The Apology (Seinfeld episode)
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| Seinfeld episode | |
| "The Apology" | |
 George's nemesis apologizes to Jerry, but not to George. |
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| Episode no. | 165 |
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| Airdate | December 11, 1997 |
| Writer(s) | Jennifer Crittenden |
| Director | Andy Ackerman |
| Guest star(s) | James Spader |
| Seinfeld - Season 9 September 1997 - May 1998 |
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| List of all Seinfeld episodes | |
The Apology is the one-hundred and sixty-fifth episode of the hit NBC television series Seinfeld. This was the 9th episode for the 9th and final season. It first aired on December 11, 1997.
[edit] Plot
Jerry begins dating Melissa, only later to be surprised that, even outside a sexual context, she is comfortable nude in his apartment. This becomes apparent when she walks naked into the kitchen to receive waffles for breakfast. In fact, she is most often nude, even while playing board games. While Jerry's friend George is envious and says he spends considerable effort simply imagining female nudity, and is not surrounded by it so often, Jerry soon grows uncomfortable with Melissa's quirk. Jerry finds Melissa coughing while naked to be unattractive, for example. George replies Jerry is spoiled by having seen too much nudity.
Another characteristic of Melissa is that she is evidently good at fixing things; she repairs Jerry's bicycle, for example, even though Jerry keeps it as a decoration to hang on his wall rather than for transportation. However, Melissa repairs the bike naked, and this also strikes Jerry as being unattractive since it involves crouching and a minor injury.
Eventually Jerry responds to Melissa's nudism by trying casual nudity himself. Melissa, however, while carrying a positive attitude toward female nudity, does not have similar views on male nudity. She informs him that male nudity is not in itself attractive, a sentiment explained by Elaine Benes as meaning female nudity is art whereas the male body is utility. Ultimately Jerry convinces Melissa to wear clothes more often, but she is still put off by the thought of him naked, and the relationship is ruined.
Meanwhile, Kramer begins "living" in his shower, even going as far as cooking and installing a garbage disposal in his drain. One of Elaine's co-worker's is a germo-phobe, and Elaine soon discovers this to be true of Puddy, too.
George learns a friend of his (James Spader) is a recovering alcoholic, and as part of the AA's Twelve Steps (Step 9), George feels inclined to an apology from his friend (who he nicknames "Stanky Hanky"), who had insulted him years earlier at a party.
[edit] Trivia
- Jerry breaks the fourth wall by saying the he only used the bike in the background of his apartment for "show."
- Not only did Jason Alexander and James Spader appeared together in this episode, but they both appeared in the movie White Palace.
- The first kid who wanted ice cream from Jason "Stanky" Hankey (James Spader) was Michael Fishman, best known for his role as D.J. in Rosanne, which was actually finished months ago when this episode aired.
