The Mango

"**The Mango**"
"The Mango"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 5; Episode 1
Directed by	Tom Cherones
Story by	Lawrence H. Levy
Teleplay by	Larry David and Lawrence H. Levy
Production code	501
Original air date	September 16, 1993
Guest appearances
	Lisa Edelstein as Karen; Leonard Termo as Joe; Veralyn Jones as Renee;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Pilot Part 2"	Next →; "The Puffy Shirt"
	List of episodes

"The Mango" is the 65th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on September 16, 1993, and is the premiere of the show's fifth season.^[1] In this episode, Jerry gets defensive after Elaine admits to having faked all her orgasms with him. George's insecurity over sexual performance becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Kramer's high standards for fruit get him banned from the only grocer where he will buy fruit.

Plot

Jerry confirms that George is in love because he is scrubbing his bathroom for his girlfriend Karen. George is insecure about his sexual performance, but is sure he could tell if she was faking an orgasm. Elaine admits to getting away with faking back when she was not having orgasms, including "all the time" when she was with Jerry.

This rude awakening hangs over Jerry, and he nearly backs out of dinner with Elaine. Kramer does not take this seriously, having also faked before. He is far more concerned when he bites into a bad peach, which he takes back to Joe's, the local grocer. Joe denies him a refund, dismissing the peach as an "act of God" and banning Kramer from the store.^[2]

George and Jerry both feel inadequate as they watch Karen and Elaine orgasmically savor their food. When Elaine admires Meryl Streep's "authenticity" in a new movie, Jerry reaches his breaking point and cajoles Elaine to give him "another shot" to prove himself, even for half an hour. Elaine insists that sex will ruin their friendship, and Jerry sulks. George is crestfallen and blames Jerry when he fails to get an erection with Karen, and Jerry and Elaine continue to bicker after Jerry walks out of the movie.

George is not consoled to learn that even Houdini supposedly suffered erectile dysfunction, while Jerry polls many old girlfriends about orgasms to spite Elaine. Kramer, repulsed by supermarket fruit, drags Jerry to Joe's to buy fruit for him. Jerry is also banned when Joe easily recognizes Kramer's finicky fruit shopping list, like "plums with red on the inside". Kramer and Jerry enlist George to buy fruit for them both, but neither has cash to pay him back.

Kramer pushes a mango on George, which is so delicious as to revive his erection, just in time for another date with Karen. Elaine and Jerry resentfully give back each other's things. Realizing that only sex can save their friendship now, Elaine grants Jerry his half-hour.

George's sexual performance immensely pleasures Karen, but he assumes she was faking, and she throws him out. Jerry fails to get an erection and blames George, but is reminded that there is more mango left.

Production

"The Mango" was written by Larry David and Lawrence H. Levy. A friend of his came up with the setup of the episode: Elaine never having orgasms with Jerry. Larry David said that the idea was "too good to pass up."^[3] The subplot in which Kramer is banned from a fruit shop is based on one of David’s personal experiences, where he himself was banned from a fruit shop for squeezing the produce too much.^[3]

The episode's working title was "The Orgasm."^[4] It was first read by its cast on August 11, 1993 to much anticipation, as it was to premiere in a new 9:00 timeslot. NBC officials, however, were a bit more apprehensive because it was taking over the timeslot of the highly successful sitcom Cheers.^[4] The episode was filmed in front of a live studio audience on Tuesday, August 17, 1993.^[4]

The exterior shot of Joe’s fruit shop was filmed on the backlot of CBS Studio center.^[4] The name "Almo's Bar & Grill" is visible on the storefront next door to Joe’s. This is a reference to the father of Seinfeld set designer Tom Azzari, whose name is Almo.^[4]

Reception

This episode gained a Nielsen rating of 19.3 and an audience share of 29, meaning that 19.3% of American households watched the episode, and 29% of all televisions in use at the time were tuned into it.^[4]

Awards and nominations

The Mango received the following awards/nominations:

1994 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series nomination: Larry David and Lawrence H. Levy.
1994 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Comedy Series nomination: Tom Cherones.
1993 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Comedy Series nomination: Tom Cherones.^[5]
1995 Writers Guild Award for an Episodic Comedy: Larry David and Lawrence H. Levy.

References

^ "Seinfeld Season 5 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^ Barnes, Mike (November 2, 2012). "Character Actor Leonard Termo Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
^ ^a ^b "Inside Look" on the Seinfeld Season 5 DVD
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Seinfeld Season 5: Notes about Nothing - "The Mango" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
^ "Directors Guild of America -- Official Website search". Retrieved September 28, 2009.

External links

"The Mango" at IMDb
"The Mango" on Sony Pictures

[tvguide-1] "Seinfeld Season 5 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 2, 2021.

[2] Barnes, Mike (November 2, 2012). "Character Actor Leonard Termo Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 22, 2012.

[InsLook-3] "Inside Look" on the Seinfeld Season 5 DVD

[NAN-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Seinfeld Season 5: Notes about Nothing - "The Mango" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

[DGA-5] "Directors Guild of America -- Official Website search". Retrieved September 28, 2009.

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v t e 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

v t e Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Comedy
1960s	Dorothy Cooper for "Margaret's Old Flame" (1960) Sam Bobrick & Bill Idelson for "The Shoplifters" / Martin Ragaway for "My Husband Is the Best One" (1964) Carl Kleinschmitt & Dale McRaven for " Br-room, Br-room"(1965) Jack Winter for "You Ought To Be In Pictures" (1966) Marvin Marx & Gordon Rod Parker & Walter Stone for "Movies Are Better Than Ever" (1967) Sam Bobrick & Bill Idelson for "Viva Smart" (1968) Allan Burns for "Funny Boy" (1969)
1970s	Richard DeRoy for "The Valediction" (1970) Martin Cohan for "Thoroughly Unmilitant Mary" (1971) Larry Gelbart for "Chief Surgeon Who?" (1972) Robert Schiller & Robert Weiskopf for "Walter's Problem" (1973) Larry Gelbart & Laurence Marks for "O.R." (1974) James Fritzell & Larry Gelbart & Everett Greenbaum for "Welcome to Korea" (1975) Alan Alda for "Dear Sigmund" (1976) Larry Rhine & Mel Tolkin for "Archie Gets the Business" (1977) Gary David Goldberg for "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (1978) Thad Mumford & Dan Wilcox for "Are You Now, Margaret?" / Ken Estin for "The Reluctant Fighter" (1979)
1980s	Dennis Koenig & Gene Reynolds for "Heal Thyself" (1980) Nat Mauldin for "Stormy Weather" (1981) Stephen Neigher & Tony Sheehan for "Hunger Strike" (1982) David Isaacs & Ken Levine for "The Boys in the Bar" / Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Give Me a Ring Sometime" (1983) Michael J. Weithorn for "Sumner's Return" (1984) Glenn Gordon Caron for "Pilot" (Moonlighting) / Elias Davis & David Pollock for "Madison Avenue Madness" (1985) Bob Randall for "Allie's Affair" (1986) Jay Tarses for "Here's Why Cosmetics Should Come in Unbreakable Bottles" / Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger for "A, My Name is Alex" / Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan for "'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas" (1987) Carol Black & Neal Marlens for "My Father's Office" (1988) Todd W. Langen for "Coda" (1989)
1990s	Diane English for "Brown Like Me" (1990) David Isaacs & Ken Levine for "Rat Girl" (1991) Diane English & Korby Siamis for "Uh-Oh: Part II" (1992) Larry David for "The Contest" (1993) Larry David & Lawrence H. Levy for "The Mango" (1994) Joe Keenan for "The Matchmaker" (1995) David Mandel for "The Pool Guy" (1996) Gregg Kavet & Andy Robin for "The Fatigues" (1997) Rob Greenberg for "Frasier's Imaginary Friend" (1998) Jay Kogen for "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" (1999)
2000s	Joe Keenan & Christopher Lloyd for "Something Borrowed, Someone Blue" (2000) Philip Rosenthal for "Italy" (2001) Bob Daily & Lori Kirkland & Dan O'Shannon for "Rooms with a View" (2002) Bob Daily for "No Sex, Please, We're Skittish" (2003) Mitchell Hurwitz & Jim Vallely for "Pier Pressure" / Neil Thompson for "Ida's Boyfriend" (2004) Jenji Kohan for "You Can't Miss the Bear" (2005) Steve Carell for "Casino Night" (2006) Paul Lieberstein & Michael Schur for "The Job" (2007) Andrew Guest & John Riggi for "Succession" (2008) Robert Carlock for "Apollo, Apollo" / Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd for "Pilot" (2009)
2010s	Robert Carlock for "When It Rains, It Pours" (2010) Steven Levitan & Jeffrey Richman for "Caught in the Act" (2011) Elaine Ko for "Virgin Territory" (2012) Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock for "Hogcock!" (2013) Louis C.K. for "So Did the Fat Lady" (2014) Clay Tarver for "Sand Hill Shuffle" (2015) Robert Carlock for "Kimmy Goes on a Playdate!" (2016) Tracy Poust & Jon Kinnally for "Rosario's Quinceañera" (2017) Alec Berg & Bill Hader for "Chapter One: Make Your Mark" (2018) Liz Feldman for "Pilot" (Dead to Me) (2019)
2020s	Tony McNamara for "The Great" (2020) Tony McNamara for "Alone at Last" (2021) Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky for "The One, The Only" (2022) Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman for "Escape from Shit Mountain" (2023) Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky for "Bulletproof" (2024)