Season four, episode eleven. Seinfeld. November 18, 1992. Television would never be the same when "The Contest" aired and rocked the comedy boat. In one of the most iconic Seinfeld episodes ever, the quartet of misanthropes holds a content among themselves to determine who can go the longest as, well, "the master of their own domain."
Over a quarter-century later, it's still one of the most episodes most synonymous with Seinfeld. It still shows how exceedingly, impossibly high the show could reach with its laughs and innovative scripts. That was the brilliance of Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, and the show, as a whole. Over the years, myriad fun facts have arisen about the episode, as well.
10 The Best Ever Made?
There is an argument to be made that "The Contest" is the greatest episode in the history of television, let alone just Seinfeld. At least, that's how TV Guide felt when they released their list of the best episodes of all-time back in 2009. "The Contest" ranked as number one. On top of that, Larry David earned the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy for this episode. It is perhaps one of the most well-deserved trophies in the history of the awards ceremony. "The Contest" is in the pantheon of Seinfeld episodes, but it also belongs on the Mount Rushmore of TV.
9 Living On In The Culture
"The Contest" was so iconic that it lived on in the lore of Seinfeld for many episodes to come in the later seasons. However, it also had a ton of references in other shows, including Beavis and Butt-Head, Family Guy, and Mystery Science Theater 3000. Just two years ago, however, it made a big appearance in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia when the FXX gang recreated the iconic Kramer scene from the episode. Charlie Day took on the Kramer role and Jerry was portrayed by both Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhenney. It was a hilarious faulty memory for the gang behind Paddy's Pub.
8 Shaq's Favorite
"The Contest" was also referenced multiple times on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David's HBO follow-up to Seinfeld. It comes into play most prominently during the season two episode, "Shaq." After Larry accidentally trips and injures Shaquille O'Neal at a Lakers game, he makes it up to him by getting him all the Seinfeld tapes. While in the hospital, Shaq reveals that his favorite Seinfeld episode was "The Contest." When Larry pops it in the VCR, all is forgiven as Shaq laughs along with the world that loved the episode, too.
7 Based On A True Story
According to a 2017 Vulture oral history on "The Contest," it was based on a true story that actually happened to Larry David. He told Vulture that he made a bet with his friend, Frank Piazza, to see who could be the true "master of his domain."
The details of the monetary value behind the bet was unclear, but it lasted just a few days and resulted in Larry as the victor. The real-life occurrence of this bet was so ludicrous that Larry knew it would be perfect to turn into an episode of Seinfeld. It wound up being a flawless episode for the show.
6 The Wheels On The Bus
There are a few icons of culture that could never get by Jerry Seinfeld. The DC Comics character of Superman, the slew of mascots who are plastered on breakfast cereals. Jerry is a man who knows a lot about American culture. But there was one song that escaped the real-life Jerry. Before filming this episode, Jerry claimed to have never before heard "The Wheels on the Bus." Could it be that "The Contest" was his first exposure to the classic childhood song? The fans have to take his word for it, just as the audience had to take his word that he honored the rules of the contest.
5 Controversy On NBC?
Considering the potentially controversial nature of "The Contest," Larry David was fully expecting his script for the episode to be rejected outright by the NBC executives. He claimed that he was ready to quit the show if they refused the production of "The Contest."
Instead, Jerry and Larry were savvy to include a slew of taboo words from the episode and NBC went along with it. According to the PR department of the network, there were much fewer complaints than they initially anticipated. Good for Larry on sticking to his comedic instincts.
4 Costanza Improv
The script for "The Contest" was absolutely perfect and there are few elements, if any, that could be changed to actually improve the quality of the classic Seinfeld installment. However, the rapport between the actors was so strong, that a bit of improvisational comedy from Jason Alexander actually made the show even funnier. When trying to suppress the complaints from his mother, Estelle, George Costanza threw Tic Tacs onto the bed as a distraction. This was a decision that was improvised by Alexander and it was so hysterical that it was a part of the episode immediately.
3 Welcome Estelle Harris
Speaking of Estelle, this was actually the first appearance of George's mother on the show. For such an integral recurring character (along with George's father, Frank) on Seinfeld, it certainly seems shocking to think that she did not show up until the comedy's fourth season. However, that just speaks to how impactful she was during the ensuing seasons.
This is also a testament to how strong the Estelle Harris performance behind the character was. She was a perfect choice for George's mother and this was evident right from "The Contest." She would ultimately make twenty-seven appearances on the show.
2 100 Entrances
The peak of "The Contest" comes when Kramer darts back to his apartment and re-enters Jerry's apartment a few moments later. He shouts, "I'm out!" and slams his share of the bet down on the counter, resulting in an uproarious audience reaction. The laughter does not die down for some time and it instantly became one of Kramer's most iconic entrances. Of course, that physical comedy element became a hallmark of Kramer's character over the years. It was fitting that his funniest example came in "The Contest," though because that was also his one-hundredth overall entrance.
1 Who Won?
There is one major question that all Seinfeld fans had at the end of "The Contest." Who won? It is not made explicitly clear, but there is a strong implication that George ended up as the winner of the contest. This is a notion that winds up being confirmed in later episodes, too. However, when "The Finale" finally rolled around for Seinfeld, George makes a confession when he believes his life is in danger and shouts that he cheated during "The Contest." No one would put it past George to cheat, but if he did, then that would mean that Jerry was actually the contest's winner. Of course, so long as he didn't cheat either.
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