The Bris

When people discuss the great episodes of this series, many (if not most) sound like dilettantes. Sure, they mention "The Soup Nazi", "The Contest",etc.Yet it always sounds like they know less about the series than they are willing to admit. It's like asking them what their favorite "Twilight Zone" is, and they say "the one where Burgess Meredith drops his reading glasses" or when it turns out that "To Serve Man" is actually a cookbook. When you get answers like this, you know that the people haven't seen terribly acquainted with much of the show, and are unfamiliar with a lot of entries that aren't shown as often. It's too bad because, for instance, some of my favorite "Twilight Zones" are ones that are either rarely shown or--if I'm lucky--an episode that some have seen and dislike."What's In The Box", for instance (how the censors let that one pass in 1964 is beyond me), together with the gorgeous music composed for its final episode "Come Wander With Me." In the case of "The Bris" what's fascinating about the episode is that, upon repeat viewings, you may come away with a different take than you had the first time you watched it.Its subtleties are myriad.

Right off, George demands that the hospital pay for the damage to his car.At first ,you may regard him as a callous jerk, but the more you think about it, the guy's got a point.Guaranteed, that if he took it to court, he would win. Or, it would be settled before that--again, in his favor. Secondly, Jerry and Elaine are uncomfortable being the Godparents, and rightfully so.The mother and father--besides not being the best looking couple I've ever seen- are indeed boundless, "level jumping" on the friendship.

Finally, some reviewers have stated their belief that the Mohel was drunk. Wrong.He is a hopelessly neurotic sociopath--played in sterling fashion by Charles Levin- who clearly is not very good at what he does for a living.

So make sure you mention this episode instead of the one where everyone is terrified of this four foot, 13 inch guy behind the soup counter,or how long any of the four principals can go without an exercise in onanism.

The Bris is easily the weakest episode in the amazing Season 5. It's not awful by any means but it's not good.

The first half is actually good. We get the good old social commentaries with Jerry and Elaine being asked to be the godparents of a friend couple and we get George issue with his car. The one story I'm split about is Kramer's with his pig-man. Larry Charles is known to be the most absurd of the writers and sometimes that can be good (The Limo, The Subway) and sometimes it can come out as out of place (The Keys, The Trip and this storyline). Actually everything about Kramer in this episode feels out of place: the presence of a pig-man and I can't go on without mentioning the ending. That ending just buried this episode. Maybe in the latter seasons it would've fit nicely but on this season it just felt absurdly weird.

So, Kramer's story is kind of funny and kind of out of place, but what really kills this episode is the second half. Right from when George have his conversation with the hospital administrator (which is remarkably dull and unfunny for some reason). Then we get the bris scene, which has some nice dialogues (level-jumping friendship and George conversation with the cardiologist), but as soon as the mohel arrives everything crumbles. Apparently, every reviewer here on IMDb liked the mohel character, but I personally couldn't find him more annoying. He enters the room and starts shouting left and right with these never-ending monologues that really drags the story down. I don't know, I couldn't even giggle at him. And in the end Charles tries to tied everything together in the most forced way possible: George's car gets stolen by the pig-man for some miraculous reason, the parents ask Kramer to be the new godfather of the baby (with that ending) and the episode just ends flat.

As I said, some good moments here and there but an underwhelming episode in general.

This is one of the better Seinfeld episodes. The Bris was played to perfection, add the pigman B story and all the other brilliant layers like Jerry asking George if he ever saw a man that was uncircumcised. He pauses then says, "I got used to it..." This is what makes for great writing and performances, when you can take a simple line and it becomes memorable. Jerry whining in the taxi cab about his cut finger. This episode sums up the finale well and the finale was brilliant. These are really nice people that are self-absorbed. George obsessed with getting a great parking space instantly cements his character. The writing is superb.

A mediocre episode that was saved by Charles Levine ( as the unhappy and unhinged mohel) . This guy got more laughs in one minute than the rest of the episode put together. I didn't think the character was insulting or anti-Semitic. Yes, he was over the top, but that's what made him funny.

Larry Thomas who played the Soup Nazi also considered this the very best episode. Could be only Jews find the entire Bris theme hilarious but every line and every second along with two storyline that are the very best in TV history are packed into this episode and the acting is spot on. A perfect ten and the series best.