“The Bet” is one of two “Seinfeld” episodes that got banned (the other involved George declaring that Black people don’t eat salads), and Larry Charles penned both. While he liked elements of the scripts, the writer understands why the episodes were rejected. “[In] those two episodes, I knew there was something funny in them, and dark at the same time, but I could never crack the code of those episodes and thus they were not quite ready to be produced,” he told Vanity Fair.
Similarly, fans of the show are glad that “The Bet” never came to fruition, but not because it would have explored provocative subject matter. X (formerly Twitter) user @jad_1138 feels the script is too wacky, writing, “I read it a while ago. It’s funny but felt too exaggerated sometimes, a bit too much, and pushing the ‘Seinfeld’ absurdism a bit too far.”
This view is echoed by @Seinspeaks, who argues that the story portrays the characters in an unbelievable light. “Initial thoughts: some great material here. Jerry seems extremely out of character for having such a strong opinion on Elaine owning a gun.” The script is bound to arouse the curiosity of “Seinfeld” fans, but the underwhelming reaction suggests “The Bet” wouldn’t have been the sitcom’s finest hour.
If you think these ideas are bad, check out the questionable things on “Seinfeld” that people choose to ignore.