Seinfeld (TV Series) The Strike (1997) User Reviews

A Festivus... For the Rest of Us!

[Samuel-Shovel · 10/10 · 18 June 2019]

In "The Strike" Kramer's strike against the bagel company he worked for years ago has ended and he heads back to work for them during the holiday season. George makes a fake donation to a fake charity as gifts around the office. He gets caught red-handed by his boss and claims he doesn't celebrate Christmas but instead celebrates Festivus, a holiday his father created to fight against the materialism of Christmas. Kramer wants to learn more about the holiday so Frank revives it and George invites Kruger over to celebrate.

Elaine gives a man a fake number but accidentally gives him her sandwich shop punch card and wants it back. Soon she's playing phone tag all over the city trying to get this card back without giving out her real number. Jerry dates a woman whose a two-face: beautiful sometimes, ugly others.

This is one of my all-time favorite Seinfeld episodes, maybe episodes of TV period. Festivus is great, Elaine's phone game is great, every scene involving Frank is great. It's all just superb. I watch this around the holidays every year, it's become a bit of a tradition in my household. Christmas movies are great but this little 20 minutes of Seinfeld really takes the cake!

"I've got a lot of problems with you people, and now you're gonna hear about it!"

[Mr-Fusion · 9/10 · 23 December 2016]

I've been watching 'The Strike' for years and had no idea that December 23rd is the official date of Festivus. I have to admit I'm tickled that it's on my birthday.

It's a nutball holiday, to be sure; the kind of parody that can only come from a certain degree of dementia. As an episode, 'The Strike' is carried by Jason Alexander and Jerry Stiller. The Jerry, Elaine and Kramer plots are fairly lackluster, although they come together rather nicely in the end (and there are no complaints when Tim Whatley shows up). But the Human Fund and the Costanza tradition are both "Seinfeld" greatest hits, and this is pretty much a series of Frank Costanza tirades, which is priceless. The one-liners just keep coming.

Honestly, I love the very notion of Festivus, the execution of that crazy idea, and that it's become something our culture acknowledges on an annual basis.

9/10

Festivus for the rest of us.

[TOMNEL · 9/10 · 25 February 2007]

With: Jerry Stiller and Estelle Harris.

This episode is a really well remembered episode for the Frank Costanza sub-plot, and for good reason. The plots of this episode are really funny. Jerry is dating a woman who looks good one moment and hideous the next, Kramer is back working at a pretzel shop after a 12 year strike, Elaine's using fake phone numbers causes her to have problems getting a free sandwich, George's Christmas presents at work are donations to a fake foundation and Frank Costanza gets ready to celebrate his own holiday, Festivus. Every plot, except the Elaine one, are really clever and funny. This episode is mainly remembered and quoted for the Festivus plot, and it's good Jerry Stiller got a remembered phrase for his work on Seinfeld. It's a very funny episode.

My rating: Great episode. TV PGD

One of the best!

[cinders-67873 · 10/10 · 12 December 2015]

What's not to like? With the crazy-ass Festivus for the rest of us, the two-face, and the bagel strike, not to mention Elaine's bad habit of giving out wrong phone #s, and the Human Fund charity, Larry David is no doubt at specific times, certifiable, but in a great way. He reached new heights of hilarity with this episode. The brilliance of this man knows no bounds. Mr. David plumbs the depths of human psychosis developing plot lines that I would expect any Homo sapiens sapiens to come up with. Aiding the plot are the physical antics of Kramer and Mr. Costanza's crazy invention of Festivus, which replaces Xmas in his mind. The episode also mocks Xmas gifts given to charities in lieu of a gift to the recipient, drawing the writers' lampooning of said topic. I couldn't stop laughing.

Strike

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 23 June 2020]

I like how Kramer has been on strike for ages but then goes back to work. Then back on strike

Hit and Miss--Mostly Hit

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 2 June 2023]

George asks for money for a charity instead of a Christmas present. Of course, there is no such charity and he gets busted. To recover, he resurrects a made up holiday his father created: Festivus. For the rest of us! Kramer returns to work at a bagel shop he struck many years ago. He is insufferable. Elaine gives a phony telephone number to a guy but writes it on one of those cards where if you buy 24 subs you get a free one. She goes on a crazy quest to get the card back because she is one short. Jerry goes out with a girl who is beautiful one moment and vicious looking the next. Ridiculous premise, but it is Seinfeld.

It's Festivus!

[safenoe · 7/10 · 11 April 2024]

Having first watched Seinfeld when it debuted in the 1990s, I've enjoyed re-watching some of the episodes, and reflecting on them. Here we have The Strike from the ninth and final season, and it was a huge cultural phenomenon back then that Seinfeld was wrapping up, and some thought too soon. I must admit, I enjoy the idea of railing against the gross and crass consumerism of Christmas, so we have Festivus, which is based on a real life celebration of the father of one of the Seinfeld writers, detailed in the book The Real Festivus: The True Story Behind America's Favorite Made-up Holiday. The sub-plot of Kramer's strike, and Jerry seeing the downside of his girlfriend got drawn out a bit too much init.

Its like pouring pasta sauce in a strainer.

[ThunderKing6 · 5/10 · 12 March 2023]

This episode is only good because of the Festivus and the 2 face lady. Everything else seemed force and hash to even watch.

March 11, 2023

About: George makes up a charity for spite, leading to Festivus to be awakened.

Kramer goes back to work at a bagel store.

Elaine gives out a fake number.

Jerry dates a 2 face... (i thought her ugly side was hot)

Story and production: George's story was interesting but died down right at the end. They could have done more with it.

Kramer going back to work was unfunny, forced and hash. 1 second he's working, then he's on strike then he needs to go back to work where he rips on Frank's holiday when he was the one that pushed him to bring it back.

Elaine gives out a fake number. Literally.

Jerry dates a 2 face where she is beautiful and ugly at the same time. Interesting story and funny bits.

The Festivus dinner scene was cringe, forced, hash and poorly written.

Overall, A weak Production that is only saved by Festivus

Highlight: Hot ugly side of 2 face girl.

Villain: Elaine for giving out fake numbers... A Lot.

Girlfriend attractiveness level: beautiful side 8. Ugly side a 9

What can be learned?: Ladies just be honest and tel they guy you are not interested instead of giving out fakes. Its immature and cowardly.

Verdict: A rememberable, weak episode.

Strike

[bu-rn_hollywood_bu-rn · 1/10 · 13 December 2020]

I like how Kramer has been on strike for ages but then goes back to work. Then back on strike. I should make a montage of all of the long awkward silence moments on the show...