The Strong Box

"The Strong Box” is the fourteenth episode of the ninth and final season of Seinfeld, and the 170th episode overall. This episode first aired on February 5, 1998. It was written by Dan O'Keefe and was directed by Andy Ackerman.

Plot[]

George tries to break up with his girlfriend, Maura, only she doesn't agree. Jerry has purchased cuff links worn by Jerry Lewis in Cinderfella. He plans to use them as a conversation starter with Lewis when he goes to an upcoming roast at the Friar's Club. George insists that all he needs as a conversation starter is the fact that they share the same first name. Elaine's new boyfriend, Glenn, puzzles and intrigues her with his secretive behavior. Jerry jokingly suggests that perhaps he is a superhero concealing his secret identity.

With burglaries occurring in the building, Kramer has obtained a strongbox to hold his valuables. He needs to find a place to hide his key. His first place doesn't work. George lays out all of the reasons that they should be officially broken up (talking to her food to name one); Maura still doesn't agree to break up. Glenn runs from a woman that Elaine assumes is his wife. She returns to Jerry's apartment to find that his intercom is broken. She shouts to him from the street about Glenn, while she waits for an opportunity to get into his building. Jerry inspects his intercom and finds Kramer's strongbox key hidden inside. Kramer hides his key again. Jerry finds the key again when he goes down to let George in. While downstairs, a man named Phil who is unknown to Jerry asks to be let in, claiming he forgot his key. Jerry denies him entry due to the recent burglaries. Elaine goes to Glenn's shabby apartment and discovers he is poor and on welfare. The woman he ran from is his welfare caseworker. Jerry discovers Phil does in fact live in his building, and to add more discomfort to Jerry, he also lives on his floor, and right next door to Kramer.

Elaine tells Jerry about Glenn being poor, and they suggest that she could just pay him off to get out of the relationship. However, Glenn charms her with a bear claw scavenged from a garbage bin. George decides that cheating on Maura might be his ticket out. Kramer lets Phil, Jerry's "new" neighbor, keep his parrot in the hallway. Kramer also hides his key in the parrot's food dish. Jerry needs his cufflinks for the roast, only to find out that Kramer has locked them in his strongbox. The parrot dies choking on Kramer's key, and is buried in a pet cemetery. The Godfather Part II is referenced here when Jerry accuses Kramer of Fredo's death; to which Kramer exclaims, "Fredo was weak and stupid! He shouldn't have eaten that key." George tries getting caught with the other woman, only both women agree that they can work with George through this incident. Elaine discovers that Glenn is, in fact, married and poor. Kramer and Jerry go to the pet cemetery to exhume the key; his neighbor catches only Jerry. George asks what's in the strongbox as he easily opens it up.

Notes About Nothing[]

This is the second of only two episodes in which Jerry can be seen using the computer in his apartment; the first was the season five episode, "The Stall".
The exterior of Glenn's apartment was shot in Manhattan's East Village at 4 St. Mark's Place. Neighborhood landmarks like Trash and Vaudeville and the St. Mark's Hotel can be seen in the shot.
This episode features the fourth of many women characters named Allison, along with 2 of George's girlfriends and The Drake's ex-wife.
Kramer mentions that he joined the Army and kept his discharge papers in the strongbox. In real-life, Michael Richards was drafted in the military as a army medic and was stationed in West Germany before being honorably discharged.
The line "Fredo was weak and Stupid" is nod reference from the film The Godfather Part II.
Fredo's gravestone dates "Feb 2, 1998" five days before this episode original airing.
When George thinks that coffee is Coke and Sprite. This is a reference to the common technique Bartender Ginger Ale.
Jerry mentions George Peppard's role on The A-Team.
The TV Show Lassie is referenced when Jerry, George and Kramer goes to the pet cemetery. Kramer remarked "Listen, I hear that Lassie No.3 is buried around here. I'm gonna go check it out"
Alex Knapp (who guess-started in this episode) later appeared with Julia-Louis Dreyfus in the TV Series The New Adventures of Old Christine.
The working title for this episode is called "The Buzzer"

Season Nine Episodes