Season synopsis
Contains spoilers for this season and earlier seasons.
George starts the season at Play Now on a one-year contract. When he and Kramer test an oil bladder system at the office, a dropped ball injures Claire, her lawsuit drives Play Now into bankruptcy, and George is left unemployed. Later, the minimum-wage increase ends the 12-year strike at H&H Bagels and Kramer returns to work. Jerry and George tell him about Festivus; Frank explains that he invented it to escape Christmas shopping. Kramer asks for time off to celebrate, and goes back on strike when the request is denied.
In “The Betrayal,” events at Sue Ellen Mischke’s wedding in India unfold in reverse order. George later tries to preserve his Frogger high score by moving the arcade machine without interrupting its power. Elaine grows tired of office birthdays, while the four friends leave a Mets game early to beat traffic and get trapped by the Puerto Rican Day parade. Meanwhile, Elaine tries to juggle Puddy and a man she thinks may be her dream partner, and George lies to Susan’s parents about owning a house in the Hamptons.
When NBC finally picks up Jerry and George’s pilot, the pair plan to move to California and take Elaine and Kramer to Paris. Their plane makes an emergency landing in Massachusetts, where they watch a carjacking and joke instead of helping; Kramer records it. A new duty-to-rescue law brings the four to trial. Jackie Chiles cannot overcome testimony from the victim, the officer and people they have crossed over nine years. The jury returns a guilty verdict for criminal indifference, and the judge sentences all four to a year in prison.