The Finale (Seinfeld episode)

"The Finale" is the two-part series finale of the American sitcom Seinfeld. They are the 179th and 180th episodes of the show and the 23rd and 24th episodes of the ninth season. It aired on NBC May 14, 1998 to an audience of 76 million viewers. Its initial running time was 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The fake working title for this show was "A Tough Nut to Crack" to throw off outsiders about the contents of the episode. For the first and final time since season seven, Jerry performs a stand-up comedy routine. Larry David, co-creator of the series, returned to write the script for this episode.

The episode garnered strongly divided responses upon airing, and continues to polarize critics and audiences.

Jerry and George have finally struck a deal with NBC to produce their pilot Jerry as a series, upon receiving a call from Elizabeth Clark calling from the office of NBC President James Kimbrough (Peter Riegert). Jerry and George will be leaving New York City for California to begin work. Jerry is given use of NBC's private jet by NBC executives Jay Crespi and Stu Chermak as a courtesy and he, George, Elaine, and Kramer decide to go to Paris for "one last hurrah". Elaine tries to get hold of her friend Jill. First, she can't get any reception with her cell phone on the street. Then, Jerry interrupts her with news of the pilot pickup and Elaine hangs up on Jill to take the call. Jerry then scolds her for trying to rush the call before they all leave for Paris, and for thinking about calling from the plane. On the plane that is piloted by Captain Mattox and his co-pilot Kurt Adams, George and Elaine argue over the quality of the plane and what Elaine considers an "effeminate" way in which George sits in the jet, while Kramer is still trying to get water out of his ears from a trip to the beach he made earlier in the day.

Kramer's desperation to get the water out of his ears causes him to jump up and down on the plane and, as a result, he stumbles and falls into the cockpit, which causes the pilots to lose control. While the plane is nosediving, the four prepare for death. George, momentarily feeling the need to confess, reveals he cheated in "The Contest," and Elaine begins to tell Jerry that she always loved him; but the plane steadies itself and they make a safe emergency landing in the small town of Latham, Massachusetts.