The Good Samaritan (Seinfeld)

"The Good Samaritan" is the 37th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 20th episode of the third season, and first aired on March 4, 1992. This is the only episode of Seinfeld to be directed by one of the show's stars, Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza.

Within this episode are several memorable moments. One is Jerry's suggestion that there should be an alternative to saying, "God bless you" after someone sneezes. In real life, the cast and crew had hoped the saying, "You are so good looking", would catch on with fans just as "These pretzels are making me thirsty" did. In 2009, an Iowa man was fired from his job for sexual harassment, partially stemming from his use of the phrase.

Another bit concerns Kramer having seizures every time he hears Mary Hart's voice. This bit is based on an actual case reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.^[1]

Plot

Jerry witnesses a hit-and-run driver hitting another car. He is on the car phone with Elaine at the time, who tells him he has to go after the driver. He does, but when the driver steps out he realizes that she is a beautiful woman (played by Melinda McGraw) and decides to date her.

Jerry lies to Elaine saying he went into Queens and intimidated the man with karate moves. After dating the hit-and-run driver (Angela), Jerry finds out that the car that she hit belongs to Becky Gelke (played by an uncredited Helen Slater), another woman he has always wanted to date. He tells Becky that he will do something about the damage. Meanwhile, Kramer has convulsions from Mary Hart's voice.

George and Elaine go out to dinner with a married couple, Robin and Michael. Elaine makes up an elaborate story that she once dated a matador from Spain named Eduardo Corrochio, making his name up on the spot. When the wife (played by Ann Talman) sneezes, George casually tells her "God bless you", but her husband (Joseph Malone) does not say anything. When George points this out Michael gets mad. Robin likes George, and they have an affair. As George and Robin are in bed together, Michael calls Elaine to find out where his wife is. Elaine does not know, but soon realizes that Robin used her as an excuse and tries to cover up. Michael doesn't buy it and figures out Robin is with George. He then exclaims into the phone, "He's finished! I'm going to sew his ass to his face! I'm going to twist his neck so hard his lips will be his eyebrows! I'm going to break his joints, and reattach them!"

Meanwhile, Jerry confronts Angela about Becky's car, but unfortunately Elaine walks in at that very moment and figures out that Jerry "lied" about his story. Jerry goes to Becky's house to write out a check for her damage and then ask her out, but Becky accuses him of hitting her car. George manages to escape from Michael by joining Jerry on his out of town gigs. Kramer uses the accident as an excuse to talk to Becky and ends up getting a date with her. But when he rings the bell at her apartment and she opens the door, Mary Hart is on the TV and Kramer has another convulsion.

References

External links

• The Good Samaritan at the Internet Movie Database
• Good Samaritan Day

Seinfeld episodes
Season 1	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip"
Season 2	"The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy"
Season 3	"The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend" "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys"
Season 4	"The Trip" "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot"
Season 5	"The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats" "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite"
Season 6	"The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100" "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy"
Season 7	"The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac" "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit" "The Wait Out" "The Invitations"
Season 8	"The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George"
Season 9	"The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strongbox" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle" "The Finale"
Indicates two-part episode