Seinfeld: The Dog | Episode 21 Recap

Listen to the Podcast: Subscribe: Seinfeld Podcast in iTunes  |  Seinfeld Podcast RSS Feed A barking Farfel didn’t disrupt Rob and Akiva from discussing the fourth episode of season three titled “The Dog”. This episode first aired October 9th, 1991, and was widely panned as a subpar episode. Akiva pointed out that other than “The Stranded”, which will come up a few episodes down the road, it’s all quality shows from here forward. One of the few bright spots in this episode for Rob was the first mention of fake movie titles in Prognosis Negative and Ponce De Leon. It’s one of the running gags in the show that Rob really enjoys. Rob mentioned that he can’t put “The Dog” at the bottom of the worst episode list because he enjoys saying Farfel so much. A Seinfeld-y thing in the news now that Akiva found was a clip from Jerry’s web show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, where Michael Richards is impersonating the president of Crackle (the website that sponsors the show). In Jerry’s opening standup, he talks about how airplanes are able to make up time in the air after a delay, leading him to wonder why the plane doesn’t just go that fast all the time if it can. Rob and Akiva discussed if planes don’t always do this because of safety, ultimately concluding that it probably comes down to saving money by going at a more moderate speed. Akiva also added that Jerry deserves a pass for the hacky premise, noting that Jerry created many of these types of bits. The episode begins with Jerry sitting in first class next to an obviously intoxicated Gavin Polone, who is telling Jerry about the virtues of owning a dog. Rob and Akiva agree that Gavin is one of the worst guest characters, perhaps a contender to take the crown from the woman in “The Baby Shower”. Gavin starts to feel queasy, causing an emergency landing in Chicago, but Gavin tells the flight attendants that someone needs to take care of Farfel, his dog, who is crated in the baggage storage. Jerry tries to avoid being the guy to take the dog, but Gavin doesn’t let him off the hook. Back at Jerry’s apartment, Farfel is in Jerry’s bedroom, barking incessantly. Akiva had put in his notes how fake Farfel’s bark was. He also pointed out that Tom Williams was the voice actor credited with Farfel’s bark, and he has credits as a voice actor in over 75 shows and movies. Jerry is at his wit’s end with Farfel, who is messing all over his house, tearing up his furniture. Rob thought that never seeing both Farfel and Kramer’s girlfriend in this episode was too much, and that it could have been better to show one of them. Jerry tells Elaine that it’s been three days since Gavin went to the hospital, and if he doesn’t hear from him soon, then he’ll take Farfel to the pound. Kramer comes in to share that he can’t watch Farfel for him that night since he has to break up with his girlfriend Ellen. Elaine and Jerry tell him they never liked her. Elaine refers to her personality as unpleasant as the Elephant Man is to see, while Jerry wonders why someone hasn’t killed her yet. Kramer is looking forward to hurt her feelings when breaking up with her. Rob and Akiva discussed the etiquette when a friend announces they are breaking up with someone they didn’t like. Rob said he’s always abided by the “first breakup doesn’t take” philosophy, and always offers a politically correct response. George shows up, excited for the three of them to see Prognosis Negative, only to be told Jerry can’t go. George and Elaine are both feeling awkward about going to the movie without Jerry,