
Season 8, Episode 1 · 1996-09-19
The Foundation
Ranked #55 out of 172 episodes in Seinfeld
Susan's parents act to preserve her memory; Kramer gives Elaine a confidence boost after Peterman puts her in charge.
Season premiere rebuilds momentum with 48 jokes across tight observational setups, hitting 80-point threshold.
Directed by Andy Ackerman · Written by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer
Humor Index
55.2
2.5
7.3
7.0
8
“The Foundation” ranks #55 of 172 Seinfeld episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 80.1 — Elite. The episode packs 48 scored jokes at 2.5 per minute, averaging 7.3 on craft and 7.0 on impact, with Jerry landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
All Jokes — 48 analyzed
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The part you fast-forward
Our scorer flagged 10:31-11:18 range with transition scenes as the stretch with the fewest or weakest comedic moments. Everything else lands harder.
Top Episodes — Seinfeld