The Invitations

"The Invitations" is the final episode of the seventh season of Seinfeld. It originally aired on May 16, 1996. It was written by Larry David and was directed by Andy Ackerman.

Plot Synopsis[]

George and Susan shop for wedding invitations and George picks the cheapest variety. Kramer tells Jerry that the bank offers anyone $100 if they are not greeted with a "hello" by a teller when they enter the building. Jerry and Elaine realize that once George is married, it will just be them and Kramer. However, Elaine tells Jerry that she's tired of being single and will probably leave "the group" after George gets married. As Jerry imagines a life with just him and Kramer, he is nearly hit by a car, but is saved by Jeannie Steinman (Janeane Garofalo), a woman whom he discovers to be a lot like him. They both eat a lot of cereal, even at restaurants, and enjoy reading Superman and Supergirl comic books.

Susan refuses to allow Elaine and Kramer to be ushers at the wedding, after Kramer called Susan "Lily". George desperately wants to find a way out of the wedding without confronting Susan. Elaine suggests he try smoking, since she hates it. However, George gets sick from the cigarettes. Kramer suggests he offend Susan by asking her to sign a prenuptial agreement, but when George tries this, Susan readily agrees to sign. George realizes he is stuck.

Kramer goes to the bank and wants $100 after the teller says "Hey" instead of "Hello." He and the manager settle for $20 since he got a greeting that started with an "H". Jerry proposes to Jeannie and she accepts. He tells George that they are getting married on September 21 and that he kept his side of the pact that they originally made in the Season 7 opener, "The Engagement". Kramer, who originally didn't like Jeannie because she was too much like Jerry, has a change of heart and congratulates him, telling him he'll get to like her. Jerry starts having doubts.

George goes out as Susan stays home to get the invitations ready. Susan continues to lick envelopes until she passes out. George arrives home and finds her collapsed on the couch. He, Kramer, Jerry and Elaine all meet up at the hospital, where George is told by Dr. Wexler that Susan has died from licking toxic glue from the cheap envelopes. He tells his friends, and they accept it and go to the coffee shop. Jerry, however, is now in George's role as the fiancé who made the mistake of proposing before thinking. Now single again, George tries to get together with Marisa Tomei. Marisa hangs up on him when he mentions that his fiance's funeral hasn't even taken place yet.

Notes About Nothing[]

This episode is the last episode written by co-creator Larry David before he left the series at the end of this season. He did, however, return to write the series finale in 1998.
The real George Steinbrenner supposedly filmed a scene for this episode, far in advance, but it was in the context of George and Susan's wedding, and thus didn't fit into the finished product. It is speculated that the writers once intended on George to get married, as the seventh season was originally supposed to be the series' last.
Jerry sitting by the pier in contemplation mirrors the scene of George doing the same in "The Engagement."

Season Seven Episodes