Jerry is to do two shows at different clubs “across town.” The second show is to begin at 9:50 PM, supposedly allowing him enough time to catch a film with friends at 10:30 PM. This suggests that the second show will be very brief and that the movie theater is only a short distance away from the second club.

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Jerry’s first show is delayed for fifteen minutes, but he cannot wait that long because “I got this all timed out. I’ve got another spot across town at 9:50.” Jerry leaves immediately after hearing about the delay. We do not know the first show’s start time, but since Jerry operated under the premise that the second show was to begin at 9:50 PM, the first show could not have been set for later than 9:15 PM. Even at 9:15 PM, Jerry will barely have enough time to perform a quick act and take a cab “across town” to reach the second club at 9:50 PM.

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The episode’s timeline is incoherent and messy from the very start.

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While Jerry is on his way to the second club, we see George getting in line at the movie theater. This is odd, because even if we were to assume Jerry left the first club as late as 9:15 PM and got to the second club within the next fifteen minutes or so, George (and everyone else waiting in the “ticket holders’ line”) were at least an hour early. It is also possible that Jerry stopped somewhere on his way to the second club and did not get there until the last possible moment (9:50PM), but even in that case George (and others in line) were about 45 minutes early - still a stretch. This scene could probably best make sense as a flashforward, i.e. chronologically it comes after Jerry’s arrival at the second club, though sequentially it comes before – if so, it is very vague and disorienting.

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When Jerry gets to the second club, he runs into a fellow comedian, Buckles, whom he had just run into at the first club. This is also a bit strange; Buckles was still at the First Club chatting away when Jerry left, but he somehow got to the second club before Jerry did. This is, of course, within the realm of possibility, but still a little strange. At the very least, it would require some explanation, e.g. Jerry may have stopped on his way.  

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At the second club, Jerry misses his show, slated for 9:15 PM (not 9:50 PM as he originally thought). He then heads to the movie theater to inform his friends he could not make it. At Buckle’s suggestion, Jerry takes an alternative route, which is more congested – arriving late at the movie theater. This part is also strange. It will be remembered that per the original plan, Jerry was to do a show at 9:50 PM and then take a very short ride to the theater to catch a 10:30 PM show. Missing his act, however, must have easily afforded him an additional fifteen to twenty minutes. Even if the alternative route took twice as long, Jerry should have still arrived at the movie theater on time (he arrives at some point after 10:30, as evidenced by the fact that the coming attractions were playing at for the 10:30 show.)

 

Also See:

Seinfeld (The Movie): Half Film