Ready to feel old? Ready to feel really really super old?
Well, like it or not, “Seinfeld” officially turned a quarter-century today (July 5), so yeah, you’re old. On July 5, 1989, what would soon become the defining sitcom of the 1990′s premiered on NBC, spawning nine seasons of glorious, “about nothing” comedy that still resonates today… most of it, anyway. The show’s hilariousness is timeless, but many of the show’s situations, references, and — of course — style moments were so ’90s it hurts. (In the best possible way.)
Need proof? Here are 25 of our favorite, most wonderfully ’90s “Seinfeld” moments:
1. “The Couch”
NBC
George spends an entire episode trying to rent a VHS of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” — though the episode has a very 2010′s spin in that one of the video store clerks is played by Patton Oswalt.
2. “The Comeback”
Speaking of video store clerks (RIP), Elaine dates one (played by future “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” actor and current “Hunger Games — Mockingjay” writer Danny Strong) in “The Comeback.”
3. “The Junk Mail”
NBC
If you grew up in the northeast United States in the ’90s (raises hand), you undoubtedly remember the now-defunct electronics store “Nobody Beats the Wiz.” Well, so does Elaine, since she once dated “The Wiz” himself — a fact which was discovered by Jerry, on a VHS tape.
4. “The English Patient”
Everyone loves this 1996 Ralph Fiennes/Juliette Binoche romantic drama, minus Elaine. It’s a thing.
5. “The Raincoats”
NBC
Nothing says ’90s quite like Judge Reinhold, who received an Emmy nom for playing the infamous close talker, Aaron.
6. “The Raincoats” (Part 2)
In the second part of Judge Reinhold’s amazing “Seinfeld” stint, Jerry and his girlfriend Rachel can’t stop making out during a viewing of “Schindler’s List” — and Reinhold later does a spin on the big speech in the movie, thinking he should have “done more” to help Jerry’s parents.
7. “The Understudy”
NBC
Not only does the episode parody the infamous 1994 Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan incident, but it does so with Bette freaking Midler.
8. “The Serenity Now”
George’s father goes into business selling computers, because he saw a “provocative” movie called “The Net.”
9. “The Boyfriend” (Parts 1 and 2)
NBC
The “spitting incident” (featuring former 1980′s Mets player Keith Hernandez) is a pastiche of the 1991 film “JFK.”
10. “The Good Samaritan”
Kramer suffers from convulsions when he hears the voice of “Entertainment Tonight” anchor Mary Hart — which is based on a real-life incident that occurred in 1991, when Hart’s voice reportedly triggered seizures in an epileptic woman. (The incident was also parodied on “Tiny Toon Adventures,” FYI.)
11. “The Non-Fat Yogurt”
NBC
The most famous mayor of the 1990′s himself, Rudy Giuliani, appears in an episode revolving around frozen yogurt that is misleadingly labeled as non-fat — which in itself could never happen in present day, because the Internet.
12. “The Barber”
“Edward Scissorhands” makes Jerry’s barber (and Jerry’s barber’s nephew) cry during a hair-heavy episode.
13. “The Pool Guy”
NBC
Kramer gets a new phone number, which is remarkably similar to a popular movie times information line (555-FILM). He therefore spends the episode pretending to be the Moviefone guy which, you know, could never happen now because could you even imagine having to call to get movie times? That’s what the Fandango app is for!
14. “The Parking Garage”
Everyone loses each other in a New Jersey parking garage in one of the series’ most popular episodes. Which, you know, could never happen now because cell phones.
15. “The Wig Master”
NBC
Kramer borrows the coat from the hit musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which became popular again in 1991 due to the smash-hit revival.
16. “The Finale”
“Seinfeld” aired its final episode in 1998, and a major plot point found Elaine trying (and failing) to find reception with this brand new contraption called a “cell phone.”
17. “The Opposite”
NBC
This episode features Dedee Pfeiffer, Regis Philbin, Kathie Lee Gifford, and French Stewart. ‘Nuff said.
18. “The Junior Mint”
George cries while watching “Home Alone” for some reason.
19. “The Pez Dispenser”
NBC
Pez dispensers with pop culture heads became immensely popular in the ’90s, much to the chagrin of Jerry — whose Tweety Bird dispenser is really hard to load.
20. “The Gum”
NBC
Horribly over-sized glasses? Yup, that sounds pretty ’90s to me.
21. “The Masseuse”
Elaine dates a man who shares a name with the infamous real-life serial killer Joel Rifkin. When she asks him to change it, she offers “O.J.” as a suggestion — months before O.J. Simpson was accused of murder.
22. “The Yada Yada”
NBC
The episode that spawned the number one TV-related (with “How You Doin’” as a close second) catchphrase of the 1990′s also featured Elaine ruining a couple’s adoption via a story about watching the movie “Striptease.”
23. “The Soup Nazi”
NBC
Another super famous (make that soup-er famous) episode that couldn’t take place in current day — because Yelp reviews would get this guy shut down in a second.
24. “The Burning”
When George successfully completes a funny joke, he celebrates by going to the movies and seeing “Titanic.”
25. “The Pitch”
NBC
Jerry gets revenge on a telemarketer long before the days of caller ID rendered them essentially obsolete.
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