S08E01 · EP 135
season 8 · September 19, 1996
The Foundation
written by Alec Berg · Jeff Schaffer · directed by Andy Ackerman · 33.72M viewers · image Seinfeld Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

20 scenes · 3 threads
tense 23%absurd 19%misunderstanding 13%sad 12%awkward 7%social rule violation 7%comeuppance 6%confession 6%escalation 6%lie 1%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
A · George's Foundation Troubles
B · Elaine's Catalogue Disaster
C · Kramer's Karate Fiasco
01

Every scene

20 scenes · our breakdown
1 ▸ 00:11
1 · cemetery · cold_openCemetery Conversation

George and Jerry discuss Susan's gravestone.

00:11–01:01lie · misunderstanding
3 ▸ 01:17
3 · cemetery · act1Star Trek Discussion

George and Jerry discuss the Star Trek reference Jerry told the Rosses.

01:17–01:25misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
4 ▸ 01:25
4 · Jerry's apartment · act1Cemetery Aftermath

Jerry and Kramer discuss the awkward cemetery visit and the Star Trek reference.

01:25–02:04misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
5 ▸ 02:04
5 · Jerry's apartment · act1Cemetery Wrap-Up

George, Jerry, and Kramer talk about the cemetery and karate class.

02:04–03:09misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
7 · Jerry's apartment · act1Pitching the Sombrero

Elaine pitches the urban sombrero idea to J. Peterman.

04:24–05:06misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
8 ▸ 05:06
8 · J. Peterman catalog office · act1Peterman's Autonomy

J. Peterman feels a sense of autonomy and decides to go to a tractor pull.

05:06–05:12misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
9 ▸ 05:12
9 · Jerry's apartment · act1Meeting Dolores

Jerry meets Dolores (Mulva) and they talk about his broken engagement.

05:12–08:57misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
10 ▸ 08:57
10 · Jerry's apartment · act1Catalogue Confidence

Elaine says she can run the catalogue; Kramer talks about karate with a child.

08:57–10:04misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
11 ▸ 10:04
11 · Kramer's apartment · act1Elaine Takes Charge

Elaine takes charge and demands ideas from her staff.

10:04–10:19misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
12 ▸ 10:19
12 · karate academy · act1Karate Kumite

Kramer participates in a karate class with children.

10:19–10:43misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
13 ▸ 10:43
13 · Jerry's apartment · act1Match Winner

A karate match concludes with a winner.

10:43–10:49misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
14 ▸ 10:49
14 · karate academy · act1Door Open

Someone says the door is open.

10:49–10:54misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
15 ▸ 10:54
15 · Susan Ross Foundation · act2Foundation Offer

The Rosses offer George a position on the board of the Susan Ross Foundation.

10:54–12:43misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
16 ▸ 12:43
16 · Jerry's apartment · act2Regretting the Quote

George tells Jerry that the Star Trek line destroyed his life.

12:43–13:16misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
17 · Susan Ross Foundation · act2Inheritance Revealed

George learns about Susan's inheritance from Wyck Thayer.

13:16–15:36misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
18 ▸ 15:36
18 · Jerry's apartment · act2Catalogue and Kramer

Elaine talks to Jerry about the catalogue and decides to thank Kramer.

15:36–16:47misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
19 ▸ 16:47
19 · karate academy · act2Confronting Kramer

Elaine confronts Kramer about fighting children.

16:47–17:27misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
20 ▸ 17:27
20 · alley · act2Focus Group

A focus group discusses likability questions.

17:27–17:48misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
21 · Jerry's apartment · act2Consequences

Kramer gets beaten by kids; Elaine shows the urban sombrero cover.

17:48–21:14misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
22 · Susan Ross Foundation · tagSombrero Victims

A man tells how the urban sombrero cost him his job.

21:14–21:48misunderstanding · social_rule_violation
03

Same DNA

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Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
September 19, 1996
Overall
#135
Writers
Alec Berg · Jeff Schaffer
Director
Andy Ackerman
Viewers
33.72M (US)
Pace
121 words/min · 117 questions

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