I don't really consider "The Phone Message" to be a great 'Seinfeld' episode as much as I consider it to be a very decent and above average early episode of the show. I am sure that statement alone will have me crucified by many and while the laughs are slowly but surely beginning to land with the show, I am more impressed by the blueprint of the show becoming closer and closer to the show that it is today remembered as. The best thing the episode does, hands down, is absolutely nail the character of George Costanza and Jason Alexander gets to really dig into some very interesting material that absolutely screams classic George.
"The Phone Message" wholly works because of George and it's his episode out and out. Elaine has a few moments, nothing too remarkable and Kramer has a very amusing almost meta scene in which he is effectively mocking some of Seinfeld's stand-up routine (although I think this material would work later down the series, especially as the show really becomes a hit and Kramer would return to some of his mimicry of Jerry later on, to better effect in my opinion). Jerry himself gets a decent little piece about dating a girl and finding his relationship with her muddied after finding out she enjoys a television commercial that he despises. It really showcases the mundane nature of 'Seinfeld's' observational comedy as well as the utterly selfish nature of its characters and while the material here doesn't really reduce me to laughter, it's decent enough and more interestingly shows 'Seinfeld' edging closer to the show it would become.
Let's return to George here though as he is absolutely fantastic. First he manages to do the almost impossible, get himself a date with a woman who genuinely seems to enjoy his company. He's then invited into her apartment late in the night for "coffee" which he doesn't clue into its ulterior signal and then upon learning his mistake, attempts to fix it and ends up getting himself into far greater complications after leaving a series of increasingly angry messages on her phone.
This is it. This is the George Costanza that I absolutely adore and this is the real beginnings of the character whose pure brilliance has made 'Seinfeld' almost transcendent. This is a classic George predicament and it is achieved in the earlier days of 'Seinfeld' and "The Phone Message" is among the best episodes yet for my money. It doesn't quite nail the timing, the efficiency and the all-out hilarity of 'Seinfeld' down the road but it really showcases the overall series coming together in retrospect.
On a side note, I do think the 8.6 rating on IMDb can be somewhat problematic, especially to first time viewers of the show. While I consider this episode entertaining and funny with bursts of brilliance, a lot of it works for me in hindsight. A first time viewer might find his desire to continue watching Seinfeld a little halted should an episode as highly rated as this really underwhelm he/she.
"The Phone Message" wholly works because of George and it's his episode out and out. Elaine has a few moments, nothing too remarkable and Kramer has a very amusing almost meta scene in which he is effectively mocking some of Seinfeld's stand-up routine (although I think this material would work later down the series, especially as the show really becomes a hit and Kramer would return to some of his mimicry of Jerry later on, to better effect in my opinion). Jerry himself gets a decent little piece about dating a girl and finding his relationship with her muddied after finding out she enjoys a television commercial that he despises. It really showcases the mundane nature of 'Seinfeld's' observational comedy as well as the utterly selfish nature of its characters and while the material here doesn't really reduce me to laughter, it's decent enough and more interestingly shows 'Seinfeld' edging closer to the show it would become.
Let's return to George here though as he is absolutely fantastic. First he manages to do the almost impossible, get himself a date with a woman who genuinely seems to enjoy his company. He's then invited into her apartment late in the night for "coffee" which he doesn't clue into its ulterior signal and then upon learning his mistake, attempts to fix it and ends up getting himself into far greater complications after leaving a series of increasingly angry messages on her phone.
This is it. This is the George Costanza that I absolutely adore and this is the real beginnings of the character whose pure brilliance has made 'Seinfeld' almost transcendent. This is a classic George predicament and it is achieved in the earlier days of 'Seinfeld' and "The Phone Message" is among the best episodes yet for my money. It doesn't quite nail the timing, the efficiency and the all-out hilarity of 'Seinfeld' down the road but it really showcases the overall series coming together in retrospect.
On a side note, I do think the 8.6 rating on IMDb can be somewhat problematic, especially to first time viewers of the show. While I consider this episode entertaining and funny with bursts of brilliance, a lot of it works for me in hindsight. A first time viewer might find his desire to continue watching Seinfeld a little halted should an episode as highly rated as this really underwhelm he/she.