Seinfeld: Season 5; Seinfeld: Season 6

It may be, as many Seinfeld aficionados believe, that this classic sitcom reached its peak with season four, but the fifth and sixth years show no appreciable diminution of the creative team's powers. Both the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons are top drawer, yielding their fair share of unforgettable episodes: these are the years of the puffy shirt, the close talker, the re-gifter, and the coffee-table book about coffee tables. Jerry Seinfeld is still going through girlfriends like sandwiches, George (Jason Alexander) is engaged to Susan, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is working for Mr. Pitt, and Kramer (Michael Richards) is…well, Kramer is Kramer. It's difficult to pick favorites from such a distinguished group of episodes, but there are some clear standouts. “The Mango” opens the fifth season with a double whammy: Kramer is banned from the local fruit store and Jerry learns that Elaine faked her orgasms while dating him. “The Hamptons” is a genuine classic in which Jerry and the group visit the seaside home of friends and get a look at the ugliest baby they've ever seen. Longtime Seinfeld friend and fellow standup comedian Larry Miller contributes a hilarious turn as a psychotic doorman in “The Doorman,” and George accidentally injures Bette Midler during a softball game in “The Understudy.” Among the guest stars in these two seasons are a pre-Friends Courteney Cox, and Judge Reinhold, whose faux-earnest portrayal of the eerily nice “close talker” is one of the series' indisputable highlights. DVD extras on both sets include audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, interviews with cast and crew, exclusive footage of Jerry Seinfeld's standup comedy act, outtakes, and more. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)