Even Dartmouth students who do not normally watch Seinfeld will hit the couch for the special finale episode that airs tonight starting at 8 p.m.
The show's characters, scenes and one-liners have captured the hearts of viewers and entered the vocabulary of many students.
While most students plan to watch the episode with friends in residence hall lounges, rooms or fraternity houses, there are several campus-wide events planned.
The Class of 2000 will be presenting a special showing of the final episode on a movie screen in Collis Common Ground. The Seinfeld night will begin at 7:30 p.m. with a best-of Seinfeld clips episode.
According to Josh Green '00, one of the event's organizers, attendees will receive free Pez dispensers and junior mints.
The Pez dispensers are a tribute to "a episode where a tweetie bird Pez dispenser is Jerry's ticket to a movie," Green said. The organizers are not discriminating, however -- all varieties of Pez will be dispensed tonight.
Collis event attendees are also encouraged to dress up as Seinfeld characters.
Some posters for the event promise a special guest appearance by the Soup Nazi, but Green denied all knowledge and refused to confirm that rumor.
Other planned events include a Seinfeld party in Hinman lounge beginning at 8 p.m. The River Cluster event will feature the clips episode followed by the finale.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center of 1009 adults found that 62 percent said that they watched the show and 14 percent named the program as their favorite.
And when asked to name their favorite characters, 44 percent picked Kramer.
On campus, the trend favoring Kramer is not so apparent. An informal poll conducted by The Dartmouth found students divided between George, Elaine and Kramer, while only one respondent admitted to liking Jerry best.
"I really like that Kramer guy -- he's the funniest," Bryan Russell '01 said.
"Kramer's the most unique -- the stuff he says that just comes out of nowhere," Gerald Lam '01 said. "I love his randomness more than anything else."
George Serban '98 said he is partial to George, not because they share the same first name, but because the character is actually funny.
Another George fan, Jackson Lehr '00, said, "You've gotta love George 'cause he's so pitiful. He's always getting into trouble and he can't help himself."
Most female respondents preferred Elaine.
"Elaine is just one of the greatest female characters on television," Kathryn McGovern '99 said. "She is so realistic -- she has a personality when most television women are just stereotypical women."
Devoted Seinfeld enthusiast Carolyn Cummings '00 said the fact that Elaine is a woman makes it easier to identify with her.
Many Dartmouth students said their favorite episode is the infamous "Soup Nazi" sketch. In this episode, based on a real-life experience, the gang tries to order soup at a popular stand. However, they consistently offend the "Soup Nazi" who decrees, "No soup for you."
