Episode no. Season 5
Episode 20 Production code 521 | Directed by Tom Cherones Original air date May 12, 1994 | |
Written by Peter Mehlman & Carol Leifer | ||
"The Hamptons" is the 85th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 20th episode for the fifth season. It aired on May 12, 1994. This was the final produced episode of the fifth season, although it aired as the penultimate episode of the season.
Contents
Plot
The four principal characters travel to the Hamptons to see a baby; they find that the baby is altogether ugly. While on the beach, Kramer finds a filled lobster trap and thinks the catch is his, unaware that it's a commercial lobster trap. George's girlfriend (Melora Walters) goes sun tanning topless while he goes out to get tomatoes, and George is seen naked by Jerry's girlfriend Rachel (Melanie Smith), to whom he tries in vain to explain that, having just gotten out of the cold water, he is a victim of penile "shrinkage" by yelling "I was in the pool!"
Elaine is thrilled to be described as "breathtaking" by a doctor (guest star Richard Burgi) until she finds he uses the same adjective to describe the baby. Rachel tells George's girlfriend about his "shrinkage" and she leaves. At breakfast, George gets revenge on Rachel by tricking her into eating lobster-filled scrambled eggs, which is not kosher. When he goes to apologize, he sees her naked. Kramer then gets arrested for lobster poaching and must pick up garbage on the side of the road. On the way home (minus Kramer), the gang stop at a tomato stall, where Rachel promptly throws a tomato at George.
Influence on popular culture
The episode has been credited with giving "new meaning to the word 'shrinkage'". Seinfeld writer Peter Mehlman took credit for introducing the word, with apparently enthusiastic approval from Larry David (conversely, Mehlman gave David credit for "sponge-worthy", the catchword from The Sponge). The word was later used in a Budweiser commercial and cited as a testament to the show's influence.