The Package (Seinfeld)

"**The Package**"
"The Package"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 8; Episode 5
Directed by	Andy Ackerman
Written by	Jennifer Crittenden
Production code	805
Original air date	October 17, 1996
Guest appearances
	Wayne Knight as Newman; Len Lesser as Uncle Leo; Richard Roat as Dr. Berg; Fort Atkinson as Dr. Stern; David Purdham as Dr. Resnick; Heather Campbell as Sheila; Ramon Franco as Mailman; Bari K. Willerford as Ron; Shuko Akune as Receptionist; F. William Parker as Country Doctor; Lyn Alicia Henderson as Clerk; Bill Gratton as Postal Official; Susan Leslie as Nurse;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Little Kicks"	Next →; "The Fatigues"
	Seinfeld season 8
	List of episodes

"The Package" is the 139th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the fifth episode for the eighth season, originally airing on NBC on October 17, 1996.^[1]

In this episode, Elaine cannot receive medical treatment for her rash because of a reputation for being a "difficult" patient, Kramer offers Jerry a method to get a refund on a stereo that is two years out of warranty, and George discovers that Sheila, a clerk at the photo store, is looking at his pictures.

Plot

While consulting her doctor about a rash, Elaine notices that her medical chart notes her as "difficult". When Elaine objects to the description, he dismisses her without examining the rash. Elaine tries to sneak her file out of the doctor's office, but he catches her and takes it back. She tries other doctors, but her chart is passed on to her newer providers and they likewise refuse her treatment.

Kramer says he can get Jerry a refund on a finicky stereo that is two years out of warranty. After Jerry lets him take the stereo, Kramer smashes it and mails it to him in an insured package, intending Jerry to claim it was destroyed in transit. Jerry refuses delivery of an unexpected package with no return address, fearing it may be a bomb. Uncle Leo accepts it in his stead.

Sheila, a clerk at the photo store, flirts with George when he picks up his photos, commenting on a mustard stain that appears in one. He photographs everything, even Jerry taking a screwdriver to his stereo, as an excuse to see her again. A lingerie model's picture is accidentally mixed in with George's photos; he assumes it is a photo of Sheila she inserted as a come-on. Kramer convinces George to return the compliment with seductive pictures of himself. After George drops off the pictures to be developed, Sheila goes on break and passes the job on to her co-worker, Ron. Enticed by the photos, Ron takes his own racy photo and mixes it in with George's photos. When Sheila informs George that she can not find his photos, he assumes she kept them and asks her out. She eagerly accepts.

Kramer's plan to make the post office pay for the stereo backfires when Jerry gets caught. Newman grills him on suspicion of mail fraud. Jerry points out that he has no proof. By chance Newman sees the photo of Jerry with his stereo and confiscates George's photos as evidence, forcing Jerry to pay a fine. He also sees the racy pictures of George and Ron and accuses George of being involved in a mail-order pornography ring. Seeing Newman's blown-up photos of George and Ron, Sheila runs from George in horror.

Leo's stove explodes, singeing off his eyebrows. Elaine accompanies Leo during his doctor's visit, trying to get a diagnosis for the rash. She panics and flees when the doctor steps out, drawing a new pair of eyebrows on Leo to keep him quiet. This makes him look angry, and his doctor writes him up as "difficult". She gets Kramer to pose as the fictitious Dr. Van Nostrand and ask for her medical charts. Kramer fumbles on his cover story and a file is opened on him. After Kramer contracts Elaine's rash, Elaine, Kramer, and Leo visit a medical office in a rural location, but the doctor is alerted about them.

Production

Phil Hartman makes an uncredited voice appearance in this episode as the man who wakes Elaine to confirm the spelling of her surname.^[2] The farmer extra appearing in the final scene is Seinfeld writer David Mandel.^[2]

A scene showing how Newman acquired George's photos was filmed but cut before broadcast.

Elaine refers to the nipple incident in the season-four episode "The Pick" when asked if she has done risqué photos of herself. Kramer poses as "Dr. Van Nostrand, from the clinic". Kramer reprises this character in the season-9 episode "The Slicer". The character is also referenced in "The Strike".

The scene when Newman questions Jerry after accusing him of mail fraud and is a parody of a scene from the film Basic Instinct, when John Correli (also played by Wayne Knight) questions Catherine Tramell after the killing of Johnny Boz.

Merchandise

A photo from George's risque photo shoot was released in poster form a year after the episode was broadcast, under the title "The Timeless Art of Seduction". It became a major bestseller.^[2]

References

^ "Seinfeld Season 8 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Seinfeld Season 8: Notes About Nothing - "The Package" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2007.

External links

"The Package" at IMDb

[tvguide-1] "Seinfeld Season 8 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2021.

[NaN-2] Seinfeld Season 8: Notes About Nothing - "The Package" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2007.

[1]

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v t e Seinfeld episodes
Season 1	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip"
Season 2	"The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy"
Season 3	"The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend"† "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys"
Season 4	"The Trip"† "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot"†
Season 5	"The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats"† "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite"
Season 6	"The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100"† "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy"
Season 7	"The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac"† "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit"† "The Wait Out" "The Invitations"
Season 8	"The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George"
Season 9	"The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strongbox" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle"† "The Finale"†
† Indicates two-part episode