Seinfeld: The Library | Episode 22 Recap

Listen to the Podcast: Subscribe: Seinfeld Podcast in iTunes  |  Seinfeld Podcast RSS Feed Podcast Recap of Seinfeld, Season 3, Episode 5 “The Library” first aired on NBC October 16, 1991 Rob Cesternino and Akiva Wienerkur were excited to sit down and discuss a classic episode from Season Three in “The Library”, which first aired on October 16, 1991. Akiva shared that this was the real first episode that tied all the storylines together, even though the same claim was made in four or five different episodes. Akiva felt that the powers that be at Seinfeld probably wanted a good episode to be remembered for that feat. With no current news about Seinfeld, the guys jumped right into the recap. Jerry’s standup was about ventriloquist dummies. Rob thought that it was a bit meta to critique another type of comedy, and that it didn’t tie into anything from the plot of the show. The episode opens with Jerry on the phone disputing that he still has a library book checked out from 1971. Both Akiva and Rob have had to shell out late fees for books, videos and DVDs in their past, but never faced the scrutiny of anyone like Lt. Bookman. Jerry explains that he distinctly remembers returning the book because he was with Sherry Becker, who wore an orange dress that showed “what she was working with” for the first time, which was burned into his memory. Jerry brings Kramer along to the library to discuss this missing book, and he explains to Kramer that he was tracked down because of computers. Kramer shares his dislike for the whole library system, from the freeloaders reading newspapers on wooden posts, to the Dewey Decimal System being a sham. Rob and Akiva thought Kramer would be right at home with freeloaders given how he treats Jerry’s apartment like a library. At the library, Kramer shows off his prowess as a ladies man when analyzing the librarian as a lonely spinster in need of “a little Kramer”. Jerry makes a low blow comment about how she’d need penicillin after a meeting with him. Akiva and Rob noted that Kramer’s ignoring the comment is a typical sitcom move that would never happen in real life. When they finally get to talk to the librarian, she informs them that the case has been turned over to the library detective named Lt. Bookman. Rob and Akiva quibble a bit over whether it’s a good joke to have him named Bookman, and decided that they were being too nitpicky. George meets up with them, and he’s frantic about seeing a homeless man who he thinks is their 9th grade Gym teacher, Mr. Heyman. They tell the story to Kramer about how George got him fired for giving him a wedgie, to which Kramer remarks how he didn’t take George for a squealer. As they go to leave, Kramer stays around to flirt with the librarian, asking her what’s a guy to do to get a library card around there. Before recapping the Elaine story, Rob shared how disappointed he was in this storyline. Akiva felt it could be given a pass because it developed Lippman as a recurring character, even though they would switch the actor out after this episode. Elaine is at her office, where she is worried that she is in trouble since no one got her order for lunch. Mr. Lippman then gives her a lukewarm response to her question about a story she edited. At Monk’s, she is worrying about the happenings at her office, and tries to get George to commiserate, since he’s worked in an office. George is transfixed with the Heyman siting, so he completely blows her off by saying “I don’t know about lunch, I don’t know about anything”. George shares with Elaine about how their Gym teacher used to torment him,