Sure, Jason Alexander has been typecast, but he made George Costanza one of the most beloved sitcom figures of the past 30 years. Tonight, Alexander performs at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in support of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. In his honour, we’ve decided to list the top five episodes where George is at his most pathetic, conniving and erratic. No doubt there will be some fierce debate, so we’ve left the ranking up to you.
Episode 36: The Limo
Arriving at the airport, George dares Jerry to hop in someone else’s limo instead of waiting for a ride. The two soon realize that the limo they’re riding in was intended for the anti-Semitic white supremacist “O’Brien,” and George is forced to take on the persona in front of two loyal followers who have never seen O’Brien’s face.
Episode 78: The Marine Biologist
After an old high school acquaintance of Jerry shows an interest in George, he embellishes his friend’s current profession by claiming that he’s a marine biologist. George has no choice but to live up his alter-ego when he encounters a beached whale on a walk with her. “Is anyone here a marine biologist?”
Episode 86: The Opposite
In a misguided (but logically driven) attempt to turn his unfortunate life around, George vows to oppose his every instinct. He starts with his lunch; then, he proudly tells an attractive woman that he’s unemployed and lives with his parents; eventually, he refuses an invitation to stay over at her apartment.
Episode 143: The Abstinence
When his girlfriend catches mono, George has no choice but to, um, not get laid for an extended period of time. As Jerry demonstrates at one point — with a head of lettuce — the part of George’s brain obsessed with sex is now used for more intelligent purposes. When his girlfriend finds out she’s been misdiagnosed, George is hesitant to ruin his streak of intelligence by having sex.
Episode 147: The Comeback
George is left speechless when a co-worker insults him at a meeting. He sets up another meeting to deliver this famous comeback: “well, the jerk store called. They’re running out of you.”
Jason Alexander, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, Aug. 23
