Throughout its remarkable run of 180 episodes, <em>Seinfeld</em><em> </em>explored some truly unconventional territories in its quest for humor. Among its most controversial and darkest episodes are “The Limo,” where George (Jason Alexander) unintentionally assumes the identity of a notorious white supremacist, and “The Opera,” which features the unsettling return of “Crazy” Joe Davola. Both of these memorable episodes were crafted by the talented writer Larry Charles. Additionally, Charles was also responsible for the striking Season 5 episode titled “The Bris,” which delves into topics such as suicide, the ethical considerations surrounding circumcision, and an especially strange subplot involving Kramer’s (Michael Richards) encounter with a bizarre character he dubs the “pig-man.” During a visit to friends who recently welcomed a newborn, Kramer accidentally stumbles into the wrong hospital room and is horrified to discover what he believes to be a “pig-man.” As revealed in his memoir Comedy Samurai: Forty Years of Blood, Guts and Laughter, the inspiration for the pig-man character came from the 1973 British satirical drama O Lucky Man!, featuring Malcolm McDowell.

Larry Charles: The Creative Force Behind Some of the Most Unusual Episodes of ‘Seinfeld’

Often described as “a show about nothing,” the humor of Seinfeld primarily arises from ordinary situations and trivial relationship conflicts, yet it occasionally delves into darker and more absurd realms. Although the show boasted a gifted ensemble of writers, including the show’s co-creator Larry David, it was Larry Charles who penned some of the series’ most unforgettable episodes. Notably, he was behind the groundbreaking Season 4 episode, “The Outing,” which tackled sensitive topics with humor. In the Season 2 episode titled “The Baby Shower,” Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) experiences a shocking death during a dream sequence, while in the Season 5 episode “The Fire,” George reaches an all-time low when he pushes children and an elderly woman aside in his frantic escape from a house fire during a child’s birthday party. The Season 4 episode “The Opera” takes on a mini-horror movie feel as “Crazy” Joe Davola (Peter B. Crombie) stalks Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) while donning the garb of Pagliacci the clown, adding a layer of tension and unease to the comedic narrative.

Seinfeld is also renowned for its clever incorporation of references to films and television series, both real and fictional, throughout its episodes and story arcs. The show seamlessly weaves in nods to classic films such as Midnight Cowboy, Apocalypse Now, The English Patient, JFK, and many more. Charles skillfully employed this technique in various episodes, including the Season 3 installment “The Library,” which features a Dragnet-style narrative starring Philip Baker Hall in one of the series’ most memorable guest appearances. For one of Seinfeld’s most bizarre and darkly comedic episodes, “The Bris” from Season 5, Charles cleverly references Lindsay Anderson’s O Lucky Man! when Kramer encounters what he believes to be a pig-man during his hospital visit.

The Inspiration Behind the Pig-Man in “The Bris” from ‘O Lucky Man!’

The three intertwining plot lines of “The Bris” navigate through some notably dark themes. The narrative centers around Jerry, George, Elaine, and their friends Stan (Tom Alan Robbins) and Myra (Jeannie Elias), who have just welcomed their first child. While visiting them at the hospital following the birth, George brags about his ideal parking spot conveniently located in front of the hospital entrance, but the mood shifts dramatically when a patient takes his own life by jumping off the roof, tragically landing on George’s car. In a mix-up on his way to see the newborn, Kramer mistakenly enters the wrong room, where he encounters the infamous pig-man (a grotesque half pig, half man). This shocking discovery ignites Kramer’s wild conspiracy theories about the government conducting genetic experiments on humans to create an army of pig-men.

Later in the episode, Stan and Myra ask Jerry and Elaine to become their son’s godparents, placing Elaine in charge of organizing the bris and hiring a mohel, while Jerry is entrusted with the responsibility of holding the baby during the circumcision. This episode boldly pushed boundaries in several ways. Although it wasn’t the first episode to touch upon the topic of suicide, Jason Alexander raised concerns over the portrayal of the mohel character, feeling it bordered on anti-Semitic. His objections led to discussions with Larry David, ultimately resulting in revisions to the character.

Charles took significant creative risks with this episode, and one of the most bizarre plot lines in the series revolves around Kramer’s fascination with the pig-man conspiracy. In a recent interview with NPR, Charles elaborated on how he was instrumental in developing Kramer’s character and his conspiratorial tendencies. Therefore, it is fitting that he would write Kramer as someone who believes in the existence of human-animal hybrids developed by the government. In a striking conclusion, Kramer “frees” the pig-man, giving him a piggyback ride out of the hospital, although Seinfeld never fully reveals the pig-man’s appearance. If one were to imagine something akin to the disturbing doctors from the “Eye of the Beholder” episode of The Twilight Zone, the reality behind this character is even more unsettling.

The concept of the pig-man is directly inspired by a scene from the 1973 surreal comedy-drama O Lucky Man!, which is the second film in the Mick Travis Trilogy. O Lucky Man! features an array of absurd vignettes detailing the adventures of Mick Travis (Malcolm McDowell), including one scene where he volunteers for mysterious medical experiments. While exploring the medical facility, he encounters another patient in a hospital bed and inquires about his compensation. When the patient remains silent, Mick pulls back the sheets, revealing the shocking sight of a pig-man. The figure is unsettling, with a human head attached to the body of a large pig.

This disturbing image is certainly striking, yet it is framed comically, much like the pig-man in Seinfeld. In a state of horror, Mick screams and runs through the hospital corridors, ultimately smashing through a window in his frantic escape. It’s safe to say that such a scene would not be acceptable for NBC standards.

Ultimately, there was never a true pig-man in Seinfeld, with Kramer later admitting that he was merely a “fat little mental patient.” Nevertheless, this outrageous scene from O Lucky Man! contributed to making “The Bris” one of the most iconic episodes of the series, for better or worse, giving rise to one of the series’ uniquely bizarre plot lines that solidifies Seinfeld as an exceptional show.

All episodes of Seinfeld are currently available for streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

[nospin]Here you can find the original article; the photos and images used in our article also come from this source. We are not their authors; they have been used solely for informational purposes with proper attribution to their original source.[/nospin]

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