#9 Touching is Taboo

"The Contest" struck a cord with so many viewers because masturbation (although the word was never said) was something that really didn't get talked about, let alone put on television, in the early nineties. It was definitely not politically correct to have a bet to see who could go the longest without pleasuring themselves. Nowadays, it is certainly a topic that is more easily brought up in radio, TV, and film in such movies as "American Pie."

One of the things that makes it so funny and popular among critics is the use of blocking when the camera goes from one character to the next in their beds, laying restless if they are still the "master of their domain", or sound asleep if they have forfeited the contest. Another thing is the costuming choices. In the scene after Kramer has dropped out of the contest he is wearing yellow where the three that are still in it to win it are all wearing red. I think the significance of this is the fact that yellow is generally viewed as a happy, lively color, whereas red is used to show anger or frustration (and in this case, sexual frustration).

"The Contest" was definitely my favorite episode we have seen so far, so I can totally see why it was so highly acclaimed by viewers and critics.