The Best Seinfeld Episodes Written By Larry David, Ranked

Seinfeld is one of the most memorable sitcoms of the '90s, and while Jerry is the one who shows up on camera, Larry David is the mind behind some of the show's best episodes. Seinfeldis considered a "show about nothing" thanks to Seinfeld and David's talent to make the most of everyday mundanity, and surprisingly, some of the sitcom's most absurd storylines are based on situations David experienced in real life.

Right now, David is most commonly known as the face of Curb Your Enthusiasm, an adult comedy show airing on HBO that constantly references David's role in Seinfeld. His distinctive black humor was vital for the sitcom's success, and David's decision to leave the show during Season 8 and 9 was deeply felt. Hopefully, he left a consistent legacy of memorable Seinfeld episodes.

Evil Wins in The Handicap Spot

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"The Handicap Spot" works as a hilarious reminder of the morally ambiguous nature of the Seinfeldquartet and how they often can let their worst habits get the upper hand over them. Chaos ensues in a parking lot after George secretly parks in a handicap spot, causing a serious accident with a disabled woman.

Everyone lets their worst side prevail in this episode: Kramer convinces George to park in a prohibited spot, George carelessly follows his advice, and Jerry and Elaine try to convince an ex-couple to return the expensive TV they gave them. Curiously, it's the people around them who end up getting the worst of it, preventing karma from taking its course. Thanks to David's dark humor, evil wins this time, and no lessons are learned.

The Finale is Seinfeld's Most Controversial Episode

There's a legion of fans that think Seinfeld's series finale didn't live up to the show's standards and was a major let-down. On the other hand, many believe the conclusion couldn't have been different. Regardless of which side is picked, it is still one of the most subversive episodes that has ever aired on TV.

After nine seasons of getting away with ruining other people's lives because of minor issues, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George finally get what they deserve. It's not a stretch to believe the prison bars are there to simply symbolize they are the worst and there's no hope for them, but the ending is comical, especially because of how over-the-top it feels.

Insignificant Incidents Spiral Out of Control in "The Big Salad"

"The Big Salad" is a great example of turning isolated incidents into grand-scale events. In the episode, Elaine asks George to buy her a big salad for lunch, a favor he desperately seeks credit for. Alternatively, Kramer gets implicated in the murder of a dry cleaner, leading up to a hilarious car chase that satirizes O. J. Simpson's criminal case.

Whenever a Seinfeld episode orbits around George's over-the-top dispositions, fans can be sure David is behind it. He based George after himself, and he's the only character who can make such a big deal out of buying Elaine a big salad, to the point his romantic relationship crumbles into pieces as a result of his quirks.

"The Invitations" Knows no Boundaries

George Costanza's engagement felt like the character was finally heading towards his redemption arc: he finds himself a beautiful, understanding woman and is finally ready to move into a different life. Perhaps "ready" isn't the best word for it since Seinfeldoffers plenty of clues that fans shouldn't buy the idea of George getting married for too long. The seventh season's finale kicks in to show the audience there's no redemption for these characters.

If anyone had any doubts that David's black humor has no boundaries, "The Invitations" stands out as the perfect piece of evidence: no one expects a comedy show like Seinfeldto suddenly kill off a major character, yet that's exactly what happens. George spends the whole episode looking for valid alternatives to call off his wedding, only for his wife to unexpectedly die by poison from licking toxic invitation envelopes. The way things take their course in this episode is comical in the darkest possible way, especially when taking Jerry's own failed engagement into account. It's the perfect farewell episode for David, who leaves the show after Season 7 and only returns to write the Series Finale.

Jerry and Elaine Become More Than Friends in "The Deal"

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"The Deal" plays with the idea of Jerry and Elaine becoming romantically involved, something that was suggested ever since Season 1, when it's revealed the two dated in the past. They agree on a set of ground rules that inevitably backfire, putting their friendship at risk. The episode helped convince NBC that Kramer needed to become part of the main cast and effectively tricked viewers into a romance storyline that is hilarious to follow but, thankfully, goes nowhere.

Part of the reason why "The Deal" works so well is related to the fact that David has always been against the idea of Jerry and Elaine. By giving in to NBC's pressure, he finds a clever way out throughout the episode, with Jerry and Elaine stuck in the gap between friendship and romance indefinitely. The suggestion of romance remains there until the end of the show, and it's even referenced occasionally, but it never becomes anything solid. For David, it's a win.

The Parking Garage Makes the Most of Life's Uneventful Nature

Season 2, Episode 11, "The Chinese Restaurant," was the episode that establishedSeinfeld as the ultimate show without a plot, where the uneventful nature of daily life becomes a joke itself. Similar to the premise of an episode fully dedicated to Jerry and his friends waiting for their turn in a Chinese restaurant, David recreates the formula by having the quartet wandering aimlessly in "The Parking Garage" when Kramer doesn't remember where he parked the car.

In the episode, the lack of conflict generates plenty of discordance. Beyond the frustration of never finding the car, they must deal with the urge to urinate in a public space and the insensibility of others. David gets as comfortable as he can with each character's quirks, using their worst attributes against them in a long, meaningless search.

The Engagement Illustrates Seinfeld's Self-Aware Sense of Humor

"The Engagement" showcases Seinfeld's self-aware humor with an unexpected chain of events. It's hilarious how everyone but Kramer is convinced they must make some changes in their lives: after all, he's the only one who has never done anything with his life. George and Jerry decide they must marry, but only George goes through, finding himself in a dead-end alley. Meanwhile, Kramer, Elaine, and Newman unite forces to kidnap a dog that won't stop barking.

"The Engagement" pokes fun at the synthesis of every sitcom: same characters, same situations. The Seinfeldquartet tries desperately to change, but they can't stay away from their bad habits. The big irony is George, of all people, deciding to move forward, but everyone knows beforehand how this story will end.

The Pilot is Meta Comedy at Its Best

There's an argument to be made that Seinfeld's fourth season is the best: David and Seinfeld are in sync with each other's best ideas, and most importantly, the season delivers the best multi-episode storyline of the show. That is, of course, the show within the show plot, in which Jerry and George pitch a show "about nothing" to NBC and receive a surprising green light.

In "The Pilot," the show Jerry finally airs its first episode. David knew what he had in hand by writing this season finale: the possibility to change Seinfeldforever, leaning towards an entirely meta-comedy show that satirizes its own production. However, it wouldn't be David if he decided to go on with the idea forever: a series of misunderstandings causes the inevitable cancelation of Jerry and George's show, bringing the characters back to square one.

The Puffy Shirt Ties All Loose Ends

David has referred to "The Puffy Shirt" as one of his favorite Seinfeld episodes, and his irreverent humor takes the episode to hilarious extremes. Starting with Kramer's "low-talker" date, based on someone whom he dated in the past, the characters' attempts to hear — or at least pretend to hear — bring about a handful of good laughs. But the episode's highlight is the pirate-like puffy shirt that Jerry accidentally accepts to wear live.

"The Puffy Shirt" is one of those Seinfeld episodes where even the tiniest details come into play once the punch line kicks in, tying all loose ends. George's hand model subplot might seem displaced initially, but then every storyline clashes in one chaotic climax. Ultimately, it's the perfect episode to understand how the show structures each of its episodes like a joke, doing justice to Seinfeld's reputation of being a show about nothing.

The Contest is the Greatest Seinfeld Episode

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''The Contest" might be bigger than Seinfeld itself, regarded to this day as one of the most influential pieces of comedy that has ever aired on TV. The premise is simple: Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine decide to put money on who stays longer without masturbating, but a series of unexpected situations, such as a gorgeous neighbor walking around naked and a sensual bath behind curtains, make things harder than anticipated.

One of the funniest aspects about "The Contest" is always making up different terms to never use infamous words: if they're still in, they're still "master of their domain." Furthermore, the episode revolutionized TV by addressing taboo topics with such an easygoing approach, even bringing Elaine to the core of the discussion. "The Contest" excels at relatability in terms the audience wasn't expecting, and granted David an Emmy award. What's even better is finding out that David has actually been in a similar contest in real life.

Seinfeld

The continuing misadventures of neurotic New York City stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his equally neurotic New York City friends.

Release DateJuly 5, 1989

CastMichael Richards, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Jerry Seinfeld

Main GenreComedy

RatingTV-PG

Seasons9

CreatorLarry David, Jerry Seinfeld