The Deal (Seinfeld) The Deal (Seinfeld) "The Deal" is the ninth episode of the second season of NBC's "Seinfeld", and the show's 14th episode overall. The episode centers on protagonists Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who decide to have a sexual relationship, with a set of ground rules. However, as their "relationship" progresses, they experience difficulties maintaining their original friendship. Series co-creator Larry David wrote the episode in a response to NBC's continued efforts to get the two characters back together. The main inspiration behind the episode was a similar agreement David once made with a woman. The episode, which
The Seinfeld Chronicles was watched by nearly 11% of American households, and received generally favorable reviews from critics, who reacted with disappointment that NBC did not order a first season. Convinced that the show had potential, and supported by the positive reviews, NBC executive Rick Ludwin managed to convince his superiors to order a four-episode first season (the smallest order in TV history), by offering a part of his personal budget in return. The show, renamed "Seinfeld", would go on to become the most successful sitcom in television history. The series opens with Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld) and George Costanza (Jason Alexander) seated