By the end of its nine-season run, Seinfeld was the biggest show on television and since its final episode, it has remained one of the most iconic and influential sitcoms ever. So it's strange to think that it had such a hard time getting off the ground. Its first season was a ratings failure and the network had so little faith in the show, that it only ordered five episodes.
It's true that those early episodes are among the series' weakest, but it was still a fresh and funny series with signs of the brilliance that was to come. From the mundane situations to the great dialogue, there were a lot of laughs early on. Here are some hilarious jokes from Season 1 of Seinfeld.
The Buttons
From its very first scene, Seinfeld established its unique dialogue and the kind of style that would earn it the title of "the show about nothing." In the pilot episode, Jerry and George sit in a café discussing the importance of button placement on a shirt and how it can make or break the shirt.
It was weird, but it sounded real and it was funny. This is the kind of observational humor that made the show so fresh, even if no one was watching yet. The moment was even revisited in the finale episode as the gang sits in their prison cell and Jerry begins talking about that same observation.
Make Your Own Pizza
From the very beginning, it was clear that Kramer was a standout. While the show itself was still finding its footing, Jerry's wacky neighbor was instantly amusing. Very early on, they establish Kramer as having frequent and bizarre inventions and business ideas, a character trait that would carry on throughout the rest of the series.
His first idea that is introduced on the show is his make-your-own-pizza restaurant. Kramer assures the others that the idea is taking off and excitedly talks about the possibilities of the venture. And when George brings up the fact that you can't have unqualified people sticking their arms in huge ovens, Kramer sees it as a non-issue.
Lost Grape
As the series went on, it became very good at having the various and bizarre separate storylines of the episodes intersect and connect. It was another example of the Seinfeld's great writing. However, in the first season, some of those second storylines were hilariously pointless.
In one particular episode, Elaine becomes obsessed with finding a grape she dropped on the floor, which seemingly disappeared. The show was really willing to throw in the most random yet relatable storylines just to present something different to the viewers.
The Door Lock
Even if the writing wasn't as sharp as it was later in the show, there was a lot of fun to be had with Kramer being the most intrusive neighbor on the planet. From borrowing food to constantly barging into the apartment, he might as well live in Jerry's home. Of course, this leads to Kramer forgetting to close the door, leading to the apartment getting robbed.
Kramer is completely apologetic about the mishap but assumes it will all be fine since Jerry has home insurance. But Jerry explains to Kramer that instead of getting insurance, he bought the most impenetrable lock on the market, explaining, "It has only one design flaw: the door... MUST BE CLOSED!"
Lost Sock
The show tried to switch things up in its format to distinguish it from the competition by including short segments of Jerry Seinfeld's own stand-up bits throughout the episode. The gimmick didn't work for everyone, but it did introduce a lot of people to Seinfeld's great observational comedy approach.
One of his earliest bits is a perfect example of the kind of everyday things that Seinfeld likes to add his own little spin to. Talking about the inevitability of losing a sock in the wash, Seinfeld imagines these socks planning an elaborate getaway like prisoners.
Coin Exchange
Seinfeld had a bold approach to its storytelling that might have thrown viewers at first, but soon became the show's signature style. There would often be entire scenes where the characters are performing mundane tasks that have nothing to do with the overall story.
In one episode, Jerry and George have a discussion while in line at the bank where George wants to exchange his pennies for paper money. When the teller explains that he will need to roll the pennies himself, George looks at the massive jar and says "What, should I quit my job?"
The Greeting
The show was always brilliant about dissecting social cues and breaking down the world around us in hilarious ways. In the very first episode, Jerry is having a female house guest stay with him while she's in town and he is struggling to determine if this is a romantic situation or not.
While Jerry and George are at the airport waiting to pick her up, they begin talking about how her greeting will be a sign of her intentions. The two men break down all the possible ways people greet one another and what those greetings mean. But while they are discussing it, the woman sneaks up behind them and gives a greeting neither of them can interpret.
The Stakeout
The show also embraced its strange and unique depiction of the dating scene in its early episodes. One of the first episodes called "The Stakeout" involves Jerry meeting a woman at a party and staking out her place of work so he can ask her out.
Wanting to make the whole thing seem like a random encounter, Jerry takes George along and the two try to devise an elaborate story as to why they are there in the building. This leads to the introduction of a lot of recurring jokes like George's fake career as an architect and his alias, Art Vandelay.
Odds And Evens
The friendship between Jerry and George is what kicks off the show and it remains one of the most entertaining aspects of the series for all nine seasons. The two are childhood friends and in many ways, it feels like they never really matured out of that stage.
When George is helping Jerry look for a new apartment, the two men fall in love with the same place. Not wanting the apartment to come between their friendship, they decide to settle the decision with a game of "odds and evens." It's a hilarious sight to see these grown men getting so intense about a stupid game, especially George's outburst when he loses.
I'll Go If I Don't Have To Talk
One of the biggest problems with those early episodes was the fact that Elaine is given very little to do. Though she would become just as important as the other main characters, the show seemed unsure of how to use her at first. But this classic exchange remains one of her best moments.
When Elaine is bored, she suggests to Jerry that they go out and do something. However, she is totally uninterested in putting any effort into the activity. She's not hungry, so Jerry decides they could go to a café and talk. Elaine responds, "I'll go if I don't have to talk." It's a strangely relatable moment.