Working together in a team can be a complex experience, as multiple people have to balance their personal goals against the good of the collective. The best units function in ways that amplify each other's strengths while minimizing your comrades' weaknesses. The core four actors of "Seinfeld" — Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards — all worked TV magic over a lengthy run on NBC for almost 10 years. Every one of these stars has their favorite episodes, and for Louis-Dreyfuss,
"The Pen" definitely qualifies. She called it the "most thrilling" episode of "Seinfeld," but it almost caused some drama for her co-host.
Alexander disliked "The Pen" for an understandable reason, and it led to a rule the show would incorporate for years and years afterwards.
In "The Pen," the third episode of "Seinfeld" season 3, Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Elaine takes a trip down to Florida with Jerry to visit his parents, and chaos ensues because of a borrowed pen during a retirement community party. Jerry's parents, Morty and Helen, played by Barney Martin and Liz Sheridan, welcome their son and Elaine during the visit. But, because this episode is set in Florida, there are no appearances from George Costanza or Kramer. Despite a very funny episode, Alexander took offense to being left out, and it would end up being the only time in "Seinfeld's" history that his character was missing in action for an entire half hour.
Even though Alexander was upset, the episode leans into both Louis-Dreyfus and Seinfeld's comedic talents. The moments where she does the Marlon Brando impression and Jerry Seinfeld bombing in front of a room of retirees are still very funny, despite the silly setup for the larger episode. But, there was a lesson to be learned for everyone involved about making sure that the entire team is taken care of, despite the larger warm reception of "The Pen" as an episode.
Read more: 14 Phrases & Sayings That Only Exist Because Of Seinfeld
Jason Alexander Wanted To Make Sure They Were All A Part Of Every Episode
Alexander would end up having a lot to say on this matter in later interviews, and he let fans hear his thought process during a "Look Inside" DVD special feature for "The Pen." In a clip from the home video release, the "Seinfeld" star tells the story in light of his theater background. Essentially, Alexander believes in the primacy of a performance unit, or rather, that everyone has their part to play in any entry delivered on-stage. So, to be effectively written out of an episode is a bridge too far for the fan-favorite, and he was determined to let Larry David know how he felt after an episode table read. As Alexander recalled in "Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything:
"I went to Larry [David] when we came back to do the following episode, and I said, 'I gotta talk to you about what happened last week. You wrote me out of the show. I only want to be here if I'm indispensable ... If you do it again, do it permanently. If you don't need me to be here for every damn episode of "Seinfeld" you write, then I don't need to be here,' And he went, 'Oh, come on,' and I went, 'Larry, I know it doesn't make sense ... But I've got to feel that you can't do this without my character and my work being a part of it. Because if I do, then I just don't want to be a part of it.'"
Even Seinfeld Had Moments Where The Actors Had To Be Team Players, And It Paid Off
These kinds of humanizing moments are a big part of why Seinfeld has endured over time, as viewers seek out stories that feel familiar and speak to something universal. Yes, the individual plots might be these wild digressions, or ridiculous circumstances that Jerry, Kramer, Elaine, and George find themselves in. But, the viewers often leave a "Seinfeld" episode feeling like they've met this person before, or at least with a sense that this archetype of a person feels genuine. It turns out, that response extends beyond the characters on the screen and fully reflects the performers, as they have egos just like any of us do when it comes to our work. That makes everyone involved feel more relatable.
"The Pen" is a showcase for Elaine that allows her character to get some shine, and it makes sense that Julia Louis-Dreyfus would cherish that entry as a moment where she really got to own an entire episode. But, at the same time, Jason Alexander also helps the show so much that you can't risk alienating anyone. It's an interesting problem to have and one that Larry David and the writers handled deftly, to the show's lasting success. In any partnership worth its salt, there has to be a measure of compromise, and the "Seinfeld" crew learned that early enough in the game that the series continued on to make a lasting mark on pop culture.
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