The Serenity Now

"The Serenity Now"
	Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 9; Episode 3
Directed by	Andy Ackerman
Written by	Steve Koren
Production code	903
Original air date	October 9, 1997
Guest appearance(s)
	Jerry Stiller as Frank Costanza; Estelle Harris as Estelle Costanza; Lori Loughlin as Patty; Matt McCoy as Lloyd Braun; Richard Fancy as Lippman; Ross Malinger as Adam Lippman; Bruce Mahler as Rabbi Glickman; Ruth Cohen as Ruthie Cohen (uncredited);

"The Serenity Now" is the 159th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the third episode of the ninth and final season. It aired in the U.S. on October 9, 1997.[1]

The episode's plot was inspired by real-life events in the life of writer Steve Koren. While driving with his arguing parents, Koren was bewildered to hear his father shout "Serenity now!" at the top of his lungs as part of a rage controlling exercise his doctor had told him about, and questioned whether the phrase was meant to be yelled.

Plot

Via an instructional tape, Frank Costanza is advised to say "serenity now" every time he gets angry in order to keep his blood pressure down. Jerry's girlfriend Patty observes that she has never seen him get angry. When Elaine goes to her old boss Mr. Lippman's son's bar mitzvah, his son Adam tries to kiss her. Meanwhile, Kramer is inspired to turn the hallway area outside his apartment door to resemble the front porch of a house in "Anytown, USA", complete with barbecue grill, lawn chairs, potted plants, American flag, wind chimes, and screen door.

Frank hires George to help him sell computers from his garage along with his childhood rival, Lloyd Braun. Lloyd makes many sales, while George sells none. After Adam tries to kiss Elaine, she becomes so popular with Jewish boys she is invited to six more bar mitzvahs. When she returns to the Lippmans to talk Adam out of his attraction for her, Mr. Lippman himself tries to kiss her. George tells Elaine that it's because of her "shiksa-appeal", that Jewish men are attracted to non-Jewish women because they "don't remind them of their mother." Elaine goes to a rabbi for further advice but he ends up coming on to her as well.

After Jerry's girlfriend encourages him to show his anger more, it results in a release of other emotions. He repeatedly tells George and Kramer he loves them and he asks Elaine to marry him, but he unleashes too much anger on his girlfriend and she dumps him. George is so determined to sell more than Lloyd, he decides to pretend to sell computers, but instead stores them in Kramer's apartment. He at first intends to store them in Jerry's apartment, but is disturbed when he witnesses Jerry's proposal to Elaine.

Lloyd is fired when George appears to outsell him. Before he leaves, Lloyd tells George the "serenity now" mantra is actually harmful, as it bottles up emotions, even blaming it for driving him to insanity ("serenity now, insanity later"). Kramer fights with the neighborhood kids of "Anytown, USA." He tries to use Frank's relaxation method of chanting "serenity now" but eventually his pent-up anger finally releases and he takes it out by smashing all of George's computers.

With the destruction of the computers, George is inspired to release his own emotions, which disturbs Jerry so much he reverts to his normal self. Elaine decides she and Jerry should get married, but he is no longer interested. Frank discovers that Lloyd Braun is actually still mentally disturbed, hadn't been selling any computers, and hadn't even plugged his phone in. Frank and Estelle fight over his use of the garage as an office and, at George's suggestion, tries to use a new relaxation phrase "Hoochie Mama" when an angry Estelle tries to park in the garage.

References

"The Serenity Now" - TV.com

External links

"The Serenity Now" at IMDb

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[1] "The Serenity Now" - TV.com

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