Having watched each episode of Seinfeld dozens of instances, it isn’t in any respect misplaced on me that Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer aren’t good folks. They’ve optimistic qualities, however they’re egocentric and petty people who’ve a knack for stirring up battle and chaos. They haven’t ruined as many lives because the gang from It’s At all times Sunny In Philadelphia, however throughout latest reflection, it occurred to me that their actions straight resulted within the shuttering of a number of companies.
This can be a widespread incidence throughout all 9 seasons of one of many best sitcoms of all time, and I’ve put collectively this function to focus on what is probably one of many extra underrated and hilarious parts of the Seinfeld legacy. It’s one thing to consider earlier than the subsequent time you stream the present together with your Netflix subscription or pop in a disc from the superb new 4K UHD set that was launched in December.
The Dream Cafe
In Jerry’s protection, Babu Bhatt’s Dream Café wasn’t precisely doing gangbusters earlier than he obtained concerned. In any case, the rationale the comic turned so fascinated with it within the first place was the truth that he by no means noticed anyone go in there. That being stated, it’s Jerry’s suggestion have the restaurant pivot to a menu with all Pakistani meals in Season 3’s “The Café”, and when that costly transition finally ends up being a failure, the enterprise collapses.
Frozen Yogurt (Non-Fats Frozen Yogurt Place)
When characters trigger companies to get shut down on Seinfeld, it’s sometimes the results of malice or ignorance, however the frozen yogurt place from Season 5’s “The Non-Fats Yogurt” (merely known as “Frozen Yogurt” on its signage) is a particular case: it’s the results of optimistic motion that’s meant to learn the area people. Regardless of what the proprietor claims, the tasty deserts served by the shingle have a considerable fats content material, and that lie being uncovered by Jerry and Elaine ends in all of its prospects by no means going again.
Pendant Publishing
Elaine is usually smarter and extra profitable than her pals, leading to higher choices, however she will get actually screwed by the universe in Season 5’s “The Reverse,” as George’s success turns into her unhealthy fortune. Whereas the stocky, dim-witted bald man begins a brand new relationship and will get a job with the New York Yankees, Elaine by accident causes the downfall of Pendant Publishing. Stuffing her mouth with Jujyfruits implies that she will’t inform an unwell Mr. Lippman that he left his handkerchief on her desk, and when he doesn’t shake the hand of the Japanese businessman who is ready to bail the corporate out, the deal completely falls aside.
Scorching Soup (The Soup Nazi’s Soup Restaurant)
Elaine getting Pendant Publishing shut down is certainly an accident, however the identical can’t be stated about Scorching Soup – the restaurant that’s the foremost topic of Season 7’s “The Soup Nazi.” Whereas she definitely appreciates the culinary abilities of Yev Kassem, she is unable to abide by his excessive strictness and rudeness, and so she takes motion. With nothing greater than revenge on her thoughts, she makes plans to publish all of Scorching Soup’s recipes, and the Soup Nazi instantly decides to shut up store and transfer to Argentina.
Jimmy’s Shoe Enterprise
In Season 6’s “The Jimmy,” the titular character makes his cash as non-public vendor of plyometric athletic sneakers, however all the pieces goes to hell when he slips on a pool of drool and finally ends up breaking his leg. Jimmy completely blames Kramer (the supply of the drool) for the incident, and punches the hipster doofus within the face once they run into one another at a profit, however to not be not noted of the finger pointing is George, who companions with Jimmy and is unable to win over potential traders because of his missing talents bodily.
Play Now
As famous, there are incidents on Seinfeld the place characters need sure companies to be shut down, however within the case of George and Play Now, that’s positively not so. The bespectacled weasel is at struggle with the playground gear outfit in Season 9’s “The Voice,” however he needs the corporate to thrive as a result of he has a one-year contract that they legally must honor. Sadly for George, that scheme falls aside when Kramer and his intern throw a ball of oil out of one of many firm’s home windows as a method of testing a tanker bladder system they’ve designed. The tip consequence: Play Now will get sued into oblivion.
Magic Pan Crepes
It’s not an amazing enterprise mannequin once you insist that your entire restaurant’s meals be ready by people who find themselves within the proprietor’s household, so I don’t know the way lengthy Magic Pan was ever going to final, however Jerry doesn’t do something to assist the franchise in Season 8’s “The English Affected person.” First, his macho head video games (actual or imagined) put Izzy Mandelbaum and his household within the hospital, after which he makes the error of suggesting Kramer’s Dominican cigar rollers take over the crepes-production operation – which ends up in diners getting severely burned by squirting sizzling fruit.
The Mother And Pop Retailer
I’ll give Kramer a good bit of credit score on this case: in Season 6’s “The Mother & Pop Retailer,” he comes upon a struggling unbiased retailer run by two aged folks and makes reputable efforts to attempt to enhance issues for them. He will get them some new enterprise when he brings in all of Jerry’s sneakers to be repaired/cleaned, and he’s solely attempting to assist when he factors out a bunch of uncovered wires within the ceiling that might be a possible hearth hazard. It’s simply unhealthy luck that the repairs find yourself being a horrible mixture of crucial and too costly, and the shop has to shut in consequence.
Leapin’ Larry’s Electronics
Many of the corporations on this listing shut down due to actions Seinfeld characters take to compromise their enterprise, however Leaping Larry’s Electronics from Season 7’s “The Secret Code” is exclusive. There is no such thing as a monetary destroy; the place merely burns to the bottom. Blame will be shared by each Jerry and Kramer: the previous begins the inferno when he by accident spills a can of paint thinner on some uncovered wires, and the latter prevents the constructing from getting saved when he tries to stay out his dream of steering the rear finish of a hearth engine deployed to cease the blaze.
Kenny Rogers’ Roasters
Issues don’t get so unhealthy in Season 8’s “The Rooster Roaster” that the whole Kenny Rogers Roasters chain will get shut down, however Jerry’s actions do result in the shuttering of one of many franchise’s places. It’s really a case of backfiring intentions, as Jerry needs the place to remain open after his former school buddy turns into the supervisor, however the board of well being instantly takes motion when Jerry shakes out a rat hat after coming in from the rain and covers the place in nutria fur.
Frank Costanza’s Laptop Enterprise
Working out of a storage in Queens, Frank Costanza’s enterprise promoting computer systems in Season 9’s “The Serenity Now” was by no means going to correctly compete with main retailers, however George does his half to hasten the enterprise’s demise. Lloyd Braun shoulders a few of the blame right here, as all of his gross sales are one hundred pc imagined, however George straight up commits fraud by shopping for computer systems himself and faking purchases.
That is the sort of factor that I’ll now all the time take into consideration each time I watch Seinfeld, which is actually tremendous typically. I suppose I’ll surprise why it’s that not one of the companies tried to file lawsuits in opposition to Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine – however that simply provides extra queries to the listing of questions that the present by no means solutions.