The Deal (Seinfeld episode)

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“The Deal”
Seinfeld episode
Elaine and Jerry discuss the deal.
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 14
Written by	Larry David
Directed by	Tom Cherones
Original airdate	May 2, 1991
Season 2 episodes
Seinfeld - Season 2 January - June 1991
"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"
List of Seinfeld episodes

"The Deal" is the fourteenth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the ninth episode for the show's second season. It aired on May 2, 1991.

Plot

Elaine and Jerry renew their sexual relationship after coming across a soft-core pornographic film, but, to protect their friendship (which Jerry refers to as the "this" between himself and Elaine), they set ground rules for their future escapades (the "that"). They pride themselves on having finally come up with the perfect template as friends with benefits (which include "no phone calls the day after", "spending the night is optional" and no kissing), though George doubts that their deal can work. On Elaine's birthday, Jerry inadvertently offends Elaine by giving her $182 in cash as a gift and a card that reads "To a wonderful girl, a great pal, and more". Kramer, on the other hand, gets Elaine a bench which she had wanted and gives her a card with a touching poem by William Butler Yeats. Jerry wants to end the agreement, but Elaine admits that she wants a full-fledged relationship (the "other") and can no longer conform to the established rules. Realizing that he and Elaine can't simply go back to being friends that easily, Jerry re-instigates their romantic relationship, providing Elaine with "this, that, and the other".

Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (December 2007)

Although aired earlier, this episode was actually the season 2 finale. (It's listed as the last episode in the season 1-2 DVD set, and it was also stated as being the season finale in the special features of the DVD.)
Jerry and Elaine are once again a couple at the end of this episode, though in all subsequent episodes, they have returned to just being friends. It is established in the Season 3 episode "The Pen" that the two broke up again off-screen sometime between the events of Season 2 and Season 3.
There is a continuity error in one scene, when the door of Jerry's apartment is showed opened and closed behind Kramer.
There is a continuity error in one scene, when Elaine takes paper towels down from a rack. At first she takes down several. Camera flips to Jerry talking and when it flips back, she has fewer paper towels than before.
As a reference to the rest of the series, whenever a person asked Elaine about their relationship, it would always be "We used to date and now we're just friends" in episodes like "The Pez Dispenser" and "The Bottle Deposit".

v • d • e Seinfeld

Cast	Jerry Seinfeld · Jason Alexander · Julia Louis-Dreyfus · Michael Richards

Crew	Larry David · George Shapiro · Tom Cherones · Andy Ackerman

Main Characters	Jerry Seinfeld · George Costanza · Elaine Benes · Cosmo Kramer

Supporting Characters	Newman · Frank Costanza · Estelle Costanza · Morty Seinfeld · Helen Seinfeld · Susan Ross · J. Peterman · David Puddy · Uncle Leo · Mr. Wilhelm · Mr. Lippman · Recurring minor characters

Writers	Larry David · Jerry Seinfeld · Larry Charles · Peter Mehlman · Alec Berg · Jeff Schaffer · Tom Gammill · Max Pross · Gregg Kavet · Andy Robin · Spike Feresten · Carol Leifer · David Mandel · Jennifer Crittenden · Steve O'Donnell · Steve Koren · Darin Henry · Marjorie Gross · Matt Goldman · Steve Skrovan · Bruce Kirschbaum · Elaine Pope

Seasons	1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 (List of episodes)

Related articles	List of DVD releases · Festivus · List of fictional films · Kenny Kramer · Monk's Cafe · Regift · Awards and nominations