The Big Salad

“The Big Salad” is the second episode of Season Six, and the 88th overall. Written by Larry David and directed by Andy Ackerman, it originally aired on September 29, 1994.

Plot[]

At Elaine's request, George purchases a "big salad" to go for her from Monk's, but George's girlfriend Julie (Michelle Forbes) appears to take credit for the purchase when she hands Elaine the salad in Jerry's Apartment. George is displeased that Elaine thanked Julie for buying the salad, and mentions to Elaine that he was responsible for the purchase. George's revelation leads to a rift between him and Julie.

The problem, in George's view, is not that Elaine thanked the wrong person, but that Julie accepted the thanks. As George explains, "What I would like to know is, how does a person who has nothing to do with the big salad claim responsibility for that salad and accept the thank-you under false pretenses?" Semi-humiliated, Julie walks off. George vows never to buy Elaine lunch again.

Elaine must find a special mechanical pencil, the Rolamech 1000, for Mr. Pitt (Ian Abercrombie) and deal with the romantic advances of the stationery store clerk. The clerk asks for her telephone number to call her when he receives the pencil but Elaine gives him Jerry's number instead. After purchasing the pencil from a different shop and hearing that the clerk went to great lengths to obtain the pencil, out of guilt, she agrees to go out with the clerk.

Jerry learns that his current girlfriend, Margaret (Marita Geraghty), formerly dated Newman, who ended the relationship. Jerry cannot comprehend why Newman dumped someone so clearly "out of his league", so he attempts to find any fault in his girlfriend. Kramer plays golf with an ex-Major League Baseball player, who cleans his ball on the second shot (not on the green), breaking the rules and causing an altercation with Kramer. The man is later suspected in the murder of a dry cleaner, and Kramer helps the man to see his pet fish by driving in his white Ford Bronco in a low speed chase down the New Jersey Turnpike.

Notes about Nothing[]

This is the first episode to use the New York Street set.
The script for this episode is included with the gift set for Seasons 1, 2, and 3.
The scene where Jerry confronts Newman in his apartment contains an Easter egg nod to actor Wayne Knight's involvement in the film Jurassic Park a year earlier: Newman has blankets covered with various dinosaurs, referencing his role as Dennis Nedry in the film.
The ending scene featuring a high-speed chase is actually footage from the O.J. Simpson car chase.
- Another O.J. Simpson reference is in "The Caddy", and the character of Jackie Chiles is based on Simpson attorney Johnnie Cochran.

Season Six Episodes