The Police Drama That Secretly Influenced Seinfeld's Library Episode

While the marketing for "Seinfeld" focused on the aspect of the show being about 'nothing,' it was anything but. Series co-creator Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld built their sitcom from the ground up, with the foundation of it being about how a comedian gets their material. "Seinfeld" even reflects its meta-creation, as one of the running throughlines through the show is Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and George (Jason Alexander) attempting to pitch their series to NBC. But for as much as the hit sitcom cast a spotlight on odd characters and outlandish scenarios for its stand-up-inspired yuks, it also featured countless references based on what influenced the show's creative team. Jerry, for example, had a huge fixation on Superman, which led to episodes like "The Bizarro Jerry" and "The Race" that actively incorporated elements of the beloved DC superhero in the plot. Other times, reference points often manifested as characters themselves.

In the season three episode entitled "The Library," Jerry finds himself in trouble as he's notified by the New York Public Library that he's still on the hook for late fees on a book he never returned. He swears he returned his copy of Henry Miller's "Tropic of Cancer" back in 1971, but that doesn't dissuade Library Investigations Office Lt. Joe Bookman (Philip Baker Hall) from getting to the bottom of things anyways. What could have been a conventional episode concerning Jerry trying to figure out what happened all those years ago becomes infinitely funnier with a literal book cop getting on his case about it.

Hall was a celebrated character actor whose many guest television spots, in addition to his work on Paul Thomas Anderson pictures like "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia," made him an instantly recognizable figure even if you didn't know his name. He claims the Bookman role on "Seinfeld" prompted people on the street to come up and tell him that they've been good and returned their books on time. The guest appearance stuck in people's minds because, much like Leslie Nielsen in "Police Squad!," Hall played it straight. His scenes would arguably be even funnier without the laugh track.

Bookman is a straight-shooter library cop who's not afraid to tell his delinquent fine evaders how he really feels about them. He speaks through a controlled cadence as if he's practiced his monologues ahead of time in the mirror. I always crack up in the moments where Hall starts to walk away from Jerry, only to immediately turn around and go on the offense with a scolding finger pointed towards him. If Hall's presentation subconsciously reminds you of a television staple within the pantheon of cop dramas, then that's because it was intentional.

In a DVD featurette, writer Larry Charles talks about how he was such a fan of the cop series "Dragnet" that he wanted to incorporate it in the body of a sitcom formula. As luck would have it, he was presented with the opportunity to do so in "The Library" with Hall's premiere book officer:

"I was a big fan of 'Dragnet.' I loved Jack Webb's monologues and I wanted to find a way to sort of have a cop be able to do that kind of monologue in a sitcom format."

In the way that "Seinfeld" is remembered as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, "Dragnet" is often considered one of the best television crime dramas. Just about every procedural can be traced back to the radio show turned multimedia franchise that tackled a number of supposedly legitimate investigations with its straight-laced demeanor. The first few notes of the memorable theme song indicated that Jack Webb's Detective Joe Friday would be on the case like ketchup on a hot dog. For as dated as "Dragnet" is through a contemporary lens (most notably with its more-than-flattering depiction of the Los Angeles Police Department), there's an entire history to be gleaned from how Webb's performance has echoed throughout the decades. Friday is such a by-the-book kind of cop that this shining beacon of moral actions under the law could potentially be seen as comical. By 1987, "Dragnet" received a big screen adaptation that was sort of a legacy sequel of the original series, with Dan Aykroyd as Friday's nephew à la "The Naked Gun."

Friday was ripe for parody. "Seinfeld" had already played upon the character a season prior in "The Statue," with Kramer (Michael Richards) dressing up like him in order to get into someone's apartment. With "The Library," Hall was more than up to the task. He did an excellent job of showing how this kind of hard-nosed lawman would come across if he were plucked out of his time and dropped smack dab in the '90s. "Well, I've got a flash for you, joy boy," Bookman hilariously says to a bewildered Jerry. It's no wonder Jerry can hardly keep a straight face in all of his scenes with Hall, who never lets the silly idea of a book cop influence his disposition. It's a loving parody that respects the material on the show's own terms. Needless to say, the library detective gives a whole new meaning to getting booked. Make sure you've taken care of any outstanding library debts, folks.