Over the course of its Seinfeld's four main characters were the subjects of hundreds of different storylines. Episodes often consisted of several different subplots devoted to Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer, sometimes involving recurring side characters as well.
Part of the fun of watching the series is wondering when and how the different stories will collide, if at all, and to what effect. In this way, Seinfeld can be appreciated not just for its signature observational humor, but for its storytelling as well. Here are 10 noteworthy examples of great episode ending scenes, ranked.
The Busboy
The busboy who the gang inadvertently gets fired from his job arrives at Jerry's apartment to thank them when his former restaurant burns down. On the way out, he bumps into Elaine's boyfriend in the hall, and the two get into a fistfight.
This season two episode marks the first time in the series that multiple storylines naturally collide in the episode's conclusion. Co-creator Larry David re this episode as a landmark for the series because once he was able to two parallel narratives together, he made a conscious effort to do it as much as possible moving forward.
The Stock Tip
The final episode of the 5-episode first season is "The Stock Tip." George convinces Jerry to invest in a company based on advice he's received, and after Jerry sells his shares just before the stock explodes, George nets a huge windfall. This is arguably the only episode of the series in which George triumphs at the end, making it stand out from the other 168 times George's fate turns sour.
The episode on a whole is underrated; its strong rating performance is what secured a green light for Seinfeld's second season.
The Race
Another ultra-rare example of an episode that ends happily is 'The Race," which takes Jerry's Superman fandom to new levels. Jerry reluctantly agrees to a rematch of a high school footrace with Duncan Meyer, the boss of his new girlfriend, Lois.
Jerry wins again, in equally dubious fashion, impressing Lois as he smiles towards the camera in the episode's final moments. The triumphant Superman theme blares in the background, as our hero, for once, prevails.
The Strongbox
In season nine's "The Strongbox," the key to Kramer's strongbox is swallowed by his neighbor's bird, who, as a result of having swallowed the key, dies. Jerry and Kramer go to dig up the dead bird, but are caught in the act by their aforementioned bereaved neighbor.
When they return to Jerry's apartment, Kramer discovers that the strongbox was unlocked all along, which means they desecrated the bird's grave for nothing. Kramer responds by saying, "Well this is one for the books, huh, Jerry?" Indeed, it was.
The Tape
A small handful of episodes experimented with the social dynamics between the core four characters. One of the best of these episodes is "The Tape." Elaine, as a prank, records an erotic message to Jerry on the tape recorder during his stand-up act. When she tells George that the voice is hers, George becomes attracted to Elaine.
By the end of the episode, the secret is out among the whole group, and Jerry, George, and Kramer compete for Elaine's affection. This was a risky choice that could have just as easily played out awkwardly. But the four characters had such a well-established rapport by this time in the series that audiences loved it.
The Barber
When Jerry secretly switches barbers out of necessity after a botched haircut, the barber's scorned brother enlists Newman to prove that Jerry betrayed him. Newman obliges, sneakily obtaining a sample of Jerry's hair by weaseling his way into Jerry's apartment and quickly cutting off a tiny snippet. At the end of the episode, Jerry corners Newman in the barbershop and exacts his revenge by shaving his head. Watching Newman squirm and beg makes for a highly satisfying ending to an often overlooked episode.
The Betrayal
Season nine's "The Betrayal" is a rare example of a Seinfeld episode that just doesn't work. The gimmicky premise of a story told in reverse chronology is more annoying than interesting, but one clever touch comes at the very end of the episode.
Since the story moves backwards, the final scene takes place "eleven years earlier," when Jerry and Kramer meet for the first time. Jerry invites Kramer in for a slice of pizza, telling him "We're neighbors, what's mine is yours." Kramer obviously liked the sound of that.
The Little Kicks
Season eight's "The Little Kicks" is most famous for Elaine's terrible dancing, but the end scene is one of the funniest in the entire series. Frank Costanza goes to the jailhouse to bail George out after he's caught bootlegging, and runs into Elaine who's there to pick up George's girlfriend.
Their encounter turns violent when they get into an argument over how the incident arose, with Frank Costanza screaming, "You want a piece of me? You got it!"
The Marine Biologist
"The Marine Biologist" is one of the top-rated episodes in Seinfeld history, thanks to its ingenious ending when George, after an extended monologue, reveals that one of the golf balls that Kramer launched into the sea ended up stuck in the blowhole of a whale.
This ending was thought of at the last minute when Larry David quickly wrote the monologue and gave it to Jason Alexander to learn the next day. Luckily for them, Jason is a quick study, learning the lines quickly and reciting the monologue perfectly with no rehearsal.
The Cheever Letters
Part of what makes Seinfeld so special is that it uses the studio audience to its advantage, giving the show a theatrical quality that makes each viewing feel like a communal experience. One of the audience's best reactions ever comes when Elaine reveals that she's hip to Jerry's embarrassing dirty talk at the end of the "The Cheever Letters."
Throughout the entire episode, Jerry is under the impression that his secret is safe with his ex-girlfriend, and so when Elaine delivers her zinger before exiting, it stops Jerry in his tracks, and the audience erupts in applause. It's arguably the best ending of any Seinfeld episode.