Jerry and George's pilot gets cast and filmed, with a few difficulties along the way during its production. George tries to find out what a discoloration on his lip is and wonders if it's cancerous. Kramer ends up constipated and does what he can to relieve himself. Elaine wants to sue the Monk's owner after discovering the waiters he hired have big breasts.
Tropes:
- Attractiveness Discrimination: Elaine notices the waitresses hired by the new owner at Monk's all have big breasts and plans to sue the restaurant. Subverted when it's revealed the waitresses all happen to be the owner's daughters.
- Brick Joke: Jerry's father's wallet which was thought to be stolen by the doctors? Turns out it got lost in Jerry's couch.
- Call-Back: A small one to "The Implant". George is still shown to double-dip his chips.
- The Cameo: A whole bunch of the people who appeared during season 4 were watching the Jerry pilot including The Bubble Boy and his parents, The Drake and the Drakette, Sidra Holland ("They're real and they're spectacular") and Salman Rushdie, Marla Penny and JFK, Jr., etc.
- Creator Cameo:
- Larry David and Larry Charles appear as Russell's mates when he joins Greenpeace.
- Larry David also appeared as John F. Kennedy Jr. in the cameo with Marla.
- Frequent Seinfeld episode director Tom Cherones appears as the director of the Jerry pilot.
- Cut His Heart Out with a Spoon: When George tries to apologize to the actor playing Kramer after confronting him over the raisins, who digs himself deeper."Kramer": How would you like it if I just pulled your heart out of your chest right now, and shoved it down your throat?
- Expy: The actors who were hired to play Elaine, George and Kramer definitely resemble their counterparts.
- Hostility on the Set:
- In-universe, George tries to direct some of the action while filming, much to the chagrin of the cast and crew, annoying the director and also causing a huge rift between him and the actor playing Kramer.
- Also during the filming, Russell, breaking down after Elaine's rejection, fires a crew member for accidentally bumping into him. He even yells at the people afterwards who stare at him after the spat.
- Jerkass: “Kramer”. He’s an incredibly aggressive actor who gets angry at George for giving him one suggestion, and later threatens him for politely asking if he stole a box of raisins after his audition. It turns out he did steal the raisins, so his anger both times George asks is completely unjustified.
- Lost at Sea: Russell Dalrymple ended up lost at sea during a mission with Greenpeace gone wrong.
- Love Makes You Crazy: Russell, after being rejected by Elaine for being the NBC president, ends up infatuated with her, to the point it drains his mental health. He ends up leaving NBC and joining Greenpeace in an attempt to win her over.
- Nice Character, Mean Actor: Kramer might be a doofus who screws things for other people and can be insensitive at times, but he usually means well. The actor playing him in the pilot, meanwhile, is an unrepentant jerkass who takes a very adversarial attitude towards George for ultimately petty reasons.
- Not Good with Rejection: Russell does not take being rejected by Elaine well and goes out of his way to win her over.
- Potty Emergency: After his audition, Kramer has to go to the bathroom, but has no luck finding a toilet, leading to his constipation.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- The actor playing Kramer already doesn't like George telling him how to act, but the last straw was when George confronts him about the raisins.
"Kramer": Let me give you a word of advice. O.K.? I want you to stay away from me. I don't wanna talk to you, and I don't wanna hear anymore of your stupid little notes and suggestions. I don't like you. So if you got any other problems whether it's raisins, prunes, figs, or any other dried fruit, just keep it to yourself and stay out of my way, O.K.?- And when Russell fires the crew member.
Russell: Don't talk back to me. Didn't you hear what I say? Get out! You want me to call the cops? I make and break little worms like you every day. Do you know how much money I make? Do you have any idea! Do you know where I live? I can have any woman in this city that I want. Any one. Now, GET OUT! - Recycled Soundtrack: The music heard when they were setting up the filming of the pilot was the same music heard on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno intro on the episode "The Trip".
- The Scapegoat: Jerry and George blame Elaine for Jerry's cancellation because she rejected Russell, making him disappear.
- Screwed by the Network: In-universe, despite most people appearing to like the pilot, Rita Kearson, who takes Russell's place as NBC president after the latter's disappearance, does not like the show and has it cancelled.
- Show Within a Show: Jerry.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: A small example, but Russell firing the crew member certainly counts.
- The Topic of Cancer: George fears the discoloration of his lip is cancerous and is relieved when it turns out there's nothing wrong with him.
- Troubled Production: In-universe, between George getting into it with the cast and crew, Jerry's doubts about his acting and Crazy Joe Davola coming in and attempting to attack Jerry, this certainly qualifies.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: After working on it for a whole season and it looking like it'll be a hit, Jerry and George's television series is cancelled by Rita, only minutes after the pilot finished airing.
