The joy of watching Elaine makes many relatable comments on the show, and these episodes wouldn't be the same without her hysterically awful dance moves or quirky work problems.
While Elaine had many moments on Seinfeld where she seemed more mature than her friends, she also acted like a child and made the wrong decisions. No matter how she behaved, it was always hilarious, of course.
Grown Adult: Continued To Hold Down Jobs In Publishing
Elaine had several publishing jobs during Seinfeld and fans her working at Pendant Publishing and then later for the J. Peterman catalog.
Elaine was a grown adult because unlike her friends and some of the other characters, she always worked in the traditional job world. She was able to get positions and stick around, and even though she suffered through bad bosses and difficult times, she made it through. She never thought that being unemployed was better than working, unlike George.
Immature: Had Silly Reasons For Ending Relationships
From dumping someone for not writing down the right punctuation after a phone message to finding fault with anyone and everyone, Elaine had some really silly reasons for ending her relationships.
While Elaine was mature about her professional life, she didn't approach dating in a very grown-up way. People may say "there are always more fish in the sea" but that doesn't mean it's a good idea to walk away from every new relationship for reasons that don't make sense. Some of these partners could have been great, but she didn't get to know them well enough.
Grown Adult: Made Sure She Was Intimate With People She Really Cared About
In the seventh season episode "The Sponge," Elaine wanted to find people who were "spongeworthy" as her favorite form of contraception was discontinued and she only had a limited supply.
While this was meant to be a funny storyline, and it's also one that fans associate with Elaine the most, it's also proof that she wanted to make sure that she was only intimate with people she had real feelings for. The main characters' love lives could often be comical, and this was a time when Elaine was being mature.
Immature: Threw George's Toupee Out The Window
Elaine got upset with George in the sixth season episode "The Beard" and threw his toupee out the window.
This was an immature and silly thing to do, not to mention a hurtful one, as George couldn't believe she really did that. George was already feeling insecure about his baldness and Elaine made things a lot worse. Sometimes the characters on Seinfeld acted impulsively and didn't consider other people's feelings, and while Elaine was trying to stick up for George's date, who was also bald, she still could have thought twice before grabbing his toupee.
Grown Adult: Threw A Baby Shower For A Friend
In the second season, Elaine had a baby shower for a friend, which was a kind, mature, and grown-up thing to do.
Elaine never took much notice of her pals who had children, besides noting that her friend Carol often said "You gotta see the baby!" Even though Elaine didn't want kids of her own, it was a mature move to host a baby shower, and it was also smart that she chose Jerry's apartment since it was big enough to host a group of people.
Immature: Took A Bet About Eating A Stranger's Food
The episode "The Chinese Restaurant" is one of the most famous and there are countless moments that fans still discuss.
Jerry bet Elaine $50 that she would actually eat a stranger's food at the restaurant. Elaine tried, but once she got to the table and told people what she wanted to do, she became embarrassed and left. Even though the bet didn't work out, it was still pretty immature that Elaine even attempted it. It was clear that the other customers wanted to enjoy their dinner and didn't want to be bothered.
Grown Adult: Wanted A Quiet, Peaceful Place To Live
From wanting to move into Jerry's building for a better apartment to complaining when Kramer dated her roommate in the season 3 episode "The Truth," Elaine was always on the hunt for a better apartment.
While she didn't find a nicer place to live, searching for a decent apartment was one of the more adult things she did. She wanted to raise her quality of life and she didn't like being bothered by barking dogs or annoying roommates.
Immature: Laughed Hysterically At A Pez Dispenser
Everyone has a different side of humor. Some people laugh at gags and corny jokes, and others want to chuckle at something more sophisticated.
While Jerry's stand-up is all about what he thinks about little things and daily frustrations, he could be pretty immature and silly, like when he made Elaine laugh by pulling out a Pez dispenser. Elaine was so surprised that she couldn't stop laughing, and unfortunately for her, she was at a music recital and this was the worst place to laugh that hard.
Grown Adult: Agreed To Uncomfortable Sleeping Arrangements
Sometimes visiting friends or family means uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, as it can be rude to complain or ask for something better.
Elaine found this out the hard way in the season 3 episode "The Pen" when she hurt her back from Jerry's parents' sofa bed. Elaine and Jerry went on many trips and this Florida vacation is one of the most memorable since Elaine had such a rough time. But even though she knew that she would have a bad night sleeping here, she wanted to be a good guest, which was mature.
Immature: Made Up Another Person Named Susie
Elaine made some weird choices and one of them was in the season 8 episode "The Susie."
She pretended that there was another person at work named Susie, and when everyone believed her, this became a big disaster. Although Elaine didn't have much in common with George, they sometimes made odd work decisions and behaved in a confusing way. Elaine should have realized that her lie would be found out eventually and that she should have focused on her work.