12 Instances Where George Costanza Was the Worst (And Consequently the Best) on Seinfeld

      The iconic sitcom character George Costanza shines brightest in his most unfavorable moments.

      Here are 12 memorable instances of George’s questionable antics on Seinfeld that solidify his status as a fan favorite.

      What Makes George Great?

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      The brilliance of Seinfeld as a sitcom lies in the “no hugging, no learning” philosophy established by its creators, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David. It is widely accepted that David served as the primary inspiration for George’s character.

      Seinfeld features a roster of ethically dubious characters, but George is arguably the most reprehensible. Nevertheless, this is exactly what endears him to many viewers.

      Jason Alexander’s portrayal of George elevated the character, making him both despicable and relatable—an uncommon feat in sitcoms that often showcase unlikable characters solely for comedic effect.

      Swapping Out an Answering Machine Tape

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      Kicking off with a quintessential ‘90s narrative, it’s fitting to highlight a plot that would be outdated today, involving an answering machine. This scenario also showcases one of George’s more relatable displays of questionable judgment, as the early seasons of Seinfeld were less exaggerated.

      George goes on a date with a woman who invites him up for "coffee." When he fails to recognize her implied intentions, he spirals into anxiety. In an attempt to rectify things, he calls the woman, Carol, and gets her answering machine multiple times. Frustrated, George leaves her an angry message only to discover that Carol was out of town.

      In a desperate move, George decides to sneak into Carol’s apartment and change her answering machine tape so she won't hear his message. The twist? Carol had already listened to it and thought George was joking.

      Wearing a Wedding Ring to Meet Women

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      While Seinfeld didn’t create this concept, it certainly reflects a real-life behavior that George would embrace, however unscrupulous it may be. You might find yourself relating to George Costanza, despite it exposing the worst aspects of yourself. Upon hearing that women are attracted to married men, George acquires a wedding ring to attract women.

      This time, his dubious behavior backfires. At a party, he meets several women who show interest, but they refuse to date a married man. When George grows desperate enough to admit he wasn't actually married and was merely wearing the ring, things go south for him.

      Slipping His Boss a Mickey

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      In the episode “The Revenge,” George orchestrates one of his most notorious schemes. After quitting his job in a fit of anger, he quickly regrets it and attempts to act as if he never left. This tactic was inspired by an experience David had while working on Saturday Night Live.

      However, what worked for David fails miserably for George. The truly shady act comes at an office party when, with Elaine's assistance, George drugs his former boss’s drink.

      It's important to note that when you resort to drugging someone, regardless of the rationale, you’ve crossed a line.

      Flirting With a Neo-Nazi

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      Surprisingly, we can overlook George and Jerry pretending to be neo-Nazis O’Brien and Murphy to catch a limo from the airport. As Jerry points out, the real O’Brien is stuck in Chicago and unable to use the limo, making it a harmless ruse. However, what follows showcases George at his worst (though entertainingly so).

      Upon entering the limo, George and Jerry are joined by two neo-Nazi acolytes of O’Brien. One of them admires O’Brien so much that she finds herself attracted to George, mistaking him for the actual O’Brien.

      When George remarks to Jerry about her attraction, Jerry reminds him she's a Nazi, to which George responds with, "kind of a cute Nazi," perfectly encapsulating his character’s questionable morals.

      Buying Paintings Hoping the Artist Will Die Soon

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      “The Junior Mint” stands out as one of Seinfeld's finest episodes. When an ex-boyfriend of Elaine’s who is an artist is hospitalized, Jerry and Kramer inadvertently drop a Junior Mint into his chest cavity during surgery. Afterward, his condition worsens, prompting George to seize the opportunity to buy some of his art.

      George naively hopes that the paintings will become valuable after the artist passes away. When he learns the artist will recover, he’s disappointed, demonstrating that his desire to profit from someone’s untimely death is deeply troubling.

      Parking in a Handicapped Spot and Then Cheaping Out on a Wheelchair

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      In a classic George move, he parks in a handicapped space on Kramer’s urging. This leads to a disaster when a woman in a wheelchair suffers an injury trying to navigate to the mall.

      The situation worsens when Kramer develops a crush on the woman and wants to buy her a new wheelchair. George persuades him to opt for an inexpensive, secondhand wheelchair instead.