The Millennium (Seinfeld)

"**The Millennium**"
"The Millennium"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 8; Episode 20
Directed by	Andy Ackerman
Written by	Jennifer Crittenden
Production code	820
Original air date	May 1, 1997
Guest appearances
	Wayne Knight as Newman; Richard Herd as Wilhelm; Lauren Graham as Valerie; Louan Gideon as Mrs. Hamilton; Victoria Mahoney as Gladys; as Minkler; Bruce Jarchow as Mooney; Maria Cina as Saleswoman; Steve Koren as himself;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Yada Yada"	Next →; "The Muffin Tops"
	Seinfeld (season 8)
	List of episodes

"The Millennium" is the 154th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 20th episode of the eighth season and aired on May 1, 1997.^[1] In this episode, Kramer and Newman plan rival millennium parties, George tries to get fired in the most spectacular manner possible, and Jerry ends up in a three-way struggle with his girlfriend and his girlfriend's stepmother over what numbers they appear at on each other's speed dial.

Plot[]

The New York Mets management asks George to leave the New York Yankees and become their head scout. He decides to leave in a blaze of glory with a dramatic firing, but his efforts only end up making him look better. He wears Babe Ruth's uniform and gets food stains on it, but Mr. Steinbrenner praises him, thinking it shows an "out with the old, in with the new" mentality. George runs through Yankee Stadium during a game, wearing a flesh-colored body suit, that wins the enthusiasm of fans. He destroys a Yankees' World Series trophy by hitching it to his car and driving through the parking lot while screaming insults with a megaphone. This finally brings the ire of Steinbrenner, but Mr. Wilhelm takes the blame for ordering the destruction of the trophy, gets fired and takes the job with the Mets.

Elaine tries to run an ethnic-themed clothes store called Putumayo out of business after receiving bad customer service. She tries shopping at a competing store, Cinco de Mayo, but discovers that the same woman owns both stores. She tells Kramer to change all the price tags to 99 cents, but he accidentally breaks the pricing gun before he can finish. Instead, he takes the desiccant packs from the clothes, eats some chips the store gives out to customers, and unknowingly drops one of the desiccant packs in the salsa.

Kramer and Newman are planning rival millennium parties. Newman's party is called "Newmannium". Fearing all his friends will go to Newmannium, Kramer accepts an offer to co-host Newmannium instead, under the condition that they do not invite Jerry. However, moved by loyalty to Jerry, Kramer resurrects his own party and gets Elaine to come. Newman lets Jerry come to Newmannium in exchange for Elaine's presence. Jerry points out to Newman that since he booked Newmannium for the Millennium new year, the hotel would have scheduled it on December 31, 2000 due to there being no year zero, while millennium celebrations are held almost universally on December 31, 1999, making Newman's party a year late.

After a subpar date, Jerry notices his girlfriend, Valerie, has moved his number from number 7 to 9 on her speed dial. He takes her on an extravagant date to get his speed dial "ranking" boosted up to 1. Her domineering stepmom demands Jerry surrender the number 1 spot. When Valerie hears of this, she takes her stepmom off speed dial altogether. Her stepmom instigates trouble by putting Jerry on her speed dial. Valerie has Jerry negotiate to get himself off her stepmom's speed dial in exchange for Valerie putting her back on her speed dial, but the stepmom only concedes to hiding Jerry's number in her emergency speed dials. Later, she's poisoned by eating the desiccant-contaminated salsa. When Valerie calls poison control, Jerry answers. Valerie is disgusted at this and hangs up.

Production[]

The table read for the episode was held on March 5, 1997, and filming took place on March 11.^[2]

The fans cavorting with the bodysuit-clad George were played by Seinfeld writers Steve Koren, Gregg Kavet, Andy Robin, and Spike Feresten.^[2] Cut material from the episode included a callback to "The Comeback": When George is talking about getting fired, Kramer asks "Is Steinbrenner married?", prompting George to angrily shoot back "I'm not saying I had sex with his wife!"^[2] The scenes with Jerry and Valerie’s mother parody The Graduate.

References[]

^ "Seinfeld Season 8 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Seinfeld Season 8: Notes About Nothing - "The Millennium" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2007.

External links[]

"The Millennium" at IMDb

[tvguide-1] "Seinfeld Season 8 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2021.

[NaN-2] Seinfeld Season 8: Notes About Nothing - "The Millennium" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2007.

[1]

[2]

v t 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