| "The Phone Message" | |
|---|---|
| Seinfeld episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Tom Cherones |
| Written by | Larry David Jerry Seinfeld |
| Production code | 207 |
| Original air date | February 13, 1991 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"The Phone Message" is the ninth episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld, and the fourth of the show's second season.[1] The episode concerns protagonist Jerry Seinfeld dating a woman who likes a commercial for cotton Dockers he dislikes. Meanwhile, his friend George Costanza leaves an angry message on the answering machine of his girlfriend, and goes to great lengths to prevent her from hearing it.
Written by series creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David and directed by Tom Cherones, the episode was produced to replace a script by staff writer Larry Charles. Charles had written an episode called "The Bet," revolving around Elaine Benes buying a handgun. The script's gun content was deemed too provocative and, in little time, Seinfeld and David wrote "The Phone Message" to fill the production void. Though the episode was met with positive critical responses, its initial broadcast on NBC on February 13, 1991 was watched by an underwhelming audience of 13 million viewers, causing NBC to put the show on a two-month hiatus.