⚠️This fact has been debunked
This is a popular urban legend, but it's not true. While Superman references appear frequently throughout Seinfeld (in over 120 episodes), research shows that approximately 46 out of 172 episodes have clear Superman references, and over 50 episodes have no reference at all. The legend likely persists because Jerry Seinfeld is a well-known Superman fan and the references that do exist are memorable.
According to legend, there's a Superman in every episode of Seinfeld.
The Superman-Seinfeld Legend: Myth or Reality?
One of the most persistent TV legends claims that you can spot Superman—either mentioned, shown, or referenced—in every single episode of Seinfeld. It's the kind of trivia that sounds perfectly plausible: Jerry Seinfeld is famously obsessed with the Man of Steel, so why wouldn't he sneak him into every episode? The problem is, it's not true.
The myth has become so widespread that fans have spent hours rewatching episodes hunting for hidden Superman references. Some insist they've found them all. But when researchers actually catalogued every episode, the legend crumbled.
The Real Numbers
Out of 172 total episodes, only about 46 contain clear Superman references. That's roughly a quarter of the series. Superman superfan Barry Freiman went through the entire show hunting for even the most obscure mentions and found that over 50 episodes contain absolutely no reference to the Justice League's flagship hero.
While that's still a lot of Superman—over 120 episodes do include some kind of nod—it's nowhere near "every episode." The references that do exist include:
- A Superman statue visible in the background (starting in Season 5)
- A Superman magnet on Jerry's fridge (appearing from Season 4 onward)
- Verbal mentions and discussions about the character
- Two overtly Superman-themed episodes: "The Race" (1994) and "Bizarro Jerry" (1996)
Why the Obsession?
So if Superman isn't in every episode, why does he show up so much? In a 2016 Reddit AMA, Jerry Seinfeld explained: "Larry David and I discovered that we were both obsessed with Superman and admired him and also found him very funny at the same time, so that is why he came up a lot."
The co-creators' shared love for the character meant Superman became a recurring motif—just not the omnipresent Easter egg that legend suggests. It's possible they intended to include him in every episode, but references may have been cut for time or story reasons.
How Legends Are Born
This myth is a perfect example of how TV folklore spreads. It starts with a kernel of truth (Superman shows up a lot), gets amplified by a memorable fact (Jerry is a huge fan), and eventually transforms into an absolute claim (he's in every episode). Once enough people repeat it, it becomes "common knowledge"—even though it's false.
The legend is so entrenched that debunking it almost feels disappointing. There's something charming about the idea of Jerry and Larry sneaking their childhood hero into every frame. But the truth is that Superman's appearances in Seinfeld weren't the result of a meticulous Easter egg hunt—they were just two comedy writers having fun with something they loved.