So over the past week I've dug out my old Seinfeld DVDs in an effort to watch the entire series from the beginning. That first season is a bit rough around the edges, but it establishes the foundation for what's to come. Almost all of the characters seem like "diet" versions of themselves: Kramer is odd, but never wacky, Elaine is much less of a trainwreck, and George seems to be a successful real estate agent.
One little entertaining bit of mise-en-scene caught my eye, however. In the second episode (actually the fourth to be broadcast, but for some reason second on the DVD set), there's a shot in Jerry's apartment where an interesting item is visible atop his refrigerator.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgPX_ap_aBXo1CuDVlXGhQpRy4cup_y7CEvf2MykZP50zCt6emOEOVN45f4gqdukxn0cC6V_qveedZ_Lnsngh5RibKJ1E-2UQZVjvEVi82bcFcIDNLHBDe4HUFn2c0MJnfnA9vdurfDQ/s320/IMG_5371.JPG)
To the untrained eye, it's a box that says "Baseball" on it, but any good collector will be quick to recognize that it's a box of 1990 Donruss baseball cards. Fitting, since the splotchy red border design looks like something that Elaine Benes would wear on a blouse or vest.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkgXWsywmQPmNXwUaAqhpHjERtYqt-0LH6KzSqmJDQb8FNx3Yl8g0ox4c8oM9uso3a887GNW32HqRwaZ70z0Dvh_j0Ba7QQUZ1h3cs8SgXZkN4Zd9T_iHjPJ7_bbMzbWIcQPRiBw-UyY/s320/IMG_5372.JPG)
The box is visible in a couple more episodes in season 1, but by the time season 2 arrives, it's gone. Perhaps Jerry moved on to collecting high-end Stadium Club? One can only dream.