The Pen

"**The Pen**"
"The Pen"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 3; Episode 3
Directed by	Tom Cherones
Written by	Larry David
Production code	305
Original air date	October 2, 1991
Guest appearances
	Barney Martin as Morty Seinfeld; Liz Sheridan as Helen Seinfeld; Sandy Baron as Jack Klompus; Ann Morgan Guilbert as Evelyn; Len Lesser as Uncle Leo; Annie Korzen as Doris Klompus; Magda Harout as Aunt Stella; Roger Nolan as Chiropractor; Tucker Smallwood as Photographer;
Episode chronology
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	Seinfeld (season 3)
	List of episodes

"The Pen" is the 20th episode of Seinfeld, the third episode of the third season which first aired on October 2, 1991.

This is the only episode in which the character of George Costanza does not appear^[1] and one of two episodes in which Kramer does not appear (the other being "The Chinese Restaurant")^{[citation needed]}. Additionally, this episode is the first appearance of Morty's rival Jack Klompus^{[citation needed]} and of Uncle Leo's wife (and Jerry's aunt) Stella.^{[citation needed]}

Plot

Jerry and Elaine travel to Florida to visit Jerry's parents Morty and Helen at the Pines of Mar Gables Phase II for the weekend and plan on going scuba diving (which Helen doesn't see the point in doing). Morty is also being honored at a ceremony the next night. Jack Klompus and his wife Doris come over to write Morty a check for a previous night's dinner and Jerry notices Jack's pen. When Jerry asks Jack about it, Jack tells him that it can write upside down and that astronauts use it in space. Jack offers an interested Jerry the pen. Jerry refuses his offer several times, but Jack persists and Jerry finally gives in. Helen asks why he took the pen and says he should give it back because Doris will tell everyone in the condo that Jerry made Jack give it to him.

That night, Elaine sleeps on a sofa bed with a bar that sticks up through the mattress and injures her back, making her experience extreme pain, while not being helped by the fact that the air conditioning is turned off, since Jerry's parents are "nuts about temperature". Jerry tries to console her by saying they only have two more days left before they go back to New York. The next morning, Elaine's back is so sore that she cannot go scuba diving with Jerry, so he goes without her. Morty suggests she take muscle relaxants to ease the pain. Just as Helen predicted, their neighbor Evelyn tells the Seinfelds about the rumors that are beginning to spread around the Pines of Mar Gables Phase II that Jerry wanted Jack to give him the pen. When Jerry returns, he has black eyes because the capillaries around his eyes burst when he went underwater and the pressure was too tight on his mask.

Jack comes over again and Jerry returns the pen. Morty argues with Jack for "taking Jerry's pen".^[2] Elaine decides she wants to take the muscle relaxants, but takes the wrong dose and acts goofily at the ceremony. Jerry has to wear sunglasses because of his black eyes. At the dinner, Uncle Leo and Aunt Stella arrive to watch the event. Jack is the MC and turns the dinner into a "roast", making insults about Morty at the podium. Morty starts arguing with Jack again about taking back the pen and they start fighting, breaking Jack's dental plate in the process, prompting a bitter Jack to sue Morty.

The next day, a chiropractor looks at Elaine's back and tells her she should not go anywhere for at least five days, extending both her and Jerry's stay even longer much to their disappointment. Evelyn appears and tells Morty and Helen that it would take six votes to get them thrown out. She also says her nephew Larry is a good lawyer and offers to have him represent Morty should Jack press charges against Morty.

Production

The Pen is the only episode to not feature the character of George Costanza. Jason Alexander threatened to quit the show after the table read featured only two of the main cast actors, Jerry and Elaine.^[3] Alexander would later admit that this was caused by insecurity on his part as he was worried that Louis-Dreyfus's role would cause George's role to be diminished over time. ^[4]

References

^ "The backstage drama that nearly brought down 'Seinfeld'". Retrieved September 2, 2017.
^ David, Larry (October 2, 1991). "Script: Episode 20 - The Pen". Seinology.com. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
^ "The backstage drama that nearly brought down 'Seinfeld'". Retrieved September 2, 2017.
^ The Kelly Clarkson Show (May 5, 2020). Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jason Alexander Discuss SEINFELD and More for Direct Relief Fundraising. YouTube.

External links

[1] "The backstage drama that nearly brought down 'Seinfeld'". Retrieved September 2, 2017.

[2] David, Larry (October 2, 1991). "Script: Episode 20 - The Pen". Seinology.com. Retrieved April 29, 2013.

[3] "The backstage drama that nearly brought down 'Seinfeld'". Retrieved September 2, 2017.

[4] The Kelly Clarkson Show (May 5, 2020). Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jason Alexander Discuss SEINFELD and More for Direct Relief Fundraising. YouTube.

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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