Friends, The Office, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire, even Spongebob Squarepants are household names in the world of television comedy and have had a significant influence in American pop culture. However, according to IMDB, Seinfeld is the number 1 greatest comedy TV show of all time. It was so successful that reruns of the show are still making the cast substantial royalties. But how could a show about nothing achieve so much success? As it turns out, some of the most hilarious moments on the show were entirely unscripted.

How The Parking Garage Episode Ended Completely Unscripted

The Cast of Seinfeld in The Parking Garage episode
Via: NBC

Going off script can be a pretty big risk because it doesn't always get the intended reception. However, when an unscripted joke lands, the pay-off is well worth it. The same can be said for hilariously timed unscripted mistakes and unintended slip-ups.

Season 3, episode 6 of Seinfeld entitled "The Parking Garage" presents the quintessential "nothing" scenario that the show was best known for. It involves all 4 main characters (Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer) in the parking garage of a mall in New Jersey.

Kramer had just purchased an air conditioning unit and Elaine bought a goldfish. As they walk to Kramer's car, Kramer suddenly realizes that he has no idea where he parked. Each character has a time-sensitive problem throughout the episode; Kramer is, of course, schlepping around a heavy air conditioning unit and gets more fatigued as time drags on, Elaine needs to get her goldfish home before it dies, George needs to meet up with his parents for their anniversary, and Jerry has to go to the bathroom.

The episode continues on with Kramer ditching the AC unit with the intention of returning for it once he's found his car, Elaine pleading desperately with fellow shoppers to drive them around to look for the car, and Jerry and George getting apprehended by mall security and fined for urinating in public.

As the episode concludes, hours have passed before the 4 friends climb into Kramer's car exhausted and annoyed. In the script, they were meant to drive out of the dreaded parking garage and head home, but as soon as Michael Richards tries to start the car, when the timing couldn't have possibly been more hilarious, the engine won't turn over.

The moment in question can be seen at the 9:15 mark in the video below.

Related: Why The Cast Of 'Seinfeld' Hated Filming The Parking Garage Episode

Fan Reception To The Side-Splitting Blunder

The episode has been a fan favorite since it aired on October 30th, 1991, and a go-to for people who are just starting to watch the show for the first time. Critics have compared it to the likes of the groundbreaking and hilarious Chinese Restaurant episode, which aired in season 2 the year prior. It even received a ranking of #33 in TV Guide's 1997 list of The Greatest TV episodes of All Time.

With the reception being overwhelmingly positive, Seinfeld had successfully solidified itself as a household name and a comedy goldmine. Jerry Seinfeld and co-creator Larry David were undoubtedly fortunate to have found each other as well as a witty and naturally hysterical cast who were able to continue making TV history by thinking on their toes and going off script for the years that followed until the show's end in 1998. There's no doubt that Seinfeld's multiple unscripted successes inspired future shows like Friends to keep their bloopers in the show.

Related: These Celebs Appeared On 'Seinfeld' Before They Were Famous

Larry David Loved Using Real-Life Scenarios

Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld laughing
Via: Getty

If there's ever been any question as to why Larry David was so great at writing George Costanza, it's because they're quite literally the same person. In video footage taken in 2012, Larry David had a real life Seinfeld moment where he himself was trapped inside the parking garage of a mall in Santa Monica. The co-creator was having a hard time trying to figure out how to exit the garage as the parking barrier wouldn't lift to let him out. Luckily a good Samaritan in the car behind him was able to help him out, and he was then able to escape from back to his home. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that this sort of thing is a regular occurrence for the poor man.

Related: This Episode Of 'Seinfeld' Was So Controversial That NBC Forced Jerry To Throw Out The Script

Seinfeld - Classic Sitcom
via abcnews.go.com

Even with the show's last episode airing on May 14th, 1998, new generations of fans from all over the world can't seem to get enough episodes of the 4 friends going about their day-to-day business doing nothing. In remembrance of actresses Estelle Harris (George's mom), Liz Sheridan (Jerry's mom), and actor Mike Hagerty (Rudy, the vintage clothing dealer), newcomers to the show and die-hard fans alike can relive their favorite moments with these notable characters and their encounters with everyone's favorite 4 humorously dysfunctional New Yorkers. As of this writing, all 180 episodes are available to binge-watch on Netflix for all those who are in the mood to sit around and, in the spirit of the beloved show, do nothing.

Next: The Truth About That Time Jerry Seinfeld Dated A 17-Year-Old