Couch Comfort: 28 great 'Seinfeld' episodes to watch this week

Not that there's anything wrong that — but you'll have 28 opportunities to watch or, more likely, re-watch episodes of the classic "sitcom about nothing" starring Massapequa's own Jerry Seinfeld.  Starred episodes below are must-sees, plus a bonus this week is the airing of the show's pilot episode from1989 in which a) George Costanza has nearly a full head of hair b) Kramer's last name is Kessler and c) Elaine is nowhere to be found.

(And, of course, if you don't want to be a slave to the TV schedule, all nine seasons are streaming on Hulu.)

MONDAY

11 p.m., WPIX/11 "The Maid" — Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) begins dating his new maid (Angela Featherstone); George ponders a nickname; Elaine has to get the new area code.

11:30 p.m., TBS "The Deal" — Jerry and Elaine come up with one stipulation when they discuss getting back together as a couple.

*11:30 p.m., WPIX "The Junior Mint" — When Jerry and Kramer observe an operation, they accidentally drop a candy into the surgical cavity.

Midnight, TBS "The Foundation" — George is ready to move on after mourning the death of his fiancee, while Jerry breaks off his engagement.

TUESDAY

8 a.m., TBS "The Soul Mate" — George suspects the attorney for the Susan Ross Foundation believes he murdered Susan; Jerry likes his date.

8:30 a.m., TBS "The Bizarro Jerry" — Elaine's ex introduces her to two of his friends who look like George and Kramer but act like their exact opposites.

9 a.m., TBS "The Little Kicks" — Jerry discovers a hidden talent when Kramer gets him to perform an illegal activity; George acts like a rebel.

9:30 a.m., TBS "The Package" — Kramer tries to scam the post office; Elaine has a rash but has trouble finding a doctor who will treat her.

11 p.m., WPIX "The Finale Part 1" — After NBC picks up Jerry and George's sitcom, the four pals are arrested for breaking the good Samaritan law.

* 11:30 p.m., WPIX "The Smelly Car" — A car valet with killer body odor ("the beast") leaves Jerry and Elaine gasping for breath; George sees an ex-girlfriend holding hands with someone else.

WEDNESDAY

8 a.m., TBS "The Fatigues" — The mentor of Jerry's latest girlfriend (A.J. Langer) is dating a rival (Steve Hytner); Elaine must fire a troubled employee.

8:30 a.m., TBS "The Checks" — Jerry is unhappy about receiving bundles of small residual checks from a Japanese TV show; Kramer makes friends with a group of Japanese tourists.

*9 a.m., TBS "The Chicken Roaster" — Jerry and Kramer are affected when a celebrity opens a new restaurant in the neighborhood and the eatery's sign shines its neon light directly into Kramer's apartment.

9:30 a.m., TBS "The Abstinence" — George's intellect benefits when his girlfriend's illness requires their abstinence; Elaine experiences the opposite effect; Jerry returns to his junior high school for career day.

11 p.m., WPIX "The Finale Part Two" — After NBC picks up Jerry and George's sitcom, the four pals are arrested for breaking the good Samaritan law.

*11:30 p.m., WPIX "The Pilot, Part One" — Jerry and George produce their pilot, but George doesn't like the actor playing him; Kramer has a personal problem.

THURSDAY

8 a.m., TBS "The Andrea Doria" — George competes for a better apartment against a survivor of the Andrea Doria; Kramer visits a vet for his cough.

8:30 a.m., TBS "The Little Jerry" — George finds his perfect woman (Andrea Bendewald); Kramer names his new pet after Jerry; Elaine dates a bald man.

9 a.m., TBS "The Comeback" — Jerry joins a tennis club where the pro is a lousy player; George is too late in concocting a witty comeback to an insult.

9:30 a.m., TBS "The Money" — Jerry's parents (Barney Martin, Liz Sheridan) think he is low on money; J. Peterman (John O'Hurley) resumes his position as Elaine's boss.

11 p.m., WPIX "The Mango" — Jerry begs Elaine for another chance when she reveals her true feelings about their relationship; Kramer is banned from his favorite fruit shop.

*11:30 p.m., WPIX "The Pilot, Part Two" — Jerry and George produce their pilot, but George doesn't like the actor playing him; Kramer has a personal problem.

FRIDAY

8 a.m. ,TBS "The Pothole" — George pulls out all the stops to find a commemorative key ring he lost; Jerry drops his girlfriend's toothbrush in the toilet; Kramer adopts a highway.

8:30 a.m., TBS "The English Patient" — Jerry ends up in a weightlifting contest with an older man (Lloyd Bridges); a beautiful woman (Chelsea Noble) mistakes George for her ex-boyfriend.

*9 a.m., TBS "The Nap" — George finds the ideal napping spot at work; Jerry has his kitchen rebuilt; Elaine meets a new beau (Vince Grant).

*9:30 a.m., TBS "The Yada Yada" — George begins to wonder what his new girlfriend (Suzanne Cryer) isn't telling him when she says, "Yada, yada, yada."

11 p.m., WPIX "The Glasses" — George and Elaine go to an optician after George loses his glasses at his health club; Elaine fears she has rabies after being bitten by a dog.

11:30 p.m., WPIX "Pilot" — The show's very first episode (which aired as "The Seinfeld Chronicles"): A woman's impending visit excites Jerry, until he learns she's getting married.

(Episode descriptions from Zap2it's TV grids)

By Andy Edelstein

andy.edelstein@newsday.com

Andy Edelstein, Newsday's entertainment editor, supervises coverage of TV, celebrities, movies and pop music. He has written three books on popular culture, including "The Brady Bunch Book."