12 Instances Where George Costanza Was Both Terrible and Hilarious on Seinfeld

      The legendary sitcom character George Costanza shines the brightest when he's at his lowest.

      Here are 12 iconic moments showcasing George's questionable actions on Seinfeld that solidify his status as one of our all-time favorites.

      What Makes George Exceptional?

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      The brilliance of Seinfeld as a sitcom lies in the “no hugging, no learning” principle established by the show's co-creators, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David. It’s widely acknowledged that David served as the primary inspiration for George's character.

      Seinfeld features characters with dubious morals, but George is arguably the most egregious. This, naturally, makes him a favorite among viewers.

      Jason Alexander’s portrayal of George elevated the character significantly. While sitcoms often include unlikable individuals for comedic effect, George Costanza manages to be both detestable and relatable.

      Switching Out an Answering Machine Tape

      Credit: NBC

      Considering this is a quintessential '90s show, it’s fitting to begin with a plotline that wouldn’t occur in today's world—thanks to the involvement of an answering machine. It’s also one of George’s more relatable yet questionable moments, as the early episodes of Seinfeld were slightly less outrageous.

      George goes on a date with a woman who suggests they go up “for coffee.” When he fails to grasp her true intentions, he begins to spiral into a state of neurosis. He attempts to call Carol, the woman, to clear things up, but only reaches her answering machine repeatedly. In a fit of panic, he leaves her an angry, scathing message, only to discover that Carol was out of town.

      In a bid to remedy the situation, George sneaks into her apartment to switch her machine tape, ensuring she never hears his messages. However, he learns that Carol had already heard them and thought he was just joking.

      Wearing a Wedding Ring to Attract Women

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      Though it’s not an original Seinfeld concept, it reflects a real-life behavior that George engages in, as unscrupulous as it may be. Sometimes you see a bit of yourself in George Costanza, and while it showcases the worst aspects of yourself, you have to confront that truth. George learns that women are often drawn to married men and decides to don a wedding ring to attract women.

      This risky move backfires on him. He wears the ring to a party, where he indeed garners interest from several women—who then refuse to date a married man. When George becomes desperate enough to admit he’s not actually married and just wearing the ring, that too blows up in his face.

      Drugging His Boss

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      In the episode “The Revenge,” George executes one of his most notorious gambits. While it’s not the act itself that makes him despicable, it certainly deserves mention. After quitting his job impulsively and immediately regretting it, George tries to return to the office the next day as if he never left, mirroring a ploy Larry David once tried at Saturday Night Live.

      While that worked for David, it does not for George. He proceeds to attend an office party at a bar and, with Elaine’s assistance, “slips his boss a Mickey,” meaning he drugs his former boss’s drink.

      Let’s be clear: if you drug someone, regardless of the justification, you’ve crossed a line.

      Flirting With a Neo-Nazi

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      Honestly? We have no qualms about George and Jerry impersonating neo-Nazis O’Brien and Murphy to catch a ride in a limo from the airport. As Jerry points out, the real O’Brien is stuck in Chicago and unable to use it. This is a relatively harmless deception. However, things take a turn for the worse when two people join them in the limo.

      It turns out O’Brien holds a prominent position in the neo-Nazi community. His two followers idolize him, and one of them becomes strangely attracted to George, mistakenly assuming he is O’Brien.

      When George comments on the situation to Jerry, who reminds him she is a Nazi, he retorts, “kind of a cute Nazi.” This perfectly encapsulates George’s character—and his questionable romantic interests.

      Investing in Art with the Hope of the Artist's Demise

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      “The Junior Mint” stands out as one of the finest episodes of Seinfeld. In it, Elaine’s former boyfriend, now an artist, is undergoing surgery, and during the procedure, Jerry and Kramer unwittingly drop a Junior Mint into his chest cavity. Afterward, his prognosis is not good. George seizes this opportunity and decides to purchase some of his artwork.

      He’s banking on the assumption that the artist will soon die, causing his paintings' value to rise rapidly. When he learns the artist will recover, George is understandably disappointed—he was genuinely hoping for the early demise of a man.

      Parking in a Handicapped Spot and Purchasing a Cheap Wheel