The Real Reason Superman Appears In So Many Seinfeld Episodes

There is a Superman reference in every "Seinfeld" episode — FALSE. It may seem true, but the Superman factoid is a result of the Mandela Effect. It's been regurgitated so many times across listicles on the internet that it just became a fact in the "Seinfeld" fandom. Now, there are definitely more than a handful of Superman references throughout the series, appearing in more than half the episodes. It's also not just mentions or the alluding to Superman storylines, but sometimes the Man of Steel can be spotted on the set. A bookshelf figurine and refrigerator magnet are the most common places Superman can be spotted in the background of Jerry's (Jerry Seinfeld) apartment.

So why is "Seinfeld" riddled with Kal-El throughout its nine seasons? Most might assume it's because Seinfeld himself is a fan, and as is his character on the show. The comedian also shot a very famous American Express commercial with the superhero in 1998 (via the New York Times). But it turns out this whole Superman easter egg deal wasn't just the doing of Seinfeld.

In a 2016 Reddit AMA, a fan asked Jerry Seinfeld the real reason for so many Superman references in "Seinfeld." "Larry David and I discovered that we were both obsessed with superman and admired him and also found him very funny at the same time, so that is why he came up a lot," the comedian admitted. So it turns out the Superman inclusion was due to Larry David just as much as Seinfeld himself. David even admitted to Rolling Stone in 2011 that his character on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is his version of Superman.

Longtime "Seinfeld" writer Peter Melhmen wrote a piece for Parade about how Superman came to be on the sitcom, noting that there was never a plan for the DC hero to be an ongoing theme. Melhem said he was never given a directive to add Superman to any script and that it always seemed to happen organically. "Just consider: Superman was devoted to 'truth, justice, and the American way'; the Seinfeld characters were devoted to lying, cheating, and getting their own way. For his all-too-human problems, Jerry looked to someone from Krypton. In his puny narcissism, George sought inspiration from the paragon of selflessness," the writer said.

It looks like Superman references and appearances on "Seinfeld" were unavoidable, as the two pop culture phenomena were more alike than anyone ever realized.