The Bubble Boy

The Bubble Boy
Season	4
Episode	47
Air Date	October 7, 1992
Writer(s)	Larry David, Larry Charles
Director	Tom Cherones
prev	The Watch
next	The Cheever Letters

“The Bubble Boy” is the seventh episode of the fourth season of Seinfeld, and the name of its title character. Written by Larry David and Larry Charles and directed by Tom Cherones, it first aired on October 7, 1992.

Plot

Jerry dates Naomi, a girl who laughs like "Elmer Fudd sitting on a juicer". Yoo-hoo delivery driver Mel Sanger approaches Jerry at Monk's and asks him to appear at his house for his son, Donald, who is a huge fan of Jerry. Donald lives in a plastic bubble, making Jerry and Elaine feel sorry for Mel. George and Susan decide to stay in Susan's father's cabin for a week, which is near Donald's house. Jerry and Elaine follow George and Susan to get there. However, enthralled by the great time he is making, George drives at top speed, and Jerry and Elaine lose sight of him.

Kramer's Cuban cigars get him a membership at a country club, and he heads to the same cabin where George and Susan are with Naomi. Jerry and Elaine stop at a diner and ask a waitress how to get to the bubble boy, who is popular in his hometown, but she is too concerned about getting Jerry's autograph and putting it on the wall. George meets the bubble boy, who is very bossy and angry, as well as having a voice that sounds like an adult's. George and Susan play Trivial Pursuit with him until Jerry gets there. To the question "Who invaded Spain in the eighth century?" Donald answers, "The Moors." Due to a misprint, the card's answer is "The Moops", and George refuses to give Donald credit. This causes Donald to fly into a rage. He strangles George, getting so angry that Susan fears he is killing George. Susan comes to George's defense, popping Donald's bubble in the process. When Jerry finally arrives, Donald yells at him in the ambulance and an angry mob chases George and Susan. Kramer accidentally destroys Susan’s father’s cabin by leaving a lit Cuban cigar inside. Susan’s father had given the cigars to George, who then gave them to Kramer.

Notes About Nothing

• The "Moors/Moops" incident (which will be revisited in “The Finale”) is based on an actual error spotted by one of the writers while playing the home edition of Jeopardy!
• The episode is also inspired by the "Boy in the bubble" trope in American pop culture.

The Bubble Boy

The Bubble Boy is never actually shown throughout the episode. He is described as an anemic who has to live in a quarantine. The bubble is not like an igloo but rather like a "thin film of plastic separating the room".