading to him being presumed dead, while Kramer, Jerry, and Jackie Chiles launch a lawsuit against Elaine's archenemy Sue Ellen Mischke because she was wearing a bra without a top in public.

"The Cadillac" is an hour-long, two-part episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 124th and 125th episode and 14th and 15th episode for the seventh season. It aired on February 8, 1996. This was the last episode to be co-written by Jerry Seinfeld.

"The Shower Head" is the 126th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This is the sixteenth episode for the seventh season. It aired on February 15, 1996. It had 32.3 million US viewers. This episode focuses on Jerry and George's struggles to get their respective parents to move out of New York. Meanwhile, the tenants of Jerry's apartment building are made miserable by the new low-flow showerheads, and Elaine takes a drug test for work which comes back positive for opium.

References

↑ "Seinfeld Season 3 Episodes". TV Guide . Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
1 2 Getlen, Larry. "The backstage drama that nearly brought down 'Seinfeld'". The New York Post . Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
↑ Leeman, Zachary (2022-04-24). "The Only Two Seinfeld Episodes That Don't Feature Kramer". Looper. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
↑ David, Larry (October 2, 1991). "Script: Episode 20 - The Pen". Seinology.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
↑ The Kelly Clarkson Show (May 5, 2020). Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jason Alexander Discuss SEINFELD and More for Direct Relief Fundraising. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved December 9, 2021.

External links

"The Pen" at IMDb

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[tvguide-1] "Seinfeld Season 3 Episodes". TV Guide . Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.

[appear-2] 1 2 Getlen, Larry. "The backstage drama that nearly brought down 'Seinfeld'". The New York Post . Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2017.

[3] Leeman, Zachary (2022-04-24). "The Only Two Seinfeld Episodes That Don't Feature Kramer". Looper. Retrieved 2023-05-11.

[4] David, Larry (October 2, 1991). "Script: Episode 20 - The Pen". Seinology.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

[5] The Kelly Clarkson Show (May 5, 2020). Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jason Alexander Discuss SEINFELD and More for Direct Relief Fundraising. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved December 9, 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Seinfeld episodes
Season 1	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip"
Season 2	"The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy"
Season 3	"The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend"† "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys"
Season 4	"The Trip"† "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot"†
Season 5	"The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats"† "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite"
Season 6	"The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100"† "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy"
Season 7	"The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac"† "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit"† "The Wait Out" "The Invitations"
Season 8	"The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George"
Season 9	"The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strongbox" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle"† "The Finale"†
† Indicates two-part episode