The Switch (Seinfeld)

"The Switch" is the 97th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 11th episode for the sixth season. It aired on January 5, 1995. This episode is notable for revealing Kramer's first name.

Plot

After playing tennis, Elaine is recognized by Mrs. Landis (Gail Strickland), a former potential employer from Doubleday. Elaine lends Mr. Pitt's tennis racket, a Bruline, to her in hopes of getting a new job. Meanwhile, Jerry is dating Sandy, a "non-laugher". George is dating Nina (Charlotte Lewis), a model who eats a lot and whom Kramer thinks may be bulimic.

George has dinner with Nina; she feasts on the food and then goes to the bathroom to "freshen" herself. Jerry has dinner with Sandy; he keeps making funny remarks but she does not laugh, just saying "that's funny" in an emotionless manner. Back at the apartment, Jerry describes how his jokes just bounce off his girlfriend. George now strongly suspects his girlfriend is bulimic because he heard a "blah" in the bathroom, and wants a matron to spy on her to verify that she intentionally throws up. Kramer's mother Babs (Sheree North) is introduced, who happens to work as a matron, but Kramer doesn't want anything to do with her. When she first sees her son, she yells out his first name in shock, the first time in the series the audience learns Kramer's first name. A bewildered George, who went with Kramer, confusedly repeats his name, "Cosmo"?

Mrs. Landis, who injured her humeral epicondyle playing tennis, is devastated and states she has no reason to live if she can't play tennis, and Elaine doesn't have the heart to ask for the racket back. Back at the apartment, Elaine says Mr. Pitt needs his racket for a match against Ethel Kennedy. George arrives with the news of Kramer's name, much to everyone's delight. Kramer accepts his name and says he was running from his true self.

When Jerry goes to his girlfriend's apartment he meets Laura, Sandy's roommate, who does laugh at his jokes. Later, he talks with George, saying he intends to try the "switch". George declares it is impossible: no one in Western history has ever switched a girlfriend for her roommate. Jerry and George spend long hours devising a plan to accomplish the switch. Finally, George comes up with the plot: Jerry will suggest a ménage à trois, Sandy will be disgusted, break up with Jerry, and tell Laura, who in turn will feel flattered, thus paving the way for Jerry to date her.

While Mrs. Landis is out for lunch, Elaine sneaks into her office to retrieve the racket. However, she is caught by Mrs. Landis's assistant.

Kramer now uses his first name regularly. He tells his mother to quit her job as a matron. George's plan for Nina goes wrong because of this, so he goes into the women's bathroom himself to spy on her. He hears the noise of someone being sick and shouts "Aha!" but it turns out to be another woman he hears and his date walks out on him.

Meanwhile, Jerry's "switch" scheme takes an unexpected twist when both Sandy and Laura agree to the ménage à trois. George is ecstatic about it, but Jerry will not go through with it because he is not "an orgy guy" and because it'll "change him" and he's not "ready for it". Lastly, Newman, a good tennis player, is out of town, so Kramer uses his keys to retrieve a Bruline tennis racket just like Mr. Pitt's. When they open the door, they see Babs in a compromising position with Newman. After she exclaims her son's name in surprise, Newman, looking as surprised as ever, echoes, "Cosmo?"

External links

• "The Switch" at the Internet Movie Database

Seinfeld episodes
Season 1	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip"
Season 2	"The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy"
Season 3	"The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend" "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys"
Season 4	"The Trip" "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot"
Season 5	"The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats" "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite"
Season 6	"The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100" "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy"
Season 7	"The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac" "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit" "The Wait Out" "The Invitations"
Season 8	"The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George"
Season 9	"The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strongbox" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle" "The Finale"
Indicates two-part episode