The Master Of the Domain episode for setting the trend that every episode had to incorporate a buzz phrase.
George kills his fiancée with the envelopes. I admired the guts of it, but they've forgone funny in favor of bizarre.
WHEN THEY TRIED TO MAKE EVERY STORYLINE CONNECT, NO MATTER HOW ARTIFICIAL THE PREMISE.
I would peg it when George and Susan got together
When people started watching...It was brilliant when no one knew it was on.
I love Putty!
In the case of "Seinfeld", I must vote that this show NEVER jumped the shark. Case closed!
Sometime around '94-'95 it became verboten to not feature each character equally on every show. So we had four frantically plotted mini-shows competing for 22 minutes of air time. What a shame. But thank God for Frank Costanza.
First, when they applauded Kramer's entrance, but the producers were wise enough to realize this and halted it. Then when Larry David left -- notice how suddenly everything seemed so typically sitcom-ish, and the cast suddenly started over acting? It reminded me of the latter years of MASH. Everyone says Seinfeld ended at it's peak, but in reality, that would have been three years ago.
Seinfeld , although it's atmosphere and humor style changed when Larry David left , never got un-funny . It was classic to the end . Even when the show changed , it was still genius . And the unpopular last episode was hysterical . And the death of Susan was classic .
(the final show) It was just not funny. I think I'll watch some tapes from earlier seasons.
The season when Seinfeld stopped doing his standup at the show's intro.
you know why the last episode was when seinfeld
because it (the last episode)was something. i mean, sure, all the characters coming back to haunt them, that was all good. but the end had no gag, it wasn't funny. they were in jail. what kind of seinfeld spirit is that?
Was fantastic around the "writing a sitcom" era. Gradually declined from there, but was still very funny until Larry David left, then it just died. It's obvious now where the real laughs came from.
The show jumped when Elaine's hair changed from the classic, half up, four inch high poof on top. The day I clicked on Seinfeld and saw her with straight hair, I knew I'd never watch again.
When I realized that all the characters were total assholes.
The final episode...Twice the length! Half the laughs! (Not that there's anything *wrong* with that...)
Jumped the shark when susan died. Even though she herself sucked, it just seemed to happen around that time!
The reaction of everyone to her death was just so damn cold I could have seen George (and maybe Jerry reacting like that but I expected a little better out of Elaine and Kramer. It was a lame way to get George out of the marriage.
From the very start of the last episode, there wasn't a Seinfeld feeling to it. Still, I remained undaunted and kept watching. They jumped the shark though, when they were in Monk's deciding where to go on the NBC jet before George and Jerry go to L.A. When Jerry suggests Paris, Kramer does this deranged, tottaly mental impression of a French person talking. Not only was this incredibly stupid and not funny, GEORGE AND ELAINE LAUGHED!!! The other characters never laugh at Kramer's crazy antics, so why would they laugh at this one when they didn't laugh at hilarious ones? From then on I knew the end was near.
Thats easy..the final show! It would be very difficult to live up to all the hype for the last show anyway, then they tried to fit in an appearance by nearly everyone that was ever on the show.. plus try to come up with a plot line even more outrageous then their normally outrageous plot lines. They reached too high and failed.
This show never should have been on the air in the first place.
That last show sucked! I think they were trying to hard to make a great finale and ruined it.
Seinfeld jumped the shark when George's soon to be wife died from licking the envelopes for their wedding. It was never as funny after that.
This show lost a lot of its ability to be clever when they lost their head writer Larry David in the 7th season of the show. Afterwards, Seinfeld tried to finish up the series by creating predictable episodes. Although the show did see some substantial success, and Jerry made $98 million in the last 2 years, the substance of the show was not what it once was.
The show was awesome until the last show. It was crappy, I mean its the last show and all they show us are a bunch of damn clips?
The second Jerry Seinfeld appeared an the television. He is the one actor that I really can't stand.
The episode where Kramer rubs butter all over his body and then gets severely sunburned. Newman is so taken with his baked in buttery pal and actually tries to eat him. I felt like I was watching a Scooby Doo episode. Seinfeld jumped the Shark when the made Kramer a real character - instead of a quirky drop in - no real point, type of role.
Listen to this interpretation of the final episode of Seinfeld and then tell me the show jumped. They all die on the airplane and the whole court case is just them being judged between heaven and hell. The jail sentence obviously being hell. Dark humor, brilliant ending never jumped.
When the cast was on the cover of "Entertainment Weekly." Whenever a show gets 'hip,' it goes downhill.
I don't think that anybody, except those that watched Full House every week, can deny the brilliance of Seinfeld. Surely there were some bad episodes, even awful ones, but there was always that great Seinfeld edge that has never been, nor do I think will ever be, duplicated on television. But as hard as I may try to justify it, there is no doubt that the final episode was a complete let-down. And because that was the end of the Seinfeld era, most fans like myself feel that a piece is missing.
Jerry gets a contract to do a sitcom for NBC, creates the "show about nothing." The self-satirization was funny for a couple of minutes, but it dragged on through several episodes. The one joke stretched so long that it turned Seinfeld from "the show about nothing" to "the show with no jokes." Despite some funny seasons later on, this is the point where it ceased to be innovative or interesting.
When Kramer buttered himself up.
Few people remember that "Seinfeld" was originally NBC's reaction to (and knock-off of) Showtime's then-hot "It's Garry Shandling's Show", featuring another (superior?) stand-up comic as the lead..."Seinfeld" has a lot going for it: a fine creative team, a top-notch cast...but it is all negated by a huge gaping maw at the center: Jerry Seinfeld. Let's get it straight, folks: he's not an actor, he never was, he never will be, and he deserves to be an object of parody and scorn (as he was, brilliantly, in some sketches with Tom Hanks and cast members of Saturday Night Live in the '80's), and he certainly does not deserve a multi-million dollar (I'm sure) American Express Card contract.
When George turned from whiny and insecure George to angry, screaming George. Every episode there after, George's character was very unfunny and annoying.
The entire last season sucked!
Why couldn't the second last show have been the finale????
Seinfeld was a great show but, i noticed a downhill slide when the pudgy postman freind of kramers we all know him as newman started making fewer apperances on the show. maybe it was because of his roll on third rock or maybe there were other problems but every time he came on it was hilarious like the jfk's golf club episode and the hatred between him and jerry always made for great laughs, newman making fewer apperiances skrewed the show.
The second to last season was seeming forced but still delivered. The last season was, with very few exceptions, a suckfest. The last episode must never be shown again!!!
This show never jumped! Sure, the last episode was bad, but what did you expect? You can't close a truly genius show like Seinfeld. This show was the Master of their domain. Serenity NOW! Frank Costanza's quote "Then who's having sex with the chicken?" The best Jerry-the best!
Seinfeld never jumped the shark! Even the last episode was extremely funny! What a brilliant way to bring back all of our favorite characters. And going to jail? A level of self-awareness perhaps not previously attained by TV? And one of the funniest moments is still the last one -- with Jerry doing stand-up in jail and Kramer is the only one cracking up -- I LOVE IT!!!!
"The Contest". When Elaine gave up... I miss that show...
NEVER, NEVER JUMPED. This show always took some mundane stuff and really ran with it. Jerry even closed with a winner. If all shows were as consistent with their concept none would jump.
Show never jumped it was all the smaller chatacters that made the show like the Frank Costanza, Putty, and Newman. And Kramer drinking the sour milk was a classic!!!!
CRAP! CRAP! CRAP! They knew they were ending it for 4 months and this is the best they could do? What a bunch of garbage. The absolute lousiest finale in TV history. Jerry and the gang better come back sometime next year and make it up to all of us. The retrospective was great, but the rest was ****!
I know a whole lot of you may hate me for saying this, but I actually think that Seinfeld got better as time went on, and all the best episodes were in the last few seasons. Sure, the final episode wasn't great, but it was still better than most of the other crap that passes as legitimate TV these days (case in point: That 70's Show). I've decided that my most favorite episode of all time is the one where George and Jerry end up trapped in a limo with Nazis. That was brilliant.
This show never really jumped the shark-Elaine did when she jumped Putty, the worse character ever introduced to TV.
The show they ran backwards. What was that all about ? God awful.
The Contest. While this was a great episode, once it aired, the show was never the same. The characters got wackier, and the show "about nothing" started having really wacky plots, everything from developing the pilot, to George working for the Yankees, to that final mistake of an episode. Jerry and the writers started going overboard to show how witty and innovative they felt they were. Bad idea. It really is a They Did It episode.
When George proposed to Susan. That's really when the show fell off precipitously. Either that, or when every stinking person in the country who didn't watch the show when it wasn't on Thursday night started watching it and talking about it. Pre-ratings monster "Seinfeld" was like having your own secret treasure. Then, it gets spoiled when everyone finds out about it and wants a piece of that treasure. The bandwagon effect has hurt a lot of programs like that. Current example: "Everybody Loves Raymond".
The only thing I found hilarious in the series finale was when the infamous Soup Nazi walked into the court room. Other than that, all that brilliant writing and acting went completely to waste. In short, what a downer!
Just before the finale, which totally sucked.
This show never jumped shark. yes there were plenty of really bad ones in there, but as a huge fan, give me a break...what show doesnt have a flop once in a while? as for the final episode, i thought it was great!! they all got what was coming to them after the crap they put everyone through all these years. who would have suspected they would actually go to jail!!!!! it was great!!!!! and it also left an opening for a reunion show if they ever wanted to get back together. (for all you fans out there you should understand my use of explanation points!)
This show jumped the shark with Susan's death. There are so many funnier ways they could have written her out. Then, Larry David left and the last couple of seasons became a pointless waste of time. What's so funny about George or Elaine or Kramer falling down?
Never Jumped--When Kramer & Newman lusted for Kenny Roger's Roasters I laughed until gravy spilled from my insides.
When they killed the Susan character. All of sudden the show went from chronicalling the non-adventures of four idiosyncratic people trying to figure out the rules of life as they went along, to a show about four strange and often mean people trying to get in strange situations or do strange things. I missed the charm. It never returned.
Seinfeld was a terrific show pretty much throughout its entire run. However, one true jump the shark moment was when Kramer's buddy the midget would show up. The midget, or dwarf, or whatever, was spectacularly unfunny. I really don't know what the producers were thinking inserting him in like that. The joke, obviously, was that no one ever commented on the fact that he was minature. Like when he and Kramer are dressed in the same shirts, are on a double date together, etc. Whenver that little guy showed up, you generally knew that the show was going to suck.
"Seinfeld" jumped the shark when Kramer burned a Puerto Rican flag. Fortunately the show had a nice long approach before hitting the take off ramp. Unfortunately, it crashed and burned on the landing ramp. It's too bad that one of the best shows ever had to die such a gruesome death.
The cockfighting episode. The writers must have been so proud to come up with the idea of naming the bird (wink-wink) "Little Jerry," that they didn't bother trying to write for the characters. And none of the cast must have cared at that point. Everyone was so out of character in that episode- it must have been a script Larry David left behind as a practical joke.
Also, I agree w/previous comment re having to tie up all of the plot lines. Stupid move. Re previous comment concerning "Elaine's" hair: I think she looks much hotter with straight hair. Dreyfus very underrated comedian, too. I put her talent as almost equal to Lucy. Also, they won't air the Puerto Rican parade/flag burning episode here in NY. Ridiculous. No one has a sense of humour anymore.
It jumped when George became the "jerk store's" all-time best seller. "GIDDY-UP!!!"
Elaine is not a lesbian. So why do they say she had a dream about a sexual encounter with an Asian woman? Plus, the entire "Cat Fight" episode was pure bunk. Elaine is not going to screw that wacko! Come on Kramer! That's not your style. This is just another example of "sex sells" from the Hollywood F*** Factory. This crap is getting widespread - movies, TV - straight women do not have sex with other women. Get over it!
The rare and wise decision to quit while you're ahead and on top. Though the last episode disappointed, the show sizzled until it's unnatural, sudden, and painless death.
Seinfeld is the first sitcom that did not have a formula. Television shows such as Seinfeld can stay on the air as long as they want to. It brought something fresh with characters like Kramer, Cedric And Bob, Poppie, Uncle Leo, Jack Clompus, Frank Costanza, Izzy Mandlebaum, Newman, Jackie Chiles, Sidra, Banya, The Soup Nazi, Lily (God Rest Her Soul), The Bubble Boy, Susan's Gay Father, Mr. Dowlripple, Peterman, Putty, George Steinbrenner, Those Bastards from the Astros, Jean-Paul Jean-Paul, Lomez, Bob Sackamano, Kenny Rogers, Jon Voight, Lippman, Marla the Virgin, Oh yeah, Jerry, George, and Elaine. Giddy-Up
I can't believe someone else also said it was when Elaine straightened her hair because that's when I soured on "Seinfeld" as well. As soon as her "do" became glamorous, it was a constant reminder that the members of the cast were major celebrities, and I think that this detracted from their characters' quirkiness. I've also wondered if Ms. Louis Dreyfuss also had a little plastic surgery on her chin around that time, too, because her face changed as well, and I've never been convinced that it was either the hairdo or weight loss.
Dreyfuss is much hotter with straight hair. Her do has nothing to do with the show's quality-- that's an NYC girl thing.. I've dated tons of NYC women and few would spend less than $100 on their do's.
As soon as David left the show, the writing took on a feel of "trying too hard". The character of Elaine deteriorated quickly to a *****, conniving, one-dimensional *****. The humanity of the characters was sacrificed for comedic invention, which proved not to be so inventive.
This show DEFINITELY jumped for the last time (although it had done so previously as well) when George's fiancee died (how morbid to die because of a lame cheap wedding invitation). That episode was so disturbing and NOT FUNNY, that it made me sick!!
It wasn't Susan's death per se that did it. It was their reaction--or non-reaction--to it. You always knew they were somewhat self-absorbed, but that was the first time I really disliked them.
I was a huge Seinfeld fan the entire length of it's run. It was without any doubt the best show to air in my lifetime. No other show has ever become so ingrained in the American conscience. Just about every show was outstanding. Sure there were some that were not as good as the best. Of course when you set the bar so high, if you don't get close to clearing it next time it may look like you did a bad show. My question to all those who think it jumped is "What show passed it up as far as quality?" Just about every show on t.v. is crap now. For all of those people who are complaining how the show jumped the shark years ago or the last episode stunk, I hope you are enjoying all that fantastic comedy on UPN or Suddenly Susan or any of the other crappy sitcoms that stink up the airwaves.
Even if the last season sucked, Kramer, Elaine, George, and Jerry were still very interesting characters. The finale was very stupid though. They should have made it a regular half hour episode. That sounds more like the Seinfeld spirit. The finale was very weak. It felt like I was watching an episode of Friends. Yes it was that bad. But how can a show jump after the finale? It can't go downhill because it's going off!
Seinfeld was a fantastic show. There probably never will be a show that matches the same level of innovation when it comes to the sitcom. Having said that shooting stars usually come and go quickly - Seinfeld hung around for way too long. Remember at the end of the 5th Season - The episode where George decided to do the opposite of everything his instincts and upbringing tell him to do, he suddenly becomes confident, successful and happy. It was brilliant - one of the series best episodes. It would have made a fantastic finale because everything since has been a downhill slide. Season 6 was only redeemed by a champion effort towards the end with those Threesome episodes and The Jimmy. Season Seven was well focused with Georges wedding being the theme but the episodes were overloaded and the finale with Susan's death seems like Larry David giving the finger to the show which made him rich. David had always said that he only ever wanted to do the show for 5 years... it shows.
VERDICT 1st 5 seasons - excellent
Last 4 seasons - Jumped the Shark
Oh and the Final episode absolutely sucks! And I've been a fan since the beginning!!!
I'm sorry--"Seinfeld" was an absolutely amazing show, true, but something did go inexplicably wrong when Elaine's hair changed. She got all glamorous and snotty and around the same time George started yelling all the time. Definitely Elaine's hair.
I couldn't even tell you why this show jumped the shark, but it did. It went from the most interesting and hilarious show on the air to the most formulaic malaise over the course of maybe two seasons. I think it just became inconsistent and predictable, perhaps because the writers were becoming bored, perhaps due to the overwhelming fame that the actors enjoyed in its later years. At any rate, this show stands as one of the greatest shows ever produced in the history of television.
Although the final episode sucked, every show up to that point was amazing. I can't understand how people think that as the characters got more selfish and mean as the series went on, especially George, that that made the show worse. Seinfeld was not a show about nothing, it was a show about life in New York City and NYC is NOT a nice place. I don't think anyone who hasn't lived in NYC for a period of time can ever fully appreciate Seinfeld. George got noticeably more deviant and perverted as the show went on and I found myself cheering him on, hoping he'd sink to new levels of depravity. The episode when he was trying to eat and watch t.v. while in bed having sex was genius. I think it fit his character too. A meek, fat, balding, middle aged man is only going to stay meek for so long until he turns bitter. The way he treated women like objects was his revenge for being rejected his whole life because of HIS looks. Susans death was perfection. If the characters HAD felt any sympathy for her it would've been, well, out of character. All the uproar over Kramer burning a Puerto Rican flag was ridiculous. It was painfully obvious that the fire started by accident, AND he got beat up by a mob for doing so anyway, so the act did not go unpunished. Again, if you've never been stuck in the middle f one of those parades, you could never fully understand that episode. I would've voted for "never jumped" because as lame as the finale was, a show as great as Seinfeld deserves a little slack. But that horrible Green Day song at the end of the retrospective made want to puke. It jumped right when that song started.
I peg it at Susan dying. This was the end of Season 8 , and it ran for 10 seasons. It's not necessarily because they killed her -- it's just that when Season 9 started, it seemed like they ran out of laughs. Like they were bored or something.
when they stopped being loud and jewish. Is that when larry david left? why didn't they ever do a show where someone farted in a lift?
The only shark jump I can recall is the season 9 opener where Jerry's engagement was blown off in the first 5 minutes. I thought it would have been interesting to see Jerry trying to get out of the engagement as George had throughout season 8. Someone above interpreted the final episode as judgement day, heaven or hell. That's the most sensible explanation of the episode I've ever heard.
when Susan died after licking the poison envelopes.
The episode about "shrinkage" was my absolute favorite. Also the collage of episodes before the finale was great. It was better than the last episode.
It Jumped when they tried to pass off the actress who played George's fiance as a WASPY, old money, Upper East Sider. I don't know her name, but I will bet you the deed to my house that she is Jewish. That was about as believeable as the string of George's supermodel girlfriends. Also, if you have never lived in NYC, I can understand why this show might suck now and then. But, compared to what's on now, it was a fabulous run. Also, if you live in NYC, you already know that Elaine's hair style change inevitable.
I think Seinfeld jumped around the '96 season when Elaine changed her hair and that seemed to coincide with her changing into an evil satanic *****. Who's idea was that? I know the show was about nothing and the characters were supposed to be uncaring and cold-hearted but I think they took it way too far in the last two or three seasons. I remember Seinfeld saying he would stop doing the show after about five seasons. And that's just about the time it went bad, about the fifth or sixth season. He should have listened to himself.
When Weird Al Yankovic was on in like the 5th season as newman's partner or something like that. Weird Al is hilarious, but he didn't fit the show at all. Other than that, I loved the show, I wish it could have gone on for a 7th season.
OH MY GOD! ELAINE'S HAIR! I can't believe I found people who share my theory. The show just changed from that point on, it went to a brilliant show to a pretty good show. It never jumped and to think so, you'd have to be an ANTI-SEMITE. I'm just kidding. Elaine's hair. Who care if she looked hotter, it changed her whole image? But Seinfeld still is the best right behind the Simpsons.
The show never peaked, proof of this is no won can agreee when it happened there is a bunch of suggestions but none of them are true the show stayed constant.
OK, the show had better seasons and worse ones, and a couple eps were just annoying. (Say, the one where the two women refuse to break up with George. JUST STOP CALLING THEM, IMBECILE!) But overall it was consistently funny and entertaining. And they get bonus points for never EVER succumbing to the Very Special Episode, or the current Topical Meaningful Issue of the month. Is it just me, or does it seem the Ghost of the ABC After School Special haunts the airwaves, and is occasionally 'channelled' into a still-living show?
Never jumped! Had to watch it every week. Great character driven show!
This Show never jumped the shark, it was always funny.
The Final Episode. I'm not sure if anyone else read any of those "decoy" scripts circulated on the web and in magazines shortly before the final episode aired. I read about 4 or 5 of them. They were all better than this disappointing final episode to (probably) the best sitcom of the last twenty years. C'mon Jerry. Say it ain't so.
Oy, what a godawful show. All I heard for years and years was how super and wonderful and innovative and blah blah blah this show was, and every time I tried to watch it, it was utter crap. I was so glad when this show ended. I did watch the final episode, and it confirmed all my beliefs once and for all.
Seinfeld started doing pre-jump test runs around the time of Susan's death, when the characters began morphing from amusingly self-absorbed to dislikeably mean-spirited, and George had to be always laugh-at instead of occasionally laugh-with ("what kind of hello do you expect at a funeral? `hey, you look fabulous!'?") But there were still many funny episodes afterward, even if the batting average dropped a bit. And yes, the abysmal final episode saw the show lifting off from the ramp, but by definition you're not going downhill if there's nothing afterward. All in all, one of the best ever and belongs in the "never jumped" list.
When Susan died from licking envelopes. Talk about your deus ex machina. The method they chose to kill her off reeks of desperation. It bothered me because it was a cop out, not because it was implausible. Because let me tell you, I licked an envelope 4 hours ago and I still can't feel the end of my tongue.
Seinfeld became more tasteless and cruel (and less funny and artful) about halfway into the series, when director Tom Cherones left (he went on to direct Newsradio) and Andy Ackerman took the helm.
When Kramer's first name is revealed to be "Cosmo". After building anticipation for a few episodes, the writers were apparently setting us up for something hilarious. However, "Cosmo", as a "funny name" is usually used by nasal-voiced, pubescent nerds(think of Homer Simpson's college roommates); and its selection for Kramer's first name helped to destroy the illusion of this hipper-than-thou downtown Noo Yawk show.
Hands down, it was when Larry David left the show. I knew it would happen when I heard it was his last season. Jerry can write stand up, but he isn't the master of his domain when it comes to sitcoms. They just got stupid & trite. You never felt like kind of an insider when you watched after Larry David's departure. His writing gave it that sort of insiderness.
Jerry Seinfeld was a cheesy, unfunny stand up comic in comedy clubs, and he was a cheesy, unfunny stand up comic on TV. He was a parody of himself. He's like the kid that was never funny growing up, so he memorized a bunch of lame jokes and expressions and has been trying to convince the world he's funny. He's also a pervert, going out with that 16 year old. Send him to France with Jerry Lewis!
This show's creative peak was just before George's engagement to Susan. Seinfeld had a few more brilliantly hilarious episodes. Then George became less a lovable eccentric and more overtly psychotic. Towards the end, he was kissing a pillow while fantasizing it was Marissa Tomei, for goodness sake! Jerry and Kramer were grave robbing pet cemetaries, unable to find a 24 hr. locksmith in the heart of Manhattan. The actual JTS episode occurred with the very unfunny death of Susan. Aside from being very flat and humorless, it was a cheat by the writers. As a viewer, I felt ripped off that George would not find some wacky excuse to leave Susan at the altar, or before that. Why else watch him squirm for a whole season within that relationship? That episode destroyed what little suspension of disbelief I had left for the show. I went from a habitual watcher to an occasional viewer. It was disappointing after that episode.
Seinfeld stopped being funny as soon as Elaine decided she was chic instead of cute. About the time she went curly, the characters changed and became caricatures of themselves. George was TOO hyper and neurotic. Kramer was TOO Kramerish.etc.
When Larry David, one of the original writers, left the show
Great show from beginning to end. But I have something to say to a previous poster, the one who said this: Seinfeld was a terrific show pretty much throughout its entire run. However, one true jump the shark moment was when Kramer's buddy the midget would show up. The midget, or dwarf, or whatever, was spectacularly unfunny. I really don't know what the producers were thinking inserting him in like that. The joke, obviously, was that no one ever commented on the fact that he was minature. Like when he and Kramer are dressed in the same shirts, are on a double date together, etc. Whenver that little guy showed up, you generally knew that the show was going to suck. I don't care for you. Mickey was the greatest of the occasional characters, behind Kramer, Frank, George, the fourth best character this show ever saw. MICKEY RULES!!!!
Sorry, but there is no chance in hell that Seinfeld could possibly jump the shark. In fact, the dumbest thing they ever did was end the show. And the last episode did not suck! Announcing Yef Kassem, and then having the doors open and having the soup nazi standing there?! Pure brilliance. And the Vandelea industries episode had the greatest ending in TV history!.
Cosmo, now that is lame. They couldn't come up with something better?? The idea of finding out Kramer's first name is humorous (or it could have been) but Cosmo?!? Come on. It was apparent that Alexander, Dreyfuss, & Seinfeld were less than amused with the name because of their fake laughing when the name was revealed. It was horrible acting, it should have been on the bloopers footage.
Whenever the audience applauded (a la Fonzie) whenever Kramer appeared.
It never really jumped! The major characters are gems, but it was the inclusion of the minor characters which I most enjoyed. Who will forget the bubble-boy,The Pakistani restaurateur "you verry bad man"), the TV executive who joins Greenpeace, the "maestro", Tim,the dentist(and his kinky exploits),the Soup Nazi,the weird guy on the train obsessed with Elaine (the one who designs store mannequins that look just like her), the little old lady from Florida whose bread Jerry steals, Jack Klompas,the soft-talking puffy shirt designer,the close-talking Aaron... the list is endless. I miss the show so much and never tire of the re-runs.
Seinfeld jumped the shark many times. The writing got more and more unbelievable as the show went on. Occasionally the show "dove back under the shark" and got good for an episode or two but still even the good episodes had parts of the storyline that were way off the deep end. I'm going to point out some reallly stupid moments in the show when it was way gone.... how about the time Elaine took Kramer's advice and started swimming in the extremely polluted East River. Yeah, like that's believable. Kramer basting himself with butter and Newman being so deranged that he wants to eat him. Come on! I will say the classic episode was the Soup Nazi original episode. Very funny. Although Kramer should have had a spine and stood up to those two tinker-bell "want to be tough guys" when they took the armoire. Kramer can be pretty tough in the do-jo with the kids but can't kick the *** of two flamers? Come on! Writing started to get really bad when Larry left the show. And "what's with Jerry always smiling as he delivers his lines?" Always that stupid smirk on his face as he "Tries" to act. The show was brilliant in the first two or three seasons but really got bad. I know I got tired of the "angry" George. Like he could ever hold down a job in a sports franchise. Writing got real bad. I used to really like the certain characters though. Some of the ones who made the show funny during the "bad writing" years were Putty, Peterman, and occasionally some one time characters like the woman who walked with her arms down by her side and then decided to ransack Elaine's desk and office. Some funny moments in the bad writing years but the show got way, way too far fetched. I still watch the reruns though and if it is a bad episode I simply click the potato. Oh, I have to point out that there is no way on earth that Jerry would ever have landed as many beautiful women as he did. He always messed it up though. That was good writing. Those women he dated were so phenominal. Sure in real life he went out with a hot chick (the young one), but he couldn't get some of those characters they brought in. Oh, and I have to point out that Sidra (Terri Hatcher) did not have "spectacular" breasts. I have seen them in the raw in a couple movies and they are anything but. Yes, they are "real" but man oh man, they aint spectacular. One of the funniest episodes though was the ugly baby out in Cape Cod, and George's "shrinkage". He just got out of the "pooooooooool!"
I realize this show is not reality, but at the same time, the thought that Uma Thurman would date any moron with her phone number is just more then I could handle. I don't remember why Jerry was supposed to date her, but when Jerry lost the phone number and Kramer found it, and of course Uma Thurman agrees to date him. That's too much for even me. Like a babe like Uma Thurman would date a loser like Kramer. And he's one helluva friend, isn't he? Your buddy is going out with a babe, and you horn in on the date. Sorry, we're talking Shark Sandwich here!!!
The Fast Speed Chase Scene with Jerry and Neuman. This was toward the end of the run, post-Larry David, where Jerry was chasing Neuman in high speed through the apartment complex. Gilligan's Island used to use this effect a lot, and it wasn't funny then. I'm sure the writers would call this an effective use of irony, but it was just sad and slapsticky
I can't see that the show jumped any shark. Yeah, the finale was lame, but there was no more after that twith which to judge any shark-jumping. If my life depended on picking a moment, it'd be Susan's death. Why? Glad you asked. Because George trying to arrange a date with Marissa Yome ("The funeral's tomorrow, but after that I'm wide open") was the funniest moment of the show ever.
Seinfeld jumped the shark the first day! It's horrible. There is one thing that's bad, it's the WHOLE thing. I couldn't even watch the first 5 minutes.
Those viewers who blame Susan's death are absolutely right. Jerry, Kramer, George and Elaine were always selfish and cold-hearted (it is part of their strange charm). Once Susan died, however, all four characters (George especially) became flat illustrations of apathy and even inhumanity, which led inexorably to their appropriate incarceration (lame as it was) in the final episode. The very reason we liked George to begin with was that only faults were vanity and chronic masturbation. Involuntary homicide? Puts masturbation in perspective.
Aside from a few questionable episodes (including a weak finale), Seinfeld never Jumped the Shark. The marble rye episode was a classic. I can't imagine how the only comment I noticed about Teri Hatcher's, "they're real, and they're spectacular" episode was negative. She certainly is spectacular, and made for a very appealing show.
This show never ever jumped the shark. Seinfeld was one of the very few shows to never lose it's edge. Sure it had some clunkers for episodes but what show hasn't? Many felt the last season was weak. I totally disagree: "the frogger" "Helooo" and "The Merv Griffin Show" which was one of the funniest ever. Who wasn't laughing when Kramer interviewed the gang as if they were on the show. That was great stuff. Out of all the shows I have ever watched in my life this is one of only a few that never jumped the shark. As a matter of fact it never came close.
Larry David left the show. The quality drop was unmistakeable.
Seinfeld jumped very early in its existence. A different actor played his father in some of the early episodes. However, I think this is a rare case of Reverse Shark Jumping because the Morty we all know and love was a billion times better than that first piss pool.
My initial reaction was when the stand-up routine went, and then subsequently when George and Elaine became angry bitter characters. I agree with larry David leaving and Kramer revelaing his first name as other points when the show began to suck. The way people feel about the last episode, is the way I feel about the last several seasons or so. Those who first hated the show on the last one, clearly never watched pre-hype. Favorite epsiodes include The Pony where Kramer tells Jerry that he's completely changing the configuration of his apartment by building levels and Jerry complaining that who would figure an immigrant is gonna have a pony, in addition to Bookman the librarian detective 'now listen here Joy Boy' my favorites. The show just lost its creativity and this was best evidenced by the fact that they couldn't come up with standup anymore, when in fact, that was the original basis of the show--where a comdeian gets his material from. So at that point, it became kitchy sitcom which was vial to watch and is making me sick to think about now.
The show jumped the shark when George's fiancee Susan was killed. Before that I loved all the characters. Their lack of any feeling made me truly dislike them all. I still watched and laughed, but have no interest in reliving the show through reruns.
The Kenny Rogers roasters episode was a good one but it was the one that signaled when the writers began to take the show itself less seriously and were content to make things more farcical(and less funny) Then it started to parody itself too much, exaggerating the different characters and winking at the audience too much instead of just letting the characters do their thing be funny. It just got too self-conscious in the last two years, which had a few really good episodes but mostly bad ones-the quality was actually picking up near the end (the controversial puerto rican flag one is a classic in my opinion) but then threw it all away with the worst series finale ever-a true waste of time and a disappointment on the level of the Phantom Menace.
The episode which shows Kramer as a turkey illusion, as seen by Newman. The pace and dailogue of this one were really bad . . . you could tell the end was near.
Susan's death, beyond a doubt. Although that closely coincided w/ Larry David's departure, which might also be considered a death of sorts. A friend would put the moment at the beginning of the show-within-a-show plot, which pretty much ended the "show about nothing" idea. But that was nothing compared to Susan's death and its aftermath.
The show never was that great! I'd say that 50% of the time the show had some good content but I watched every week--one of the only TV shows that I needed to be home to watch. So how is it that I needed to be home to watch every show even if they were only good 50% of the time? ALCOHOL!!
First off, a big hats off to all these cyberchimps who use REALITY as a yardstick for great comedy. Real bright. Just smile and nod, 'kay BOBO? It was Sienfeld's capacity for the ridiculous that made it appealing, its delicious irony that kept us glued, and its sober wit that made it dangerous, but the one thing that immortalized it was its defiant disregard for concience. Think about it-sitcoms used to be so damned preachy. Even the superior sitcoms of the 1980's (Cheers, The Cosby Show, Family Ties, etc.-pick a fave...), different though their plots, characters, subject matter, and demographics may have been, all of them were ultimately doomed to that final scene when a character learns The Big Important Lesson (Or, in a similarly Rockwellian fashion, he/she imparts this jewel of wisdom). Like the rest of you, I grew up watching the tube. However, I find it nearly impossible to sit through most of the shows I grew up with because I can no longer stomach the cheese. Although Seinfeld was funny in the beginning, it took a season or two to grow into itself. In my opinion, the show only stopped jumping the shark when it ditched those obligitory stand-up scenes with which Jerry used to punctuate the show. Those scenes were as close as the show ever got to buying into the Sitcom Moral Formula. After that period, Seinfeld got downright nasty. Of COURSE these are horrible characters-that's the whole point. We know (And hopefully not just from watching television!) how wrong it is to be cynical, self-absorbed, shallow, deceitful, vein, promiscuous, childish, vengeful, lacivious, greedy, fearful, and lazy. I'd been trying to get my parents to watch Seinfeld for years, and one day I finally realized that they will never get what's so funny about these characters-Their barometer of a good show is Andy Griffith or Dick Van Dyke. Even Archie Bunker showed a human side, and when he didn't, he had the other 3 cast members as a collective voice of reason to counter his behavior. Seinfeld had none of that. And furthermore, I think the last season was the best and most consistently fall-down funny of any sitcom EVER. Here's to hoping that we won't have to wait too long for another show with such twisted innovation and brilliance to argue about!
The episode when Susan's death was greeted with such apathy and/or "bridled glee" marked the beginning of Seinfeld's downward spiral.
The final episode... I expected the superior creative team of Seinfeld to at least come up with a decent final episode, but they weren't even close. I'm a close watchers of final episodes, and this one truly sucked... at least almost everyone that ever appeared on Seinfeld was in it...
I agree that Susan's death was a turning point. There were great episodes after that, but they were fewer and farther apart. As for the final episode, am I the only person who thinks that they were trying to be clever by making obscure allusions to various existential works? In Camus' "The Stranger," the main character kills a man, and goes on trial, but the trial focuses on the defendant's bad character over his entire life, rather than the particular homicide. Here, the trial focused on each defendant's life as a whole. Then there is another theory -- by Sartre -- called "The Eternal Return," where hell is having to do the same thing over and over. The beginning and ending of the episode contain some of the same dialog, and at the end Elaine comments, "hasn't this happened before?" (The movie "Groundhog Day" was based on The Eternal Return). Finally, the episode ends with the four of them being stuck with each other -- the ultimate punishment. I believe there was a play (again, by Neitche or Sartre) where several characters are sentenced to hell, their hell being stuck in one room for eternity with each other's annoying company. So maybe that's what the writers were playing with. Clever, maybe. Funny, not.
Never Jumped!!!! There wasn't one episode that was not absolutely hysterical!!!
Hands down, this is the most overrated, unfunny, smarmiest show ever presented on television. You would think from the way it was reported in the media that this is a much beloved all-time classic. The hidden fact is that the majority of Americans didn't watch and couldn't stand the show with it's mean, obnoxious unrelatable characters; the media said otherwise because it drew a lot of Nielsen boxes from those whom advertisers found desirable. It simply was not funny, and put off a great portion of Americans, and brought in the trend of shows that had no appeal and didn't care to appeal to non-white watchers (and here's the worst part -- I am a white guy and I am writing this!)
The show jumped the shark when Jerry was no longer Even-Steven. For a while there was an aura about Jerry that he was untouchable in a way. Bad things were happening to his friends, but he never ended up worse off at the end of the episode than when the episode began. When bad things started to happen to Jerry, I knew they were grasping for straws. The show was still funny, but it was on its way down.
J. Peterman was funny, but when they started to show a lot of Elaine's interactions in the workplace, that was jump the shark time. Examples: the lame story about Elaine not wanting to celebrate birthdays/goodbyes at work, "Suzy" dying and that lame funeral, Elaine running the company briefly . . . all pretty dumb and you could tell they were reaching. Other signs of slippage: the backwards episode, Kramer cooking himself in butter, Jerry expressing his emotions, the WIZ guy. Hell-o!
All of you who think think the show jumped are crazy. This show is comedy brilliance. Elaine was always so cute and sexy. The fantasies I had over her and her little school girl look kept me tuned in every week. Once the hair changed the fantasies went from from me being dominate to submissive. Great show.
Seinfeld clearly jumped on the final episode. I'm not sure if anyone else read any of the "Red Herring" plot strings circulated in magazines in the run-up to the finale, but I can assure that any of the 4 or 5 that I read were vastly superior. As for the above comment(s) stating that all the characters were assholes: Duh!? That's the point. That's what made the show so great! They were shallow, ridiculously self-absorbed characters. I love it!
The last episode was a real downer. Other than that Seinfeld held up remarkably well.
When the catch phrases seemed too intentional the show lost a little something. Still the best show ever, even to its bitter end.
This show is my all time favorite. But, I too do believe the finale was as disappointing as the Phantom Menace. The best episode is the "Merv Griffin show".
Following the death of Susan, the show seemed to lose direction. The plots of the episodes were sometimes very misguided and occasionally just plain dumb, such as when Jerry was obsessed with shaving his chest. I longed for the earlier episodes that were pure genius, when each character was given a situation that was unique and funny, and where all the storylines would intertwine by the conclusion of the episode.
death of susan, never really recovered and i was sort of getting to like her
Those F@#!'n Mendelbaum's. Absolutely unfunny and forced. Loved the show but it definitely ran out of ideas when they had to trot out this one trick pony
Okay, Seinfeld is a great show. What is the problem? You're all jealous that you couldn't write something so witty and smart. I think you should all take a break and say mean things about a show that actually deserves it for a change. Thanks!!!
The reaction to Susan's death ruined the show. For years it looked as if it would reign at the TOP with the The Simpsons, and SCTV. But Susan's death just soured everything. Worst of all it seemed as if the writing was the problem...the characters we'd been presented with for years simply would not have reacted the way they did. When the audience 'sees' the writing making the characters act 'unnaturally', well, that's damn sinful. The finale was a nice tribute to the character actors who really added so much to the show. Still great in reruns.
The show lost something after Larry David left. While Seinfeld had its bad episodes, after David left, several things happened. Some of the characters began to change (Kramer became more moronic than eccentric, Elaine became a total hose beast - though this started just before David left it became apparent after he was gone). The plots became rooted in silliness (Bizarro Jerry, Kramer and Jerry switching personalities, George and Elaine switching I.Q.'s), as opposed to the reality which made the show unique in the first place. By the final season, each episode seemed concerned with launching a new catchphrase or trend (Serenity Now, Festivus, the Butter Shave, etc.). And like many people, I didn't like the final episode, even though Larry David wrote it. It just didn't click.
After Susan died and Larry David left the show the writing and quality of the show went down.
The backwards episode. This hollow gimic is the lowlight of the show's waning episodes. It simply was not funny and set the tone for a disappointing journey towards the less-than-stellar final episode.
This show "jumped" on the very first episode, when horse-faced jackass Jerry Seinfeld read a line, rather than just saying "Wilbuuurr".
the last episode was terrible! The ending left you hanging, and I never thought my beloved friends would end up in jail! What a crap ending!
Maybe as soon as George left the Yankees. The show went from wild to mild. We didn't realize it at the time because we were in denial. I think Susan's death was actually the creative peak, then it plateued, and then began its rapid decline w/ the "moustache" opening in the '97-98 season. They knew they were leaving at the very beginning of that one- couldn't they think of ANYTHING better for the finale? Or maybe just have had it be 1/2 hour, instead of an ALL NIGHT MARATHON. After I watched that episode I realized that I had wasted 30 min. of my life each Thursday for the last year, and wished I'd paid more attention to "The Simpsons." I haven't looked back since.
The last epi was anticlimactic, but it was always funny.
Seinfeld never jumped the shark. It was the greatest show ever because it said the things everyone thinks in everyday situations but didn't want to run the risk of offending anyone. Up until the last episode it maintained its quality writing and humor.
THE GREATEST TV show ever. Never jumped in any way. Everyone is cryin about the last episode, ill be the first to admit it wasn't the funniest, but the show had enormous expectation for that episode. why do you think that was? It was the greatest, that's it!!!! simple, T.H.E. G.R.E.A.T.E.S.T, EVER!!!!!!!!!!! its worst episode was 10 times better than any other sitcom, besides the simpsons, which only sometimes competed with seinfeld.
it never did it kept me laughing for 9 seasons.
With the intro of the Putty character. Though he himself wasn't all that bad (the constant high-fives were good), the show just seemed to struggle from that point on. It marked the first time Elaine had a boyfriend who lasted more than 1/2 an hour and their romance was so forced and far from believable. His character never really developed, they just kept adding more quirks to it; rabid NJ Devils fan, fan of christian rock, sleazy car salesman, etc. Up to that point the show had never been realistic, but after Putty it just became implausible.
The show was the best until the last episode. They tried way to hard to make it funny and it came off very fake.
Seinfeld jumped The Shark when George's fiancee died. Not only was the cause of death overly ridiculous, but the reaction of George was extraordinarily cold. True, part of the joy was that the characters were NOT likable people. But this went way too far. It also caused George to go back to his parents, a storyline that became tired.
"Seinfeld" may have been based on Jerry's stand-up act, but it was Larry David who brought it to fruition. For 7 years, this was the funniest show in the history of television. When David left, the carefully woven observational-comedic plots, George, the neurotic behavior, all the key elements that made this wonderful show great, had become brutally stagnant. David was the fuel of this show's comedic fire. It's rumored that Michael Richards' new P.I. show was having some problems with it's cast and writing, and that Jerry stopped by to help, but it was reported that the show is so horrible that not even the "great Seinfeld" could fix it. Maybe Michael called the wrong guy.
Seinfeld jumped a major shark when Elaine's hair changed, but more importantly, when her character became downright mean. And as for the comment that Senfeld didn't have a formula, that's plain ridiculous. Here it is: Jerry dates a woman with a strange habit, George tries to weasel out of work but gets caught, Kramer tries a wacky scheme to make money, and Elaine dates a series of strange guys while occasionally going back to Putty. and whenever they tried to veer away from this formula after Larry David left, it failed miserably. i.e. the backwards episode. which wasn't funny forwards either.
I can't believe this is not currently on the "never jumped" list. The show never really changed from beginning to end. The characters, the actors, even the storylines "about nothing" stayed true. They never relied on guest stars, specials, musical shows, etc. Although I thought the finale was disappointing, the show never went downhill and lives on in syndication.
never did - stayed true to being about nothing- even at the end when they all went to jail - jerry still did his stand up - george was miserable and kramer stayed kramer
Second best show on TV after MST3000.
The death of Susan and reaction of the cast to her death was so absurd, that from that point on the show seemed like a cartoon. True, the show had been growing more absurd with each of Kramers schemes, but Susan's death officially pushed the show over the edge. Susan's death was such a dissappointment to what had been a funny engagement (between George and Susan), that it actually prepared us for the dreadful series finale.
Never in one episode did they ever show Elaine's ***.It was always covered by a coat or blazer. Does she have an ***?
No matter how many times I've seen each episode, the show still makes me laugh!
this show jumped the shark when seinfeld's head writer (besides jerry) left before the last season.
The 1992-93 Season for Seinfeld was the greatest season in the history of sitcoms, a true masterpiece like the Mona Lisa. There were so many classic episodes in the 92-93 season no show could have lived up to the past track record the show had built to that point. I would love to say it never jumped and compared to any other show, it didn't. But you have to judge Seinfeld based on itself, not on its competition. The show hit its peak in 1993, but even at the very end, it was still the best show on TV (the bad episodes were still pretty funny) and to that, it deserves the title "Greatest Sitcom of All-Time".
Only when it ended......Bring it back Jerry.
The show never jumped, but the last show was one of the show's low points.
Though Jerry said that the 'Junior Mint' episode was the one that opened the door for great episodes, I believe that's when the show started going down. He said that he realized that he could set up episodes that were based on an unbelievable premise and the audience would be too stupid to notice. C'mon, an operating room gallery is behind glass! And the one where he decides to cash all those birthday checks that he got from his aunt was stupid too. Try cashing a personal check a year or more after you receive it. YOU CAN'T CASH IT! But the whole premise of the show was based on the fact that her account was overdrawn because he cashed all those checks! Most of the episodes that came after the infamous 'Junior Mint' episode employed some sort of contrivance that was utterly ridiculous. Too many to list. I used to love the show and the reruns, now I hate it. That's my 2 'sense'
This show is the best show on Television even now. It's was thunderdome Jerry! Thunderdome!
When Elaine stopped wearing those cute little Bohemian skirts and little skimpy cotton T-shirts covered by a denim jacket. She was so desirable back then. You actually were jealous of Jerry that he got some of that.
The show was great up until the finale, which although was disappointing, made you enjoy the other episodes all the more.
The show jumped when Kramer went to Hollywood and was suspected of murder. The backwards episode made no sense, and they were trying WAAAAY too hard. However, I must be the only person on earth who liked the last episode. The very end, where they're trapped in a jail cel, stuck discussing buttons with one another -- it had a whole Jean-Paul Sartre, NO EXIT, "Hell is other people" thing going. Very clever.
Seinfeld didn't jump, ever. This was an extremely funny show, and some episodes were just better than others. I can laugh out loud just thinking about Mr. Costanza trying on the "mansierre". Some of my favorite moments were watching Elaine dance on the video camera while eating the Duchess of York's cake, and George plaintively suggesting possible career choices while Jerry (very tenderly)points out George's total lack of experience. Very funny! And don't you all get it? Susan had to die that way to add to George's guilt...he's off the hook for the short term, but doomed for eternity. He'll never be worthy, or sponge-worthy!
THE EPISODE WITH SUZY WAS AN ALLTIME EMBARASSMENT.THE LAME SCRIPT CALLING FOR THE ACTORS NOT TO EVEN RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. A MADMAN BARGES INTO A FUNERAL AND PROCLAIMS JERRY IS A KILLER AND HE DOESNT REACT SURPRISED OR EMBARRASSED. HE BRAGS THAT HE SLEPT WITH EVERYONE. I LITERALLY CRINGED.INCIDENTLY, HAS ANYONE CALCULATED THE NUMBER OF SEXUAL PARTNERS GEORGE HAS HAD OVER THE COURSE OF THE SHOW .IT MUST BE OVER 50.NOT BAD FOR A NEUROTIC ,SHORT, STALKY, BALD GUY THAT NEVER REALLY HAD ANY MONEY OR CHARM OR TALENT
Everyone HAS to agree that when the show lost it's original and principal writer the show DEFINITELY jumped! That was the infamous season-ender when Susan died from licking the stamps. What a disappointment and a somewhat lazy way out!
"Whoa, that's a lotta potatoes!" The best line in ANY Seinfeld episode! Never jumped! Geniuses at work!
This show never jumped the shark. Every episode was orignial and hysterical. I can sit and watch the reruns over and over.
Seinfeld is one of the best shows on TV ever.
When Susan came back on the show and her father wasn't gay. When Kramer burned down the cabin, they found gay love letters from her father's long time boyfriend. She and George broke up but when she came back about a year later, she was a lesbian and her father was straight as an arrow. HUH?
Never!!! It was the best show of all time! The Keith Hernandez episode was the best. The reinactment of the mystery loogie was hilarious.
When Elaine straightened her hair. She seemed to get really weird after that and the show lost some of its chemistry. The real finale was horrible for the show's usually high standards.
The early episodes of this show were brilliant. The four of them were waiting in a Chinese Restaurant forever; trying to find their car in a New Jersey mall parking lot; trying to to get to each of their destination via subway. It dealt with aggravating, normal stuff and was understated. I was addicted after I saw Jerry's flashback to the high school locker room where he lost a library book, it was hysterical to see him in a shag wig. By the time Cheers got cancelled Seinfeld caught on, but was far less funny, and I all but stopped watching. After Susan died, though, the new writers found a consistently quirky tone for the show and it was funny again throughout 96-97, and 97 up until the last episode, but very different from the nuances of the first season. Putty's 8 Ball jacket and Kramer's intern are burned in my memory! The show did an impressive Reverse Jump and became one of my favorite shows again after I'd lost any interest in it for good 4 years.
Though Jerry said that the 'Junior Mint' episode was the one that opened the door for great episodes, I believe that's when the show JTS. He basically said that he realized then that he could set up episodes that were based on an unbelievable premise and the audience would be too stupid to notice. C'mon, an operating room gallery is behind glass! And the one where he decides to cash all those birthday checks that he got from his aunt was stupid too. Try cashing a personal check a year or more after you receive it. YOU CAN'T CASH IT! But the whole premise of the show was based on the fact that her account was overdrawn because he cashed all those checks! Most of the episodes that came after the infamous 'Junior Mint' episode employed some sort of contrivance that was utterly ridiculous. Too many to list. I used to love the show and the reruns, now I hate it. That's my 2 'sense'
It never got preachy and stayed irreverent.
This show jumped the shark when Larry David left. George became despicable to point of just not being funny, Elaine became a complete & total *****, Jerry couldn't ever act anyway, and Kramer was the only one worth watching - sometimes. Up until season 6 or 7, the characters actually seemed like people that might actually exist. But after that they just became mired in ridiculously lame plots, like the "Suzie" episode, that didn't even make any sense. And the final LEAP of the shark came in the final episode, which started out promising, but ended up as nothing more than a live clip show.
They jumped the shark at the last episode. They held out until then.
Seinfeld never jumped.....It was one of the best sitcoms EVER!!!
Never did, always the best. Enough said
Seinfeld NEVER jumped! This is the greatest comedy of all time and ended way before its peak. As the show went on, it became increasingly hilarious. A great show.
Like a fine wine, the Seinfeld episodes simply prove themselves to have been the funniest thing going, then or now. Yes, the las episode was anti-climatic, but hey, at least we got to see everyone (well, except Susan) one last time. If Seinfeld had wanted to run for five more years, it would have been fine by me!!!
Seinfeld was the best show on television. I knew people who treated it like a religion. They had alters and stuff...But then came the last episode. What were they thinking?! I personally think it was all the hype leading up to it. They were under too much pressure to perform. I think if they would have just had a normal episode, only something happens and they had to move away at the end, it would have been a lot better. But no, they had to have EVERYONE and their mother make a guest appearance. Just to fit them all in they had to make a cheesy reunion show. IT SUCKED! However, I still believe Seinfeld was the best television show ever. Nothing, not even the Simpsons (although they come in a close second) will ever top it.
I don't think this absolutely hilarious and marvelous show EVER jumped!!!!! It was wonderful from beginning to end...and all those people who blame it on the simple things ..like Elaine changing her hair do...obviously never REALLY watched the show to appreciate it enough!
This show did not jump the shark. Even though the last episode was lousy, it was the last episode and all previous episodes never came close to jumping the shark.
They made Elaine dumb and sex-crazed by the end. Why did they have to do that? most shows loose it when they exaggerate a character, but what they did to Elaine came out of no where.
It never did - there hasn't been a show since Seinfeld that has shown the same level of comedy that Seinfeld did. Friends, Frazier and others employ the same ratings tactics that have been used over and over again - for example - potential weddings OR who is getting together with who. These are boring and desperate plots used for ratings. Seinfeld never did that and it was able to reign at No. 1 for quite sometime. I would rather watch a Seinfeld rerun than a new Friends or Frazier episode - they're ****
The show was amazing, until the last (long awaited, long anticipated) episode. The could have put some work into it, it wasn`t funny at all!
Very good point about Elaine's ***. I think it must be a little plump or something. To not show it for that many years, it was obviously a conscious decision by someone. But you know what, I still think she's hot. And when she mashed George's face into her breasts after the Xmas card incident, I actually found myself wanting to be George for a second.
In response to the last comment, "does Elaine have an ***?" The answer is "YES!" Check out the backwards episode, there is a scene where Elaine and Jerry are sitting on the couch and Elaine is drinking Schaaps. She tells Jerry she slept with the groom, and then gets on the couch on her hands and knees and the lowers her head and sticks her butt right in Jerry's face. Now that is good quality television.
This is one case of jumping the shark where there isn't (or shouldn't) be any disagreement. The show jumped the last season. Sure, there were some bad episodes before this. But, the last season was consistently bad, with few exceptions.
When Elaine met the guys in "Bizarro World", i.e. Bizarro Jerry, etc. I believe it was at that point when the show should have taken a dirt nap. Have a nice day! :)~
What exactly is the point of this show? It HAS no point. This has got to be the stupidest show there is. I have only seen about 1 or 2 episodes, and they were so stupid! The one about Kramer pouring blood into the car because it got too hot or something. I mean, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ABOUT?? And the other one is about that bald guy(I can't remember his name) lying to some old people about haveing a house somewhere? How lame is that? This show has never been funny and it never will be.
I don't think anything was wrong with it. All that happened was they wee running out of plot and they all had different jobs they wanted to try. I think in a few years they should start again and it should start out being about how it was gfor them in prison and how happy they are to be out.
This show was awesome. Every character-from the woman who didn't wear a bra to the Soup Nazi-were none other than brilliant. Every other network has tried to copy this "show about nothing", and have failed miserably.
The build up for this show was HUGE. However, the show itself was pretty dam weak. I felt so screwed over after waiting all that time. They went to jail?? Give me a freakin' break.
Susan's death was just stupid. It annoyed the hell out of me.
it never did, it was just so funny. A lot of people say that it jumped when Susan dies, but they are so wrong. George, was actually accepting his marrige with Susan, he would have been rich, wealthy, and most likely happy. He got the cheap envelopes, despite that he was about to be rich -- iorny showing how cheap george was. George, got screwed, and he did not care, because he is George. Elain did not like Susan, remember, she could not be in the wedding, and Kramer could not be in it either. To them Susan was not anyone. Susan also, despite her wealth, decided to plan the wedding herself, despite her moms nagging. just futher iorny that susan killed herself -- she was a mean character, and she died ala seinfeld way.
They should have kept the scenes local...KRAMER as a wanted serial killer in California, (2 part episode), was REALLY bad. Although the last few seasons seemed off-balance, there were some funny episodes..(George fishing the marble rye bread out of the window was hilarious). FOR THE FINAL EPISODE, I think they should have done a flashback-type show, reminiscing while sitting in the diner --BUT reminiscing about previous times they were in the diner. Although this might have left the viewers unsatisfied, it would leave the show and it's characters on a perpetual note--INSTEAD of arriving at some destiny, like jail. (After all, "nothing" has no end...)
Seinfeld is the best show ever made.
Seinfeld was great! It was funny and entertaining. The only thing wrong was Jerry Seinfeld asking for too much money towards the end.
I don't think the show jumped the shark! It's great and I still watch reruns! They are sooooo funny!
Seinfeld jumped when they got away from the witty and off-beat dialogue that mostly took place in Jerry's apartment and started introducing more sets and characters. Do you remember Krammer's description of when he took control of a city bus, subdued a hijacker and *still* made all the stops? Or Krammer coming home early from fantasy baseball camp telling of how he got in a fight with Mickey Mantle and they cancelled the camp? The descriptions were better than anything they could have shown. Seinfeld was at its best when Krammer and George would tell these crazy stories and you could just imagine how funny it would have looked. In the later years, perhaps after Larry David left, they showed these ridiculous situations instead of describing them which ruined the show for me. I mean think about it, how stupid was it when Jerry delivered the mail for Newman or Kramer used his blood in Jerry's car to cool it?
First, something I've been looking for a forum to say for years. "Seinfeld" wasn't about "nothing." It was about LYING. It was about the little lies people tell each other every day, little white lies. "Seinfeld's" brilliance was in taking the consequences of those lies to absurd extremes, showing how telling one lie forced you to tell another, and another, until you were buried under an avalanche of your own making. ... OK. The last episode Jumped the Shark. The four main characters always were rude, yes, but in a polite way. They never TRIED to offend people if they could help it. They went out of their way to avoid hurting feelings. That's what most of the lying was about. But in the finale, they became downright mean, making fun of the fat guy getting robbed. That was way out of character for all of them, and ruined the episode. Everything that followed wasn't funny at all. ... BTW, the single funniest line may have been Kramer, sweating in a sauna, saying, "Whew, it's like a sauna in here." That has me on the floor every time.
This show was cleverly funny until the end!
If this is possible, I believe that Seinfeld jumped the shark during its final episode. In trying to go out with a memorable finale, I think that Jerry tried too hard and the result was less than that. The whole bit about getting the private jet and gettin gto go anywhere just didnt work. Don't get me wrong I was a Huge fan (other than MASH, Seinfeld is my favorite sitcom) I just wish it could have gone out on a better note.
When they killed off Susan and none of the other characters reacted. One of them usually will point out the others shortcomings. None of them did in this episode.
The backwards episode is when they jumped the shark. That was the funniest episode i ever saw i couldn't stop laughing so i knew it was never gonna get better.
All right everybody!!! Stop saying Seinfeld jumped the shark in the last episode. That doesn't make sence. You are saying that the last episode signaled the demise of the show. It was all down hill from their. YOU CAN'T JUMP THE SHARK IN THE LAST EPISODE. Anyway the show was over when Larry David left. Sure there were some great moments, but not as frequently as before.
This show jumped right at the end. The finale blew. They tried to hard to build it up and then they bombed. It looked like they forgot that they were doing a finale until the last minute and then threw something together.
After they took out the comedy bits at the beginning and end of the show where Jerry was performing in a club, the show went downhill. The storylines got way too wacky.
After the 1994 season finale. The taping of the "Jerry" pilot. This was the season finale in 1994. By this time everyone was watching and by the following season the heads were swelling.
The biggest problem Seinfeld had in the end was competing with its own classic reruns. Upon further review, the seasons or shows I thought were weak, including the final show, hold up remarkably well. This show never jumped.
The show was so good throughout the years, I just hated the series finale...so now they're in jail...gee, that's resolved. It was too much for me to handle in one episode.
This show never jumped the shark!! Even through the long, unbearable feature of Jerry's mullet, this show was ahead of its time, and always will be.
This was and is the best show on television.
Seinfeld is an American classic. Sure it had its ups and down. But it always managed to reedem itself. As for Elaine's hair being the downfall of Seinfeld....THATS CRAP. The show has always been hilarious. Even I...a fan who has seen every episode at least once must admit the finale was not up to the usual standards the show never jumped. And for the person who said it jumped ship when they played Green Day. Um what are u smoking?!?! The music doesn't have anything to do with it. I just have to say Seinfeld will always be the greatest show on television and may it live long in reruns!
i don't think it is possible for a show to jump the shark in it's final episode. there were no bad episodes after it. what made this show work was that it was completely absurd while being based in reality. susan's deaths was one of the funniest episode's ever, for any show. a person dying from poison enevelopes is so incredibly creative. i almost fell off my chair when george made the "it was gonna be a large cerermony" comment. then i fell off my chair when kramer said "poor lily" comedy is based in people acting outside the norm, that is why the reaction was so funny. a level of selfishness like that is super funny. no one on earth would react like that, that is what made it so funny. george's ability to sleep with incredibly beautiful women was a great running gag. the mini plots of each show was also genius. the fact that four stories would end up connecting at the end of the episode was always the best part. the four plots was a postive, not a negative. most sitcoms on now have enough trouble writing one plot. watch an episode of "dharma and greg" or that brooke shields piece of garbage, and you will pray for the return of the absurd mini plots. the final season was also great because it was obvious that most of them were scratched ideas that would not fit into previous seasons recurring themes. the final season had no continuity at all. jerry as a gimmick comic was genius,kramer using butter for suntan lotion , and puerto rican day parade episodes. it's a shame most people weren't smart enough to follow the backwards episode. only thing funnier than the episode itself, was the self parody of the whole thing.
Folks!! One episode that is bad in YOUR opinion, does not make a jumped series. This series NEVER jumped! That would imply that it went downhill from there and that obviously never happened on Seinfeld.
The show at times was enjoyable, even funny. It would have been nice if Jerry knew how to act. For a standup comic, he sure didn't seem to know how to act natural in front of a camera.
It NEVER DID! I love this show still, and watch reruns every night before I go to bed. I have made VCR tapes of every episode, so I can still get my "Seinfeld fix" before going to bed. Funny thing - I was meeting with some "girl" friends, who for some reason had not watched Seinfeld. I remarked I had to get my fix before I go to bed, and now they all watch it!! It broke my heart when it went off. I still laugh and laugh when I watch the reruns. They never get stale to me. Bless the whole show, and all who were responsible for it!
After George killed his finance with the wedding invitation envelopes. When it came back next season, it was like the show died too.
When the premise, "a show about nothing", got old. The comedy was witty at the beginning but the last couple years of the show, it became very predictable.
The show jumped when it became popular. It's as simple as that. When it first started, the show was about New York, and you could believe that. After it won the emmy for best sitcom (the season where they get the sitcom), it went downhill from there, because it became this huge "pop-culture water cooler show" that all of America loved. One of my favorite rants of all time will always be Elaine's "They say nobody's ever beaten the Van Wyck."
I wouldn't go as far as to say it jumped (cause im a fan of course). And it did go slightly downhill when Larry David left. But the worst thing of all is when each character started doing a caricature (sp?) of themselves. George got WAY too loud and aggressive, Elaine went from spunky to just in your face and annoying, Kramer went from abnormal to becoming a cartoon character, and Jerry went from a typical nice guy to some ego-maniac with a new girlfriend every week. And the plots got too complicated. It was better when it was kept to simple real life everyday stuff (ie getting lost in a parking garage). And it also didn't help when so many other Seinfeld rip-offs appeared, making the Seinfeld show go out of its way to get attention and be different.
To all of you who said Seinfeld jumped when Elaine's hair changed because she became psycho and mean-spirited: yeah, I'm sure the hairdressers got together with the writers and decided "Hey, let's change Ms. Drefus' hair and, in turn, make her character bitchy, too. It makes perfect sense." IT WAS A COINCIDENCE AND NOTHING MORE. Maybe her character was already evolving into something different and the fact that her appearance changed caused viewers to become more aware of that change.
I believe that this show never ever came down off the jump because it was the only show ever that I would schedule reruns around.
Unlike most people in the TV industry he knew the old saying "leave them wanting more".
To even suggest Seinfeld "jumped the shark" is stupid. This show was watched by 30 million people every week. Every show was very good, of the 163, 159 were excellent. The show was nonsense making sense. Come on...the characters besides Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer....J.Peterman, Mr. Pitt, George Steinbrenner, Puddy, Babu, crazy Joe Davola and Uncle Leo to name a very few were reasons to tune in. This is a reason I loved the show besides the regulars that made the show the funniest show ever. From Elaine showing her nipple to lottie, dottie and everybody to Frank Constanza screaming "serenity now" and every show before, after and in between was the reason so many people loved this show. Thanks to Seinfeld for 9 great years, say what you will about all the catchphrases, but what better way to gloss over a conversation than yada yada yada...
It's so sad that they went off the air! I loved that show!
SEINFELD was still awesome, all the way up to the end!
I stopped watching after the episode when Elaine insisted that abortion was a woman's right to choose. The show didn't need to go there.
When I realized I hate Jerry Seinfeld cause Kramer And George make the show. Elaine always sucked. Then I realized Jerry sucks too and Kramer and George make the show. I cant stand Seinfeld anymore.
This show never jumped. Some seasons were a little weaker than others, but overall this was one of the great classic comedic TV shows of all time. I still laugh hysterically watching the reruns every night. This show went where nobody else dared to, and deserves credit for that. "Seinfeld" was awesome right through the final season, which was one of the best. The series finale was a bit of a letdown, would have rather seen Kramer draw all of the characters into one of his "brilliant" schemes, but still funny. One of my favorite TV shows of all time!
when they signed jerry seinfeld and jason alexander. two of the whiniest no talent pukes i have ever seen!
The final episode was an utter disappointment. One could argue that the departure of Larry David was the reason that it sucked, but the show hadn't jumped until the final episode. Who else was disappointed by getting to watch a lame clip show? If I wanted to see the Soup Nazi again, I'd just watch the syndicated reruns until I can see the whole damn Soup Nazi episode.
As soon as it became a CULT classic, the in thing to do, and Thursday night's BILLION DOLLAR BABY!!!!!!!, it lost it's edge instead of concentrating on humor they dumbed themselves down for the masses of people who didn't even watch their show until it became uncool not to
Seinfeld has always been great. Hysterical jokes, and bizarre comedy. But when did anybody actually start believing Jerry could act? Not even about the show within the show, but he can't keep a straight face at all!
If Seinfeld was still on it would still be the # 1 show.
Seinfeld was "a show without a plot" they often made jokes about that fact (like their idea for a tv show about nothing and everyone said it wouldn't last.) The show "jumped the shark when it developed plots. And story lines that continued show to show, like susan, the tv show and kramer's friend.
First of all some people posting about these shows need to understand one basic point of Jumping The Shark. How can someone who claims a show has no artistic merit offer a JTS moment? You have to first admit the show had a climax before you can write intelligently about the downswing. Furthermore, what the hell are they doing reading the comments if they hate the show so much. Second, Jerry Seinfeld many not be the best stand-up comedian or actor on the planet, but the show seemed to de-emphasise his character the most. Mostly Jerry acted as a hub around which the true slapstick was happening. This seems on par with Jerry's, "What's the deal with.." standup bits. Furthermore, though there were introductions of many shark jumping characters they never stuck to, relied upon, or fixated upon any of them. Susan, though a good character, and the most frequent object of JTS comments needed to be killed off to avoid the jump. Who the hell cares how she dies, she ain't a main character, and definitely not one of the funniest. Maybe a desparate act to kill her in that way, but good riddance, back to the nucleus. Hell, even Newman as great a character as he was, couldn't keep our attention every Thursday. A great part about Seinfeld, was that the more obscure the character, the funnier the jokes. The midget, funny, short lived. The soup Nazi, hilarious, small part. When I think about the other characters, and then Jerry, all I remember is him standing around as a mediator, or whining about his insane friends. The viewers and critics alike demanded the slapstick. And what a great team. Now I'm no afficianado of Laurel&Hardy or Abbott&Costello, I've seen plenty of Lucy&Desi, and the one thing that the Seinfeld crew did well was timing. The looks, the rising voices, and the slapstick all flowed so well, they could have been counting to ten and we would have laughed. My impression of the series as a whole, too good to let it mold on the airwaves. Too funny and quirky to conclude in any satisfying manner. As for the last episode, true, not a belly laugher, but if it was, you'd all be crying for more shows. I appreciate the different readings of the last episode likening it to classical literature, but simply enough it exposed the characters on the show for what they really were, fictional. Any of these characters in real life would be despised by the community. So enough with the "it just got too unrealistic" comments. It's TV. It's entertainment. I'm glad they went to jail. I'm glad they ended the show when they did. I'm mostly glad that they didn't try to end with that nostalgia, dramedy, we're gonna miss you BS that every, every show pulls out of the hollywood recycle bin for one last catch. Never ever JTS.
The plotting just got too convoluted. It happened around the same time they stopped having stand-up for the opening. Amen to the "Applause when Kramer enters" though!
This show NEVER EVER EVER jumped the shark! Jerry was just so blandly funny, i cant get over it. Sure, Marissa Tomea is a little old now, but yet... I miss all of them!
This show NEVER JUMPED! It was a great show from day one, and although it took a while to build an audience, this was the greatest show ever, and you don't have to be a hardcore fan to agree with me here.
Rule of thumb is that all finales SUCK. But this was the worst one yet. Show was still bearable until then, but the finale killed it for me. Can barely watch re-runs now.
I was a large Seinfield fan. The finale was the ultimate letdown. All of the characteristics of the cast were exploited for no rhyme or reason. I will forever shun reruns, for producers that have that little of imagination.
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the worst episode of all time...the Sponge episode. I love love love Seinfeld and I didn't even have a problem with the last episode, but the Sponge one is the only one that I will actually turn off if I catch it in a re-run. What was with that awful "wacky" horn music they played while Elaine was running around buying up the sponges? Never mind that that is the single most disgusting form of birth control. Anyway, that episode actually made me stop watching for a while. Not because I cared that she was getting some, but because it was so stupid. Fortunately I came to my senses and started watching again. Oh, and I just want to say that the spelling and grammar of the people that post to this site are the last death blow to my faith in the American education system.
Never!! I miss Seinfeld, the funniest show on television still (in syndication). Seinfeld made such terms as "master of your domain" and "spongeworthy" household names.
I loved this show, and the reruns still have the power to make me laugh loud and often, but there was a definite fall. As to when, it's a toss-up -- the finale was the worst episode of SEINFELD I've ever seen, but the bad ones all pretty much started with Susan's death, the first time I ever seriously wondered if the people making the show (actors included) were cruel human beings themselves. There were some funny ones after Susan, but I don't remember any bad ones (well, after they'd hit their stride I mean) until after she died. (i.e., the Backwards episode).
When they killed off Susan by way of licking the envelopes on her wedding invites and at the end of the rest of the characters had the "who cares" attitude and just went on like she never existed in the first place. That was AWFUL!
Seinfeld never jumped. We actually are paying an additional $1.50 a month on our satellite bill just so we have a channel that plays Seinfeld reruns. Every show is entitled to an off day. Granted, the final show wasn't the greatest, but really, most show's final episodes aren't that great. Seinfeld was a great show, and it is missed. I wish they'd bring it back.
Seinfeld never jumped. It is as simple as that. Seinfeld will go down as the greatest piece of television programming ever. Unfortunately, the last episode was the only one that I taped, but it still makes me laugh out loud every time that I watch it. I grew up watching Seinfeld because my parents watched it. Now I am a much more avid fan than they ever were. I still catch the 7:30 rerun every day. To me, the humour is always fresh. I laugh during each and every episode like the first time I saw it, if not harder.
I knew the last episode was going to jump the shark when everybody and their mother were hyping the last episode. We were treated to an episode that was so pointless that I enjoyed the clips montage that had preceded it.
This show never jumped...Its series final was its peak!!
Never jumped. Was good right up until the last episode. Ironically, the finale was the only bad episode. I guess that was Seinfeld's way of weaning the viewers in a painless way. Maybe we were supposed to assume that any additional episodes would be just as bad or worse than the finale. I'm glad it quit when it did.
Definitely when Susan died. I know it was supposed to be funny when George realized he didnt'get the beach house and the $million doll collection, but it wasn't funny, it was kind of sad and I never watched it after that.
First off, to all of you ditzes who compared the last episode of Seinfeld to the tradgedy George Lucas and I call Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace I hang my head in shame for your lost souls. First off where do u get off comparing one of the most ingenious shows of all time that has quite effectively entertained more pea brained americans than the majority of other TV shows (which I fondly refer to as crap e.g. That 70's Show) to quite possibly one of the saddest spectacles of modern theater that god and those hollywood fatcats have ever let come across the silver screen. ILM my ***. I mean come on what does George Lucas and his herd of washed up writers take us for-doped up lunkheads? Gene Siskel may have bought it but this red blooded american will not fall into the clever trap of modern day advertising and hype. Where did they come up with Jar Jar Binks? Did they have a contest of who could come up with the lamest cheesiest and dare I say most annoying character that should have been thrown off of the drawing board quicker than MC Hammer running down the street after a fleeing quarter. In my opinion the last episode of Seinfeld as compared to the Phantom Menace is like comparing the Mona Lisa to a Finger painting. Anyone with half of a brain could have thought out the lame saga that is star wars, i mean it really is not the most complex nor inventive story it is made out to be. Keeping that in mind i challenge you to sit down and try to come up with a 22 minute episode of Seinfeld that is actually funny. That shut you up, I thought so. I guarantee if any of you were to even come up with a funny idea it would not measure up to even half of what you consider to be the worst episode of seinfeld. I mean who would you rather speak to? George Lucas who would be blah blah blahing about some annoying space saga and some luke i am your father crap or would you rather sit around and have a few drinks with the writers of seinfeld probably laughing so hard you would sh!t out some major organs or something. So even if the last episode was not as great as some others it in no way deserves to be compared to the phantom menac. And for those of you who had the audacity to say seinfeld is not funny because of the characters shallowness and heartlessness: Newsflash, that is the point of the show if you want clean hearted wholesome lame humor go watch Friends. (completely unrelated subject I feel america should be divided into two seperate regions 1.watches friends 2.do not watch friends, the latter being the superior region. Friends in my opinion is what is wrong with the nation). I'll have to agree, Jerry Seinfeld can not act and he is not funny. But Seinfeld is not really about Seinfeld it is about George Costanza and his family. Jerry should stick to driving around in high perfromance automobiles while picking his nose and leave the comedy to genuinely funny individuals. p.s. The episode with the Phil Rizzuto key chain that says "Holy Cow Partner" was champ. To any readers of this blurb who complain about Seinfeld, think of something funnier than that and then u may speak. Oh yeah one more thing I never have and never will watch star trek, it is one of those shows that you know will be bad without ever watching it. Thank You for your time and patience.
I say that a show can jump the shark in the last episode (and this one did), because it happened near the beginning of the episode, when the trial began. I watched the rest of the episode only out of loyalty to the show, and not out of enjoyment.
There was no need to reveal Kramer's name. You might as well show us what Vera (Norm Peterson's wife on Cheers) looks like. Mysteries make the show interesting.
The show went downhill when Elaine's hair became straight. If you watch the 1st seven seasons, you see her as a loveable, insecure, funny lady & an excellent sidekick to the 3 men. When her hair became straight, her entire personality changed. She became cocky, very slutty, & toally unloveable.
This show never jumped. Sure the last episode lacked a little bit but you have to consider how much better it was than all the other crap that is out there right now.
I don't think this show EVER jumped the shark. It was very entertaining and kept me in stitches every week! Every person that I told to check out the show quickly became hooked. Although like any other sitcom there were some unfunny episodes, Seinfeld was cleverly written. I think it was a relaxing show for all of us who like to find humor in the most inane things. All of the characters were unique and funny in their own way. I especially likes George's neuroticism and Elaine. I think we can ALL identify with these characters' quirks. MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE SHOW!!!
This Show Never Ever Jumped the shark Jerry Seinfeld has to be the 2nd funniest man in the world second to only conan O'brian. But still When newman and kramer played risk Or when jerry wore the fur coat Those were classic.
I don't think this show ever really jumped the shark. It's still one of my favs but I must admit that the final season the episodes seemed like someone was slacking off with the writing. They just weren't as funny as the ones before them. There are only a few exceptions in that season.
To be honest, this show never jumped. It just became less good. Seinfeld was the ultimate in entertainment. And I have to sy, the last episode disappointed me until I read the post about it being a kind of purgatory. What a brilliant idea, on your part. And I have to say, it makes complete sense except for one thing: Susan doesn't appear. But then again, she is the only dead character who doesn't appear, hinting that she has gone on already, and so, is out of the minds and psyches of the Great Four. Your posting really made my day, because it made me think that perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, the last ep was not boring drivel, but a 'Seinfeld beyond' kind of thing. From now on, I choose to see it that way.
After Larry David left, the episodes lost the casual, some things happen, some things don't feeling. EVERYTHING that got mentioned HAD to create a plot point, and it ALL had to implode at the end of the episode. I don't know why people liked it after the first few seasons.
It's so sad that they went off the air! I loved that show!
Jerry's NBC show was possibly the greatest example of a self-fulfilling prophecy in show business history. Seinfeld was at its peak, and they decided to parody themselves by creating a show about nothing as the plot on a show about nothing. Truly ingenious and, unfortunately, truly prophetic. After that, the show was never as funny, despite some moments of brilliance. The writers seemed to have run out of ideas so, as they all do, they decided to magnify each of the characters' traits. Jerry became a priggish anal retentive who rejected gorgeous women for even the most microscopic flaws, and would happily drug a woman unconscious so he could play with her toy collection. George went from insecure and Allen-esque to a ranting maniac who screamed at pidgeons. Elaine, who was sharp, sweet and adorable at first, became a scheming, coniving ***** who rejected men based on the amount of birth control sponges she could afford to lose. And Kramer became an unbelievably moronic dolt who showered all day long. The show about nothing got so contrived it became unwatchable. I remember exactly when I realized this: there was one episode where a building is on fire and a guy is "trapped" at an ATM because the shield closed on his jacket sleeve and George won't reveal his PIN code to free him; all just to show how neurotic George was about his code. Um, did any of the writers bother to note that if a guy was trapped in a burning building, he'd probably TAKE OFF THE JACKET rather than wait for some imbecile to reveal his code? Desptie this slide in the later years, Seinfeld still ranks in the top five shows of all time. But we should not delude ourselves that it "went out on top." It may have been high in the ratings, but the quality plummeted in the last few years and this was ultimately confirmed in a final episode that may have been the biggest letdown in TV history.
I have to admit that I'm not a dedicated fan, but the "Rickshaws for the Homeless" episode has to be the funniest thing I've ever seen on TV.
How much more tiring could he become? If the last three seasons had never been born, I wouldn't have missed a minute.
Maybe I'm missing something, but I've just never found this in the least bit funny.
As I watch the reruns I see that a lot of the episodes, mostly but not exclusively in the post-David era, were inconsistent, jumping back and forth over the fine line between funny and stupid. However, the funny parts at their best (in both eras), which nearly always involved Kramer (a genius), were not just funny; they were lose-control-of-your-bodily-functions, take-me-away-I'm-ready-to-die HILARIOUS. There's the episode where Jerry is putting on weight so his parents get him a personal, and exceedingly aged, trainer. Overall rating, mediocre. But what are we to say in the face of this part? Jerry wakes up in the hospital, startled by Kramer, who is hovering over him. K. tells J. that J. is there because a knife struck him in the neck and he lost much blood. But not to worry, K. says, he donated J. several pints of his own blood, which is now circulating inside J. J. is horrified at this thought and starts to scream in terror. (This is reasonably funny, and this is where most sitcoms would have ended the joke.) K. looks at J. for a moment, decides in his life-loving way that what J. is doing seems fun, and starts to scream himself. This is the funniest moment in the history of television. If it's not, then television's funniest moment comes about 15 minutes later when J. is again in the hospital after another blood-losing accident. He grudgingly thanks K., standing by his bed, for once again saving his life. K. says no, it must have been someone else. Just then, Newman (nearly always a riot) walks in, a bandage on his arm, the obvious blood donor. J. screams again in terror, K. joins him again, and N. makes it a threesome. These two scenes are not the most sublime sitcom moments ever? Please.
Never: okay, so the finale wasn't great; but the show stayed watchable to the end.
Syndication reruns are still the best- except they are being totally slashed to make room for more commercials. And when Fox takes it over next year, even more commercials will be tacked-on.
Except for the final "episode", this was probably one of the most consistently watchable sitcoms ever (along with "Cheers", "MTM" and "Newhart"). Yes, it could be silly, but for a "show about nothing", could you expect anything else?
Seinfeld never jumped! This is one of the few shows that makes me laugh out loud at least once every episode. I can't believe people are quoting the episode where Kramer butters himself up. When they show that turkey with his face on saying "hey, buddy", I nearly pissed myself.
brilliant with consistently fantastic writing. even the worst seinfeld episode is better than 95% of the stuff on tv.
This show NEVER jumped! It is, bar none, the most consistently funny show ever put on television! However, as disappointed as I was to see it go off the air, its departure probably saved it from a grizzly and inevitable shark tank jump....yadda, yadda, yadda....
THIS was a pretty decent show compared to the competition (Home Improvement, every other American sitcom) - and if Mr. Seinfeld had kept to his promise to end the show after about five seasons (go out as a 'gem rather than a dinosaur', as he put it) it might have had a wonderful legacy. But no - the show got way to full of itself. Season seven was okay but then they killed off Susan at the end and nobody found it funny. They came back in season 8 with some pretty awful episodes and the whole concept and structure of the show changed; Jerry said "it's ok, as long as it's still funny" but it rarely was. For me the topper was that episode where George slept under his desk when I knew the show was forever lost. They had a decent season finally that year, although it was trying too hard to recapture what was obviously gone from the show. There were one or maybe two okay episodes the last season but it was really terrible, with George constantly yelling and all, along with annoying running gags. Then Larry David returns to write one of the worst finales in TV history - it was not a SEINFELD episode, it had the quality of a bad 'Sesame Street' special.
Be honest with yourself. Really, have you laugh in other TV comedy??? In my personal experience, it's the only comedy show i ever laugh. That way i keep it watching it. Please compare to other shows, an you will see. Seinfeld is a genius. It's not easy find comedy in every day issue. Try to do it on a normal day, an you will see how difficult is.
Seinfeld was great in the early days.Ultimate being the Chinese Restaraunt. It's early switch to surrealism was great, pinnacle (for me) being The Opposite.But a gradual slide to the sharkpit was when,as Monty Python's Colonel w/d say,it got"too silly". There were bad moments,not JTS,but JTS wannabes...I didn't like Susan's death.Someone in TV Guide came up with about 10 ways they c/d've lost her,all more clever and certainly in keeping w/ the show's dark tone.I,too,didn't need the abortion one.Besides the fact I'm a liberal pro-life person,it was about SOMETHING.Even a bit preachy at that.I'm surprised no one named Mr.Pitt as a jumping point.Peterman was MUCH better.And the finale...I actually liked it.Most of you missed a point about that.When they were put in jail,they finally had all the time in the world to discuss minutea,and guess what?...They RAN OUT OF THINGS TO SAY!!!!That was creepy,cool,and DARK as HELL.Comeuppence made sense as a last moment.It w/d've stunk in the middle of the series,but it was OVER.The only time FOR a good comeuppence.
Okay, it's not BECAUSE Elaine's hair changed, it just happened at the same time. I always thought this and am not too surprised so many others agree. I saw it as an attempt to "update" her look. It was about the same time "Friends Hair" was all the rage and everyone wanted the "Rachel". Elaine started wearing those really ugly "90's" styles (re: the recycled early 70's look) that same episode and it represented a fundamental change in her character. Before (when Elaine was portrayed as a human), her look was 40's gal classic which on her looked great! But putting her in tight polyester brown bell bottoms and matching blazer completely disillusioned me. Well, there were some good outfits with hints of "Old Elaine" afterwards and when her hair settled into the shoulder length curls I adjusted somewhat. But, we were never to see the Botticelli shoes and bobby socks again. And not only did the hair and clothes change, so did the make up. She looked horrible in pale lipstick but it went with the rest of the whole awful turnabout. I always wondered if the actress herself wanted the change or someone else decided a new look would be a good idea. Someone suggested that possibly Dreyfus had plastic surgery on her chin - it sure looked pointier at about this time!
Seinfeld was, for the most part, an incredible show. When Larry David left it really deteriorated although it was still better than anything on t.v. I have to list a few really lame episodes that noone has mentioned (I think that are all post-Larry David: 1) "If this van's a rockin', don't bother knockin'" This one bit it - every sub-plot including the Costanza's role, which was usually outstanding. 2) "Serenity now" - the whole computer selling thing. Really awful. 3) The meat slicer episode. 4) That Puerto Rican parade episode. I don't even think that show the reruns of it it was so bad. 5) The muffin stump episode. 6) The Sub Shop card episode where Kramer goes back to work in the bagel store. My vote for the funniest post-David show has to be the one where Kramer has the Merv Griffin set in his apartment. And I totally agree that the demise of the show correlated with Elaine morphing into a bitter shrew.
Kramer on his test drive trying to see how many miles he can get while the gas gauge reads E, and George's obsession with the Candy Bar machine. Weak plot - only Putty's high-5, saved this episode.
Elaine's crappy straggly hair. What year was that....96? It was like the last three seasons all sucked big time. I can't even watch old shows anymore because I just got so pissed off at the show.
Although the last episode left something of a bad taste, this show has never and will never jump the shark. The all time best line is: "Like i need you to tell me I'm pathetic, I know I'm pathetic" (George)
When George starts screaming all of his lines like his parents. He goes from an unconfident Woody Allen-esq type to a screamer. I mean seriously people, what the hell was that? Or as George would say: "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?"
The season finale followed the biggest hype job ever, only to reveal a CLIP SHOW, and a BAD ONE at that! What the hell happened? Hated Kramer's endless twitching around. Wish he had died in that hot tub.
The final episode was a classic. It teased the audience with possible plot endings (e.g. with Jerry almost proposing to Elaine on the plane). To have many of the guest characters come back and show how one-dimensional the main characters had been was brilliant. Also the biggest teaser came due to the fact that it was a surprise that there would not be one more year and at the end Jerry saws "We'll be back in a year." And for those who thought the reaction to Susan's death was lacking something: That was the whole joke. And to have the same doctor show up in the next year's final episode treating George was funny. Favorite episodes: The parking ramp The blind woman The Chinese restaurant Opposite George The Magic Lugee The Soup Nazi.
The downfall happened during the 95/96 season, but Larry David's departure was the end of it. It turned into pure pap, and that is incidentally when it became most popular.
Never jumped - Seinfeld will remain an integrated part of American popular culture for years. Best episode by FAR...the "ASSMAN" episode!
When they brought in the fake street, Seinfeld just got worse and worse.
The Final Episode was so lame I couldn't believe it. It wasn't even funny! And Elaine should have told Jerry that she always loved him, like I figured she was going to do until the NBC plane straightended out again. The other episodes had great stuff, like the Peterman Reality Bus Tour, the Soup Nazi, and when they lost the car at the mall in Jersey. I think it's a great show, and I still watch the re-runs, but come ON! The writers could have come up with a more clever idea for the last show. Jail for the Seinfeld cast? It's just too... un-Seinfeld!
When Susan died. There were some funny episodes after this season finale but they were out weighed by alot of simply stupid ones. I watched Seinfeld from its inception and I always made it a point to keep Thursday nights free but those seasons after Susan died I found myself disappointed more often than not.
From day 1 to the last episode this show constantly proved how funny a show could be. As I watch the reruns it still makes me laugh and shake my head at it's, yes, genius.
Seinfeld reached it's genius peak in the season where George proposed to Susan and the show explored everyone's mortality as single people. It was brilliant when she died and even more commendable that they extended this to another season, the characters having already faced their single mortality. After that where is the show to go? The moment it jumped the shark was the final scene in the second to last season where George's accident paralleled Susan's. It had made a full circle around the shark, maxing itself out and in the final season had nothing to do except self-parody. The reason "Seinfeld" is the best show ever is that it went downhill, but stopped itself before it got actually bad.
I hate to break it to everyone who made these comments, but none of you people could ever have so delicately woven hundreds of plot lines together in the ingenious way that Seinfeld did. What more could you possibly hope for from a 30 minute show? In terms of the last episode, if you didn't appreciate it, it's because you didn't understand it. Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer had a magic when they interacted with the side characters. Bringing them back was ingenious, you got to relive the past ten seasons all over again. This show NEVER jumped.
I don't think it ever did. Yes, the last show was a little bit of a let-down, but they still stayed funny to the very end. The only real exception is when George's fiancee died in the season finale. That one just didn't fit with the rest of their shows somehow.
Jerry has an opportunity to have a threesome and rejects it, not wanting to have "orgy friends." Haven't watched a single episode since.
This is one of the few shows that never jumped, perhaps even ended years before jump would have occured. Never had a single serious or special episode, bravo, even death of well know character was funny.
This was truly a hilarious show, one that will forever do well in reruns. However, there was a serious slide at the end that would have killed a show that did not have such a loyal following. One could nitpick for hours, but just a few here: Regarding the episode where Kramer poured blood in Jerry's car to keep it from overheating. Besides being moronic on face value, the reason Kramer wanted to keep the car going was so that the A/C COULD KEEP THE BLOOD COOL! Dumb and dumber. Several postered have questioned how George, the compulsive jack-off, got so many women. Face it, all four of them had way too many couplings. Has anyone calculated how many men Elaine slept with? A high number would be believable because she was fiiiine, but the sheer volume and occasions? She slept with guys on any trifle. Remember when she wanted to sleep with Kramer to "clear her head"? (Only in the regrettable backwards episode did we learn that a little booze turned her into a raving hose-beast.) Her devolution from hip, big-city girl to manic skank mirrored the others (excellent post above detail how each character changed radically at the end) and the show's approach to the ramp. And regarding her ***: Julia Louis-Dreyfus was pregnant at least once during the show's run with the producers using coats, carrying things, and camera tricks to keep this hidden.
An after-the-fact jump: when the first season began re-running in syndication it became evident that things started off quite dimly compared to the glory of the later years. Those first episodes are like watching Nightline on downers. Thank god it did jump the shark!!!
Never! Never! Never! I have seen some episodes five times (they show them every night at seven in Australia, have done for years) and they constantly amaze me. How did they manage to cram so much into each episode. I think it's amazing the way they linked things- personally bizarre linkings are interesting and satisfying. And Julia Louis Dreyfus is a comedy goddess- she is amazing to watch- all that crap about her hair changing- what woman doesn't change her hairstyle semi-regularly (like at least once in four years!) The premises for episodes were pure genius- not naturalistic? watch National Geographic if that's where your bent lies. If Jerry can get away with being a shitful actor for nine years, why not!
This show started to go down hill when it was no longer the Seinfeld show and it became "The World According To Kramer".
Seinfeld's had its share of down moments, but its consistency gets it a "never jumped". A lot of people are apparently upset by the unnecessary cruelty of the "death of Susan" episode. How about the episode in which Kramer tries, and eventually succeeeds in getting a girl pregnant just for the hell of it. Am I the only one who thinks this is really creepy? I never saw Kramer as a likable buffoon after that.
Jason Alexander said something about the show in an interview that I thought was very perceptive. He said that he felt the show should have ended 3 or 4 seasons earlier because in his opinion, "we didn't run out of funny ideas. We ran out of ORIGINAL ideas." That observation could go for other long running shows like the Simpsons and Third Rock where the original premise that made the shows classics has worn thin or is completely gone. One way to maintain momentum while driving is to have a well-maintained engine that you feed good gas. Another way is to put the car in neutral and go downhill.
It started to slide just a little when they gave Kramer's real name, but it didn't jump the shark until Larry David left. This and "Susan dies" are basically one and the same because that's when he left. After that, in its last 2 seasons the show became too bizarre and they turned it into a farce. And Elaine's character degenerated to the point where I couldn't watch her anymore...I always thought she was the most interesting, if not always the most funny, of the four. That said, even when it sucked it was still better than 95% of TV shows. But watch the reruns and you'll see what I mean. There was something more pure, more real, and more simple that just vanished over the years. But Larry David quitting really marked the turning point. I sold everyone I could on the show in its first 2 seasons and I felt really sad after it jumped the shark.
Never jumped, as many have stated the last one did it but there were no lame episodes to follow. The references to existentialism and theater of the absurd in the final episode, which other people have notices, are exactly right too. The characters getting worse, more obsessive and extreme, it was intentional. Had to be done to make up for the fame and people identifying with them. They were all children, incomplete in their own way, and it is the world and other people that made them like that, with their own complicity. Dark, funny, evil, great. The unadulterated truth about this absurd, shallow culture. Pure collective genius. Note that the producer managed Andy Kaufman, and the guy who started MST3K worked on Jerry's standup routine. The best American comedy of the 90's, bar none.
So many favorites to choose from,...muffin tops, the reverse peephole, the pinkie toe. Although I must admit I had to view the India wedding reverse-episode several times to get the full effect,..."not that there's anything wrong with that".
Remember that backwards episode where Jerry, George, and Elain went to India to attend the bra-less wonder's wedding? I think that was when the producers ran out of creative ideas.
The show's quality deteriorated when Seinfield allowed himself and his "alter ego", to be convinced he is good looking and sexy! To make matter's worse, the show attempted to convince the audience that Seinfield was sexy and good looking via a series of hot girlfriends Jerry rejected for some small flaw. The Puerto Rican Parade episode was a nasty epithet to this show.
The season after Susan died which i think is the season that Larry David left the show.It just got so bad.The characters personalities changed and it was just bad
susan (death) episode. when they came back the next year (that was the final episode of the season), somethign inexplicable was missing. It wasn't susan herself, they just seemed to ramble in a non-seinfield sort of way. George definitely took a hit from her leaving.
Thank you to the above comment. I never realized the significance of the jail scene, and it made my perception of that episode much better.
The show was great until the last season. George became to angry at things, such as the episode where Jerry buys a new car. George wanted some stupid Twix bar and he gets very angry over it. Very dumb.
Never, ever, ever jumped! The last episode was a complete self-parody. Did anyone else notice that the last conversation Jerry and George have, in the jail cell, about the button on George's shirt, is the EXACT same conversatin they had in the first episode? Priceless. Some favorites: The Poppy Seed episode, the "Marble Rye" episode, The Astronaut's Pen episode, The Opera episode, the Raquel Welch episode, Bizarro world, and the one where they go to a summer beach house and George experiences.....shrinkage.
As a diehard fan with every episode taped & catalogued, I still groan and endure the Costanzas making out in the van in Central Park, Jerry howling at the moon, digging up a dead pet at night in the park, all of the last episode except the final minute, and Kramer's bus tour. But there was so much brilliance and depth (that's more apparent when revisited) that this show's body of work is truly a classic. I don't think it ever completely jumped the shark. It occasionally swam close enough for a few little hops. Any genius has some off days.
Seinfeld is the funniest show I've ever seen - I grew up on MASH, Taxi, Fawlty Towers, Cheers, etc. But Seinfeld took what we call sitcoms to another level. The Beatles of Television Comedy, if you will. Some people have commented on the humor changing, predominantly when Larry David left the writing / producing chores to others. As someone who watched it virtually from the beginning (off and on due to work / family considerations), I went through an episode guide recently and realized that some of the funniest / most creative episodes were done in the latter years. In fact most of my favorite episodes are from 94 - 96 or so. Not to sound blasphemous - after all, any given episode of Seinfeld (early or late) is of a higher quality than virtually all other shows on television in today's sitcom Valley of the Dead. Most Seinfeld episodes have a moment which will make you laugh out loud, and that's a rare feat for a television show, in my opinion. Think of it this way: Would you have wanted them to never adapt their style, a la Cheers, where the punch lines felt the same in year 11 as they did in year 3? So the last few years were more outlandish and wacky - they were still imaginative and creative, and above all hilarious. In fact, my brother, once an aspiring comedian himself, has remarked on more than one occasion that the last few years of Seinfeld showed that they probably could have gone on indefinitely. He thought the show still had "legs", as they say. I agree. Here's why: Seinfeld dug deeper into human interaction / relationships than ANY sitcom previously. Period. But just like we all use roughly 10-15% of our brain power, the material available to Seinfeld was so vast, it could have taken them another 15 YEARS just to flesh out George's many strange and hilarious quirks / fears / faults. And they hadn't even begun to truly mine the boring minutiae of daily life in the 90's or 00's. So to say they had covered all available ground is silly. Now, for how long could they have continued to do it in as funny a fashion is a question we'll never know the answer to. Lastly, a question for those of you who complained how unlikable these characters were or became, especially surrounding Susan's death and the way it was handled: Do you have to look at someone on TV as a reflection of yourself? Just because Elaine or George are mean-spirited or vain, doesn't make it any less funny. Julia Louis Dreyfus has commented repeatedly that if these four characters really existed, that they should stop hanging out together immediately and seek help. And she's right. They're sick and twisted - bringing all of our worst character traits to life. But doing it in a harmless, hilarious fashion. Watching George push women and children out of the way of a fire, and then later on lying to a fireman about doing it to provide leadership and help find the emergency exit is simply too much! In real life he'd be scum - but this is TV; fantasy. I've watched George do and say things I'd never have had the guts to do - but I've at least thought of them. They act out your most hideous ideas, with truly funny results. What more could you want? Same thing with the way they reacted to Susan's death. Take it for what it's worth - it's a television show; Susan wasn't a real person, after all. The job of a comedy is to find humor in various situations - and Seinfeld, as the best of its genre, found a way to do it with death. It's not amoral; in fact, they call it black comedy for that very reason - it's a poke at the Big Fright, Death himself. And even if Susan was a real person, I've known people who make jokes about dead people. Is it in bad taste? Could be...but a part of me wonders if it's not important to be able to poke fun at ANYTHING, including death itself.
Larry David left the show. Anyone who has ever watched "Curb Your Enthusiam" knows Larry David is that show.
I don't think Seinfeld ever jumped, as you can tell by its immense popularity through the final episode and even today in syndication. Most of you must not have understood the finale and therefore under-rate it. I thought it was brilliant. The very end was the gang sitting in the jail cell having the EXACT conversation they did on the first episode. It was a brilliant way to tie up the show. It went out on top and will always remain one of the top comedies of all time.
While I agree that Elaine's change in hairstyle seemed to coincide with a change in her (and the show's) attitude, if you live in New York City, you must understand that she could not have kept the same hairstyle for so many years! Especially given the fact that she was such a "career woman" (and always was; that didn't change) and especially with a career in publishing - you have to "keep up" style-wise, like it or not. Maybe they could have done it more gradually, I don't know. But it would have made NO sense whatsoever to stay with the same "big" hair - even the Nanny had to change!!
I personally cannot believe how harshly some people are judging Seinfeld on this site! No way did Seinfeld jts! Complaints that the show became too "unrealistic"? It's not meant to be a docudrama... it's a sitcom, for heaven's sake! Nitpicking over slight character development over the course of nine years? I give the writers credit for not being afraid to have the characters change with the passage of time... just as we real people do. As future years pass, I think that some of the people currently critical will grow in appreciation of Seinfeld. The key question should be: "Did you stop laughing?" I, for one, absolutely did not. I agree that the last episode was a dud episode with an empty feel (I think that the writers were so focused on being original that they ended up writing more of a senior thesis using stuff from Sarte and Camus than a situation comedy with flowing comedy.). However, I would like to point out that last episodes, even of the greatest TV sitcoms in history rarely prove funny as wrapping lose ends steals focus from humorous lines. The sitcoms on the "never jumped" list all had below average laughs in their finales. At least the Seinfeld writers tried to do something for a finale that has not been done 10 million times or that reeked of "weepy sentimentality". To keep Seinfeld off of the "never jumped list" because the worst episode happened to be the last or because of the character's reactions to the news of the "envelope tragedy" (which is absolutely consistent with one of Seinfeld's main themes, that major life events can come from the seemingly most insignificant and unpredictable factors) and/or the reaction of the "main four" to the news (which holds with all the characters' normal, hilarious-- and flawed-- response of "So what if the world's afire... what's in it for ME?") seems unfair and arbitrary. I maintain that Seinfeld never became consistently lame like so very many other shows have before going off of the air... it really deserves to be on the "never jumped" list, IMHO
The "Susan died" episode. Those next (last) 2 years just were not the same. It wasn't that susan was no longer around, she was a non-plus for the show, the energy and writing just died along with susan. I still can't figure out the connection. Because up until that point, they had gone uphill for 7 years, perhaps a record for a comedy. How many comedies can you name that were better in years 6 and 7 than in 1, 2 or 3? Probably none. 7 and out would have made it. As much as I love the show, a previous writer's note about Jerry not being an actor is right on. The so-stars were what made the show. Jerry can't act and barely can deliver lines. He gets credit for realizing it to a degree and letting the other cast members take off. Best episode: When Kramer puts on the super tight blue jeans, on a dare from Jerry, and then he has to go to an audition with Mickey, the Dwarf. That, my friends, was classic. Almost Monty Python-ish. (the ultimate compliment).
The show came really close when Susan died. Even though she was a *****, what a dumb plot! But they came back somewhat... The last few seasons just weren't the same though. The last episode was it. It was a ridiculous plot, it was overacted and the lines were pretty ludicrous, and it had this atmosphere that was not like Seinfeld. It was like they were trying way too hard and it ruined the whole show...
During all its seasons they prove that is was a great show. Kramer was an Excelente character also George! The only thing I didn't like was the LAST SHOW! It wasn't even funny. It was boring and too long! They end up in jail so what?! It didn't make sense!
The final episode sucked. There was one good line: "How could you pay $12 million for Hideki Irabu?" Frank Costanza to George Steinbrenner. This episode was built up and then nothing. It was so bad that Frank Sinatra died the next day. The news didn't report it that way but he died of Disappointus Seinfeldus Series Finalicus.
The show starts going in a different direction after season 6 or so and especially during seasons 8 and 9.....but I still liked it, and ultimately, it never JTS. Yes, the stories get more zany and bizarre, but it's still funny. One big problem that I do have is when George starts shouting all the time in the last season or two. In the twix episode he goes absolutely nuerotic. It seems every single line he has in this episode he's either bitterly complaining or shouting. Also, Elaine did get somewhat bitchy, but the change in character didn't bother me with her as much as George's character. Despite this, some of the later episodes were some of the best ever: The Merv Griffin Show, The Chicken Roaster, When Jerry sleeps with his maid, and the Festivus epidsode. (Kramer - "It's a festivus miracle!") (Frank: "A Festivus for the rest of us.") I know I'm in the minority here, but I hated the parking garage episode and the one when they waited at the chinese restaurant. Too dragged out. I know it's about nothing but...Is it true that the Puero Rico episode has never been shown in syndication anywhere? I loved it when Kramer goes as rich industrialist Pennypacker, or my favourite Dr. Van Nostrand.
I think it was the first episode of one of the later seasons. Jerry cowardly allows himself to be threatened into making bootlegged videotapes of movies by a seedy friend of Kramer. That just didn't sit well with me. I knew the writers had lost touch with the characters if they couldn't see anything wrong with this. I think this was the first episode where Larry David wasn't listed as a writer.
I think this show was great to the end and I was one of the late comers. Susan sucked and of the 4 main characters, Jerry was the worst.That said this was tv's greatest show not only because of the main actors but more importantly the bit parts.1) Frank Kastanza 2) Jerry's parents 3) the close talker 4)soup nazi 5) Elains boss 6) Newman 7)bubble boy 8)the flamboyant gang 9) Jerrys uncle 10) WRITE ONE IN THAT I'M FORGETTING!!
Two moments - when George got engaged spoiled it because half the show was based on the horrors of dating, and the characters were supposed to be basically evil citizens, not the homely married type that would have resulted from George's marriage - good thing susan died. Secondly, the gradual descent of episode plots into the occasion in which it would just be plain ridiculous (japanese guys sleeping in kramer's drawers? i don't think so)
This show never jumped the shark because they never added a batmite. I am surprised that this category is not listed. It always signalled the death knell of any show when a batmite was added (Batmite was added to the Batman and Robin cartoon because they wanted a cute little character. Others batmites include Great Gazoo/Flintstones, Seven/Married with Children, Leather or Pinky Tuscadero or Chachi/Happy Days, Scrappy DOO/Scooby Doo Where Are You, Oliver/Brady Bunch, Vicky/Love Boat, Merth/Mork and Mindy, Raven Simone/Cosby show,the little brother/Family Ties,John Stamos'twins/Full House,Stephanie/All in the Family, Leonardo DiCapprio/Growing Pains, even at the very end of CHIPS when Panch had like 30 partners, the very death grind was when they added the teenaged motorcycle blond haired cutsie-pie punk.) Seinfeld never stooped to the batmite syndrome. And I do think that batmites should have their own category.
This comedy(?)never made it far enough to actually jump the shark. It landed in the shark's mouth, where it was chewed up, digested and now lays as waste on the ocean floor. This occurred primarily at the very instant it was concieved in the pea-size brain of Jerry Seinfeld himself.
None of these truly apply. Yes, people on the show had sex with each other. Yes, there were many special guest stars. But both of these are common nowadays. It is not the same caliber of shark jumping that the good ole days brought us, therefore I say it never jumped.
I was kinda hoping superman would make an appearance in the last episode...
Of course, nothing on this show ever topped its hilarious expose of the airline travel caste system...but it never really jumped the shark until the last episode. What were the writers thinking? To punish the characters? The characters were always punished for their chuckleheaded incompetence (Kramer) or neurosises (everyone else). They wouldn't help that mugging victim? Arguably out of character for everyone except George, definitely out of character for Kramer. Not to mention brutally killing the idea in the back of everybody's head that Elaine would get back with Jerry.
Has anyone ever noticed that Seinfeld may have been the world worst show for product placement? Case in point, 3 companies that had prominent roles went on to declare bankruptcy - J. Peterman & Co., Kenny Rogers Roasters, & Nobody beats the Wiz.
To say the show jumped is a bit drastic, the show did have it's bad episodes, they all do, but the brilliance of the writing is unparallel. And for any idiot that claims they can't stand Putty, well my friend you don't know what funny is. The show was classic and will never be duplicated.
There was a season -- I'd guess '95 or so, maybe later -- that marked the change in the show. It seemed like the actors in the off-season studied everything written about them, then came back for the new season and tried to imitate all of their popular habits. This may be the fault of the writers. I'm not sure when Larry David left, but I wouldn't be surprised if his departure and the "bad seasons" coincided. Still the champ of syndicated shows currently on the air (just wish they'd show different episodes -- seems like they play the same 10 over and over again).
Come on...never been a better show on television. Never jumped, though the last episode was terrible.
Seinfeld has never jumped! Even the goofy off the wall stuff just made it funnier! The best episode EVER was when Elaine found out Puddy was a Christian. I could watch that 10 times in a row and the heat, my God the heat! still kills me.
Seinfeld's the best show ever. They never had to cop out to something silly like a lesbian kiss (Friends) or a birth (Mad About You). They did everything perfect. Very consistent. And the final episode was great! Who could not love a show that had the Soup Nazi, Babu, Peterman, & Jackie Childs in the same exact show.
Seinfeld said he got "Jiggy with it." That show was so original, until they used that cheap reference to a Will Smith song. Pathetic.
Seinfeld, in my opinion, was one of the funniest sitcoms of all time. However, they definitely jumped the shark when Larry David left the team (the season starting with Susan's funeral). The shows leading up to Larry's departure were still funny, even though some story lines were a bit silly. After he left though, the whole 'feel' of the show changed. It wasn't funny anymore, just stupid. Yes, there were a few chuckles here and there, but overall, whenever I watched a show in the last 2 seasons, I came away feeling as though I had just wasted a half-hour of my life. Jason Alexander has said that the characters had become caricatures. He is right. The traits that made the characters funny became exaggerated to the point of absurdity and annoyance. Kramer's story lines became preposterous. Cute, loveable, and sassy Elaine changed to a swaggering ***** in a suit with too much make-up and fake-looking hair. George was just yelling all the time. And was it just me or did the show's audio even seem to change: everyone sounded close-miked instead of sounding like they were in an actual room a lot of the time. And don't even get me started on that final episode. UGH! The older episodes I can watch over and over, but I just cringe when I see one of the post-Larry David shows in re-runs. They really should have called it quits before the last 2 seasons ever happened.
Half-way through the the 9th year and into the last year leading up to the less than climactic last show. George got louder, Kramer got more outrageous and Elaine became more slutty<<< Not that there's anything wrong with that!!!
It never did - the evidence is in the popularity of reruns- you can watch them over and over and laugh every time. Also, the cast never strayed from the premise that they are all selfish egotists.
While the show continued to have funny episodes, I believe Seinfeld jumped the shark after the final episode of the pilot for NBC season. That season seemed to be Larry David's way of tying up what he probably believed to be Seinfeld's last season. The season began as a satire of a comic receiving every comic's dream (a major network's request for a sitcom built around the comic) and ended with the cold reality of the Network taking a pass. After the death of the one Network executive (while trying to impress Elaine) who could have given the pilot life, there was nowhere for the show to go. Because the show was written at such a high level once it peaked it still continued to pump out many quality shows. This has given many the mistaken idea that the show got better as it went along however the shark was indeed jumped after the third season.
I am a big fan of the show and I have seen just about all of the episodes, and I have to begrudgingly say that the show did in fact jump the shark. I think it was when the writers had to struggle to find plotlines as well written as the earlier stuff. If I had to pinpoint it, I would say in the 8th season. It seemed to me that a lot of the stories were a little contrived and that they just didn't deliver the goods like earlier episodes such as "The Hamptons", "The Marine Biologist" and "The Mango". In seasons 8 and 9, episodes like "The Nap", "The English Patient" and "The Dealership" especially, were just not funny. They were weird and they just didn't have the flow and genius of the previously mentioned episodes. Now you might suggest that the show jumped the shark after Susan died, seeing as how that was the last episode of season 7, but I think it was more into season 8. Susan dying was just plain weird. I remember the show getting a lot of criticism for making light of a topic such as death, but I think it was somewhat undeserving. Yes, it was weird, but it was also very gutsy and unexpected, so for that it slips under my radar. I think in closing, I would have to say that this show jumped when the stories weren't funny anymore (obviously). Now that's an easy assessment to make, but when you have as much success as this show did in it's middle seasons, it's tough to keep it up. Jerry said in '98 that he wanted to go out before the show lost it, maybe he should of left just one season earlier.
Seinfeld never jumped, how often I ask you do you find yourself using a seinfeldism, I average one a day, "she's a close talker", or maybe your a Costanza- for example it's not a lie if you believe it, I found this to be true only today. Seinfeld is truly the funniest show ever aired and I doubt it will ever be eclipsed, it still gets rerun every weekday at 7, and we watch and we laugh, and sometimes I have to leave the room because I just can't watch George make a fool of himself anymore. They are the meanest and coolest characters in history, and who really cares about seinfelds inability to act, that is half the fun sometimes- just look at Adam Sandler pure genius.
At the same time as Elaine changed from cute to bitchy, George changed from neurotic to angry. One side note, the second 'Morty' was much better than the first one. When he yells out to anyone who may hear,"My wallets gone! My wallets gone!", I roll on the floor. The best secondary characters ever in TV history are Jerry's and George's parents. Perfect casting!
When Elaine started dating Putty. Putty was NEVER funny. Then they had this ongoing bit about them breaking up every 5 minuets just to get back together over and over. To make matters worse, they have to throw Jerry's buying a new car from Putty in just so he was part of a storyline. The whole thing just sucked. They were definitely grasping.
The only reason this show is not listed on the Never Jumped page is because of all these votes based on dissatisfaction with the Series Finale. When the series is over, it's a little late to be jumping the shark. There is no where to decline. And for those of you who didn't 'get' the Finale... you weren't supposed to get it. The Finale was written for people who followed the show since it was called The Seinfeld Chronicles. If you watched the show from the beginning, you would have understood. I'll explain... Remember, Seinfeld wasn't a show FOR Yuppies, it was a show ABOUT Yuppies. Now when the show was in its final season every Yuppie and talking head in the world claimed it as their favorite show. And so, the hype machine was started over the Final Episode. Immediately after the show aired, every idiot standing in front of a camera talked on and on about how it was the funniest Seinfeld ever. But it wasn't, it was the least funny show.. by design. The joke was on the posers who jumped on the bandwagon and praised this show WITHOUT EVEN WATCHING IT. Do you get it? The loyal viewers got to laugh at all the people who couldn't tell what funny was. It was Jerry Seinfeld's last gift to the real fans. Seinfeld made the media jump the shark.
It started when Larry David left the show, you could definitely tell the difference. But the nail in the coffin was when they stopped doing the show in front of a live studio audience...the energy and spontaneity seemed to be lacking.
This show never jumped. It went out on a high, ended at the top. Their sitcom can be compared to Michael Jordan's career. Although I miss this show I'm glad it didn't drag on like some of the other shows of today.
When Elaine danced at her office party. The bit didn't work and made me conscious that the show trying to be funny, instead of just being funny.
as for all other posters who were "appalled" when the cast was insensitive to susan's death...well they have all jumped the shark with those comments. if something like that offends you then there is absolutely no way you could have truly appreciated all of seinfeld's brilliance before her demise. all of the characters said or did offensive things. you can't have it both ways. as great a moment as jerry walking in an saying "and you wanted to be my latex salesman..." is how poor that finale was...
Never! Okay I admit the last show was lacking, but you can't say it jumped the shark just because of a last show! It kept up it's hilarity all through the life of this show....I'm only sixteen and have not seen all of these episodes, but I must say that it is a much needed break from the other shows that are on today..sitcoms soap operas yadda yadda! There is no drama to Seinfeld, nothing important really happens, not so if you miss a show you are totally lost. I can see an episode of Seinfeld, laugh my head off, and not have to worry about oh I wonder what happens next! It's the greatest show ever every written!
Seinfeld never jumped! I don't see how anyone could label a show about plotting how to switch roommates and having cockfights and new holidays (Festivus for the rest of us!) as having jumped the shark. It could still be going and I would never stop watching.
If you haven't lived in NYC, you're not qualified to comment. You don't get it and you won't get it. And don't visit. You won't like it.
Susan was a horrible bore I thought it was brilliant, licking her wedding invitations that is very funny. If she didn't know George practically despised her than she deserved her pitiful end. And who hasn't been in a situation where you are expected to be in some state that you can not muster the emotion to display. Human nature.
This one is easy. While watching a segment of a Seinfeld rerun recently, I was reminded once again that the show jumped the shark the moment Kramer, George, et al., stepped through Jerry's unlocked New York apartment door (one of the great mysteries of television) without knocking.
I can still enjoy it - more than anything new that's being put out there. Anyone who claims Seinfeld jumped the shark should try watching three consecutive episodes of Grounded for Life! and see what the post Seinfeld sitcom has degenerated to.
When George lost his job with the Yankees and J. Peterman returns to his post.
Seinfeld jumped with that stupid backward episode. It had to be the most moronic premise I had ever seen. Seinfeld was so full of himself, he thought everything he did was fabulous. Well, this one wasn't. It was unwatchable. I believe he realized that afterwards and got back to the excellence we were all accustomed to.
I am a huge fan of Seinfeld--I have every episode on tape, and it will always be my favorite show ever. But I feel that there was definitely a point where the show started to go downhill. It was around when Larry David left, the whole attitude of the show changed somehow. In my opinion, the final episode was not funny at all--it should have been the four main characters just sitting in his apartment, for one last typical "Seinfeld" day. But it is still and will always be one of the funniest sitcoms in history.
As is so typical with many TV shows, this one blew it when NBC tried to "make a hit". This is most evident when, after the first season, NBC would pitch an episode as "A Must See!!!". That translates to the viewers that our writers have been warned to earn their keep. The episode I recall off-hand was when George and Jerry are mistaken for homosexuals. A contrived and overly used plot devise. Someone overhears part of a conversation and "the comedy begins". Frasier is completely based on this tired vehicle. Also, when the initial actor portraying Jerry's Father was replaced.
I hate to admit it, but, I new the end was drawing near in the episode where George told the brief, tear-wrenching story of his life to get the apartment.
From day one. All it entailed was a bunch of whiny New Yorkers complaining about every one else. Never thinking that they had any problems
Anyone who complains about the finale is an idiot. I mean, what kind of "textbook finale" did you people expect? Seinfeld was never sappy or eventful and the characters never really evolved much or learned anything. So what better way to conclude Seinfeld's run than to have a finale that basically goes nowhere? I thought it was the perfect way to end the show, by sort of thumbing their noses at all the hype and expectations. And the bit at the end about the button completes the circle nicely by seamlessly tying in with the show's pilot. Susan's death. At this point the show became angry, the characters became annoyed with each other as if it all were so worthless. I think that the producers and actors always thought that the characters were horrible but I never had this impression and I think that the public loved them. There is very little evidence in the first five seasons that these are bad people. After Susan's death it was as if they were trying to get us to dislike these characters. This leads naturally to the horrible last episode where we finally get conclusive evidence of what the Seinfeld staff thought of the characters. I wonder if they get so involved with the making of the show that they fail to see how each character evolves. I think that Elaine became the angriest and then Jerry. Kraemer didn't change much.
People, please -- think about what the definition of jumping the shark is in the first place, and picture the image of Fonzie going over that damn tank on a motorcycle. Granted, not every episode was perfect. The final season saw the characters turn bitter. The final episode was something of a disappointment. But even when Seinfeld wasn't at its best, it was still worlds better than 99 percent of the stuff on. Never did we look at this show and think -- remember Fonzie here -- "ridiculous. It will never be the same." For eight years, it was simply the best show on television. It had many, many, many more high spots than low ones, and it never EVER jumped the damn shark.
"Seinfeld" was a great show. . .until the pathetic series finale. One would think that a show with such high ratings and an enormous media blitz surrounding the series finale would have a decent - or at least funny - last episode. As I sat there, watching the last episode of "Seinfeld" and realizing that one of my all time favorite shows was coming to an end, I was sickened at how the show and the series ended. It was corny and not up to par with the show's usual humor. If somehow this show had been the first episode, I probably would have never watched the show again.
This show never jumped. Ive seen certain episodes at least 20 times, and they still make me crack up. the cituations they get in are just like situations every body gets in, although be it a tad more dramatic, though that makes it funny. anybody who says that this show jumped the shark needs to watch it more. its genius. absolute genius.
The final season! I have a rule of thumb, when a sitcom somehow morphs into a cartoon, it's over! I mean when Jerry starts acting like a warped daffy duck, it's time to say goodbye!
Seinfeld truly JTS when Larry David left as producer. The show was still the best show on tv at the time, but there was always something missing. The four characters were rarely clicking at the same time. It got to be too cartoonish and slapstick. Kramer became moronic instead of eccentric. They relied too much on the supporting characters. It appeared that it they just ran out of gas. They couldn't seem to get a whole episode out of some quirky observation or something someone said. Larry David's HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm proved to that he was the most important part of the creation of the show (actors aside). He could still do 22 minutes without resorting to cheap laughs. There was an episode where George was complaining about how they dumbed things down for the masses and that's what Seinfeld did in the last two seasons. Again, still funnier than most stuff on tv now or before. They really ended on a high note with the Puerto Rican Day Parade and the Finale.
I don't think you can jump the shark on your last episode. JTS implies its all downhill from here. Seinfeld actually got better in many ways when Larry David left the show. His brand of humor is sometimes too dark and not funny,(witness his recent curb your enthusiasm - on the verge of being cancelled and that grapes movie). The last year was on of the best. So the finale sucked. Everyone has a bad episode. It doesn't mean the show jumped.
When they decided to cast Jerry Seinfeld as the lead guy in this show. Excuse me, but the man is just not funny. All his jokes seem to do is showcase his ignorance. I especially resented it when Seinfeld cliches started showing up in colloquial speech, i.e., "Yadda Yadda Yadda" and such. Do people really think these guys were the first to say that? Not by a long shot. Also, concepts such as "re-gifting" that is wrapping up a gift that you got and don't like and giving it to someone else was not invented by these guys either. That one has been around since time immemorial. Also, please explain to me how characters such as Bubble Boy and Soup Nazi are supposed to be funny? Bubble Boy types I avoid like the plague, and if anyone ever treated me like Soup Nazi, I would never eat at that restaurant again. Duh! These fools obviously don't have that much common sense. To the people who said that Seinfeld was an updated version of Abbott & Costello, Puuuhhhleeezzzee! That is an insult to Bud and Lou. The Smothers Brothers may have copied their one-smart-guy/one-not-so-smart-guy format. Seinfeld however, does not even resemble either one. The only decent character of the bunch was the brown-haired girl. I forget her name, but she was the only one of the bunch with even a shred of intelligence. All in all, I wish someone out there who was a fan of this entirely overrated show and "gets it" would explain its appeal to me. In the end, I wish it were the producers who got sent to prison, not the cast.
susan, susan? without her there would be no stairway scene, no george resorts to the pick scene, no kramer burns down the cabin scene, no relationship george scene, are you mental?
This is one of the greatest shows ever and I still watch the reruns in syndication, but for me a lot of the charm was ruined when George's fiance died from licking envelopes and he laughed about it in the hospital. The show crossed the line from outrageous to tacky. They tried to make something funny that really was not funny at all. I continued to watch afterward but the quality of the shows went way south after that, IMHO.
Seinfeld could have quit without airing the finale and it would be remembered as one of the top television shows of all time. They ruined it showing that incomprehensibly moronic finale. Any episode is terrific, but what was up with that finale? I remember it distinctly as Frank Sinatra died that same evening. I can only imagine he was watching it and was so appalled it killed him. It nearly did me.
First of all, I still watch Seinfeld all the time. It's in syndication and I've taped lots of episodes (I know - get a life) The weird thing about Seinfeld is that there was a point (I think in 1997) that it had JTS, but then it swam back!! The low point for me was the Chocolate Babka episode. I remember wanting to strangle Elaine, anything to make her stop whining! She walks up to someone in a crowded bakery and insists that she should be served first because she was there before them but didn't take a number!? Of all the goofy antics over the years that I was willing to suspended disbelief for, that one was just too annoying. She had been becoming more and more irritating up to that point and then she just went over the shark! Fortunately, she and the show recovered! But even now, when I see that episode, I cringe!
The show Jumped The Shark when Seinfield knocked down the Old Lady to get the "marble rye." I'm surprised that I didn't see this response (although I may have missed it) because at this point Jerry's behavior signaled a radical departure for the characters from being "Innocent Bystanders" to wackiness in themselves and others to being just 4 more jerks on TV.
Seinfeld never jumped...there's no where to go after the finale, but it was intentionally made to be the least funny show. But we've been over that. Just to correct a minor point, Jerry didn't "knock down" the old lady to get the marble rye. He did rough her up a bit as he grabbed it from her, but if you remember the scene, she is clearly standing up and yelling at Jerry as he runs away from her (and towards the camera). He never knocked her down...Jerry wouldn't do that :-) Also, I gotta say, I loved Elaine all the way through the show...she went from being very cute and loveable (and hot) to being really gorgeous, (albeit unlovable) and hot...I mean, come on guys, it's not like you're gonna spend the rest of your life with her...just enjoy the scenery.
I don't want to be picky here, but I thought the definition of when a show "jumped the shark" is when it had peaked and from there on out it was downhill. It would therefore be impossible for a show to jump in the last episode. Perhaps this is obvious and someone else has already pointed this out, but I just can't understand how Seinfeld could start to go downhill on the last episode. I say it never jumped. The characters and situations were always over the top and unreal. That was what was great about it.
The minute people began to expect a stellar last episode, it started to get way too much hype. I think everyone expected something really original, but the writers couldn't meet the public's needs, so they just did one of those stupid clip shows where all the guest stars of the past return and finally condemn Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine for all the stuff they've done through the years -- now where's the comedy in that? Most of the laughs throughout the eight years it ran came from the fact that the foursome never got what was coming to them!!!
This show never jumped. It often had bad episodes but it always was funny. Things that would have killed other shows would always work for this show like Jpeterman and Steinbrenner becoming regular characters. It always worked. This is the rarest of shows on tv. It had a long run and it quit while still alive
This show was well written and brilliant pretty much all the way through. The last episode everyone hates so much was a parody, an answer to all the hype around Seinfeld ending! It wasn't meant to be a stand-alone, logical ending- it was a joke on the fact that not only were the characters fictional, but they were NOT nice people! It was a great wrap-up and bow to the audience for going along with the premise for all these years. Those characters do all the stuff we're tempted to do when we're at our worst. That's why it's so funny... and they NEVER WIN!
Never. Perhaps a few misfires along the way, but keeping the edge means to keep trying. The final show could never have lived up to the hype and promotion. It was a clever way to sum it all up and perhaps will come to be regarded as a classic in coming years.
As shows from Dick Van Dyke to Seinfeld have shown us, truth is definitely stranger and funnier than fiction. When Seinfeld stopped basing episodes on actual events that had happened to Larry David, Seinfeld or Kenny Kramer or someone they knew, it wasn't funny as often. And the last season was totally ridiculous.
I think this show is absolutely brilliant. I think the writers for this show are very clever. I love how this show is a show about 'nothing.' Unlike most shows, this show doesn't have big traumas with the characters. It's a sit com, and unlike Friends, it didn't turn into a Soap Opera. It's funny, yet all the problems and things that happen are basically about nothing, which makes it more realistic. Most of the other shows (like Friends!) all these major things happens at once, and its like...real life isn't LIKE that! Not usually! This show is great, and its hilarious!+
The backwards episode was the sign of the decline, with the culmination being the final episode. For how long everyone involved was supposed to be working on it, they should have come up with something better than a modified review or "looking back" show.
I never really got this show. I found it mildly amusing in the beginning but after George started working for the Yankees it became really absurd.
Everything went just fine until they aired the final show. It was not that funny and I would have been just as happy if they had signed off with the pre last show. The one that aired just before "the last show". It was funny watching all of the highlights for the funniest moments. Then they ruined it all with the going to jail bit. They were punished for all of the reasons the show was funny in the first place!!!!!!
It NEVER jumped -- what is being misunderstood about Seinfeld is that the show is so entirely parodic and self referential, the show is a show that knows it's a show, and the viewer is Keanu behind the Matrix with the main characters. It works on the level of one giant inside joke. It's a show that understands what has caused OTHER shows to "JUMP THE SHARK" and it plays off of this knowledge. While nearly all of the "JUMP THE SHARK" categories are addressed on the show, beside some of the automatics that cannot be played against regardless of the dose of irony delivered along with them, are addressed in a manner where the characters and the audience allow the shark to some in the room and swim around, and they do this because it's funny to play off of sitcom convention. This is what the show has always been about afterall. And for those of you out there who think that Seinfeld made it all the way through its run without jumping the shark and then, on its very last episode, went up and over the dorsal fin without so much as a fight, well, you're votes shouldn't even count. I mean, the last episode was fantastic. What did you want? Did you want them to die? (JUMP) Did you want the guys to all start kissing each other? (JUMP) Did you want Elaine and Jerry to go and admit their undying love for one another? (JUMP) None of this would have been satisfying, but what happened? All these sharks were allowed in the episode to play, but at no point did anyone, EVER, jump.
The show started going downhill when George asked Susan to marry him. The characters were sarcastic and poking fun of themselves, it's just lame, come up with some jokes. But it jumped after Susan died. Terrible way of ending a relationship, especially since they shouldn't have done it to begin with. After that the Elaine character started acting like it didn't want to be there. They also did a horrible job hiding her pregnancy. But the final nail was the terrible finale, I hate it when people think controversy is art.
The Handicapped Parking Space with the different Frank Costanza. The show didn't JtS, but it is a well kept secret that Jerry Stiller wasn't originally in that episode (he has been digitally included in syndication).
When George took up residence under his desk at the Yankees HQ. This was so stupid, it wasn't even a little funny!
Larry David was George, who in real life was a friend of Jerry's. The stories Larry wrote were about his life with Jerry while they worked to make it in show business. The plots were twisted to make most of the action happen to Jerry and not George (Larry). Larry was head writer and Producer of the show and the creative force behind the show. Jerry had it easy in real life compared to Larry so his story would make good television.
Never jumped the shark. Some episode are better than others, though. You never know what to expect when watching Seinfeld. Hugest disappointment: the last episode; I don't like the idea of footages put end to end. It was not original at all. However, the fact they all end up in jail whereas they could have been famous and rich was well thought.
When Julia-Louis Dreyfuss started sporting that darker hair and acting REALLY silly, the show seemed to go downhill at the same time. Ridiculous plotlines like Mr. Peterman in Burma really bored me. I don't know about others, but that boyfriend of Elaine's is NOT funny. When Kramer started calling himself Cosmo that was another red flag.
Seinfeld jumped the shark when the characters visited Los Angeles in a two-part episode. It was an unfunny hour because it was the first time the actors seemed to be trying to be funny rather than naturally be funny.
In the AIDS walk episode, Jerry scolds Kramer for staying up late playing poker the night before participating in said AIDS walk. Why would someone as selfish as Jerry care about that?
Seinfeld "jump the shark?" You must be kidding. Jerry would never "jump the shark". Not that there anything wrong with that.
Regardless of how the last show ended the series, they still went out with a bang. The stand up routine in prison kills me every time.
I say this show never jumped. Sure, near the end they had some crappier episodes, but it's hard to say that as a whole, the show jumped. Personally, I loved the final episode. What a better ending than to have all the people the "New York Four" wronged over the years. To the poster who said that for them to wind up in jail was unfunny and untrue to the "Seinfeld" spirit - yeah, that could be true. It would have been cooler if Jackie had gotten them off. That way, they're still free, but at least they had all these people come and rag on them!
DEFINITELY when they killed off Susan! What a dumbass way to get rid of her! She and George made a moronic couple anyway, but I was hoping he would tell her he was gay or something to try and get out of it. And after the other characters find out she kicked the bucket, they go out for coffee!!!! How stupid! And yes, Elaine's hair made her look more snobby, elite, literary and less funny (not that she was all that funny in the first place, just following the lead of the other characters). George's yelling was actually funny, although I preferred his neuroticism more. And Jerry was always smirking as he spoke and he could never pull off shouting or yelling. He totally sucks as an actor and his comedy, although observant, is not really all that original. . .(I mean, how many times can we hear about the counter at the pharmacy and how high it is?) I also think Kramer started to suck in the last few seasons. All he did was push open Jerry's door, steal food, and smoke cigars. He stopped getting into weird situations, and I would always find myself asking "What is his purpose on this show?" George's parents were totally hysterical, but Jerry's parents were, like their TV son, annoying as hell. (The only exception to this is when Morty Seinfeld lost his wallet at the doctor's office and started yelling in the hallway "My wallet's gone! My wallet's gone!" hilarious!) But the Costanzas were in a league of their own! George's mom catching him masturbating and falling and breaking her back! Come on, that was a riot and a half!!! AND THAT MISERABLE EXCUSE OF A FINAL EPISODE WAS PATHETIC! It was the most un-funny episode I have ever seen. I think it was purposely meant to be that way, just to show people that funny doesn't always fit other people's perceptions. . .
NEVER!!! The absolute funniest episode on TV of all time was the Merv Griffin Set in Kramer's apartment!!!! From the first minute to the end, with Newman gleefully watching on as the hawk attacked George and his squirrel, it was sidesplitting. I can never look at Jim Fowler ("I practically raised his kids!!") again without howling!!
George gets a job with Yankees. I am from Boston....need I say more...and I don't even like the Red Sox.....but I hate the Yankees.
Just the finale, they got a little weak in the last season but it was still quality. That finale though, all they did was trapse out everyone from the past shows, it was like they just threw a script together and plug in the cameos. I mean, a whole trial and everything...this is Seinfeld, we expect a little more.
Of course Seinfeld never jumped! Proclaiming it did when Larry David left or Elaine changed her hair, and then saying "I'm one of its biggest fans!" is like saying "I'm a huge Beatles fan, but I didn't like the white album". Either you're a fan, or you're not. Yes, Seinfeld did change and evolve over time, but it was ALWAYS funny, just in different ways. I don't even think there was a bad show in the bunch. I don't think of some shows as "bad" -- to me, it's like looking at your loved one on a bad hair day -- they don't look as good as when they're dressed up for a night out, but you still love them all the same. No other show will match it for it's total lack of sentiment. Really, the whole not caring about other people -- that is the true genius of the whole show.
The beauty of Seinfeld was that it was pure entertainment, free of moralizing and politics. They were the most completely self-involved characters in the history of TV, and we loved them for it. To have them get their come-uppance in the end was not only the worst idea they ever had, it was the only truly bad idea. What an ignominious end to a great show.
In the last few seasons of Seinfeld, it was obviously going downhill, and the last episode was terrible (I don't accept the theory that the characters were being judged after dying and then thrown into Hell--the writer of that episode, Larry David, who wrote much of the show's best stuff, probably only wishes that he had been clever enough to think of that). Anyhow, I think the TRUE JTS moment for Seinfeld was the episode, I don't even remember which season, when Jerry's friend from summer camp (played by comedian Dana Gould, who's normally VERY funny), the "summer George," sells Jerry a van, which he's embarrassed to buy, and then the "summer George" gets upset and runs to Central Park and starts digging a ditch with the other ditch-diggers (?); I don't even remember what Kramer did that episode, and I think Elaine was involved with some lame subplot with Puddy, but the worst, most disturbing part of that episode was that George, in a desperate attempt to get attention from his parents (I think), tried to make out with his cousin or something in Jerry's new van, and then at the end of the episode, George comes back to the van to find his parents having sex in it. While the uncomfortableness of knowing or (gasp!) seeing your parents have sex can be darkly humorous, the whole "getting it on with the cousin" subplot with George made me sick--I had to take a shower after watching it. I hope that episode never goes into syndication, but it doesn't matter anyway--I should have known, after this episode, that Seinfeld was irreparably damaged, but I continued to watch until that awful last episode. But I'll never watch the re-runs again--UGH! The way the show went from making a joke of the characters' self-centered obnoxiousness to just turning them into filthy creeps...well, let's just say that Ted McGinley couldn't have done that much damage.
Excuse me, but I don't think Seinfeld is really capable of jumping the shark- it's just hilarious nonsense comedy- my all time fav is "THE SOUP NAZI"- "No soup for you !!" - We even have a patient at work that reminds us of the Soup Nazi.
The last two seasons. The most telling episode: When George was ranting and raving all show about Clark bars in an autobody shop. Good writing was replaced by screaming and yelling.
seinfeld never jumped although i agree the last episode was the biggest letdown ever, the best episode the one with jerry and george with the nazis going to madison square garden, laugh till it hurts.
All the talk about the susan death/reaction is so misplaced...think about it...the four of them never really got worked up for long...sure George used to get really ticked off, and elaine used to fly off the handle, but they always mellowed back into the lethargic "whatever" people they started as. In addition, they rarely got sad...and when they did it was a sappy comedic sad. What do you people want...a "princess diana walk through the rain wailing and moaning episode...IT WAS A COMEDY!" This show was everything that "nothing" could be and more. And the last season was great, Merv Griffin episode was the best, just look at Kramer and Newman's reactions to the "guests"...pure genius. Every series has its bad days, Seinfeld's bad days were better than any good day on say "Full House", or "Family Matters", and those were supposed to be comedy?!? SERENITY NOW! Seinfeld was a unique show and I will forever be an avid fan.
Seinfeld absolutely never jumped. To state that by not liking an episode was jumping is flimsy at best. Most of the reasons that have been stated are what makes Seinfeld completely original and hysterical.
Change is good. Many shows only have one or two good seasons in them because they are affaid to change. Three's Company, The A-team, and The Golden Girls are examples of shows with interesting premise and ideas, but they fell apart quickly because the producers tried to create a world where things were stagnant. The characters were always in the same place at the beginning and end of each episode. There was a finite number of plots and situations the characters could encounter without ever being affected. Many of the most revered shows on this site and of television history have undergone drastic changes. Law and Order being the most obvious example. The show stays fresh because the characters change, both metaphorically and literally. Is Lenny Briscoe the same cop he was when he and Logan first bashed heads? Would we be interested in watching if he still was? So How can people criticize Seinfeld because it changed? The fact that it allowed the characters to grow and change is why it never jumped. The people upset that the four main characters matured, or honestly immatured, should go watch I Love Lucy.
The idea that Seinfeld jumped the shark is ridiculous. Obviously the episodes varied in quality, and there were even down seasons, but the worst episodes ever are are still classic television. I watched from the beginning and continue to watch in reruns, and while the first seasons are groundbreaking and hilarious, some of the funniest moments are from the latter episodes. What annoys me the most about many of the above comments is the idea that a show and its characters must remain the same forever. That is why shows jump the shark, they are so afraid to change the formula. Many of the observations made are correct, George went from whiney to mean, and Elaine lost her cute, but isn't that not only real but more interesting. I hate watching shows that the characters are the same in the 100th episode as they were in the pilot. It is fun to have to place an episode in the timeline to determine where the characters are in their evolution. Who among us is exactly the same as the were ten years ago? Yes the show did change when Larry David left and Jerry quit doing standup, but wouldn't we all sit here complaining more if the show had just become a formula of the same jokes week in and week out? Seinfeld was ground breaking and edgy in it's debut. Throughout the years it evolved and changed pushing the envelope and changing television. But what the show did throughout it's run it made us laugh.
The show jumped when Putty became a regular. However, the episode at the car dealership stands out as great latter-day episode.
Even the bad shows are better than some of the lame new stuff. It's important to keep it all in that perspective.
This show truly never jumped, it was one of the greatest sitcoms in TV history. It was funny from day one but didn't become truly popular until a few seasons in and then it boomed. The only problem was the last episode, had this not been the last episode but a regular episode this show would have really jumped ship. I remember when the final show was going to air and most of us were expecting a "Cheers", "Family Ties" type of finally but it was totally the opposite. The show was always "dumb" so to speak but thats what made it so funny, but the final episode was simply pathetic. The way Seinfeld was set up did not allow it to have a finally like "Cheers" and shows like that, nor should it have been. They still could have put more effort into it and made it the funniest one there was, instead it was just cheezy writing and really left you feeling incomplete about the entire series in general. The show before the finally probably was a better way to say goodbye I think.
The Fast Speed Chase Scene with Jerry and Neuman. This was toward the end of the run, post-Larry David, where Jerry was chasing Neuman in high speed through the apartment complex. Gilligan's Island used to use this effect alot, and it wasn't funny then. I'm sure the writers would call this an effective use of irony, but it was just sad and slapsticky
The true sign of an immortal TV show is when it becomes so good that it eventually only has itself to compete with. Seinfeld, MASH, WKRP, the Simpsons and only a few others could ever make that claim. Seinfeld was the undisputed champion of Thursday night, period. That meant that, regardless of the quality of whatever else was on that night, Seinfeld was automatically the best show, even though, compared to other Seinfeld episodes of the past, it might not have been at its best. Think of it this way: Many have probably identified the episode where Susan dies from licking the cheap envelopes as a "jump the shark moment" of the series. Granted, that may not have been the best Seinfeld episode ever, but think of what else was on TV that night. Did Friends beat it? Did Veronica's crappy Closet beat it? Did anything else that was on any of the other networks that week (other than the Simpsons) beat it? No way. Yes, the Susan death episode wasn't as good as the Master of the Domain or the Puffy Shirt or the Pretend Marine Biologist or the Shrinkage, but it still was the funniest thing on TV that week, not to mention a huge topic around the water cooler. Competing with itself, setting standards that can't be reached by any other show - that's what keeps a program away from the shark ramp!
even though the last episode sucked, there was still a few great lines in it, like when geoge steinbrenner was on the witness stand and frank costanza yells out " seven million dollars for hidecki urabu? whet the hell is the matter with you?". but the physical comedy of kramer is what made this show so funny, like the time he got back from the yankees fantasy baseball camp early and told jerry that there was an "incident" and explained how he knocked out mickey mantle or the time he saved the city bus from being hijacked - and continued to make the stops! come, this is the show of shows
Seinfeld never jumped. It was consistently the most original and funny show on TV ever. The last episode was absolute genius. They put the viewer on trial saying "Look, this is what you have been laughing at for the past 8 years. Deformaties (boy in the bubble), Masturbation, and just generally not very nice people. It was an excellent way to end a show, pure genius.
No doubt about it. There was barely ever a bad episode when Larry David was writing, and barely ever a good episode after he left. It just wasn't the same. It was like Seinfeld was taken over by some comedy corporation that didn't understand the soul of what made Seinfeld funny. The subtlety was just gone.
After the seventh season, the show was not the classic classic we all expected. I don't remember exactly when Larry David left, but if it was before season seven, and I think it is, the show did have some great episodes after that. But when the show went into its eighth season, it seemed to drop in quality a little, even though it was still worth the time to watch it. I mean, Seinfeld, even at its not very best, is better than most shows at their best. Perhaps it was that we expected the least season to be funnier than ever and our expectations were too high. Nonetheless, even though it lost a small thing after the seventh season, it remained a classic throughout.
Jumped when Elaine transitioned from an intelligent, smarmy woman to a whore. 'Nuff said.
This show is pretty damn good. Everyone who was makin fun of it can call 218-233-3994 and we will have a long talk about it. I think that Seinfeld should do one more show.
Gotta be the finale! Everyone was hoping the show was going out on a high note. Man, what a let down. A stupid premise (fat guy) and talikng about buttons in the jail cell.The only bright spot in the final episode were the cameos from past episodes i.e. Babu,Bookman etc.
this peice of false-clever crap is the reason that televison should be outlawed. Seinfeld is such a bad actor it is painful to watch as his dumb horse face is always smiling before he says a line. and i don't care that he has admitted that he can't act, that doesn't cover the fact that he really can't; and as a standup comic in the world of Richard Pryor, Norm McDonald, Sam Kinison, and others, living or dead, comparably Seinfeld is nothing. who wants to hear jokes about cereal, airplane food, and laundry? the show always had some lame premise and it would go on and on with it clumsily like a crippled bird without any wings. and Michael Richards is nothing but an extremely poor reworking of JIM (Christopher Lloyd) from Taxi. the show SEINFELD is terrible and it's too bad that the toothy Jerry is set for many lifetimes with all the money from syndication. it's SINdication because it's a sin he has more money than Bob Denver or Mike Lookingland. and i hope that guy who he stole the wife from kills him and makes him into glue, then Seinfeld would be useful. he looks like a pony with down syndrome. his bottom lip just hangs there (quoting Robin Quivers from STERN) and he's the ugliest man on earth. jason alexander was the only guy on the show who could act. seinfeld sucks - SUCKS!!!! and that's the jist of it...
Seinfeld was to original to ever jump the shark. The closest may have been the backwards episode but that was even somewhat original.
In the last episode. You have four talented actors who have invested nine years in developing characters that a vast audience loves -- what better way to use their talents than by planting them behind a table in a courtroom and forcing them to be passive and reactive for an hour?
When George gets the job with the Yankees (ironically the episode in which he gets the job is awesome - "The Opposite"). The overall decline of the show is evident in the episodes after he gets the Yankee job, and Elaine gets fired from Pendant and gets a job with Mr.Pitt. It was a steady decline from then on, it just was not as sharp, and witty. The sexxing up of Elaine, George's engagement, and the demystifying of Kramer (e.g. on strike from the Bagel place) was the death knell. They just ran out of steam.
Heres the scenario. Kramer's driving down the highway and he sees a billboard ad for an Italian restaurant. He drives further and sees one for a Pakistan restaurant, and then one for a soup deli. He gets an idea to open and manage the worlds first Italian/Pakistan/Soup restaurant, and he hires Babu, the Soup Nazi, and Popi to help him run it. Newman could be a regular customer, ala Norm and Cliff on "Cheers." And recall, Frank Costanzo was a superb cook, and could therefore plausibly fit into the show. There's the "Seinfeld" spinoff that should have been. Just imagine the comic possibilities.
Seinfeld was an unbelievably original show. I didn't discover it until season 3 or 4. In fact, I wanted to hate it so that I'd have less TV to watch. My mother didn't discover it until after it went off the air...now she loves it! I can't believe the comments people have made...jumped when Elaine changed her hair, when the creator left the show!!! Give me a break. Seinfeld's worst shows are better than a lot of other sitcoms' best. I think this show is about real people...I know a lot of people who gravitate to one central character (Hello, remember Mary Tyler Moore), who are completely selfish, self-centred but in their own sick way, care. I think a lot of the other sitcoms should be in fantasy island categories. I thought it was completely callous the way the characters reacted to Susan's death, nonetheless, honest. My favourite character was Elaine and I hated George but still appreciated the brilliance of the performer who played him. Seinfeld may not be the funniest man on the planet, but he showed wisdom and maturity in allowing the characters around him to make him look good.
Seinfeld never jumped! I'm a British viewer and I'm now on the fourth set of reruns, which I'm now taping so that I can never be without a fix. I'd rather watch *any* episode of Seinfeld rather than the garbage that passes for comedy/drama in the UK. 'Cold feet'? 'Gimme, gimme, gimme'? Puh-leeze!
Seinfeld went totally downhill right in the middle of the '90s. Prior to that it was about smart, witty New York humour. They took realistic situations (usually about nothing as we all know) and made them funny. Who else could get away with an entire episode set in a mall parkade? But it all went to hell after the Soup Nazi episode. After that the writers decided that they no longer had to rely on witty writing - the far out and wacky premises of the episodes themselves would be funny enough. And so we saw Newman almost succumbing to cannibalism, Kenny Rogers' Fried Chicken, and the terrible Yadda Yadda Yadda. They totally disregarded the wit and sarcasm that made the show famous, and instead relied upon crazy story lines. And in doing so they turned their back on what made Seinfeld what it was - being a show about nothing. The episodes weren't about nothing anymore, they became about everything.
Elaine was much better looking but it represented a change in the show as whole. It became popular which unfortunately ruins a lot of good things in our culture. By the way the episode where Elaine leaves Jerry a sexually explicit phone message to fool him and she tells George and he can't keep her mind off her proves Elaine didn't need to change her hair. She could be sexxy when she wanted. There was also the episode where she flirts with Russell the NBC exec to get him to produce Jerry and George's show.
I admit the final episode sucked and sucked bad. I recorded it for posterity, but it was so awful that I taped over it. Granting that the final episode was a major suckfest, I'm still voting that this show never jumped. One bad episode out of 10 years does not constitute a jump. I can't remember an episode that I flat out disliked, sure some were better than others, but a show consistently this funny is rare. So far all the shows the actors have tried since this ended have been pretty bad, but with this show they captured magic in a bottle. At least we still have the reruns.
This show never jumped, because it ended before they had a chance to screw the show up at all.
The LAST episode SUCKED because: The concept of all the "minor" characters assembled at once was sort of used on the episode where Jerry's TV pilot was aired and everybody was shown at home watching (Bubble Boy, The Drake, etc.) . The plane going down, in the final episode, was silly and cartoonish. The whole thing was a limp send off to millions of fans. The last episode should have been when Susan died (which was excellent). REMEMBER : The last episode of Cheers sucked too !!
never jumped. but i do have a comment. did anyone else notice that alot of SNL castmembers guest-starred on the show? i guess its because of louis-dreyfuss's connections with SNL. did anyone else notice? Jon Lovits as the guy that faked cancer to get a toupee, Molly Shannon as the simian walker, and whatever his name is as aaron the close-talker? just a thought
The show was pretty funny, and sharp at 1st. But the should not have depended on humpfreeze. He's just a punk. It first went down when Mr Mash left. And that stupid Harman came on. Lucas was always the funniest. He was holding it up. But when he exited the show just jumped. And by then they all looked old. And it was stale. Stoopen was'nt as funny. It also had a smaller bite by the shark when young Mr Grace left. But without Lucas it was gone.
No one's mentioned this, but there was one scene where jerry dreams he gets busted for illegal cable, and they f%$*in bust a cap in him! that's the most graphic thing they've shown. Personally, I almost pissed my pants from laughing at that when they break out guns and shoot the crap out of seinfeld, and his arms are flailing and he's running.... oh man. But if that offended people it could have helped it jump the shark
Jumped the shark with that unbelievably lame episode involving Kramer seeing a vet instead of a doctor and slowly acquiring dog habits????!!!??? This is brilliant, innovative comedy? Give me a break. Absolute drivel, as bad as any other lousy sitcom. For brilliant, innovative humour, I'll stick to Larry Sanders and Fawlty Towers thank you.
This show jumped from the start in 89. It was always just some dumb boring yuppies talking about nothing. You can tell the show is filmed in LA. And Kramer sounds like an LA surfer. Which the actor is from. "Hey dude, I mean buddy, surfs up." Most New Yorkers could care less about it. But I'm sure it is popular in places like Denvoid and LA. BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT'S FILMED AND WRITTEN. Dumb boring yuppies. They should have it take place there too. It never made me laugh once. Why don't I just go to a Starbucks in LA and ease drop on conversations there.
The poster above has figured it all out. No one cared about the best sitcom of the 1990's.
Seinfeld never jumped the shark, it was classicly funny all the way through, it created many funny household phrases. Shows you miss seeing, even after 4 years, cannot be classified as having jumped. I might have done the finale differently, but everyone has opinions on it. Whether the finale was good or bad, in each person's opinion, it was still talked about for weeks over the 'water cooler', and THAT'S the point. For those of you who were saddened or disgusted over the death of Susan--GET OVER IT. This was a comedy, a comedy about shallow single people. The characters' responses to her death were appropriate for what we knew all along about each of them.
Seinfeld almost jumped when they had the show within the show "Jerry". The show about nothing became a show about something. But then, thankfully, "Jerry" got cancelled and we all went on with our lives.
Seinfeld was, by a very wide margin, the funniest sitcom in the history of television. Incredibly smart, inovative, and well written, this show simply has no peers. With the exception of the Elaine character (whom I rarely found funny), the show was flawless.
Although I'm from overseas and I've yet to see part of series 7 and the whole eighth season, I've seen enough episodes to say that, as far as I am concerned, Seinfeld has not jumped. Despite some weak episodes, like that when Susan died, that really annoyed the hell out of me, I do not think this show has jumped yet. Even though I miss Jerry not doing more stand up, the show remains the same. According to what I have seen of seventh season, most of the stuff keeps being funny while being about *nothing*. For instance, this week I saw the one when Kramer can't sleep because of the chicken joint and its neon lights, and yesterday that one when George is applying for a new flat and Kramer refuses to go see a doctor, and these episodes are as funny as any from the previous season. And, as a matter of fact, whoever saying Friends is as good as Seinfeld needs their head examined. That's all from me.
Seinfeld never really jumped although there was a period where it DID look like that was happening. The whole NBC pilot thing looked like the end, but they recovered finally with some fine episodes.
IT NEVER JUMPED! but some infomation for those who say it jumped when seinfeld stoped doin his stand up, he stopped doin his stand up when the shows pilot was picked up, they just showed tapes and they ran out accordin to a complete Unauthorised book about nothing. its all bout seinfeld just incase u didnt pick up the joke in the title.
Although the last episode was weak, this show NEVER JUMPED. This is by far one of the greatest comedies of my generation and I can watch hours of it and still laugh my *** off everytime George rips off about something. "Answer the phone and say Vandeleigh Industries and that you're considering me for your latex salesman position." As classic as they come. I defy anyone to watch that episode and not hurt themselves with laughing too hard.
This show is, along with the Simpsons, just about the only one to never ever jump. This the only show to make me laugh out loud every single episode (ok except for the first season, that, in retrospect, sucked) and I am sad to say that I have seen every episode several times. Quite simply the funniest show ever on Television. Don't even tell me I Love Lucy because that show, contrary to popular opinion, was not funny. It was simply the first in it's class. and I think Seinfeld got even better when Larry David left.
I've have lived in New York before. And consider myself somewhat intellectual. At least more than the lemming L.A yuppies on this show. This show is lame, just dumb. The people on it are not sophisticated at all. They sound like they're in Iowa...no actually L.A. is where it's filmed. Even less intellectually stimulating place!! Why dont I just watch "Blind Date" for this kind of dialogue. You notice on the show they used 2 people from "Melrose Place." A show about nothing is right!
This show fell into the common trap of jumping when it got too self-conscious. It was at its best early on when it had a smaller dedicated following. But when it got really popular, it seemed like the makers of the show were too focused on coming up with the next catch-phrase that everyone was going to be talking about. I didn't really watch it the last few seasons when it seemed to get kind of weak and forced. On another topic, I never realized what a babe Elaine was until she ditched that dumpy, triangular Wal-Mart checkout girl hair style and started wearing it straight. Unfortunately that roughly coincided with the time that the show started to decline.
This show was prescient. Kramer's interest in golf and cigars preceded their popularity in the mainstream. Seinfeld Sr's impeachment episode would be played out in D.C. two years later. The Puerto Rican episode fiasco preceded the problems at the real PR parade two or three years later when mobs of men tried to forcibly disrobe women (the reality is worse than the fiction). I also liked the lack of politically correct themes that other sitcoms delve into such as aids and breast cancer. Sitcoms trivializes these issues (I wonder how they would have handled 9-11 though). I also liked the lack big guest stars like Bruce Willis or Brad Pitt or athletes (Keith Hernandez was the exception and it was a brilliant episode). The show was weak and inconsistent during the last season, but like sex even when it's bad it's good (speaking as a male).
Two words: David Putty. Man, was that an annoying character! This show's equivalent to Ted McGinley. Putty was ok when he made his first couple of appearances, as he was an incidental character in single-episode stories. But when he became a fixture, it was time to turn the lights OUT! And to think, the doofus actor who played Putty now moans about how he dislikes being so closely identified with him. WAKE UP, HACK! You wouldn't have a career if you hadn't been on Seinfeld.
Seinfeld clearly jumped around the time he dropped the stand up at the beginning of the show. Dropping the stand-up isn't what made it jump but around this time they were making major changes to the show. Characters on the show were no longer representing reality, instead they were stereotypes of themselves. Example, Elaine does it with 40 guys in one season, Jerry goes from doing average women to model guest stars, and even George's standards improved. Another change I absolutely hate was changing George into a lunatic, and turning Elaine into a whore. The major change that makes the last couple seasons suck was the sarcasm. I mean it was never funny, you know "yeah, this is good idea." or when they acted like they all had migranes at the same time, Jerry's remodeled kitchen is an example. And finally, they stopped doing episodes about nothing and added continuity along with stories, example of one these stories gone wrong is Jerry's agent, who seemed to come out of no where. This show started out somewhat smart, but they dumbed it down to the point where I can no longer watch it past Putty's introduction. Funny thing is, I never really noticed the dramatic decline until the start of the last season. But if you watch it in syndication, you can clearly see the decline at about the time Putty was introduced and the stand up was drop, I believe it was the same episode.
The first episode. I HATE Jerry, he's an ugly, annoying man! He wears sneakers with black jeans and has a boofy, mullet-ish, 80's hairdo, he tucks his shirts in, hangs around with losers, and there is NO way he'd get any chick to date him, let along good-looking ones. I am still celebrating the end of the show. What is the deal with giving Seinfeld his own show? Have you ever noticed that he's not funny, and people only watched it because it was trendy and set in New York, and (like Sex in the City etc), if a show is set in NY it's 'hip' and 'cool'? Jerry Seinfeld is as evil and annoying as Elmo, Barney, and Oprah. I hope there's an uncomfortable place in hell for him, and that he goes there soon.
No way did Seinfeld ever jump. You can make a case for the last episode, but when you look at the garbage on TV now, that last one doesn't seem too bad. Seinfeld broke down walls, and now every show follows them (Ray Romano is stealing Seinfeld's comedic style, Friends is a total spinoff). Seinfeld never jumped.
Seinfeld's quality began a slow downhill slide into garbage somewhat before, but definitely after the exit of Larry David. The first four seasons are magnificent, cerebral comedy. The fifth season was still working, but the routine was evidently tiring by season six. David left at the end of this season, and the last few seasons showed a marked decrease in actual humor and a reliance on the show's history. Instead of Jerry being intelligent, he was bizarre. Instead of Elaine being quirky, she was annoying. Instead of George being an oaf, he was a jerk. And instead of Kramer being unique, he was insane.
I would also have to say, that when Larry David departed, a certain portion of the humor went along with him. It still managed to(for the most part)be funny, up until the final episode(what the hell was that, anyway), but it just was never quite the same. I also agree with another poster, who claimed that the show was great until it got popular, which actually did seem to be the case, to an extent..The more popular it became, like with anything else, the things that we found amusing at first, were then shoved down our throats, (aka "The Fonz").
The 2nd episode of the final season. The first episode of that year was the one where Jerry tries to sabotage Banya with "bad material" plus Elaine, Puddy and "vegetable lasagna" on the plane together. All of the other episodes that year just seemed to be trying too hard and the show had clearly outstayed its welcome. The much hyped "finale" was such a sad flop. The show ended poorly, yet I'd love to see Jerry bring it back...similar to how Gleason would perennially bring back "The Honeymooners in the 60's and again in the late 70's. The show does have a lot of life left in it......as long as the writing is there...
Never jumped. I saw the show from the very first episode (summer 1990, kids) and was so bummed that it was merely a 4-episode summer run. When it re-emerged mid-season, I grinned ear-to-ear. Seinfeld never dumbed down as it became popular - the audience came to Seinfeld. THE QUESTION STILL STANDS - who says that every show jumps?! Calling JTS on everything is just hipper-than-thou prattle.
I agree that the best episodes were towards the middle of Seinfeld's run. But I think the show was excellent all the way through. I love when shows put you in a fantasy world. Too bad both Michael Richards and Jason Alexander had post-Seinfeld flops. Who knows what going to happen with Watching Ellie starring Julia Louis Dreyfus. It's timeslot is supposed to be on Tuesdays, hopefully they'll put it right behind Frasier...then it'll have a chance of surviving. But I don't understand why they couldn't give her a Thursday night slot. I think she deserves it, without Seinfeld, who knows if NBC Thursdays would still be Must-See TV. Because between the time Cosby Show and Cheers left the air NBC kind of struggled with Thursdays. Anyways, Seinfeld is still a classic show, and often times beats out Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond in syndication ratings.
When it stopped being funny is the simple answer, but basically true. I peg it at about them time of the Time Magazine article (the haircut episode), After that point the main characters became mean, bitter or obnoxious and were placed in situations that normal folk would not find themselves in. Well, maybe once time I spread butter all over myself, but my mailman didn't try to take a bite out of me. Come on
You could see the ramp on the horizon with the departure of Larry David. The last two seasons of Seinfeld were mediocre television at best; the shark had been cleared by this point. C'mon, Kramer using butter to shave or Jerry carrying a purse or George's wallet being filled to the point of bursting are better saved for shows like Home Improvement or Three's Company. Seinfeld lost it and quit a few seaons too late.
The last season was borderline unwatchable. You just knew that these characters had run their course - they had, you might say, no more Michigan bottle deposits scams left.
Aside from a couple of stinkers in the final season (the "backwards" episode, anyone?), Seinfeld consistently entertained me throughout its run. Certainly, the situations became more outlandish and the characters more blatantly misanthropic, but the surreal humor and cast chemistry that were the show's hallmarks never diminished.
Seinfeld didn't jump the shark at a specific event so much as it went up like a rocket..and then settled into a dead orbit in the television stratosphere where it no longer seemed to require anything to maintain its position. During it's mid-summer run, and the following first full season, Seinfeld rocketed upward to become the best show on television. After that it began a steady downward spiral in quality, while its viewership steadily increased. Every season it seemed more people were jumping on the bandwagon, quoting the show and talking about how great it was. And every season the show got worse and worse. The comedy bits between scenes were phased out because they couldn't come up with any more material. Annoying (yet 'zany') characters like Kramer, Kramer's friends and the Costanzas got more airtime. The main characters got more absurd and annoying. It was a painful and steady decline to watch in a show that had started out so well. As they slowly ran out of any real comedy, the show went the direction every sitcom goes (see Cheers for a perfect example): The writers turned characters into caricatures of what they originally were (see Sam, Cliff, Norm, Rebecca) Their off-the-wall antics no longer exaggerating the behavior of real people, but rather the behavior of their own characters in the first seasons. For the last few seasons this show flopped around rolling itself in as much absurdity as it could while people who lacked the wit or taste to notice parroted back what they had been told: "Seinfeld is a great show. Seinfeld is a great show. It's soo funny." No, Seinfeld WAS a great show, and then it was a mediocre show, and then it was a gratingly irritating show. And then, many seasons later, it finally went away, ending the way it had ran for so many years; self-consciously playing on its own reputation and forced to substitute absurdity for humour.
The show beleive its own press about being a show about nothing when in fact, that was a bunch of bullshit! It was never a show about nothing. They tried to say it was about everyday activities. Really? Since when is a masturbation contest an everyday activity?
In my opinion, Seinfeld never jumped. Although the best episodes (such as 'The Contest' and 'The Outing') were nearer the beginning of the shows run, it was entertaining to the end. Although they brushed with many of the JTS cliches (death, hair care, same character, different actor) they did stop short of Elaine sleeping with Ted McGinley!
They characters were more and more selfish. They had quirks in there personalites, but when they were that cold about her death, that was distasteful. But the viewers had to have seen the jump coming, like the applause for when Kramer busts into Jerry's apartment, you never see Jerry working anymore, laugh trak laughing, unbelievable dates for Jerry and Kramer, each episode's problems are solved and tied up in a nice bow. Don't necessarily blame Elaine's hair as when it JTS; it is NORMAL for women to change hair styles, and it was time for her to do that. The final episode occurred that same night as the RED WINGS WON THE STANLEY CUP, and I'm glad I watched the Wings.
The final two seasons of Seinfeld were NOT that funny....and it's a good thing that Jerry left. The show just got tiresome at times--the characters began to look old and couldn't really maintain the great comedy performances that they once had. Kramer's antics got old. Elaine was just stupid during her whole make up/break up thing with Putty. Jerry's anal nature became annoying and his bachelor days just weren't believable with his wrinkles. And George just didn't seem as neurotic--ever since Susan died he never seemed to recover.
The best sitcom ever made. Larry David was the show, things fell after his departure, but was still better than most things on tv. The finale was just sloppy and jumped hard, but maybe that was the whole point!
Seinfeld was a great show. What made it great was that there were often several plausable plots that in the end came to a very funny junction. It seems to me that the death of Susan changed that, not because Susan was a great character, but more, how it happened and the precedent it set. I understand why a married George would be bad for the show but the way Susan was killed was just stupid. It was an obvious "thoughtless out". She died from licking cheap envelopes?????? Come on. From then on the show followed the same formula it had previoulsy, but without what made that work so well, that whatever was happening on the show( however silly) was reasonable to belive. Later episodes took the irrational to another level. EX. Jerry howling at the Moon....Kramer and Georges' relationship ending w/ Kramer twirling through a Ball....Playing with sleeping womans toys/ TV show set in Kramers apartment....the list goes on and on.
Seinfeld was funny the whole way through. No jump. I don't see how it got "dumbed down". It always was a show about the things people do to appear normal to the rest of the world. ie... George replacing the marble rye, the chocolate bobka, Joe Mayo's chair, the near-tragedy that occured when George ate the pastry out of the trsh, the fiasco that occured with Klompus giving Jerry the NASA pen, George having himself air-brushed out of Kruger's photo and the "cancer screening" that resulted, to name just a few. And on the other side, it poked fun at how screwed up everyone actually is. ie... George trying to get strangers at a funeral to give him a copy of the death certificate for cheap airfare, George building a hiding place under his desk at work (I wish I could do this), any of the reasons Jerry gives for breaking up with a girl, Elaine obsessing about the open-mouth kiss, rubbing her butt on the germ-o-phobe's keyboard. I believe Kramer represents what someone who has no responsibilities would be like. How many people have wished they had an intern, never had to go to work, could actually try to implement every crazy scheme you've ever imagined? Over-reactions populate the world of Seinfeld like a plague. That's what makes us laugh... George's parents freaking out, a girl dumping Jerry because of a character he made out of her bellybutton, Kramer refusing to speak in order to keep from offending everyone, Elaine making men practically interview for a job in order to be "sponge-worthy". I love Seinfeld, it was an incredible show and hilarious down to the very end. Larry David's show doesn't even compare.
Never jumped. The last episode, essentially ending on the same lines (the second button on the shirt) that the first show began on is an absolute classic.
No way is this boring lame show a real version of New York life. Let's see you got Jerry always leaving his door unlocked. You got them walking like 5 abreast down the street. You never see them in Time Square, Central Park, walking in anything in New York. This show is for idiots who couldn't handle New York. The cast members included!
Seinfeld got more "out there" as the series got into the later seasons, but it was still funny and fresh. For me it lost it when two one-joke characters, Puddy and Peterman. Puddy was funny for one show maybe, but he was so one-dimensional he got boring fast. Peterman could be a riot doing cat-fight noises and his sudden whims, but he grew tiresome quickly too.
This show absolutely never jumped, it's one of the best sitcoms in the history of television, and certainly the best sitcom of the 90s. The posts on here that boggle my mind are the ones that say they didnt like it because it wasnt an accurate representation of New York, WTF is that about, of course its not, its a sitcom not a documentary, the characters and situations are larger than life, parodies of everyday situations. I bet that most of the people that didnt like this show were big Full House fans, more power to em I say, but I'll stick with Jerry and the gang, I like my humor with a little more bite to it. Thank God for syndication.
FINALLY! A sitcom that has been done right! Seinfeld had the perfect cast of colorful characters ranging from the insensitive Jerry Seinfeld to the dim-witted David Puddy to the grouchy Frank Costanza. The plots always sucked me to the show the moment I tune into to through the final sketch. Sure, the plots didn't go anywhere, but I'm usually laughing anyway. Finally, the producers made a smart decision to end the show on a high note. I wish more sitcoms would do that...
I agree with the above comment that Seinfeld was one of the best sit-com's of all time. I'm sick of reading all the negative comments. LIGHTEN UP PEOPLE! It's just television! Not representative of "real" New York City??!! Who the hell wants to see that?! Watch NYPD Blue for "real" NY. Just to spite all the uptight whiners, I hope they continue to show Seinfeld in syndication for another 15 years, like they do with M.A.S.H. Seinfeld is and was better than 97% of the shows on TV. I'd rather watch the worst episodes of Seinfeld than the best episodes of most of the crap that is polluting our airwaves now. Hopefully, when I finally cross-over into "Bizarro World", people will appreciate ground-breaking comedy.
The show jumped right after Susan died. To some of the previous posters who say the show worked because the characters were ridiculously self-absorbed, and that the audience watched because they got some kind of voyeuristic kick out of these excessively selfish people (I'm paraphrasing several posts here): the characters, at the onset, were self-absorbed, but it was in a way that we all could relate to. We all have our moments where we behave in a self-absorbed manner (like they do in the earlier episodes). It was only in the last few seasons that the characters became self-absorbed to such a point that the average viewer could no longer relate to the behavior/experiences of the characters. The show worked initially not because the audience was sort of wowed by how unfeeling these people could be, but because they could relate to them (again, the early days, not the late ones). What ruined the show was when the audience could no longer relate to the thoughts/actions/reactions of the characters. To the poster who said the point was that all the characters were assholes: that was not the original point. The characters became assholes, and then the show sucked.
I have to say that seinfeld is one of the few shows that never jumped. The show hardly ever had a plot but yet the it remained to be funny. There were a couple of bad shows, but that's the same with every show. The writing never seemed to slow down, even up to the last season. But the show did contradict itself a couple of times. For example when jerry claimed he hadn't thrown up for something like 12 years, then how come in an earlier show Elaine and George made of how Jerry puked, how can they make fun of what they haven't seen?
You people are all tremendous geeks with no sense of humour what so ever. So for all of you "worst episode ever" shut-ins, I'll lay down the logic. Absurdity is hilarious. Seinfeld was absurd. Therefore, Seinfeld was hilarious. Always. I was happy that Susan died and George was full of "bridled glee", because it proved that the writers were still willing to push Prime-Time American Network Television to new heights of absurdity. Because all the rest, before Seinfeld and since is crap. (except the Simpsons of course)
I really care what some little polish weenie has to say about relationships. Or his dumb boring mediocre friends. I can see why he picked them to make a show about nothing, they are so average and stupid. This show sucked the first episode when he is talking about relationships and women. I dont understand women either, but I got more than this stupid nerd before he got famous, that I can bet. And this lamo show is filmed in LA, along with NYPD Blue. And so stop calling these New York people. It is just some LA lame brains trying to spread there stupidity to New York. Seinfeld hasnt said anything that some other lame *** stand up hack hasnt.
IT'S PART OF THE TASTELESSNESS OF THIS SOCIETY THAT THIS SHOW IS POPULAR. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LA AND NEW YORK IS ONE HAS CULTURE. THE OTHER IS LOST ANGELS WITH 72 SUBURBS LOOKS FOR A CITY. NYPD BLUE IS ALSO FILMED IN LA. THE PEOPLE ON SEINFELD ARE SO 1 DIMENSIONAL AND LAME THAT IT'S NO WONDER ALL OF THERE SOLO SHOWS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED. MORE TALENTESS MEDIOCRITIES, NO WONDER THEY WERE PICKED TO MAKE A SHOW ABOUT NOTHING.
There seems to have been a redefinition of "jumping the shark". As I see it, it's not when the first really bad thing happens, it's when the last really good thing happens, and you know (perhaps in retrospect) that it will never be the same again. For me, with the late, great, Seinfeld, it was "shrinkage". That was the zenith which they never again attained. There are many who disliked the final episode. I agree by itself it was pretty bad, but I think its true function was to reprise all the great moments and characters. Wasn't it great to see the Library Detective and the Soup Nazi one last time?
I think Jerry jumped when they started the idea of the TV show after that everything shot crap. The episode where George's fiancé died did not help either.
Sure not every episode was perfect, but as close to perfect as any show I have eve watched. I still watch it in syndication at least twice a week and this is the only show that really makes me laugh. My one disappointment was the ending, it felt forced to me and I didn't like that they ended up in jail. But I guess they felt this was a good way to bring back all the old characters, and the show was never about being warm & fuzzy. I saw Jerry in concert a few months ago and was disappointed, I guess I expected him to be as funny as the show. I don't think any of the actors will have this level of success again. It was an end of an era for me when this show ended. I will miss all the "catch phrases" and the kooky cast of characters. Thanks Seinfeld for all the laughs.
The spectacularly unfunny last episode. I didn't think it was possible for a show to jts on its finale, I always looked at jumping the shark as something a program would have to do with several episodes left so viewers could tell it was on the decline. But the god awful finale of Seinfeld changed my mind. How can ANYONE think ANYTHING about that was funny? It was lame, boring, and contrived, and it completely exploited everything regular viewers already knew about Seinfeld, as if they felt they had to drill it into us. Jackie Childs almost saved the day, but even he couldn't pull this one out. Lame, lame, lame!! For a REAL example of a final episode the way it should be done, check out Newhart! (On a side note, apparently I was one of few who actually saw the Puerto Rican parade episode, and it was hilarious. It's too bad NBC refused to rerun it.)
NEVER. This show NEVER EVER jumped the shark. That's why it was so brilliant; and the last episode did NOT suck! If you knew anything about Seinfeld, you'd know that the last episode tied the whole sitcom's run together from start to finish, much like every individual episode did. Their final conversation about the misplacement of the button on George's shirt while they were sitting in the jail cell was the same topic they discussed when the whole Seinfeld show began. You have to have a true love and understanding for this show to realize its complexity and its brilliance. There was NEVER a shark jumping moment! And to say that it happened with Elaine's hair change?!? Come on! Just because she changed her hair-do doesn't signify that a show has lost its touch. Instead, it meant that her character had developed, along with the other characters. DUH!
When they killed George's fiancee Susan and they all acted like they could have cared less- except George who was thrilled to death (no pun intended) that he wasn't going to get married anymore. The foursome usually acted selfish and immature but this hit a new low. Sure Susan wasn't the most popular character, but to them it was like, "Oh, well... so what's for lunch?" Second Jump the Shark moment: The Final Episode. The apathetic foursome goes on trial for witnessing but not intervening in a crime. Then, they are sentenced to prison- in the same cell! Give me a F**ing break!!
It's true, the earlier episodes are better than the ones after Larry David left. But the show never did jump. It's just a shame that they abandoned the whole show about nothing idea. When the show stopped being about nothing it lost its edge. However it managed to stay good.
This show never jumped. For those of you who think it jumped in the backwards episode, you are far from correct. The backwards episode was based on a famous play titled "Betrayal" written by Harold Pinter. Hence the name "Pinter" as the groom's name in the Seinfeld episode. The play is written in a backwards fashion, and the Seinfeld episode does the play a great service by mimicking its greatness. It's even been studied in literature classrooms. This show was much too brilliant to ever jump the shark. That's why they ended on a high note, much like George's own philosophy of leaving the room while the crowd is still laughing at his jokes. Seinfeld will never be topped.
This show jumped when I realized that Jerry, George, and Kramer's girlfriends were about 10 times better-looking than anyone they'd actually be able to date in real life. Maybe it's that whole "suspension of disbelief" theory again...
When they decide to throw every single minor character from the last eight years into a one hour finale.
Seinfeld? Possibly the funniest TV show ever, couldn't jump if it was standing at the edge of a diving board with a spear shoved up it's ****. We don't make comedies like this in the UK, you Yanks should be proud of a truly innovative piece of television. Which brings me onto a different topic: why is it that you guys think that 'britcoms' are so much better than your own? You obviously only get the good stuff, the rubbish that passes for comedy over here barely raises a smile, but then I get to watch repeats of Seinfeld and Cheers with new series of Fraiser and The Simpsons, not to mention South Park (which no UK TV executive would EVER have the balls to commission) etc, etc and it's laugh-a-minute. OK we've done Blackadder, Fawlty Towers and Only Fools And Horses to name a few, but please put this myth to bed that we're better comedy writers than you. I'll take Jerry, Goerge, Elaine & Kramer over ANYTHING British currently masquerading as comedy on my TV. Incidentally, if you think I know nothing about funny programmes, I've always hated Friends!!!
Seinfeld got really annoying when I noticed that everyone, all the time, had MONEY. People are always dropping $200 for this, $400 for that, like money falls out of the sky. George is cheap, but he STILL always has money in his wallet. Plus, the gang always have MONEY to go to the Hamptons, MONEY to go to Paris; and, in an episode in which Elaine buys George, whom she doesn't like that much, a shirt, she pays hundreds of dollars...
This show jumped the shark when George became the most pathetic loser ever. I have seen some old reruns in which George interacts with Jerry, gives him advise on what to do about this or that girl, and Jerry would take him seriously in this and other matters. After a while George became embroiled in the most pathetic and bizarre stuff, the worst of which was susan's death by licking envelopes and the ensuing shows with susan's parents. Those shows were outright cruel to those who have lost loved lost ones, just disgusting sense of humor. Other shows in which George did some embarrassing stuff: the one in which he simulates being an invalid, the one in which he atrophies himself while collecting unemployment, the one in which he comes running out of the bathroom with his pants down, the one in which he tries to cheat on Susan(who was obviously way too good for him) with Marisa Tomei, and even in the final show, when he starts complaining over and over about the plane being shabby and elaine finally, says, 'shut up, u r ruining it for everyone'. i'll say, specially us the viewers. o, and i forgot to mention all those shows with his parents, probably the most irritating people in the whole show.
The Final show of Seinfeld SUCKED! The entire plot was neither funny nor relatable. It was a big stttrrreeetttccchh!!!!!
NEVER!!!!!! Those who have negative comments about that show, simply just "didn't get it". It required a sharp, certain sense of humor to appreciate Seinfeld. I cannot BELIEVE there are comments saying it jumped when Elaine changed her hair!!!! What a joke! Do you even get the concept of this forum? It isn't about fashion...it is about content. Seinfeld is a classic. Case closed. (Oh, one more thing. Those that say other wise, are simply: WRONG> Ha ha!) TT!
Although I was never a big fan of the "backwards episode", every other episode has my vote as being the greatest! Like "Curb your Enthusiasm" now, each "Seinfeld" episode contained so many different elements, angles, memorable lines, et al. Even watching the episodes over and over - I still laugh as much if not more than the first several times I saw them! When I go to the Museum of TV and Radio, I never fail to watch the final episode - (ps-does anyone know where I may be able to get a copy - I think I have every other episode on tape!) Last night's episode with Nana leaving for the bank at 5:30AM dressed to the nines w/ pocketbook in hand is hysterical - we know people like that - don't you?, et al - hysterical!! Poor Nana! The Pick, The Pez Dispenser, The Whale Episode, EVERY EPISODE - great, funny and viewable over and over - Thanks for the memories, for the great lines and for Larry David who now brings us "Curb..." Life will be okay as long as "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" reruns continue - and as long as my cocker spaniel, Orbity is okay!!!
Every sitcom reaches a point where the original writers move on and new writers take the reins. The new writers pick up on only the superficial elements of the show and never understand the heart. Rookie writers view old shows and will write entire episodes based on a single joke or comment from a past performance. The Yankees arc represents this turning point. After George joined the Yankees, the scripts became convoluted, silly, and the line "That's a shame" set the jaded tone for the remaining years that was not present in early shows. The show bottomed, though, with the introduction of the Merv Griffin set. It was at this point, that Jerry decided to end the show.
"wait a minute, you don't use yadda, yadda, yadda for that" Elaine, "I use yadda, yadda, yadda for that!" George and Jerry, "no you aren't supposed ot use yadda, yadda, yadda for that!!" Elaine, "well I do all the time"
Seinfeld is like gossamer, and one does not disect gossamer.
Overlong, smug, contrived and tedious. That isn't the way you want to remember this show. They tried to throw in as many of the past characters as they could. It's pretty sad when you're sitting on the couch thinking of ways they could have made the last episode funny. Like granting the assailants immunity so they could testify against Jerry, Elaine, Cosmo and George. Or having Newman on the way out of town encounter the same man whose plight caused Seinfeld et al to be arrested getting stuck in a doorway, he breaks out in laughter and the next scene he's in jail with Jerry in the next cell sneering "Newwwwman". Or -- well, anything but the mess they served as a final course.
Never jumped. OK not all episodes are 10's but on average, this show consistently delivered laughs. The last episode: I think actually having Kramer jump a shark tank on a motorcycle would have been an awesome ending... think about it THE BEST INSIDE JOKE of all time. "this show isn't like NY life" <-- c'mon we are talking about a TV comedy here. NY is more interesting than, say, Bumfuck, Alabama. The show is taped in a studio, get it?
"Seinfeld" was never the same after the two-part pilot episode for "Jerry." Still, the show managed to stagnate for a few years, but the last three seasons were downright awful.
Seinfeld never truly jumped the shark, but after the writers killed off Susan, the show just wasn't as much fun or as funny. Yes, it's television, and, yes, it's a comedy, but killing off a major character who was adding laughs and good complications to the story lines didn't make sense. It took away some of the fantasy of the Seinfeld world and imbued it with a mean spiritedness from which it never recovered.
I guess it's just me... I've caught this show in reruns several times, and the only thing that stands out is its complete inability to even make me smile. What's THAT about? I don't have a dampened sense of humor, and I love comedies, but this show is so completely unfunny it ranks somewhere below Everybody Loves Raymond. And judging from some of these comments, I'm not the only one who thinks so.
Seinfeld was close to becoming a caricature of itself when it ended. It was still the best show on t.v. but not up to the high standards set by LD. Ironically the worst episode was the finale - written by Larry David. Watch David's new show "Curb Your Enthusiasm" on HBO. I'd be hard-pressed to say which I prefer, it or the original Seinfelds he penned.
Larry David. I don’t know if I would go as far as TV guide has in calling “Seinfeld” the #1 television show of all time. But even the most hardened “Seinfeld” hater would have to admit the show was one of the most popular water-cooler shows of all time. For those not familiar with the term: a “water-cooler show” is one that is consistently discussed around water coolers at places of employment everywhere the day after a new episode airs. “Seinfeld” happens to be one of the few television comedies I actually got into first-run. For some reason, I find myself catching up with most shows in syndication. But I was familiar with Jerry Seinfeld, mostly from the David Letterman show(another classic-mainly the early NBC years) and other improv shows and found his personality and comedic take on the minutiae of everyday life hysterical. So it was a no-brainer when a show starring Jerry was promoted by NBC and given, from what I remember, promising reviews. It’s amazing the show “Seinfeld” ever survived when you consider its evolution and broadcast history. I mean the first season consists of 5 episodes. 5 episodes people!!! What was that all about?! And then comes the overly generous second season of 12 episodes. During all this time, NBC constantly moved the show around. If you really liked the show you really liked it because you needed to constantly stay on top of the scheduling brass at the network. After the initial season of “The Seinfeld Chronicles”, as the show was called in its infancy, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. But I liked Jerry enough and felt the show different enough and better than most of the crap that passed for sitcoms on television at the time. So when the show came back as “Seinfeld” for its second season in early 91, the anticipation was palpable. After all, the press was touting the new episodes again and NBC wouldn’t take a second chance on a loser, would they? Well there was no need to fear. I remember the first episode of “Seinfeld” where I thought they were really onto something was the Pony Remark episode. But “The Deal”, the episode where Jerry and Elaine, horny from watching “the naked channel” and both going through dry spells, try to negotiate keeping their friendship while maintaining a sexual relationship. This is one of Larry David’s masterpieces from the early years and a key episode in “The Seinfeld” mythology, so to speak. This was the episode that made the famous “The Contest” episode from season 4 possible. And season 4 was the pinnacle. Although I have to say some of my favorite episodes are in the shorter 3rd season; episodes such as “The Library”(Philip Baker Hall, as the detective Bookman has to give what is arguable the best guest appearance ever on the show), “The Pen”, “The Boyfriend”, “The Pez Dispenser”, and “The Red Dot”(one of Jason Alexanders best early episodes). As with just about any show that reaches such a high position of popularity there was only one place to go: and that was down. I believe Larry David got bored so by the end of the sixth season he was ready to try other things. After the seventh season, David’s departure and the whole “death of Susan” controversy, “Seinfeld” pretty much “jumped the shark”. I know that by saying that I probably sealed my fate with many “Seinfeld” lovers but I just can’t buy that the last two seasons without David were very good. Based on repeated viewings, these two seasons had their moments. But not nearly enough. The show became increasingly bizarre and the strain of maintaining such high standards was palpable. Truthfully, if you watch the seventh season episodes you can see the cracks all too clearly. David was bored and the show probably should have ended after season seven. Jerry and NBC, for that matter, just weren’t ready to let go. Be that as it may, “Seinfeld” would still probably rate in my top 5 of all time if not definitely in the top 10. I loved how I slowly grew to love Julia Louis Dreyfus as Elaine when I initially hated her and wanted her gone. I loved how, much as I loved Jerry and George’s parents, Seinfeld and David refused to let them be over played and kept them relegated to the sidelines most of the time. Wise decision. They did the same thing, for the most part, with Newman. Another wise decision. I loved that when things started to get kind of “Happy Days” like in the fourth season, so much so that whenever Michael Richards as Kramer made his entrance the audience burst out into applause, it was shortly thereafter stopped. Very good idea. I loved the strange but loving relationship between Mr. Pitt and Elaine that made much of the fairly average sixth season bearable. Louis Dreyfus was coming into her own this season. Personal favorite episodes: “The Pen”, “The Library”, “The Airport”, “The Contest”(of course), “The Red Dot”, “The Chinese Restaurant”, “The Pony Remark”, “The Pez Dispenser”, “The Limo”, “The Boyfriend”, “The Opposite”, “The Bubble Boy”(another no-brainer), “The Virgin”, “The Pick”, “The Opera”, “The Outing”, “The Implant”, “The Junior Mint”, “The Mango”, “The Puffy Shirt”, “The Marine Biologist”, “The Pie”, “The Big Salad”, “The Face Painter”, “The Fusili Jerry”, “The Chinese Woman”, “The Kiss Hello”, “The Doorman”, “The Soup Nazi”, “The Sponge”, “The Rye”, “The Caddy”, “The Invitations”, “The Little Kicks”, “The Bizarro Jerry”, “The Little Jerry”, “The Yada Yada”, and “The Merv Griffin Show”. And these were just episodes that were, for the most part, good all the way through. There were plenty of Seinfeld episodes that I will watch just to catch one characters story line. That was the beauty of the way the show was written. If there were 3 dud story lines, you could almost always count on 1 characters story saving the day. And sometimes, as in many of the early episodes, all 4 characters stories coincided all the way through. Okay, so maybe “Seinfeld” is the greatest television show of all time. After all, who am I to argue with TV Guide.
I still watch the reruns in syndication every night.There are still things I`ve seen so many times that I still laugh my *** off at.Favorite episode :the Soup Nazi which is just brilliant.I agree with most that the final show wasn`t great.I still think that the four will get back together again and do another run.
one thing people don't seem to appreciate about seinfeld is that it is maybe the only sitcom in tv history that has been funny without lapsing into cheesy special moment seriousness. even funny shows like i love lucy, friends, sex and the city, whatever...all have those serious moments that you can't get into unless you're a hardcore fan of the show. for pure laughs in sitcom form, you can't beat seinfeld. even in the last episode they didnt resort to cheesiness...pure humor all the way.
Last Episode, a little contrived, but pretty tough to wrap up a classic. The fact is the show could have continued. You can't consider the last episode as the jump episode, because the show is already concluded.
The very last episode totally crapped on every episode before it. It made almost no sense and left us in a situation that wasn't funny and left most viewers confused. Bad choice by the entire team at NBC.
I think it was the second last episode - the one where Jerry et al get stuck in the middle of the Puerto Rico Day parade. Totally lame, no laughs whatsoever. Liked the finale though. With the exception of the above ep, Seinfeld is one of the few shows you can watch the reruns of and still get a laugh. It had some brilliant recurring support characters - e.g Jackie Chiles, Frank & Estelle Costanza, Newman, Steinbrenner, Puddy, Mr Pitt, Peterman etc. One of the funniest parodies I ever saw was Jim Carrey's interpretation of Jerry on In Living Color: "What is the deal?" - classic.
I would say that if the show did jump the shark it was when the characters lost their do not care attitude. Otherwise I do not think it ever did, and it still is the best show to watch, even in reruns.
For a show with close to 200 episodes, Seinfeld avoided the shark for all but just a few shows. When Joe Devolo was stalking Jerry et al, those shows were flat. Jerry had the remarkable ability to pull it out with episodes like "changing barbers-Edwarda Scissorahand", "puffy shirt", "Kenny Rogers Roaster Chicken", and the wedding in India--Goodnight Jagdish, indeed.
Seinfeld is my all time favorite sitcom. However, it started sucking the epioside where George takes that job and rides that stupid f***ing handicapped seat up the stairs!!! Then he got one of those handicapped carts and rode it down the street with some old people chasing him or some **** like that. RETARDED! Also, when Elaine's hair is shinier, shorter and darker is a sign that the current episode may suck.
TV Guide choosing "Seinfeld" as the #1 best television show of all time is wrong, superficial, and disingenuine. Why? In the Spring 1998 Special Edition of TV Guide, there are star ratings (on a 4 star scale) for 164 episodes out of the 168 episodes listed there. Figuring the average star rating for those 164 episodes comes out to about 2.582, this where a B minus would be a 2.7 to a 2.75. This means that "Seinfeld" (overall for its run), has LESS than a B minus for an average episode! Remember, this is according to TV Guide's OWN star ratings. The last couple of weak seasons, especially combined with an AWFUL series finale, help to partially explain how overrated "Seinfeld" was/is. However, Seinfeld was great most of the time "must-see" television for me, and I miss the funny intelligent episodes that were loyal to the main characters' personalities AND that gave no hint of contrivances. I have watched it since it was "The Seinfeld Chronicles".
The show was about typical New Yorkers. Yet Elaine decides to go Hollywood...her teeth are so white you need sunglasses to look at them. Then her hair is perfectly done and so is her makeup. She no longer looked down to earth. Once the people go from looking like normal everyday people to Cher....the show's jumped the shark.
Seinfeld jumped during the "Marble Rye" episode. We're suppose to believe anyone, even George, would go to such ridiculous lengths for a friggin' loaf of bread? I mean, how far could it be to the next bakery in NYC? Totally preposterous, far beyond the pale. I could never see the show as anything but WAY over the top after that.
Seinfeld never jumped. Go back and watch the last show. It's not as bad as everyone claims. Sure it seems forced and all, but a finale usually is. The best part of the last episode is when they think the plane is crashing and everyone's true character is revealed. Priceless. As for the plot lines being far fetched, wasn't that kind of the point? And if the characters become more and more stereotypical and less normal, maybe it helps that they are in a fantasy world. It reassures everyone that these exaggerated people couldn't really live in the real world. And who couldn't see themselves in a part of each character? No one is as exaggerated as them, but we all have our Jerry, Kramer, Elaine, and especially George moments. Yes, the show changed, but it never jumped the shark.
Seinfeld always jumped the shark! Seinfeld changed a lot during its 9 year run. The "Jerry" show-within-show gimmick was an early example of JTS. Seinfeld was often funny because it pushed the envelope of sitcom conventions. On the other hand, there was never a classic JTS gimmick. The finale had all the horrible build-up associated with JTS, but I agree that you can't jump the shark in the last episode. That said, there were many ominous signs of decline: * The "Jerry" pilot. Self-consciousness is always a sign of decline in entertainment. * Susan's death was a low point. It was not a JTS. Rather, the writers had painted themselves into a corner with George's engagement, and killing off Susan was a way out. * The Finale was not funny, and felt eerily UNLIKE a Seinfeld show.
It never jumped! The same chemistry and humor and bizarre freshness stayed with the show throughout its run. And it hasn't even jumped in reruns... no matter how many times you hear "master of my domain," it never gets old.
I honestly cant say the show ever jumped the shark...Ever... The Show was really that good. If you liked it in the first place, then it never jumped for you. If a person kinda-sorta liked it, or genuinely disliked one of the main characters, then piss away till sunup. While folks seem to want to disect that when Susan licked the envelopes-and died the show went down hill...(if you want to be highly technical-about it - that could be technically considered a shark-jumping moment), BUT for me the show just got better and better...and better. I agree-the pilot and first episodes are sometimes painful to watch...And Jerry seems to be inable to keep a straight face - but I would too if My biggest concern was what $150,000 Super Car would I drive to work each day...mmmm "the ferrari or the Porsche?... Few Shows Offer such great writing-storylines-intentionally dislikable people.Great Characters, and support cast and acting and midgets and everything! Puddy-That's Buzz lightyear. "Hello Newman..." and He is evil emperor Zurg...too funny. Later Episodes were so visually striking also-Deep rich tones and great costuming and set decoration. Thumbs up. But Episodes like The Car with B.O.-(Hilarious B.O. dialogue)...Poppy and the Couch-Lloyd Braun(whos not crazy) &Jerry and the Coke Bottle Glasses&Kramer eats that ancient hotdog in the movie theater lobby& george wears that King Edward costume-the puffy shirt incident.Mr. Seinfeld @ the Doctors office.."My wallets missing!! My Wallet's Gone!!!! " Soup Nazi! "No Soup for You!" The Race -Jerry is challenged to a rematch of a grade-chool footrace he "won"but shouldnt have...Mr. Pitt- But My Absolute Favorite Episode Is the Second to last Episode Ever- The Puerto Rican Pride Day Episode traffic jam-"May I use your Bathroom?"-and the best is George...Laser Guy steals George's punchline-Embarrases him and torments him... George, you dont want the laser bouncing back and forth from your cornea to the sunglasses your wearing...too funny..."Damn you Laser Guy!!" Bubble Boy - "No, its the MooPs..."
Seinfeld never jumped, though the first few episdoes were pretty deadly. Thank God it survived them. I intially found the final episode disappointing, but on second viewing thought it was cute (if not all that funny) the way they paraded all the old characters out. Kind of like one of those crowded old Jimmy Hatlo cartoons. What bothered me about it was the idea that Jerry & Company were supposed to be these hateful jerks, fully deserving of their punishment, when it was precisely their likeability that got me hooked on the show in the first place. I saw them as loveable losers. I guess it's part of the Yuppy philosophy that only perfection is likeable. If that is true, then the entire human race should be sent at once to prison (or hell, if you like). I personally love flawed people, and not in spite of, but BECAUSE of, their flaws. In fact, human foibles are the very stuff of comedy. But, seeing as how even the four main actors thought of their characters as jerks, I guess I must be dead-wrong. Unless it's a case of actors growing to hate their characters (perhaps based on hidden hatred of themselves.) Sort of like "You actually LIKE me? You FOOL!"
Actually both events occurred at the same time. Susan's death and Larry David's exit. It was a funny way to go, but they were left with characters who had no growth and could only become parodies of themselves. Larry David also left after that episode and the writing became uneven. The show was really about him. If you ever see, "Curb Your Enthusiasm", you can see that George and Jerry are really extensions of him. I get mad when people say there is no successor to Seinfeld. Watch "Curb Your Enthusiasm", it's like Seinfeld never left.
The finale is when Seinfeld jumped the shark. One of the best things about the show was that these characters acted like a lot of people act and made rationalizations that a lot of people make. It was almost like the show made it O.K. to be a shallow, self-important bastard. And then, in the finale, they all go to jail for just being themselves. It would have been better if the plane just crashed.
When Larry David left. It's hard to peg down, because it was decent until the end. But you have to admit the last season was not good. And the finale episode was downright bad.
I think Seinfeld jumped when they did the 'backwards' episode. You could tell they were running out of creative ideas, & starting to reach. The final episode had a few moments, but was for the most part a let down.
The crazy episode with JFK's golf clubs became too much for me. I remember right around that time (and I apologize for not connecting this era to any of the other obvious indicators previously mentioned) that they stopped filming in front of a live audience. I'm really sensitive to that stuff. Canned laughter sometimes isn't that offensive, but this was inexcusable. Their rote, formulaic writing only needed to resemble past successes for them to know how and when to insert fake laughs. I guess when they started making the Big Bucks they couldn't be bothered with the grueling, all-day live shoots. The material no longer needed to be funny to real people. Big BIG mistake for a show that consistently fed on a manic spontaneity that was often impossible to describe or prescribe to the uninitiated. Anyone else notice the start of the "canned" era? It can't just be me!
Well, a few pointers from Larry David. He said that the show was based on 3 maxims: "No tears. No hugs. No learning." Based on that, I can't say that the "Seinfeld" show ever jumped the shark.
George gets a job by faking a physical handicap. At the end of the show, his new boss catches him lifting his motorized wheelchair over his head while threatening a group of senior citizens.
Let me try an understand this yuppie "logic." It's a show about a guy in New York and apartment life and new yorkers, but it doesnt matter if it's not filmed in New York, or THAT OVER HALF OF THE WRITERS HAVE NEVER BEEN TO NEW YORK. Because as long as we get to hear this idiot talk about airplane peanuts and why there is no ham in hamburgers it's cool. Why not do a show in Rome that's filmed in Phoenix, or a show about Paris made in Denver. But it doesnt matter a lot where it's filmed this show is ******* real lame with no humor. I can see why he's the yuppie hero. Could you do a show about The Bronx from Kansas? But this show is not about New York it's about how yuppies have no sense of humor or meaning to there life. And that's why he's the hero.
This show did a reverse jump. When the laugh track was canned, I stopped focusing on the low-budget laugh track and began paying attention to the jokes, the plot, etc.
This show jumped from the moment they cast Jerry Seinfeld in the title role. I could't stand watching this smarmy, smirking, annoyingly nasal voiced yenta. And what gets to me is how he reinvented himself on the show as a model-dating ladies man who kept strutting around in unfashionably skin-tight black jeans and those god awful white sneakers(very uncool, Jerry). When the reality was that pre-"Seinfeld",he was a geeky two-bit, stand-up comic from Long Island; a poor man's David Brenner(if there can even be something so pathetic!)who only attracted women of an age that to date,would constitute a felony in most states("Hi Shoshana, my name is Jerry and I've got some tasty candy in my pocket.")But hey, this is America, a land where even murderers can reinvent themselves(Hello Don King),so why can't a pedophile loser like Jerry also? I know some might think I'm being alittle harsh,but you either have integrity or you don't-100 million dollar contracts be damned. And, I'm sorry, but men in their mid-thirties who prey on sixteen year olds, well...And the other thing that really bothers me is the man's total lack of talent(not that having talent would excuse his predilections) But really, where would that show have been without Larry David? Or Without Kramer and George?(Both of whom I loved) Something tells me Jerry would still be performing at Grossinger's in the Catskills or, even more likely, Mr.Ha Ha's Laugh Hut in Masapequa. And he most certainly would not be dating models-not unless they were fifteen.
never. the last episode was unlike any other episode but it was still like seinfeld because of jackie the lawyer, etc
When Larry David left and Jerry Seinfeld became executive producer. I love Seinfeld, but the early and middle episodes are levels above the later episodes. The later episodes are too "jokey" and the all revolve around really stupid premises. Examples: a whole show about George running over some pigeons, Elaine loses her phone number and takes over a dead woman's number just for the area code, the Frogger episode. These are retarded plots. In the later years, the only thing saving the show was Kramer. I don't think he ever jumped but the rest of the cast did. George goes from a weak and feable idiot that you love to a suddenly smart guy who screams all the time. Elaine goes from a sweet and naive woman into a completely jaded nasty *****. Jerry just becomes more like a talk show host. But Kramer pretty much stays the same, which is good.
George can't get candy bar out of machine-This is an every day life circumstance that's too easy to come up with
Never! What I find most telling from the people who either feel the show JTS at some exact "moment" or the downright hateful, spiteful people that begrudge somebody making a success of themselves just for shits and giggles, is the lack of literacy for the most part of said individuals. To me, this speaks volumes about Seinfeld's target audience, and those left "out of the loop." Seriously, read through all of the comments, and with few exceptions, the "haters" are either SCREAMERS, or just plain illiterate. It makes me proud to have been able to "get" the apparently wildly intelligent banter and the complex plot twists that seemed to baffle a good portion of the respondents. No show ever (including I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, Dick Van Dyke, the original Bob Newhart show, All in the Family et. al.) has maintained the high level and consistency of Seinfeld. A hair-do, a sub-par episode, any such minutiae signaling the decline of a high quality piece of television? You people need your head examined. I for one give the whole series a nine out of ten rating, and only because it is impossible to create the perfect series.
This show isnt for people he read books. It's for people who sit around in coffee shops, and tell each other how neat they are. Like the above poster. If they had intellect this stupid show would BORE them.
Never jumped. Even at its worst, it was still the funniest and most innovative sitcom on television. And after reading the other comments above, I have just one question: did someone actually add up all of the "stars" that TV Guide gave to each of the 160+ episodes and calculate an average? And has that person since resumed taking his/her medication?
Sure, there were weak episodes and unfunny moments over a nine-year run, but the amazing thing about Seinfeld is just how many laugh-out-loud ones there were. I never fail to enjoy a rerun I've seen many times before. The Soup Nazi, the Junior Mints, Jon Voight's car, shrinkage, the ugly baby, the marble rye, Mulva ("And I like you too... Joseph Puglia!"), Kramer pretends to Elaine's "Svenjali" shrink boyfriend that he's her new love and demands a decaf capuccino, Crazy Joe Divola stalks Jerry dressed as Pagliacci, George pretends to be a marine biologist, the Puffy Shirt, the "JFK" parody, Elaine slips George's boss the "mickey," Newman plays Cyrano as Kramer woos Jerry's girlfriend, the "cookie of racial harmony," ALL the show within a show episodes, Peterman believes Elaine is an opium addict, Mr. Pitt believes Elaine is trying to kill him, the Tonya Harding parody, Marisa Tomei, Jerry's pocketbook ("it's not a purse, it's European!"), Putty gives up face-painting and paints his entire body, Kramer goes to Hollywood and becomes Murphy Brown's secretary... if there's another TV comedy out there that has been so consistently funny for so long, I've never seen it. BTW, it's NOT about nothing! It's about what happens when people opt out of life's major events (falling in love, marriage, children -- wait a second, those are JTS events too) and as a result, the minutiae take over and assume an exaggerated importance. Yes, when Larry David left the show faltered, but soon hit a whole new level of wild, proudly unrealistic brilliance. The Merv Griffin show comes to mind. All in all, never jumped, and just compare it to Friends (its most obvious and slickest imitator) to see how much better it is than the competition.
Never jumped, HOWEVER...The final episode had me groaning. Right before the final episode, when they played "The Time of Our Lives", I was crying and thinking about how much I'm gonna miss those guys, then that finale...what was that? The only part that was OK, was having some of the great characters back in the courtroom scene. I don't know, I guess they couldn't wait to get out and just threw something very simple together. Someone probably said "how can we get everyone back together for the finale?", and they wrote some dopey script around that idea. Sad demise for a brilliant life.
The peak of Seinfeld's run was "The Outing" (people think Jerry and George are lovers), but I think the show jumped the shark after the brilliant 1992-1993 (The 4th) season, where George and Jerry create the pilot for NBC. After that, the writing steadily declined from funny ("The Puffy Shirt") to mediocre (spoofs of scenes from "Schindler's List" and "Midnight Cowboy") to just plain bad ("The Summer of George"). In fact, while watching "The Summer of George" (Season 8 Finale) on NBC, I was making comparisons to the 4th season finale ("The Pilot"), and it dawned on me how far Seinfeld has fallen from the brilliance from the 4th and earlier seasons to watching Raquel Welch being fired from a play for not swinging her arms?! This from a show that prides itself for being realistic?! Unfortunately, the plots got even more outrageous in the 9th season: Newman trying to eat Kramer, Kramer setting up the set of The Merv Griffin Show in his apartment, Jerry competing with his girlfriend's mother for the top spot on the girlfriend's speed-dial (a season 8 episode, but ridiculous just the same), the police officer not going after a robber after he stole Jerry's 'European purse'. Although the last couple seasons were awful compared to the best episodes, I have to give some praise to the episodes "The Bizarro Jerry" (Elaine meets the opposites of Jerry, George, and Kramer) and "The Dealership" (a brief return to an episode about 'nothing'). Yes, I still watched the show, but the series was dead to me at this point. I was one of the few people who liked "The Finale", the episode nearly everyone likes to hate. I agree it was a victim of its own hype because it was expected to be an extremely funny episode (due to the return of Larry David), but I didn't expect it to be very funny for 2 reasons: 1) the show had become so unfunny over the last couple years I didn't expect it to recover, and 2) this was the final episode of a sitcom and would last more than 1 hour. This meant that the point of the episode would be to concentrate on the storyline of the episode and the fates of the characters; more time would be spent on the plot than the actual laughs. I liked the fact that the beginning scenes did not foretell what would happen in the last half of the episode (shades of Simpsons episodes), the finale basically recapped the entire series by referring to previous episodes (although I would not have used clips from the previous episodes; Seinfeld fans have long memories), and the last scene in "The Finale" bookended the series by recreating the first conversation from the very 1st episode. I wasn't interested in the laughs, I was interested in the story, and I was satisfied. Seriously, is "The Finale" a superior episode to "The Millennium" (Jerry competing with his girlfriend's mother for the top spot on his girlfriend's speed-dial), "The Muffin Tops" (George is traded from the Yankees to a chicken company!), or "The Blood" (Kramer puts his own blood into Jerry's car engine)? (As bad as the last few seasons of Seinfeld were, I still believe they were superior to the last 2 seasons of The Cosby Show, which were completely unwatchable. That should tell you how unfunny and boring The Cosby Show ended.)
One of the funniest sitcoms in the history of television, but it did jump. Probably the real reason was Larry David leaving, but I can always identify a jumped episode by that hairstyle Elaine sported on the last year or two. Something was forced and off about those shows, and George was always far too frantic. The true Seinfeld aficionado will tell you that the Low-fat yogurt & Opposite episodes were classics; & the bandwagon-jumpers will pretend that the famous Backwards Wedding & Yadda-Yadda were great.
This show jumped on the episode immediately prior to the one that had Susan dying. To the above poster and the "Finale", a component that any good or better COMEDY episode MUST have is it that it truly BE funny (and not obviously FORCED). Therefore, it is stupid and pointless of that poster to say that he/she was "satisfied" by it. Talk about LOW standards! To the above poster who commented about the person who figured the average star rating of the 160+ episodes, you enjoy hurting people who try to honestly critique a show? I am grateful that there is someone who is willing to call TV Guide on its own inconsistencies and point out how truly overrated "Seinfeld" is when compared with the classic t.v. sitcoms.
This show never jumped!! It is my favorite show and one of the greatest of all time. There were a couple stupid episodes, but it definitely never jumped and they would come back with a great episode.
as much as i love this show i have to say it jump the shark when larry david left and it shows... the first episode after he left was when kramer puts butter all over is body....c'monnn
Throughout junior high and high school this was one of my favorite shows. I even liked the finale that aired in May 1998. But now that I'm watching the ongoing reruns on UPN, I can see where the show jumped. The episode where Susan died was just a preview of what the show would become. AN UNREALISCTIC 22 MINUTE SHOW OF FORMER SEINFELD CHARACTERS!!!!! Come on...Kramer puts butter on himself and Newman chases him around trying to eat him??? Or Elaine borrows Kramer's meat slicer to open envelops and then tries to even out her high heel shoes with it??? What kind of crap is that?? I personally don't like Jerry's stand up routine, or Jerry Seinfeld period. And without Larry David, the show was just frail and very bad. What's suprising is that this is when the show had the biggest following. And you can ALWAYS tell if the episode is going to be funny or not, because Elaine's hair changed drastically in the last 3 seasons. Oh...and don't get me started on the character changes. Elaime became just plain mean. Kramer completely lost his mind. George was just plain sad to look at. And Jerry just seemed not to care anymore period, whether it be about life or his friends. I was shocked the day I found out this show was voted by TV guide as the #1 show of all time. I mean this show had some HILARIOUS moments (Marble Rye, Toilet Paper Squares, Poppi, The Marine Biologist, The Junior Mint, Shrinkage)...But a show that's voted #1 should be great THROUGHOUT. And there's only a few shows that I can think of that were truly great throughout. (Mary Tyler Moore, I love Lucy, Golden Girls, NewsRadio, 3rd Rock, and Newhart) I'll never stop watching this show, takes me back to innocent times Thursday nights at 9 NBC. Oh, did I mention that NBC has been total crap since Seinfeld left. Friends hasn't been good for a FEW seasons now. Frasier hasn't been good since the 1999-2000 season. W&G is just annoying. Just Shoot Me hasn't been good lately. And don't even get me started on Watching Ellie.
Day One. Maybe because I am black (I am not playing any race cards here), but I could not relate to anything this show had to offer. This show has to be up there with "Friends" as the most overrated show on television. I can look at a week's worth of "The Simpsons" (the same episodes) and find it funnier than the ENTIRE RUN of Seinfeld. I have a sense of humor, but this show had none. And as a regular reader of "TV Guide," I have never seen so much *** kissing of one show from a magazine. TV Guide had mad balls to put this dreck as the greatest show of all time. Were they not aware that they would piss off scores of readers (including myself). Many readers probably have watched GENERATIONS of television and found this appalling. Look at "I Love Lucy," "The Simpsons," "The Sopranos," "Married With Children," among many others. "Seinfeld" does not even come CLOSE to being as funny (or watchable) as these classics. Look at how the other stars of this show were doing with their other shows. I rest my case. This jumped on Day One, and I am STILL glad that it is gone for good.
Never jumped! I think this was one of the greatest sitcoms to ever hit the airwaves!, and I am TV freak. I agree with one of the other "Posters" in that Lt. Bookman (Library Cop) was the best character of all. There were some really great episodes, some so-so episodes and some that were unforgettable. It was a character driven show from the stars to the guests. No cheap shots, everyday life. The 4 main characters represented typical NY single folk! These guys were real. I know them! I have seen these people in my friends, co-workers and family! Final episode was a disapointment, but that isn't a "jump", it was over! doesn't count.
It never jumped the shark. That is just absurd. The show actually got funnier as it got older. The last couple seasons were the best. Jerry, Elaine,George and Kramer were at their best in the last seasons. This show was great! One of the best shows ever! I think some people need to get a sense of humor and stop being so damn politcally correct. These people aren't supposed to be nice or caring and that is what makes them so funny. And as for the series finale, I thought it was wonderful. The part were they video taped the guy getting mugged was classic and showed just how self absorbed they really were. I show like Seinfeld is one of a kind.
Perhaps it's unfair to say that a show jts the last 25 minutes of it's final show, but I think that's what happened with Seinfeld. I liked the idea in the final episode. The fact that the "Jerry" show is going to be produced, but the self-absorbed characters sabatage their success by means of their own apathy. I liked the idea of a trial. But then the whole show went straight down the toilet. Why would you take tv's greatest characters, on tv's all time best comedy, and then have them just sit there for half an hour? Why were they not allowed to take the stand in their own defense? Jerry would have been totally oblivious about the severity of the situation, still cracking wise under oath. Kramer would have fallen while entering the witness box, knocked the bible to the floor by slamming it too hard, then went on to explain why he's looking forward to going to jail. Elaine would have been angry and resentful towards the whinny cry-baby who had been mugged. And George. How could such a neurotic, hysterical person not be giving the chance to react to the fact that he might be going to prison? He would have been an emotional wreck. Breaking down on the stand, trying to blame the whole affair on the other three defendants. And what about the peripheral characters? Shouldn't Newman have testified? Wouldn't he have loved to reveal under oath that Jerry is the personification of evil? Wouldn't J. Petermen have declared that Elaine should probably be found not guilty by reason of insanity? And then the parents? Kramer's mom would be flirting with the bailiff? The Seinfelds would blame Jerry's trouble on television? George's mother would tearfully blame herself? She would then proceed to reveal irrelevant personal details about George's childhood. Mr. Costanza would take the stand and agree that she was to blame? Then Mrs. Costanza would reconsider, blaming instead George's father via an emotional out burst. But instead we were given the Soup Nazi, who was still angry. What a surprise? The women George and Jerry dated, who still didn't like them. Who would have guessed? And the old lady from whom Jerry stole the bread. She thought Jerry was a terrible person. You don't say. I know the characters were more or less always losers. But causing them to jts in such a public way was too much. The difference is, before when they were losers, it was funny.
The Final episode. The show was near perfection for so many years before. What happened? The chemistry seemed to be gone. The whole thing was a glorified clip show (which they had already done). It was a sour note to end with, but not so sour that it ruined the appeal. Not such a bad thing to jump the shark in it's last episode, how very Jerry it really was.
NEVER JUMPED. I was very pleased with TV Guide's ranking 'Seinfeld' as the #1 show of all time. This is one of very few shows that consistently makes me laugh out loud. Bernie Williams:"You the guy that put us up in that Ramada in Milwaukee?" George:"You wanna talk hotels or you wanna talk baseball?" Derek Jeter: "Hey, we did win the World Series last year." George: "Yeah, in SIX games!"
Susan getting killed off, mind you it needed to be done, but it just wasn't quite same afterwards, it had some moments, but never quite as consistently high as before
Never! Seinfeld's fringe characters were funnier than lead characters on most other comedies. I'd take Jackie Chiles, Mr.Peterman, Frank and Estelle, etc. over Friends, Frasier or any other brain dead comedy.
The show jumped the shark when Susan died and everyone was so callous about it. Foreshadowing of the awful final episode.
Sure the last episode sucked, and I also didn't like how all the characters couldn't have cared less about Susan dying, but those are two episodes out of 8 years, in all the rest of them I always found something to laugh at. This show maintained an amazing amount of quality over such a long period, there's no way it jumped. They also new it was time to go, even though the network was throwing outragous sums of money at Jerry, he stuck to his guns, ya gotta respect that. If this show had been on in the 70s or 80s, the network would have just changed the name of it to Seinfelds Apartment, and kept it going with somebody like Louie Anderson moving in, and have him mention Jerry every once in awhile.
This show never jumped the shark! For all the people who think that the last episode was the one that jumped...how does that make sense? It was the last episode! So technically, even by that standard, it never jumped. (How can the shark jump when it has nothing to jump into on the other side?) The last episode, considering the fact that the show was about "nothing" could not have done better. What did we expect...Jerry and Elaine to finally get together? Kramer to get a job? George to be self sufficient? Please. There could be no real ending to Seinfeld because there really was no storyline to begin with. More like a series of vignettes. And how better to have the last episode appear than to end of them.
Seinfeld had its ups and downs, but it never recovered from the backwards episode. That was a one-joke premise, and the joke was a reference to the obscure Harold Pinter play "Betrayal". Obscure cultural references were funny on MST3K, but you can't build an entire episode on one of them.
For one, I'd like to say that to the poster above who said that s/he probably didn't "get" the show because of his/ her race-- that's ridiculous. I have loved the show since '94, still watch the reruns religiously, and couldn't be more black. Okay- that aside: when did this show "jump the shark?" For me, the show peaked with that hilarious "hand model" episode. ("He could have had any woman in the world; but none could match the beauty of his own hand.") After that, the show was still alright, but then it completely tanked right around that time when Julia Louise Dreyfuss transformed from a frump into a supermodel, and she started doing those Clairol TV commercials. I thought this new look was just going to be limited to the actress, but nope-- it appeared on Seinfeld as well. That's when we got the "new, improved Elaine," the cosmopolitan chick with the stylish do instead of a frizzy wall of hair, mascara instead of nothing at all, DKNY suits instead of a sweater sloppily tied over her flowered, ankle length skirt, high heels instead of penny loafers and ankle socks, and Prada bags instead of a duffel bag. Everytime I watch the reruns and see an episode with the "new Elaine" on (or Bizarro Elaine!), that's when I know the show will suck. And I'm usually right-- it will almost always have a contrived plot, silly characterizations, and wacky situations. C'mon-- that whole Kramer going after the golf clubs episode was ridiculous, and the Frogger episode was absurd. OMG-- and what about the episode when Elaine eats a reeeeeally old slice of cake from the Duke of Windsor's 1934 wedding? Absurd, stupid, absurd! By the last season, the show completely stunk, and if it were a mental patient, would have been diagnosed as having clearly lost touch with Reality-- and its funny bone. The unfunny finale just proved to viewers that the show should have been put out of its misery-- and thankfully was!
Though I don't think this greatest of all sitcoms ever truly managed to jump the shark, the show about the jealous barbers and Jerry's hair was about as close as Seinfeld ever got. That one was a real stinker. It was like the writers decided it was time for a week's vacation, so why not just mail one in.
Repetition in general didn't kill this show but it made it less than it could have been.Kramer's zany bursts through Jerry's door would have been much funnier if they would have done it only every tenth show. There was also too much Kramer and too much Jerry. There should have been a schizophrenic love interest for Kramer. The pacing and phrasing of the lines got predictable after a while. Especially Elaine's. They should have added another female to the cast to get catty with Elaine. Jerry and George should have got a job somewhere together with a "Mel Cooley"-like boss. And Newman should have gone full-blown postal. Other than that it was great show, considering Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up act sucked!!
It was worth a watch just to see Elaine react to something said by pushing someone over with both arms and exclaiming, "get out!!!"
It never jumped. In my opinion, the greatest show of all time. I wanted to comment specifically on all those people who ragged on the backwards episode. I believe the backwards episode was one of the most clever, original, intriguing piece of television I had ever seen. And the way the four characters all pulled all the plotlines together, as they always do, it was priceless.
Did the show have ups and downs? Of course, it was just a damn tv show, and they all do. Were half of the casts' antics completely unbelievable? Hell yes! Part of the show's humor was how it wove reality and the obsurd together. I admit I'm not a big fan of the last episode, but even that was genuinely funny for the most part--it just wasn't up to par for the rest of the series. But that, to me, does not mean it jumped the shark.
Seinfeld never jumped! I watch it in syndication every night and I have to say that the funniest episodes are the ones involving either Banya or Crazy Joe Devola. Pure genius...
Despite being the unfunniest character in TV history Kramer is granted unlimited canned laughter. Without the Pavlovian reaction to the laugh track no one would have thought he was funny in the least. Kramer sucks.
When Larry David stopped writing for the show. Looking at "Curb Your Enthusiasm" which is hilarious, it's apparent that David deserves more credit than Jerry for the genius of the show.
I have to say something about "Seinfeld". I was a Cheers generation fan and if the readers of this website want to know the difference between good and great, watch at least 3 episodes each of these 2 shows. Both shows are innovative, well written (for the most part), had the essential signatures of a great show (running jokes, cult personalities, catchy phrases). Where Seinfeld fails is in developing its 4 lead characters. The Fonzie effect descended on Kramer (pause for much whooping at entrance before delivering lines), none of the characters really developed attachments for more than 2-3 episodes and perhaps the defining moment for me as a fan, the groups' reaction to Susan's death. These guys are not likeable. You wouldn't hang with them if you could ball up socks all day instead. If JTS means a downturn in fanbase and the realisation that you don't want to watch these people anymore, then i guess Susan's death would be that point for me. Someone declared that Seinfeld was the best comedy show ever. I can think of 3 automatically that rates better: Yes Minister, Fawlty Towers and the greatest influence (IMHO) to every comedian since it began- The Simpsons.
Anyone who was ever a true fan of Seinfeld would get the joke of how the final episode was classic Larry David! This is from the mind of a guy who would walk out on stage to do his stand-up, take one look at the audience, say "Never mind" or sometimes worse "Aw f--- you" and walk off. He did just that with the final episode of Seinfeld. Brilliant, subversive, and a great climax to a show that very rarely if ever worried about what the audience thought.
Seinfeld was the best show of all time. There is not even a close second. Seinfeld set a new standard for sit coms that has not been reached by any other shows yet. One can find valid criticisms of the show but one must admit that empirically this show is in a league of its own well above all other shows.
Larry David leaving...they lost the real life George Castanza.
I definately think Seinfeld jumped during the whole "Jerry" the NBC show storyline. The entire premise of Seinfeld was that it was a show about nothing. When you watched the show each week, you weren't sure what the show would be about. As soon as they started that storyline, the show was no longer about nothing. There was a set storyline.
This show never jumped. I do admit that the last episodes (the clip show and the prison thing) were really stupid. But every show is allowd a few terrible episodes. I mean look at my mother the car, that was the worst show on the planet. Yet it lasted far to long.
This show jumped after the first season. That's when I realized the characters were shallow, irritating, whiny, self-centered, and just plain mean. Quick, tell me one person they accept into their little clique for any amount of time. And what's the deal with Jerry's girlfriends? They last one show because they're all placed on the show as props for a joke line (including the incredibly stupid joke of the girlfriend who's name he can't remember, but he knows it rhymes with a woman's body part--talk about going for the cheap laughs). Over time, this show will not stand up well. Why? It doesn't follow the rules for timeless comedy movies and shows. The rules... First, never use topical jokes (remember the one about the reaction to hearing Mary Hart's voice?). Second, don't go for the cheap laughs because they may be funny at first, but after time they lose their impact and eventually seem just plain childish (the masturbation show, the shrinking). Third, the funny people work best off of the straight people (Andy and Barney, Abbott and Costello). At first Seinfeld worked well off of George. After the show took off, everyone wanted to be funny. Didn't work, because the others aren't funny. Bottom line... This show sucks.
Seinfeld really jumped the shark with the chocolate bobka episode. up until that episode, it was getting shaky but that one went over the top. between, elaine,jerry and george, they must have said bobka at least twenty times in the span of five minutes, as if just the word bobka was hysterically funny. I've seen the episode two or three times and I can just picture them shooting the scene, and laughing every time one of them says bobka. It didnt work on the screen.
As one would say, you try to give a show a chance. I never saw ANYTHING funny about Seinfeld, and even today with it in rerun AFTER rerun all over the cable networks, it still is not funny. Whining, whining, whining. Get on with life and get over dwelling on crap that has been made "immortal" by this show. It was never funny, and I know it never will be. Seinfeld is laughing all the way to the bank and those who thought it was hilarious put him there. Sad. Not only did it jump the shark from day one, I think the shark ate it and died.
How could a show be so solid for so long and then crap the bed on the way out the door. This situation is exactly the reason they walk people out the door when they put in their 2 week notice.
Even though the last episode was disappointing, I give credit to the cast and crew of this show. IMHO, it never jumped. Wish there could be more like it.
Most people think of “Seinfeld” as a cast of four – Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine – as well as various supporting characters. However, there was a fifth member of the main ensemble that was as important as the Fab Four. This was Larry David. While he was rarely neither seen nor heard (he did appear in at least one episode and was the main voice of George Steinbrenner), he was a driving force behind the show as much as, if not more than Jerry Seinfeld himself. One need only witness Larry David’s HBO show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to see why. This show, while an uneven mix of riotous and absurdly unfunny situations, clearly shows that David was, at the very least, the driving force behind George Costanza. On CYE you can also see the idiosyncrasies and “nothingisms” that permeated “Seinfeld”. To me, then, when Larry David left “Seinfeld”, that show began to jump the shark. The show still had some high points after he left, but there were also some pretty bad clunker episodes. Even when David returned for the finale, it seemed like the chemistry was gone – in my estimation, the finale was lousy, bringing back many of the strange supporting and guest characters from over the years. Perhaps good on paper, but not well-executed. The thing about the finale that depressed me the most is that during most of the life of the show we could identify with the characters and their situations, as strange as they got sometimes; in the finale, their worst attributes came out, and they crossed a line that I know I couldn’t identify with.
Never jumped because the show remained true to its underlying premise to the end. The show is about observing everyday life - a take off on Jerry's observational humor. The 4 characters obsere life's abusuridites and, in selectively participating in them for individual (not group)gain, cause them to become more absurd, ruining lifes in the process through their shallowness. In the last show the 4 characters are convicted for precisely what they did (or failed to do) in all previous shows - observed an everyday event and failed to act in a positive way. They are bystanders to the human condition, nothing more and often less. The last show serves as an indictment of the entire show and of the four characters themselves. The last scene repeats an observation one of them previously made, reminding the audience that the show ran out nothingness. Please show me a more brillant ending to a show.
Many of the previous postings are not instances of Shark Jumping. Shark Jumping refers to a ridiculous plot or character added to try to save a sliding show, thereby marking the point at which to show officially starts to decline. While discussions of Susan's death, or the addtition of Mickey or Puddy qualify, general gripes such as "It went downhill when Larry David left" are not true Shark sightings!
I love how many authorities there seem to be on shark-jumping. It really makes me laugh. Anyway, the above poster doesn't seem to get that the definition of shark jumping is that point in a show (and this is where people get confused, I believe, because it's really open to interpretation) where-in something happens(and this could be additions or deletions to cast, production, writing, etc.....ridiculous plot threads, whatever) and you just know from that point on the show as it once was will be no more. So yes....I voted for the departure of Larry David after the 7th season and so did many others. And yes that does qualify as a shark jump.
Seinfeld is definitely one of my all-time favorite shows. As far as comedies, only All in the Family (before Gloria and Mike moved to California) and Barney Miller are in the same league. I religiously watch the re-runs, and even know some episodes by heart. Definitely one of the best ensemble casts EVER on television. And the guest stars and supporting players often stole the show. BUT, let's face it. There was a steady decline after the first few seasons. Still, it was the best comedy on television during its run. My favorite episodes: The B.O. (or "The Beast" as Jerry called it), The Bubble Boy episode, Elaine's Christmas photo (also the episode where Jerry is insisting that it was a scratch, NOT a pick, the visit to Florida when Elaine takes too many muscle relaxers "Stella! Stella!", and of course "The Bet" where the writers cleverly managed to avoid using the term "masterbation" or another crude term. This was excellent writing and impressive comedic timing on the part of the actors. (Although Kramer was my least favorite character. He was still entertaining nonetheless.) When I watched the last season, I was very disappointed. The writing was mediocre. The actors seemed bored. No more clever or innovative storylines. What the hell were they thinking?! The Puerto Rican Flag episode was TERRIBLE!!! The season finale was a cruel joke. Incredibly LAME!!! I don't care what anyone says, those characters were self-centered, and often obnoxios. But would they just stand around and laugh while some poor guy is getting mugged right in front of them?! And to have them make fun of the guy for being overweight?! I think not! Think of all of the episodes featuring Newman. I can only think of one or two remarks that they made referring to his weight. (And that was only because he was so mean and vindictive.) Shame on the writers for giving us this piece of crap, and shame on the cast for not insisting on better material.
Considering I watch reruns of this show more than any other show on tv, there's no way I can say it jumped. Yes the finale was terrible but it didn't sell the characters out, and didn't have one of those sellout "Oh isn't that special" moments (ie Elaine and Jerry getting hitched, George getting married). Even if you completely cannot excuse what they did in the finale, that's no reason to vote that this show jumped. No series has been without their share of bad episodes, including those listed in the "Never Jumped" category. The opposite episode, the contest, Bizzaro World, George's parents, Elaine dumping a guy because of punctuation? Come on. These are classics. Never jumped
I can usually watch the reruns up to when Susan died, but for me the show jumped right after the "Jerry" episodes concluded. After that there was a different feel, and the show became a hit. The first two season were great because they were original, and more edgy than anything else on tv. After Susans second departure everything went to hell, writer became self concious, they had to reference past episodes, and the actors were showing fatigue. They completely destroyed the Elaine character, making her a whore and giving her an I'm too good to be here attitude. Jerry rarely made it through his lines without either a huge grin and giggling, while we are left thinking, huh. And they went way too far on George making him a lunatic. Then the media picked up on the show and the problems just intensified. The final season was an embarrasment.
Seinfeld never jumped. Nothing has come close to filling the void since it left. The finale was admitedly strange, but in some way it made fun of the bandwagon fans by pointing out what horrible people the four major characters were. The final joke of the series was one about prision sodomy. This was a dark show that happened to hit it big, but it ended by staying true to itself. The death of Susan hit at a time when Seinfeld was at its zenieth and once again the show went dark rather than glam.
the show jumped the shark when larry david left the show, the new writers couldnt cut it in creating classic episodes like in the first 5 seasons, and the outright greediness all the stars demanding all that money the last 2 seasons to churn out not soo funny perfomances. Overall the show was great and i stayed a fan until the end but im glad it was finally off the air. It ran its course and one final note was that the final episode really sucked.....once that episode aired i knew they couldnt get even lower than that.
The funniest aspect of the show was George the loser. When he lands the dream job with the Ynakees he lost his loser status. I think this was about the time Larry David left. I would say that his departure was the shark moment but his return for the finale disproved that.
George was the best part of the show, the joke about him landing his dream job with the Yankees was that he was STILL an unhappy loser. Jerry said it best when he said that George would be happy when he's dead.
Never!!! This is the funniest show in history. True, they did go the wackier route after Larry David's departure, but some of the episodes in the last two seasons were terrific...I will admit, however, that the finale was weaker than I expected.
I can't believe people didn't like the final episode. The ending was brilliant. The joke that really tied it together was the repetition of the first conversation ever had on the show ("That button is in the completely wrong place." " Didn't we have this conversation before?") They finally run out of things to say and they are stuck in a cell with nothing to do but talk to one another. Brilliant.
This show NEVER jumped!! I have watched every single episode several times and I STILL laugh as hard as the first time I saw it. Helllloooohh, Bosco, These pretzels are making me thirsty and so on... as Banyan says "It's gold Jerry! Gold I tell you!!" NBC should pay any price to Jerry & the gang and bring them back, christ!!! As much as I like friends, they haven't really been that funny since like season 3 and they're EACH getting paid a million per friggin episode!!! Outrageous!!! I wish Newman would deliver an anthrax-laced letter to each one of them for the big series finale!!!!
The episode where Jerry & Elaine make a plan for having sex (no calls, overnight optional, etc.) Kramer brings a birthday present for a Elaine to her at Jerry's apartment. After she opens it Jerry & Kramer talk for a while, they are both standing, Kramer is in the direction of the door. On the first shot, you see behind him the door is open. Then they go to Jerry. Then back to Kramer, where the door is now CLOSED. Then it goes to Jerry, then back to Kramer, where the door is WIDE OPEN again. LOL..I love bloopers.
Seinfeld never jumped, I can't believe everyone is overanalysing it and some of these so called fans can't even get their facts straight Larry David left after season 7 not season 8 like some people have said, yes it was a slighlty different show when LD left but still consistently funny,ok so the final season wasn't the best but stilll had its moments. I think people should cherish what the show gave us each week instead of critisising it, it jumped the shark when Elaine changed her hairstyle? gimme a break, its the best innovative sitcom of the 90's.
I cannot believe so many people have written about how bad the last episode was. I am suprised how many people didn't get it. I know the writers are wondering how so many people could not understand the irony. The show was about nothing. The were convicted of doing what? Nothing. They (extending the metaphor, the show) went on trial for what? Doing nothing. What was the verdict? Guilty. They were guilty of nothing. They showed us that all they have done for humanity in the past 9 years was nothing. Genius. It wasn't a hilarious episode, but it was genius, to be set among the classics of literature and film. Also, if nobody caught it, Georges comment about the button, the last such comment on Seinfeld, was the exact same comment he made on the very first episode, the very first on Seinfeld. Get it? I sure hope so.
You know a show never jumped the shark when you have a copy of every episode and they each get more entertaining every time you watch them.
I really don't have the energy, or the bandwidth, to answer all of the complaints here, so I'm just going to focus on the finale. It was absolutely perfect, so all of the drones can shut up. And stop taliking. And stop complaining. Does it seem convienient and stupid? THAT'S WHAT F'IN FINALES ARE FOR, to provide some kind of resolution and conclusion to the public. The talent and writers obviously were not interested in constructing new plots for you. Why would they? Why would Jerry and Larry set you up for any kind of 'reunion'? Larry David gave you the perfect resolution: his characters on trial for reinventing the sitcom. And you're not satisfied? No soup for you. With good cause. Come back, ten years. Next!!!
Seinfeld really jumped with the departure of Tom Cherones and the arrival of Andy Ackerman as director - the whole tone shifted slightly, But the moment I realised it was just a shadow of it's former self was the episode where Kramer pours blood from the blood bank into his gas tank or radiator or something (anyone who hasn't seen this one would probably think I was making it up - but I'm not - it's that bad) I guess we can just be thankful that he didn't visit the sperm bank!
No question, when Elaine's hair changed to a more glamorous look. She became snotty and slutty. Then, George became angry and screamed in every episode, like the unfunny car showroom, candy machine episode, and the show went even further downhill.
Although Elaine was played by the same actress throughout the show, the Elaine character underwent a total transformation that was every bit as disconcerting as the two Darrens on 'Bewitched'. Watch the re-runs in their entirety and witness the transformation from the sweet, caring girl with the long skirts and saddle shoes to the cynical, amoral, man-hungry skank with processed hair. A truly disturbing ride.
everyone says that Seinfeld was a show about nothing, which bugs me. it was not at all about nothing, even if the sitcom that Jerry and George wrote for the network was "a show about nothing", and was remarkably similar to Seinfeld. but Seinfeld had so MANY things going on, to call it a show about nothing is ludicrous. sure, it was a show without a central underlying setting or plot (e.g. MASH set in korea, Happy Days set in the 50s etc), but it wasn't at all about nothing, and i get so angry when people say that. people who say that don't understand, and were probably the people who only started watching once it became popular, and never quite "got it". except for the poster 3 or 4 above this one. his/her spotting of the button comment, and other fantastic analysis, shows a true attention to detail and depth of understanding, even if they think it's a show about nothing (which it isn't). i think the most apt thing you can say about it is that it was a show about how people really are. we are all selfish and self-serving in the end, as much as we'd like to think we're above that (Jerry being the perfect example - the whole time he's nice to everyone and very likeable, and quite accepting/forgiving of others (wouldn't you tell Kramer to piss off if he stole and broke everything you owned?), but it's only because he wants people to like him). he, like all the characters in the show, is flawed, but that's why we loved them - they do what we would do if we could get away with it (and in some cases what we actually do).
As Larry David walked out, silliness and character-betrayal passed him on the way in. At this moment, all there is to say is this: "Jerry's getting worse!" Kramer preparing food in the shower? Asking Jerry if people would be able breathe underwater by the year 2000? Mr. Kruger? It's too bad the show's giant ratings took place just as the show jumped. Lots of the new viewers had to wonder what the big deal was. Now, that's a shame.
Brilliant show ruined by trying to jam as much as possible into the last episode. Everyone was of course waiting for and wanting Jerry and Elaine to get together for good (finally)too easy I know but what they offered us instead was pure drivel. Of all the many ways they could have finished a truly funny sitcom they went and spoilt it with their final performance. It seemed tired and drawn out as if all the actors could not wait to get done and be gone! I can think of many hilarious episodes and the ending was in all honesty a travesty of what had gone before - "excellent comedy writing"!!
It never jumped. It was a damn good show for all the years it was on NBC. You've gotta like Jerry's nonchalance and Elaine's mood swings. George's obsessiveness and Kramer's antics. Also can't forget the "Seinfeld buddies" i.e. the Soup Nazi, Bubble Boy, Sue Ellen Mischke, etc. It almost jumped when the backwards episode aired, I didn't and still don't care for it. Otherwise it's a timeless classic
many of you mentioned that the show jumped around the time of Susan's death... and you're right. If I recall it's because that's about the time that Larry David left. PS I'm one of the strange people whose fav. character was Jerry. I know! I know! He's not an actor, but he was hilarious.
Many have cited the last two seasons as when SEINFELD jumped, but I think that it only flirted with the shark during those years--there were episodes that weren't too funny, such as the backwards episode and the too-farcical "Butter Shave", but I thought that others, such as "The Merv Griffin Show" and "The Little Jerry" were great. IMHO, SEINFELD jumped for good in the final episode. The whole idea of the gang going to jail...well, it seemed like a SEINFELD episode for people who don't like SEINFELD. Granted, these folks did some despicable things to many people and to each other. However, you could pick any SEINFELD episode prior to this and the final result, nine times out of ten, was that Jerry and the gang never won in the end and would get punished in one way or another (i.e., one of Jerry's girlfriends would dump him, Susan's parents would call George's bluff about having a farm by making him drive all the way to Long Island, Kramer's feeding Beefareeno to the horse backfired, Elaine's mystery video store employee/admirer turned out to be a teenage boy, etc.) Having them go to jail seemed redundant and gimmicky. Sure, these four were NOT people to admire (Julia Louis-Dreyfus admitted as much) and you knew that that things wouldn't end happily ever after, but that was the fun of watching the show. And hey, a person could write a book on all the things SEINFELD satirized during its' run. One that speaks to me most directly is "The English Patient" story. When Elaine won't change her opinion of that movie just because everyone else likes it, she gets ostracized. IMHO, this snubbing of Elaine deftly illustrates how many of us take pop culture way too seriously. When Elaine's beau says, "I can't date someone who doesn't like 'The English Patient', this hits close to home for those of us who have had so-called friends say they "can't talk right now" or go out to the bar because they "can't miss" FRIENDS or some other show or movie. What's more important? Your friends or the goddamn television? Too many of us are willing to play follow-the-leader with people who shame us into thinking that we "have to" like some new TV show or movie that may not actually be to our personal taste(s). And of course, if we dare to not like said flavor-of-the month movie or TV series (or worse, haven't seen it yet), there's something "wrong" with us. I have encountered this many times when I refused to get into, say, 90210, WEAKEST LINK, SURVIVOR, and other "hot" shows and movies. I have had to listen to people asking me, "what's the matter with you? Don't you like anything 'good?' I just have to watch THE SOPRANOS (for instance) or I'll 'die!' You're no fun, yada yada yada..." Many of us don't realize that TV, movies, and other popular culture aren't that essential in the grand scheme of things, and this SEINFELD episode deserves kudos for illustrating this point. Many have already commented on other episodes which I personally liked, so I'll refrain from going on further. SEINFELD is a true American classic, and may its' reign in reruns live on forever. PEACE!
When Larry David left the show it stopped being so consitantly funny and it lost it's cool. Also it was at about 6 or 7 seasons so it would begin to stop being funny anyway. But before it was great the way the character's played off one another and outside character's. But then no matter what all stories connected which got really stupid. Also the final episode was probably the most anti climatic ending of a show ever. It is sad that what once a great show ended up being a DUD at the end.
Although Seinfeld got kind of off-and-on towards the end, I don't think it really jumped the shark until that God-awful final episode. I believe it was Jerry himself who once said that the great thing about his show was that Nobody Learned Any Lessons--they never had a "very special" episode, and the characters' unredeemed qualities remained that way. Then you had a final episode where the characters get tried and sent to prison for their selfish mistakes?? Where are the laughs in that one?
One of the best shows on television. You could say it jumped the shark after the "NBC pilot" storyline. However, I think it was doing a fairly good job at keeping its head above water, continuing through Susan's stint. Once she died, though, it was painfully obivious that show was all about making money and the writing just couldn't freshen things up. There were some decent episodes and funny moments, but they were few and far between . . . I didn't hate the finale though, like some people. . . . I didn't love it, either. Conceptually, it was a stroke of genius. The execution of it, though, didn't live up to the promise.
I know that everyone and his mother seems to just adore this show, but, for the life of me, I can't find the humor in it. I'm all about self-obsessed characters, but the actors on Seinfeld absolutely had no redeeming qualities. There was nothing about them to make me care if they suddenly dropped from the radar. And, Jerry Seinfeld as an actor? Oh my gosh, he is probably the worst actor ever! Am I the only one who noticed that he seemed to stay perpetually amused by himself? I don't think it was possible for him to deliver a line without grinning to himself about it. I much prefer Curb Your Enthusiasm, because at least Larry David is amusing as he remains in his constant state of befuddlement.
This show never jumped the shark. Even those episodes they may not have been as good as others, they still had periods of sheer brilliance. As for all this crap that we Seinfeld viewers were owed a good final episode, thats just rubbish. While it may not have been as brilliant as most of the other episodes, it at least took us back to the moments throughout the show's history that we all loved to watch. I'm sure the cast members couldn't give a **** whether any of us think it jumped the shark or not. In one poster advertising the final episode, they had the line down the bottom: "Thanks for nothing", in recognition of their fans.
Never jumped...but in response to the Elaines *** never being showed....i noticed 2 distinct shots of her ***....in the Bizarro Jerry episode she had those tight jeans on and they show a backward shot as she is trying to undo the locks to get out of BJ's apartment..looks great But then there is the episode she finds out Putty is into Jesus...she is complaining about herself going to hell and as she goes into the bedroom and makes the devil horns with her fingers u see he *** in her pj's...had a real odd shape... but in my opinion,the best she ever looked was in the backward episode...when she is drinking and tells George about Jerry sleeping with Nina and she guzzles the snapps...i guess i like my women drunk.. honerable Elaine mention...of course..the Lloyd Braun movie theatre one when the button comes off her dress...nice perks
It jumped (and jumped back)many times, in at least one way, and that was an obsession (without using the word very loosely) with dark comedy, even if it had to be squeezed edgewise into a story. "Edgy" comedy doesn't take one bit longer than "safe" comedy to become tired, if the writers hammer away at it, which this show kept doing (and then not doing) over and over, long before the death of Susan episode that got so much negative attention. Seinfeld didn't start this, of course, but it really went all-out with it. It got so that at the start of an episode, I would try to predict when some person or animal would be killed or maimed or dangerously sick, and sometimes I would even be right, not because it wasn't a great and original show in other ways, but because it couldn't seem to let go of the gallows humor til after almost a dozen stories with it.
Larry David's departure/Susan's death (both occurred with the season 7 finale) marked the show's jump, but not it's demise. A jump doesn't necessitate that the show becomes bad, it just means it will never again reach the heights it was scaling at that point. And the last two seasons of Seinfeld were funny, but not spectacular as seasons 4-7 were (the abbreviated first two seasons and season 3 weren't nearly as good either, Seinfeld took a while to build up). So if anybody bad mouths this show, suck it, 'cause it was the best show ever created by far.
Seinfeld had amazing consistency throughout its long run. That being said, the last season was when it was obvious that the time to pull the plug had passed. I subscribe to the "when Elaine's hair changed" consensus, when she got over-the-top bitchy and George equally caustic and unlikable. The last episode was truly unworthy of a great series, when it was obvious the characters had evolved or devolved as it were into selfish jerks. Who wants to watch characters like that? Earlier episodes showed them to be whiny, self-absorbed, and annoying, yet there was a certain vulnerability and decency to them. They were for all their foibles and annoying qualities likeable. They seemed more authentic, that is as authentic as a sitcom character could be expected to be while still being a sitcom character. By the end they were more broadly drawn, meaner, and only marginally human. The sweetness got scarcer, egos got bigger, and the show while still halarious in spots had lost its charm.
Never Jumped. I'd rather not go into a huge rant about how this is probably the greatest sitcom ever, and how a lot of these posters have no clue what they're talking about. BTW, the finale was just OK, it was a great concept, just bad in execution. But I think I agree with what Larry David once said "YOU try and write it!"
When George proposed to Susan - and she said yes. Seasons 7, 8, and 9 were still water-cooler material (most of the time) but the show lost something at that point - and it wasn't just "independent George."
Seinfeld's last episode was probably the biggest shark jump in the history of television. It was strange and totally devoid of humor. I never even smiled. The charactors stood around and laughed while a fat person was mugged and cried out for help. What the hell was that? It was totally out of character for all four of them. Until that point, Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer had at least TRIED to do the right thing, however weakly, misguided, or shallow the effort. But that scene made them mean, unlikable, even evil. Why? It seemed almost nihalistic, an attack on the audience, an effort by the writers to scold the audience for laughing at human failings, which is really what the show was all about. The show deserved better. The worst final episode of any TV show.
"Seinfeld" was one of the best shows out there until George accidentally kills his fiance via his cheapness. After that, it was downhill. Could the craptacular "backwards" episode (one of the absolute worst episodes of any series) have made into the "Seinfeld" line-up before then? I think not. Two things that kill me: 1) Seinfeld won't do another series 'cause he knows it would bomb bigger than "Bob Patterson" and we can't have almighty Jerry thinking that the show was a group effort. 2) George was constantly shafted out of an Emmy. Why is it that Kramer got so bloody many of them? All he really could do was pratfall. George Castanza was the best character on the show and was loads funnier than anyone else, including Seinfeld. Did Seinfeld trample some kids and an old lady escaping a fire? Did Seinfeld get caught by his parents slappin' the cyclops? I think not. Kudos to you, George. You made the show.
Speaking as a comic writer who appreciates irony and subtlety, I always thought this show was OVERRATED. (sacrilege, I know). YES, there were a FEW brilliantly-written episodes--The Contest, to name one. And it takes SKILL to make a whole episode out of 'everyday' events like getting lost in a parking garage, and shopping for a party gift. Those and a few others ('not that there's anything wrong with that') were AMAZING. But this show wore thin very quickly for me--Jerry Seinfeld couldn't ACT his way out of paper bag (this became even clearer when he was nominated for BEST ACTOR with the likes of Kelsey Grammar and John Lithgow--these guys were ACTORS, not cute stand up comics who got a lucky break). Elaine was gorgeous, but shallow, George was played by a talented actor, but I hated the character. And Michael ??? was talented but jeez, NOT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST!!! Four vapid, self-centered yuppies doing shtick! This is classic??? Oy Vey!!!
This show never jumped the shark. I love the people on this thread who didn't "get" the final episode. Don't you people understand that the entire show was essentially the "anti-sitcom"? It was bizarre, it was unexpected, and therein lies the genius of the final episode. And personally, I thought the show, although it did get much more outlandish, never jumped the shark. The "Susan Dies" episode that has been criticized here is probably in my top 10 of all time. Come on! She was annoying, they come up with this "so ridiculous it's genius" way to kill her, and George smiles!!! This was one of the best television episodes ever. In conclusion: It NEVER JUMPED, people need to not be so pretentious by saying "it sucked when it got so popular"...come on folks, punk rock is dead. And finally, the finale was genius, anyone who doesn't understand that obviously never fully grapsed the concept of the show.
The show jumped the shark when Larry David left after the episode where Susan died. After this the show got much more ridiculous and over the top and impossible to believe. Plus the characters changed from a little odd to real mean-spirited people. Look at Elaine in the first few seasons where she is a nice girl to the last season where she is a total bimbo.
The perfect sitcom. Nothing on this show was weak, even Jerry's horrible acting was an asset. people may argue that the last episode was not up to par, but what could we have expected with such high expectations?
When it was announced that it was the last season for the show, the lame duck effect took over. Every one quit work on the show, it just coasted along. Then the count down started, and local (especially print) media started picking and finding every fault they could. The most common was that all of thea sudden the characters were "self absorbed." and not nice people.
My parents and I watched Seinfeld from the very beginning. I must say this show kept my attention throughout every episode, full of gags and dark, satirical humor. Great show, from beginning to end. But I have to say I began losing some interest around the time Jerry and George have the "brilliant" idea to make a show about nothing. I couldn't (and still can't) make up my mind whether this was just a silly plot device or a parody of the show Seinfeld itself. Either way, it was a stupid premise. Wasn't Jerry supposed to be some arrogant comedian? And, more importantly, I always thought George was an in-between-jobs loser. The minute that went awry, I tuned out.
The show jumped the shark from the first episode!!! Of all the mysteries of life that I have yet to figure out, such as the Bermuda Triangle or whether life ever existed on Mars, the main one I can't understand is the popularity behind this sitcom. IT IS JUST PLAIN CORNY!!! I never got how people thought this show was ever funny. It's stupid. The plotlines are stupid; the characters are stupid; the jokes are stupid. I have watched on many occasions to see what was up with it and I gave it a chance and I never laughed once. NOT ONCE!!! I would change the channel after 15 minutes. I just don't understand it. "Curb Your Enthusiasm," on the other hand, is fuggin' hilarious!!! Larry David was involved with "Seinfeld" and is currently involved with "Curb Your Enthusiasm," so I can't understand how "Seinfeld" can be so bad!!! Seinfeld's voice, mannerisms, jokes, and acting are horrible! Seriously! How the hell did this show become so popular? Someone please explain it to me!!!
Without a doubt Seinfeld jumped in May 1996 with Susan's accidental death and Larry David's departure from writing the episodes. Jerry took over the writing for the last two seasons and seemed to be at a loss for ideas (either that or writing AND acting at the same time just proved to be too much). Gone were the hilarious plot twists that characterized most of Larry David's episodes like "The Marine Biologist." There were a few good episodes in the last 2 years (Kramer adopting a highway comes to mind) but how this show stayed so high in the ratings after 1996 I'll never know.
Seinfeld clearly jts with the departure of Larry David at the end of the 7th season. The last two seasons weren't horrible, as many seem to feel. I felt the same way, at first. But I've since come to an appreciation of some of these eps.(The Little Kicks, The Little Jerry, The Bizarro Jerry, The Merv Griffin Show, The Muffin Tops and several others were classic Seinfeld) Let's face it: this show was never completely grounded in reality and I think that is why as the writing got increasingly outlandish & bizarre in the final seasons, Seinfeld was able to get by. And now in response to a couple of posters above: I'm not sure how sarcastic you were trying to be but I will grant you a reply b/c I have some time on my hands: Seinfeld, the show, was able to last as long as it did b/c many, myself included, felt the show was FUNNY. It's as simple as that. Also, to correct another poster: Jerry Seinfeld didn't write any eps. after "The Cadillac", in the 7th season. And even this one he co-wrote with Larry David. As a matter of fact, I don't believe Jerry ever wrote any eps. himself. I could be wrong on this but I don't think I am. David wrote, or co-wrote with Jerry, probably 80-90% of the eps. in the first 4 seasons. Starting with the 5th season, more & more of the writing was farmed out to others. So much as I also dislike some of the writing in the 8th & 9th seasons it can't be blamed on Mr. Seinfeld.
I can't name a particular episode when it was obvious the great "Seinfeld" jumped the shark, but it was clearly in the next to last season. Whereas, every show but one was a winner in the preceding seasons, suddenly it became a hit and miss affair with some shows letting out a loud bark and some others showing signs of the old brilliance. But in the last season, well, the show had clearly overstayed its welcome. It was a dog, pure and simple.
The show never jumped. people say it changed too much but it changed with the times, and it was always about nothing, there was never a major theme to the whole show. I think the last episode was awful in the fact that it ended and didnt leave room for break off shows, but i wouldnt say that was jumping the shark because the show was over.
I don't think it ever really jumped. There were a few (a very few, though) clunkers, but that's really what only hurt the show. No episode ever failed to make me laugh. I'd even chuckle at the worst of episodes. Forgive me, but I LIKED the last episode! It definitely wasn't on par with Larry David seasons or even the episodes in the two seasons that preceeded it. Heck, the worst of Seinfeld episodes were much, much better than the best episodes of other television sitcoms. A lot of people also comment on the death of Susan and that the whole scene was "cold". Even my sister thought it was 'distrubing' but I thought it was absolutely brilliant. Sure it was mean-spirited and heartless (and George and Elaine followed that attitude until the end) but that's how these characters had their charm. It was a strange but likable charm. I can see how people got sick of Elaine. Just last night I was watching an early episode (I believe it was when George wanted to put something in his boss's drink) she was flirting with George's boss. It reminded me how charming she can be. However, I thought the bitchy side of Elaine was just as likable and funny as the good-hearted, charming woman who occupied Seasons 1-5. Sorry, but it NEVER JUMPED.
Seinfeld didn't officially jumped, but came very close. Worst ep: Wedding in India. The last several eps had whole conversations that were totally unfunny. Like prononcing the word "lithe." Best eps were in the later seasons, esp. the Japanese tourists sleeping in the Carl Farbman drawers and the Kenny Rogers eps. The finale was dumb until they got on the plane, after that it was good, not great. Verdict: Came darn close, but no jump.
The very early eps. are quite unfunny and nearly painful to watch. The characters are there, but something just isn't clicking. "The Boyfriend" w/ Keith Hernandez turned a corner, as it showed the show getting less tethered to reality. As it became less realistic, it got funnier. After Larry David left, the show just got wackier, with absurdly tiny events having absurdly huge repercussions, and I found it more hilarious than ever. The David eps where small things made a big difference were better in conception than execution; it's only the later ones that make me laugh out loud.
Such a hilarious show, it was so different than the others with its strange interweaving plotlines. I'm glad Jerry didn't let it become "The Kramer Show" and it stayed an ensemble piece to the end. The last 2 episodes of this show sucked. The Puerto Rican flag episode was pretty lame, as was the finale. Still, those episodes were hilarious and as has been stated here before, better than anything else on TV. This show really rode the zeitgeist perfectly attacking vapid 90's pop culture with 4 shallow yuppie cariactures. The show was better when the characters became meaner, George was best when he was at his most nasty and vindictive. This show had so many funny moments, my favorite was the episode where George came up with the comeback. When he said "the jerk store ran out of you!" the funniest part was how he got no laughs after building it up to be this comeback to end all comebacks. People could relate to this show because it put the minutae that most people didn't give a second thought to out for all. I'm sure few women knew about shrinkage before this. To sum it up, this was a revolutionary show capped off imperfectly.
I just want to say that I think the backwards episode ("The Betrayal") is one of the funniest and most creative half hours of television I've ever seen. It's my favorite episode and the reason I became a fan. (I'm not trying to start a fight here, just stating my opinion.) Anyway, I think the show got better as it went on, though I agree that the final episode was a disappointment and could have been much better.
Never jumped. After reading scores and scores of the existing comments, I have formulated my opinion, which is...[yeah, like you really care]...ahem, SUSAN'S DEATH WAS A FALSE JUMP. Sure, it looked at the time like an irreversible case of shark jumping. In fact, that episode struck such a disturbing, false note that I stopped watching Seinfeld, convinced that the show was dead. It was only years later, after seeing the later episodes in syndication, that I realized that the show had bounced back and actually exceeded some of its earlier heights. Oh, sure, the final episode was disappointing, but I agree with the writer who saw it as a judgment day, heaven-or-damnation sort of thing. And besides, shark jumping on the last episode DOESN'T COUNT (by definition). Even so, the cast and writers might have pulled it off if they hadn't been laboring under the hurry-up production schedule of TV.
When George Costanza went from weasel to butthole. Before he was a lying, sniveling kiss-***, finding himself in bone-rattlingly embarrassing situations. A perfect example is when he walked out of the bathroom forgetting his shirt. This was laugh-out-loud funny. But when he did the whole Play Now stand-off, that was uncomfortable. Also, where was Crazy Joe Davola in the last episode??? He was by far the funniest "villain" the show ever had! When he kicked Kramer in the head and Kramer started speaking in Spanish, that was hysterical! A Crazy Joe Davola appearance in the final episode would have made it worthwhile.
Larry David was the true writer of the show and Seinfeld knew it...Seinfeld knew that the show would last only a couple more seasons before it would become stale like "I Love Lucy"...thats why he called it quits when so many people thought "WHY!?!"...goes with the old saying, "Quit while your ahead" and Seinfeld is no fool when it comes to knowing when to take a bow...
Death of George's fiancee. Seinfeld was a great show, but it had a chance to keep going strong by adding a dynamic to the show with a person that fit in with the other characters and they blew it. Still some funny shows for the next two seasons folowing, but not quite the same. The Finale was one of the wrost shows I had ever seen. I stopped watching it half way thru it and stopped the VCR.
Anyone notice in the Season 3 episode of the "Nose Job", when Kramer blurts out that George's girlfriend "just needs a nose job", not only does the entire audience start laughing but it seems Jerry & George also laugh as well but try to hide it. You'll see Jerry run to the kitchen, get a glass of water & start to drink it, while George practically curls up in a ball on the couch covering his face with a pillow. I'm just wondering if the actors knew this line was coming or just knew Kramer was going to say something but weren't specifically told. I know Jerry writes the episodes with Larry David, but the way he & Jason Alexander acted right after Michael Richards said that line always made me think that only Michael knew the line. Watch the episode & see Jerry & Jason's reactions right after "you just need a nose job" is said & you'll see what I mean.
Seinfeld never really jumped but took an obvious dip to the south when Larry David left the show. David's leaving took the essence of George Costanza with him and he went from an insecure loser to a cocky dork. It is best summed up in the episode when Jerry is dating Ben Stiller's wife- what's her face. Kramer and George, together, offer unwarrented advisement to Jerry, telling him to dump her because she is loser. That made me sick. That and when he wigs out about the vending machine at the Saab dealership.
This is an interesting case of JTS, because it wasn't necessarily anything the show itself did. I wholeheartedly agree that the characters got more selfish and distasteful towards the end, but some of the humor was still great, like "shrinkage." But for anyone who was living in the NYC area at the time, there was a ridiculous amount of hype over the show's ending. Maybe it was just me, but I think the newspaper editors watched the show more than anyone else because it was all they seemed to write about! There was even a banner stretched across a major street (don't ask which one, I don't remember) saying goodbye to the cast. Who put it there? Who in City Hall APPROVED putting it there?! Plus there was an article in the Daily News about all these professional businesspeople complaining about a meeting they had scheduled so they couldn't watch the finale. Holy crap, get over it! Seinfeld was all right, but no one I knew liked it THAT much. It's only a show, people, only a show.
Larry David leaving the show was a critical point when the shark was jumped. The last two seasons of Seinfield were just abysmal. It seems that the writers were good working with Larry David, but on their own lacked creativity.
Susan's death. In a previous episode, Susan and George break up and then he finds out she has become a lesbian. Remember? Then Kramer dates her lover? George, " I drive them to lesbianism and he brings em back!!" Too bad this could not have been the way they got George out of the engagement.
Seinfeld never jumped the shark...every show was a new classic. My favorite would have to be when Kramer was lent the technicolored dream coat and found the hat and cane and was mistaken for a pimp. But i must put my two cents in...the only episode that really stuck in my craw was the last one. And i know this is repetative to others coments, but it is so true.
Who doesn't miss the brilliant character of Kramer? Two outstanding ideas were the installation of a garbage disposer on his shower drain and the unbelieveable "assman" license plate episode where jubillant outsiders "assumed" (ref: The Odd Couple) that Kramer was taking Mrs. Costanza's tailpipe to their mutual public pride. The L.A. serial killer one was predictable but somewhat engaging too.
Seinfeld never jumped. Sure, there were some episodes that did not live up to expectations. These include Kramer Butters Up, Death of Susan, and the final. Seinfeld is in it's own stratosphere and is unlikely to be matched. These people who hate Seinfeld must spend too much time watching wrestling or something. C'mon people.
Never jumped, despite the heavy criticism of the last few years. The thing is, although those episodes arguably weren't as brilliant as the previous ones, it was still great televsion. And great television doesn't jump! I can think of about 100 lines that I use all the time, as they apply to everyday life. And just two days ago, I was having trouble finding my car in a parking garage.
The Bette Midler episode was the true beginning of a long decent into mediocrity, capped by a completely underwhelming series finale.
Apart form the complaint I already made (dark comedy that was forced, a lot of the time), my main complaint wasn't even the show's fault, but it's next to impossible to separate the two things. This is the urge (and "is" is the word, since it really hasn't gone anywhere) to yell "Rip-off of Seinfeld" anytime a comedy even remotely resembles it. In a way, this was a kind of revenge for Michael Richards and Larry David, since they had to hear that constantly about "Fridays" and SNL (which also hasn't really ended), but that's about the only good thing to say about it. It's one thing for people in general, but columnists and TV critics have always been on this bandwagon. Two reasons (out of many, probably) that I say it hasn't gone anywhere are these- a while back, there was a TV version of David Copperfield, that had Michael Richards as Mr. Micawber (the very eccentric character). One critic, not content with disliking the movie in general, decided that "Mr. Micawber" was more or less a case of Richards falling back on "Kramer" (I saw the movie, and he wasn't). Then, more recently, Jason Alexander had that show that did so badly (I can't think of the name). One critic, who liked it, said (I'm pretty sure) that the character was a pretty good variation of "George". In other words (though I guess this at least is news to no one), those actors themselves aren't safe from it. Even though I didn't see the show, I can't help guessing that that character was no more of a GOOD copy of George Costanza than Mr. Micawber was a BAD copy of Cosmo Kramer. But they HAD TO be, because nothing else seems to register with some people. But the best case I know of (during the height of the show) was when TV Guide devoted a whole column (a small one, admittedly) to all the current sitcom episodes that supposedly had stolen ideas from Seinfeld. Instead of taking this lying down, or getting angry (period), the makers of some of these shows wrote sarcastic letters to the magazine. In the case of Martin, either Martin Lawrence or someone else wrote a letter, apologizing for all the ways their show had copied Seinfeld. It went something like this: "Both shows are set in New York. Both shows have characters with glasses. Both are on during prime time (hey, it seemed like a good idea when we stole it)." Remarks like this could have been made about so many other comedies, too, because it became a real mania, one that I'm really not able to separate from the show itself. I've always wondered whether Jerry Seinfeld himself has always been embarrassed by this, and I don't mean in the pleasant "stop, you're embarrassing me" way, I mean genuinely aggravated by it.
"Seinfeld" is, hands-down, the greatest television show of the 1990's. But saying that it never jumped is a bit of a stretch. I think the first mini-jump was when they stopped using stand-up footage (from that same club every time?!) in the credits...that was what tied everything together. That's when you could tell the show was becoming a little too self-aware for comfort. But it didn't totally jump until it officially became a show about "nothing". Any time pop culture phenomena become self-referential, the sharks come a-running. Self-parody, contrary to popular belief, is not hip. It is evident of a lack of originality, fresh ideas, and caring for the viewership. When tell everyone you're cool, you're not cool anymore. This had good shows until the end ("The Apology" is one of my favorites...be-bopping and scatting all over!), but it was never quite as consistent as before the "Jerry" fiasco. And the backwards episode might just be the most excruciating 30 minutes in television history. (As for the Finale, I didn't like it at first, and there's no question it's not nearly as funny as most of the episodes, but in retrospect it's one of the more credible endings they could have chosen. An absolute refusal to have a happy ending. "I've always loved you...nited Airlines." It's not funny at all, but hey, it's a million times better than the two of them getting married, which is what a lot of people expected.)
Seinfeld was the king. Most of the great shows I remember were the one's like Fawlty Towers that finished early enough so as not to get stale. But Seinfeld just kept curning out one great show after another. Also its not repeated that often ala Simpsons so it doesn't suffer from over exposure. Come back Seinfeld we miss you!
Truly jumped the shark? One of 3 episodes. #1-The nipple in the christmas card. The last great episode before the show exploded into the main'stream. #2-The "Not there's anything wrong with that" episode. Incredible writing, great performance by Jason Alexander. #3-"The Contest". The apex of the show, comic genius.
It never really jumped the proverbial shark. Kramers mooching from Jerry, George being a cheap skate jerk and Newman being a fat lazy busy body. Sigh, Jerry could have just blown them all off, but then where would the show have gone? I do think that Susan should have used a sponge to wet those wedding invites, OR she should have taken those cheap one back AND picked out what she wanted, she was the one paying for it all!! Frank and Estelle Costanza, what a couple! (they remind me of a couple too near and not so dear to me in real life to mention) Serinty NOW!! NO Soup for YOU, NEXT! I laughed all over the place with the Soup Nazi. I was a bit disappointed with the last show. Easy come, Easy go. Thank God for reruns on various networks.
I think this show jumped when everything turned around for George and Elaine. George got the job with the Yankees, Elaine got fired at Pendant Publishing. There were some funny moments after that, with Mr. Pitt, or when George got the toupee, but the defining moment for the 'show where nothing happens', was when everything started happening for George.
Anyone that believes that Seinfeld ever jumped the shark is a TV "stare-er", not a TV watcher. All the folks that detailed that Seinfeld jumped the shark never point out that future episodes were amazing... different, but amazing nonetheless. The only show that comes close is the original Lucy show. I find it funny that so many say the show jumped the shark on it's last episode... basically they are saying the show never jumped the shark WHILE IT WAS RUNNING. And one can toss anyone that basically did not like Seinfeld from the first time they watched the show. Look, the show when on for 10 seasons and it carried 3 to 4 subplots, each of which could have been an excellent show on it's own. So people did not like a certain episode... that is not a shark-leap! Not when the next week it did something funny as hell and unique. Seinfeld NEVER EVER EVER JUMPED THE SHARK... not when you compare it to any ohter series on TV.
Never jumped and I still watch the reruns. Unlike a lot of other posters, my favorite character was Newman. He made the perfect foil for Jerry and the others. A classic line I remember was when Newman thought he wasn't going to get his transfer to Hawaii, and Jerry said "Are you giving up so easily," and Newman replied, "I usually do." But the classic episode for me was when Jerry was dating a woman Newman broke up with because, "She wasn't his type." Perfect example of how Newman could get under Jerry's skin, even when he wasn't around (Jerry couldn't kiss her because he was thinking of Newman). Seinfeld was great, but Newman made it greater by helping to divert focus from, and ultimately enhance, the main characters.
When Elaine stopped fressing quirkily and started dresing in a very corporate manner it was a sign that the show was starting to suck. I actually did not like the show too much after 1995. I thought the last 3 seasons were no where near as good as the first years.
Let me begin by saying some shows, despite popularity among the masses, is not for everyone. "Seinfeld's" ratings among the African American population is a prime example -- downright dismal. But to rant about the show "sucking" or that it was never good is just plain ignorant. I can't stand prime-time dramas of the early 80's, but I cannot deny that shows like "Dallas" were major television achievements. I think Seinfeld was a special show. It appealed to me at 17 when it started, and it appeals to me, still, at 30. It is one of the very few shows that we watched at my fraternity house, and that I could also go home and watch w/ my mom. As with many shows that set a high bar for themselves (and others), there are some episodes, years, characters, etc., that shine more than others, but the writing and storylines were intelligent, the characters were likable, and compared to a number of television shows & movies, past & present, (ahem... Miami Vice?) the show had an heir of class that will not soon be duplicated. The show came along, entertained me, and has stayed w/ me long after it's final episode. I'm uncertain why some of you people get so hostile, as if you've been ripped-off by a television show...unless... maybe the dingo ate your baby.
Seinfeld was the best show on television. It never JTS. The way things tie together in the show is great. Example: the episode with Loyd Braun..and Pop's daughter thinks George is crazy. They are standing on the street corner..George: There's my best friend Jerry, he can explain all of this..Jerry! (Jerry drives away) Daughter: That was your best friend? George: Yea yea but he doesn't wear glasses. Daughter: (Says this like she's talking to a 5 year old) That man was wearing glasses. George: Don't you see! He was doing it to fool Loyd Braun!..that episode was great. The Joe Mayo episode was also priceless. I have never gotten tired of the show since it has aired. I still like watching the re-runs and I've never gotten sick of them.
Seinfeld never jumped! This has to be the ultimate "reality" show. A show about nothing. How many times has something funny or ironic happened in your life and thought, this seems like a Seinfeld episode! That's the genius of sitcom writing there, take events that happen in your life and apply them to fiction. Stand-up comedians, like Jerry Seinfeld, do take real life events and turn them into jokes. I also liked how there were about 3 different stories in one episode and they all tied together. That was an entertaining and unique concept that I later saw last year in the unfortunately canceled Andy Richter show. You know a show had to be good when it has TWO pages on Jump The Shark.com! Oh and Happy Festivus!
I don't think this show ever jumped the shark!!! I was reading comments and I rrally don't understand why people keep saying it jumped when Susan died. I think that however "easy" it was to do it that way or "morbid" it was seem, that was the whole damn point of it happening that way!! I mean, the whole show is about irony and satires, and having George's fiancee' die because he was too cheap to buy the better envelopes is genius!! It just further shows the depth of the characters (which is none) by also having them not really care that she died. I don't understand how people are having such a problem with that episode....obviously they have no sense of humor and never really "got" the show or its characters in the first place. I also have to say that one of my favorite episodes is when Kramer and Jerry switched rooms because of the Kenny Roger's sign. Jerry started hearing weird rustling noises in the neon red room and started to take on characteristics of Kramer and all the while Kramer was still eating the chicken anyway, hilarious! I also wanted to comment on the show's use of names for people. I think that is one of the funniest things to take away from the show b/c I actually use them in real life when I see people with "Man Hands", "Low Talker", "A Re-gifter", etc. One of the most realistic comedic ideas ever!
As with all great shows, the first shows (where writers and actors are finding the characters) were TERRIBLE. Not just bad, but unwatchably bad. The Chinese Restaurant episode will always have its partisans, but leave nostalgia aside and try to really sit through it sometime--owww! The show got better and better, peaked (I guess WHEN is where the debate lies), ran out of steam and declined rapidly. In other words, it followed a bell curve, like practically everything else in life.
Greatest show ever. The Backwards episode was genius, and I loved the last episode. The fact that they kept calling them the "New York Four" was hilarious.
I started watching Seinfeld in syndication first, then I could not turn away from it on Thursday's. I've seen ever episode in synidaction from start to finish and they were all great! I didn't much like the early episodes where the charcaters are trying to find their fit, but in the second second the shows got great. Who could forget the supporting cast as well, Newman, Jerry's parents, Uncle Leo, J Peterman, Frank and Estelle Constanza, The Seinfelds and of course all of Jerry's lady loves. The show was great. I was psyched to watch the last episode and I was a little disappointed with the ending, but overall Seinfeld was a great show that will remain in my 10 ten forever!
After ELAINE straightened her hair SHE GOT really BITCHY. In the beginning when she had curly hair she was "one of the guys" and she had the same problems as they did, but after her hair transformation she started acting all holier-than-thou and she was really rude especially to George. She had been my favorite character but then I began to hate her.
Season 9....i mean season 8 had very funny episodes and from season 1 to 7 was great...except maybe for season 6 which has many unenjoyable episodes...but season 9 was pretty unfunny...George became very unlikable and so did Elaine...Kramer got too crazy and Jerry's sarcasm wasn't fun enough.......and it's so overplayed on tv that people are gonna get sick of it...I'm giving Seinfeld a rest..and i'm starting to think that "NewsRadio" was funnier...those are my two fav. shows but thinking deeply about it "NewsRadio" was sometimes more clever and entertaining than Seinfeld.....
If it wasn't for the series finale, it never would have jumped. That was the worst series finale in history. It was nothing more than a clip show. The ending didn't tie up all the loose ends like "MASH" or go out on a hilarious note like "Newhart". It didn't do anything that even resembled the rest of the series run
It takes me about 3.5 seconds to identify a post-Larry David Seinfeld episode, and another 2 seconds to change the channel. Puddy and Elaine (who cares)...Jerry trying to get a girl to go to sleep so he can play with her toys...give me a break. George at Play-Now. People say Jerry should have kept the show going. He knew the deal and was embarrassed. He should have ended it sooner, and don't get me started on the final episode.
I love how many of you so called Seinfeld experts say that the show JTS when Larry David left and then go on to bash the writers for such a horrible final episode. Larry David came back to WRITE and DIRECT the final episode. Get your facts straight! By the way it was a GREAT finale and true fans understand why it was.
It takes about 5 seconds for me to identify a post-Larry David episode of Seinfeld, and 3 more seconds to change the channel. They're borderline embarrassing. The characters had become cartoon characters at that point and the decision to have Puddy become a main character was a terrible one. Can anyone really sit through the episode in the car dealership?
Good god, this show is dull. Cardboard cut out characters, boring stories. Basically, it was just the same show again and again. Why would I ever care whether four such unreal people got their rocks off? Watchng shallow, dull people living shallow, dull lives is not funny, it's depressing. Clever catch phrases and even some clever writing could never distract me from the fact that this was self-absorbed, arrogant clap trap..
Never. To reply to some prior comments. The Merv Griffin set was classic Kramer. He was ALWAYS wanting to change his apartment, even the first season he has the "bet" with Jerry about making levels..remember the hot tub, the wood wallpaper etc...As to Elaine's attitude, how many single New York women who want to be with a steady guy do you know who do not become more uptight after settling for losers for about 10 years?
This show declined, but was still great up until that last episode. Sure, some of the story lines were dumb, and it got a little too ridiculous, but the characters carried it and there was always something in each episode that made me laugh. Line for line, maybe the best show ever. Right up there with the classics: "The Odd Couple", "Cheers", "Honeymooners", "All in the Family."
ELAINE'S HAIR!! Oh my God! Why do they do this? If I wasn't there, or rather she wasn't there, what could they have been trying? I mean, sometimes the changes could be here or there, and then BAM! Why do they do it? I'm not just jumping the shark here! People, Seinfeld changed so much with that Elaine hair issue I just don't understand! I remember being younger and watching Elaine on my little black and white television (it looks so fake in color!) and laughing and laughing. Seinfeld rocked. And then, BAM! What is this? I love Elaine and her hair! Don't jump!!!
I love Seinfeld, not a day goes by without a Seinfeld reference or quote from me. The shows that came closest to jumping were all towards the end -- when "wackiness" and bizarre, unrealistic situations started turning up on every episode instead of great dialogue among interesting characters. It probably did start with Susan dying from licking the envelopes. But then Kramer adopting a mile of road, Kramer buttering himself up, the Puerto Rican Day Parade (my least favorite episode), Kramer and Newman returning bottles to Michigan. My fave episodes: Puffy shirt; "Not that there's anything wrong with that;" George joins the New York Yankees because he's doing The Opposite; Jerry and Elaine do "this, that - and the other."
Wow, I know a lot of people are not going to like hearing this, but Seinfeld never jumped because it was pretty pathetic from the start. The writing was fourth grade humor. I only watched a few episodes but that was all I needed to see. Here is the way I assess the show. Very good acting, and an A plus chemistry. From there, I got the impression that viewers would laugh no matter what, because they EXPECTED them to be funny. But did they ever listen to the dialogue? It was not witty at all. George wanted to ground his father. He would say, “a nose job takes longer than it seems” or something like that. Kramer yelling “she’s late”. Do the viewers ever dissect the dialogue? I tend to think that Jerry could yell, “the hotel is on fire” and they would laugh. Yep, they were funny people, but I cannot help but see that while Cheers had witty, clever writing, Seinfeld’s cleverness was basically limited to talking about “shrinkage”, and things of that nature. And a society that has lowered its standards tremendously fell for it: hook, line, and sinker.
The writers knew that if George got married the show would have lost its purpose. This show told a new generation that it was alright to not settle down immediately. It simply would have been weird, wrong even, to have even one of them get married. On another thought, the writers also knew that the show had simply lost its edge by the final season. The final episode was simply meant to be a c-c-c-crazy satire of how countless sitcoms have JTS in the most bizarre ways. Many just failed to see it.
The finale sucked. Plain and simple. IT was not SUPPOSED to suck. It was NOT a satire. It just sucked. I can't believe that people are so caught up in the hype that they REFUSE to accept a simple FACT. If you can't call a clip-filled finale that FOLLOWED a CLIP SHOW a horrible idea, then you are not willing to givethe show any criticism whatsoever. Well, here is some more criticism. Julia Louis Dreyfus was HORRIBLE. She tried to drag the show over the shark with every single overacting scene she did. It was only the other actors who prevented her from doing so. Watching her with the Jujy Fruits now in syndication makes me cringe every time. I can only imagine how much better the show could have been if hte female character was played by someone who was actually funny. Julia sucked on Saturday Night Live, and she sucked on Seinfeld.
SEINFELD NEVER JUMPED THE SHARK! All you people who feel "ohh when the show got hip it got worse, blah blah" Give me a break, you're the same people who don't like mainstream music, mainstream movies, and mainstream media. Just because something becomes popular, doesn't mean it becomes bad, if that was the case, then being healthy would aslo be considered jumping the sharks. Plain and simple this show was amazing, i feel the show got better as it went on and I can't badmouth any episode, not even the finale. I am 19 right now, and didnt start watching till I was about 1993 when I was about 10, and as time has gone on I've been able to appreciate the pilot and shows immediatly after that more. And im sure a great deal of people don't even realize that the last conversation in the finale when they are in the jail cell about the button, is also the same as the first conversation between GEORGE and JERRY in the pilot(Good News, Bad News). There are so many subtlties in this show that most people i'm sure don't even get, or see. But oh well, I guess people can find problems with anything because everyone's different, and that's a good thing, just know that you're wrong. And with the greatest show on TV gone now since 1998, and other shows that can't compare but are still great leavin(2004), and reality TV taking over the network lineups, we should all be thankful stuff like this existed, hopefully people like me can bring it back........that's right. J. And for you people who don't like Jerry Seinfeld, the person, actor, whatever...you're F*cking Insane. "Hello Margery, George Costanza. How are you sweet heart? Listen, can you give Mr. Thomassoulo a message for me? …Yes. If he needs me, tell him (screams) I’M IN MY OFFICE! Thanks."
The "Backwards episode", where the show started at the end. Down hill from there
Never jumped. To this day I hear people quote Seinfeld episodes everywhere I go. That's what made the show so awesome. They took everyday circumstances that people can relate to, and elborated on them. In workplaces everywhere, it is common to refer to a lazy employee as someone who is "working on the Pensky file" Genious, pure genious. Those people that say they don't like it are obviously lying or just starved for attention (just like Montreal Canadiens hockey fans). No other show in history has ever been in such high demand for reruns and simulcasting. You can watch at least 5 different Seinfeld episodes on various stations every weekday. No other show can claim that.
The finale. It felt like it was written for people who had never seen the show. It was not true to the Seinfeld format. I liked the references to previous shows but they overexplained the circumstances, I assume, for the people who never watched the show before and just watched the finale. The beginning of the finale was EXCELLENT with clips from the years and out-takes.
First off I think Seinfeld at its worst was better than any other network show at its best. But, I have to admit that it did do a little jump over the shark when Larry David left. The writing became less intelligent, less realistic and less funny. All of a sudden the characters, namely George and Elaine were more angry and bitter than funny and the plotlines were like a cartoon. It was no longer about the daily stuff of life, but about crap. Kramer buttering himself up and roasting like a turkey? Jerry digging up a neighbor's parrot at a pet cemetery? Yuck. Larry David took the whole show with him when he left.
I did not like how Susan died.The Putty character is a bore,other than that this show had great timing with the actors no damn kids to deal with as show went from year to year.I watch it every chance I get if I see it on.I love the soup nazi episode,when George whines to jerry about not getting bread just the way Jerry says let it go.George complains and is eventually banned for a year by the soup nazi is hilarious.all time TV classic.George gets caught masturbating by his mother is another pricelees episode.I could go on thank you seinfeld gang oh hello Newman
Some posters have complained about how the show was full of callous, "self-absorbed" main characters, and a lot of other posters have told them, "That's what it was SUPPOSED TO BE about!" I agree a little with both sides, but I think the first side has one kind of "ammunition" that they don't seem to use. There's no law (though it's easy to think so) that says that a character who's MEANT to be bad in some way or other is more entertaining than one who's that way ACCIDENTALLY. So maybe a lot of the complainers DO KNOW that Seinfeld was meant to be about callous characters, but they still don't like it, and there's nothing fantastic about that. A lot of posters (including me) have called the "death of Susan" episode bad, but there's one bad thing about it that surprisingly doesn't seem to be mentioned, and that's that it had one of those really forced celebrity appearances (which Seinfeld did go very easy on, it's true). I mean the idea of George losing Susan and then somehow going out with Marisa Tomei (playing herself of course). I hate to say it, but that was a huge case of two bad ideas rolled into one. I've complained about this before, but columnists get completely irritating about the show - any given comedy is a copy of it, everything one of the four does now is a bad imitation of it etc. But it's even worse with the smaller actors, like Patrick Walburton and others. If I'm not mistaken, one critic who was panning a comedy with Wayne Knight (not 3rd Rock) called him "the Seinfeld actor" without even using his name. Whether you love or hate Wayne Knight, he isn't the "Seinfeld actor" or even the "3rd Rock actor", but an actor in general, so that was a really insulting thing to do. But again, it was pretty typical.
Never jumped! Last episode was dumb, though. Seinfeld was awesome. I can't watch other sitcoms, because everything else is terrible in comparison with Seinfeld. That show was consistently funny..it had its occasional bad episode, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.
After the show got BIG. All of a sudden it was a case of the actors playing themselves-as-a-Seinfield-character instead of being natural as in the first couple of years [see: Roseanne or Cosby Show]. When a show gets to the level of "you HAVE to watch us so we don't care", it really is time to clean shop as Nirvana did in the music industry
Although the last episode wasn't funny, this didn't compromise the whole show. So, I guess it never jumped, because it was never compromised by anything. It had to just wrap up the whole thing and give the fans a satisfaction - that was the real job for the last show, not being particularly funny. Thinking that way would be really small-minded. BTW, as someone mentioned, Teri Hatcher's breasts are anything but spectacular. In fact, she stopped her sudden Superman success by taking her clothes off in a couple of movies and revealing those really ugly (although *real*) breasts.
O.k...I have a triple digit IQ and allegedly am an intelligent person. But I must be a complete intellectual fraud, because this show which every "smart" person I know loves and mourns the loss of, was never funny to me, not even for an instant. Are there others like me? Should we form a support group?
The show became forced and unfunny after Larry left as Ex. producer and writer. He was the true heart of the show.
Seinfeld jumped the shark at Susan's death. Susan wasn't important; but the writers had written themselves into a corner. George and Susan's marriage would have been either the rightful end of the show OR a JTS in its own right. With so much money at stake, they just had to find a way to keep the show going. As a work, and as a legacy, Seinfeld would have best ended there, with George's wedding. Larry David could have painted George's marriage as the worst punishment ever.
When Elaine went from the ratty, light brown curls to the greasy-ish, shiny, black ones, I didn't think there was THAT much of a change in her personality. There was a little, tho. She was no longer an environmentalist. She never mentioned vegetarism anymore, or the earth altogether. She also started wearing tighter, more professional-style clothes. But she was basically the same person she was before. Saying this, this is all referring to Elaine, not the show itself. Now, about the show. When she got her hair STRAIGHTENED, that was just about the time the show was REALLY started going down hill, and the new writers came The first few episodes of the bad seasons, I admit, she still had the curly-hair, but it was just as bad...So, I guess I my vote goes for both new writers, AND hair care Elaine...
All in all was a great show, but I have to say they started to lose it at the end. Didn't like the ending thought it didn't stand up to previous quality. Maybe it was time to end.
Seinfeld never jumped! Although the finale was a bit of a letdown for me, I loved the way that show brought so many of the previous bit characters together at the trial, and the way they interacted with each other. Sure, the finale wasn't as funny as previous episodes, but I enjoyed the almost-proposal as the plane was going down, an appearance by the REAL Art Vandalay, and the return of Babu (who swore he would get back at Jerry one day and does when his testimony at the trial puts the foursome in prison). Well done!
Seinfeld never, jumped the shark. The last epiode violated the whole seinfeld code, dont try hard. Almost every show was pure comedic genius. All the plots dovetailed and swirled all into eachother, making each episode excriciatingly funny.
Seinfeld killed the shark and sold it to the Chinese Restaurant where they cooked it and ate it... or maybe the Soup Nazi made some soup out of it... or maybe it was at Babu Bhatt's restaruant, anyway... Most people are saying that Seinfeld jumped the shark in the finale, when larry david left or when susan died. Here is what I have to say about that. 1) You dont judge a show on its first episode or last episode, but everything in between. So it had a mediocre finish, so what?? 2) When Larry David left, the show lost a little of its edge, but not all of it. Larry David left behind some rough drafts of episodes he never got around to making and Jerry used these so Larry lived beyond the 7th season. 3) I was glad Susan died, her character sucked and she was annoying, and at least she died in a humorous manner. Overall, Seinfeld is arguably the greatest television show of all time and Jerry, always a master of timing, decided to take it out on top because he knows it is better to leave the audience wanting more. If you think Seinfeld jumped, ok, but then every televison show ever made jumped. I am out.
When Elaine started being painted like a streetwalker with purple tones of eye-shadow. She went from cool hippie chic to surburban ho at about the same time the show stopped being funny.
Having taken Kenny (not Cosmo) Kramer's "Reality Tour" in Manhattan, I am not certain whether the show jumped shark by ending up as a commercial promotion, or whether Kenny (the real-life "comedian" who lived next to Jerry prior to his becoming a star) jumped the shark by making money off an old friend. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course.
This was (and is) one of the best shows ever. Kramer is one of the best characters EVER on TV. He makes me laugh every time I watch. In the "Master of Your Own Domain Episode", he's at his best. Jerry: We HAVE to do it, it's part of our make up, like shaving. Elaine: Well, I shave my legs. Kramer: Not every day. CLASSIC!
While, I have only read a small fraction of the hundreds of postings for “Seinfeld” on this site, it is clear that some people (as incredible as it may seem) did not like it. Not liking this show is absolutely beyond my comprehension. Please pardon my candor, but if one does not find this show to be very, very funny, then one is either not intelligent enough to fully appreciate it (like it or not, that’s most of you), or completely without a sense of humor (probably only a few). These people, in stead, tune into “Everybody Loves Raymond”, “According to Jim”, and assorted crap on the WB. They find it funny when shows involve men being outsmarted by their girlfriends or wives. They roar with laughter when sit-com wives threaten (through innuendo) to withhold sex from their husbands. They like seeing the male leads of their shows involved in shopping, cooking, or child-rearing disasters. Seinfeld is so clearly the funniest, most clever, innovative, sit-com in television history, that even saying so seems unnecessary. It is a given. And folks, it ain’t even close. I loved M*A*S*H, Cheers, Taxi, All in the Family, and The Andy Griffith Show (black & white only). But, none of these shows (and no others for that matter) is in Seinfeld’s league. Jerry, George, Kramer, Elaine (only occasionally funny), Newman, Banya, Frank & Estelle Costanza, Morty & Helen Seinfeld, Uncle Leo, Izzy Mendlebaum & sons, Jackie Childs, David Puddy, Jay Peterman, Mr. Pitt, and the Rabbi. Any one of these characters is funnier than Ross, Rachel, or Monica on their best day. Were all of the episodes great? No. Did I laugh at every single joke, throughout the show’s nine-year run? Of course not. However, a mediocre episode here or there, or a scene or story line that was unrealistic does not a mean that Seinfeld “jumped the shark”. Question: Was there an identifiable moment at which, from that point forward, the quality of the show deteriorated until such point that the show left the air? Answer: Of course not. Seinfeld left the air the same way it had anchored NBC’s Thursday night line-up for nine years – as the best show on television.
I can't believe nobody mentioned Kramer's midget sidekick Mickey as the obvious shark jump moment. Having this duo pal around is the equivalent of a comedian wearing rainbow suspenders. Uncreative. Just awful.
This show had a jumping of the shark when Elaine was dating the man who had a stroke, then was pretty much making fun of him when feeding him and wanting to break up with him. She was so aloof. It really made me think about how "beyond ok to joke about" some of the show's episodes were becoming. I just thought that was so insensitive.
Seinfeld bit it when it began to take itself too seriously. The pressure of being the "smartest" show on TV really seemed to take a toll as the show progressed. The backwards episode really symbolizes this process, at least for me. I must say that I am amused at the poster who chides those who do not like Seinfeld and argues that they are somehow less intelligent than said poster. If that is true we ARE in trouble. Imagine a world full of people less intelligent that someone who believes that the sentence "While, I have only read a small fraction of the hundreds of postings for “Seinfeld” on this site, it is clear that some people (as incredible as it may seem) did not like it" is grammatically correct. Please learn how to use basic punctuation (like the comma) before casting aspersions on the intelligence of others!
I've always wondered about the origin of Jerry & Newman's dislike for each other. The writers should have given us an episode explaining how it all started. Seinfeld never gets stale, no matter how many times I watch. When Library Inspector Bookman delivers his straight-faced soliloquy about disrespect, I pee my pants laughing. And when Jerry & George revert to gleeful adolescence during their ride in a California cop car, it's a humorous gem. Lloyd Bridges really tickled me as Coach Mandelbaum.
It just got better with time. After watching the final 4-5 seasons going back and watching the first two seasons is just painful. The characters are so wooden, practically all the dialog revolves around sex, the minor characters are boring and uninteresting. The show really hit its stride when Susan came back on as George's fiance. Actually, I think Larry David leaving helped.
Seinfeld never jumped the shark, though it did have a few weaker moments, notably "the conversion", "puertorican day", "the clip show", "the wizard" and most of all, "the finale" which is the only episode of seinfeld which, IMO truly sucked. All, in all, it was the comical genius of Larry David which, through the gradual evolution of George, made the show what it was. Lovable & quirky as Cosmo Kramer was, it was George & his angst ridden antics which provided the energy. Jerry Seinfeld's character was not much more than a straightman....
It was funnier and more believeable when George was insecure/neurotic instead of angry and aggressive. There were a lot of good episodes in the final years, but George's change seemed to be the clearest line from brilliant to just good. And regarding Elaine, never mind her hair: What the heck happened to her face/head? Her jaw line became exagerrated and wide as a football field, with a pointy chin. Did her body shrink down? WAS it the hairstyle? Whatever, her face was giant, like a balloon. It was disturbing.
The idea that the characters died in the airplane crash and were sent to hell was interesting. However, the show JTS for me when they started going overboard with product placement: Snapple, Twix, PEZ, Kenny Roger's Roasters, Junior Mints; these obvious plants were neither funny nor seemlessly done.
When Elaine's hair changed from 4-inch high friz bangs to oiled down and straight
Kramer butters himself up. Absolute worst episode ever. Larry David would never have stood for this. It was like something from Three's Company or the Brady Bunch.
The show DID NOT jump when Susan died. Seinfeld was always a somewhat morbid, dark comedy, and it fitted in perfectly with the shows mood. Seinfeld was a show about three people who were more pre-occupied with their own lives, and one person who was just insane. Would you have rather had Susan get breast cancer and then devote several "serious" episodes as she slowly dies. Uh, no, this is a comedy. In reality, people don't die from licking toxic envelopes, and even if they did, their friends wouldn't just shrug it off. Fortunately, Seinfeld isn't reality. It was simply the most kick-*** TV show in history.
Clowns. It doesn't get better than this. This is the crest, the high wave, the stain on the wall lost in the sun. The peak of tv and society. Better tighten that belt cause untill I get my show on HBO there ain't ever gonna be anything worth watching. And I'll never get that show cause this world, it has moved on.
I have read about half of the comments on the show and can't believe how people actually think this show ever jumped. Compare the last season of this show with the last season of any other show that had a run as long. No contest. Also compare any other final episode of any show with a comparable run. Again, no contest unless you like sentimental pablum. The show ended exactly as it should have. It is the only show of it's genre that would not and could not end with a schmaltzy, syrupy finale like most beloved half hour comedies (MASH, Cheers, etc.). Only in the retrospective show after the finale did we see the cast hug or show any real emotion for one another, only out of character. Jeez, the only other sitcoms I can even watch nowadays are cartoons. I suppose the standard is just so low. I used to like Ray Romano's standup, but that show is unwatchable. King of Queens? That 70's show? Puh-leese. Pretty sad when the only shows that are written well and actually say something anymore are cartoons such as the Simpsons and South Park.
The show jumped when the series ended, because while it is funny, you can only watch the episodes once before you get sick of them. This show is so often compared to friends as the superior, but truely it was way to overrated. The show lacks emotion which is important in comedy, and the entire show is just cheap laughs, which lose their edge after the first time you see it. Seinfeld was a show that started off with one of the worst first seasons of a comedy, blossomed into a pretty funny show, then ended because the writers didn't feel like trying to squeez better plots. It is played to much in the reruns now, and a show that is only funny once, should not be constantly aired.
The show jumped when Jerry and George went to California and Kramer became a fugitive for murder. This was a real hokey twist in the entire Seinfeld plot that demonstrated that the show's writing was going downhill.
Has anyone ever noticed that the actor that played 'Jake Jarmel' (the character best known for breaking up with Elaine when he got in an accident and she stopped off for Jujubees before visiting him) also played the role of a police officer during the episode when Kramer went to Hollywood to become an actor? He was officer driving the car when Jerry and George were in the back seat. Did anyone else notice this?
Obviously, since the characters became unlikable after Susan's death, the public AT LARGE would begin to turn it off. Those of us fascinated by darker human impulses (mainly Faces of Death fans) remained glued. One of the more redeeming aspects of the episode in question is George's behavior at the graveside. Interesting bit of trivia: the actrees who played Susan, whose name escapes me just now, is perhaps more famous to the "Stoner-Drive-In Movie" crowd as The Ajax Lady in Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke or Next Movie, I forget which.
When Julia Louis-Dreyfus changed her hair, the entire show changed for the worst. It was good, with some unforgetable moments for awhile, then Elaine's hair changed, and she became a total *****. Before the hair, Elaine always had this thing for Jerry. After, however, she doesn't. Jerry and George became more childish after Elaine changed her hair, and Kramer stays pretty much the same. Anyway, it jumped when Louis-Dreyfus changed her hair. Also, as a thought, that ending sucked ***! I was expecting Jerry and Elaine to get back together or get married or something, but not the stupid ending the writers pulled out of their asses.
Those last 6 episodes - couldn't you guys have at least tried to act like you weren't glad it was ending? It was like those people who you work with who know they're leaving in 2 weeks so they stop trying. Talk about going out in a wimper, with the final episode being one of the worst series finales in TV history.
Even tough the last episode was bad, well no it was very bad, the show was always great. Some episodes in the final 2 years were a little sub-par for Seinfeld but still better than 95% of the junk on TV. It was a staple of my Thursday nights all through high school and college. For a couple of years later I would occasionally see the time on Thursday and think Seinfeld is on. Except for Sunday at 8:00 (think yellow people) there is no other show that is must see for me and hasn't been since.
Well, I thought about it, and finally voted that Seinfeld never jumped the shark. I absolutely love this show and loved almost every episode when they aired, except for the finale. However, in retrospect, in watching plenting of reruns since it ended, I do prefer the older episodes much more than the later ones. And, even though it is an obvious coincedence, I do see a distinction in quality when Elaine's hair changed, and she lost a lot of weight. I dont notice the difference when her hair was just straightened, but I notice when her hair became black and oily looking. I feel those episodes just aren't quite as good as when her hair was like it was in the beginning. However, I didn't notice it at the time the show was on. There was never a moment I saw an episode or a series of episodes and said, "that's it, it will never be the same"! I loved it up until the end, so my vote has to be no jump. Oh and to the poster who griped that there was no point to this show, that was exactly the whole point, and is what made it so funny.
I've read quite a few posts and I'm amazed by how many people seem to have never "got" Seinfeld. This was a show about a bunch of narcissistic New Yorkers who couldn't be bothered by anyone else's problems--taken to a darkly comedic extreme. It reached icon status in the 90's, but I'm amazed at how timeless the humor was. The episodes from the early 90's are still funny and easily relatable 14 years! And as far the the complaints about the finale. Geez! This show couldn't have a "happy" ending. It had to be a final indictment on the characters' behavior all those years. Self-absorbed people who did nothing...which is what the show had always been about. Brilliant and dark.
There's no question when this show jumped the shark. I just watched a rerun last night and Jerry's and George's parents were front and center. I hated all four of them from the first time they were on, but it wasn't so bad at the beginning of the series because they were on maybe once a season. Around the fifth or sixth season they were on on a semi-regular basis. Who cared if George's parents moved to Florida or got a divorce or if Jerry's parents liked the Cadillac? The show was like all good ensemble shows, funniest when it stuck to the core cast. Friends was the same, or Cheers. The occasional guest star was always fun, but throw in a semi-regular cast member and it would suck the life out of the show.
Seinfeld got old towards the end. People tend to forget this about this show. It's a lot like the Paul Reiser show. That same humor and jokes just kept getting mined (past its prime).
Any Seinfeld fan will cherish a reunion. However, this "Seinfeld Story" feels more like that one hour "Curb Your Enthusiasm" special, than a reunion. I truly hope this doesn't lead to a series. A show about a show that had a show within it is just too complicated for a show about nothing.
Four sociopaths living in New York. George is loud, completely self absorbed. Elaine has a sexual low self esteem and has stereotypical "female" complexes. Kramer is a cartoon charcter that mocks a true slapstick comedian, Shemp Howard. Oh, and Jerry, the pretty boy, beady-eyed comic that never laughs at anyone else's jokes unless it's in sarcasm. The surrounding characters, Newman, everyone's parents', and the barrage of guest stars also have traits that require therapy. What I have described is what appeals to so many Seinfeld fans, but these are the same reasons I have never liked this show. If people need to watch these unadjusted people to make them feel better about their own lives, that is truly pathetic. I prefer to be entertained, not obtain an elevated ego by the television that I watch. The show's underlying theme also descibes the feelings I have for it - nothing
Jerry's stand-up routines at the start of the show. They were seldom all that funny, but the camera would always cut to some attractive woman in the audience laughing uproariously and mouthing, in between guffaws, "That's so true!" As if to say "See, America, sexy chicks are into Jerry Seinfeld!" If you're going to be manipulative,at least be a little subtle about it. And yes, I didn't like Elaine's transformation into a mean-spirited sex bomb, either.And I also hated the blatant attempts at creating catch-phrases like "Moses, smell the roses".
I think Larry David leaving Seinfeld has to be the #1 blow for any show on this web site. The dropoff after he left was beyond dramatic. You could tell how hard they were trying to match his wittiness, and they fell short. Everything was too forced, as if they were trying to take the David formula and replicate over and over again. It's a shame. I think the non-David seasons taint the greatness of the show immeasureably.
If you think about the origin of the term "jump the shark," it comes from a character (Fonzie) doing something fairly atypical, unrealistic, silly, or farfetched. By this definition, Seinfeld definitely "jumped." It's almost a textbook case. Kramer lathering himself up with butter while Newman tries to eat him....Elaine eating 400 year old cake...Elaine using a meat slicer to even out her heels.... Using the broader idea of "jumping," as in "the show is going downhill, or isn't what it was," I would agree with the posters that say the show went from world-class to just good. Only the last episode was truly wretched. Larry David was totally reaching...just as he's doing now in Season 4 of CYE with the "Producers" ending. The strangest thing is how the characters became so one dimensional, jaded, and mean in the later episodes. Watch an early episode, and George is worried about accidentally getting a water fired. Elaine frets over dolphins in tuna nets. By the end, Jerry is bored, irritable, and dating models. George is constantly yelling and frantic. Kramer is the only one who did not alter his persona too much, though he was given increasingly unrealistic things to do by the writers. Worst of all is Elaine. Her facial transformation is only a few steps away from that of Michael Jackson. She went from a naturally cute woman to this artificial creature. Alright, I'm exaggerating....it's more than a few steps away from Jackson, but still.....why Julia, why? Why did you go Hollywood?
It did not jump the shark. Quite the opposite, it was bad, then IT GOT GOOD. How can anyone say the last show blew it. The last show was the epitome of what the show was all about. For years, it was a show about four people who were completely self-centered, selfish, narcisistic losers. Everything they ever did was selfish. The last show actually gave a message to an otherwise hedonistic show. Their selfishness was finally paid for in the very last show and they got what they had deserved all that time. It was the absolute perfect ending to an otherwise bad show. All the time the show was on I had no respect for it, but the last show made it something that was actually good. The ending was perfect.
When Elaine changed her hairdo from "frumpy/frizzy" to "sexy/svelte", I don't know whether the writing changed or her interpretation changed, but instead of the goofy Elaine, we got the pretty nasty Elaine, which was more annoying than funny. About the same time George changed from whiny to spastic.
"Seinfeld" never jumped. The last two seasons - or however many there were without Larry David - weren't the best, but between 1989 and 1998, the worst episode of "Seinfeld" was better than the best episode of any other show then in production. When in current production, the worst episode of "Seinfeld" was better than the best episode of any other show which was also making new episodes during those years. Today, with "Seinfeld" available only in syndication, a "Seinfeld" rerun is still better than 80% of the new shows that are airing. In his book "Planet Simpson", Chris Turner makes the argument that "the Simpsons" has never really slipped, and experienced three stages of existence: the Early Years, the Golden Age, and the Long Plateau. I think the same arguments apply to "Seinfeld". In Seinfeld's Early Years, the first three seasons worth of shows, cast and creative folks were figuring out how to make the show, with inspired madness ensuring. Seinfeld's Golden Age began with the first episode of Season Four, Episode 40, the first part of "The Trip" (Season Four being the season which won an Emmy) and ended with the death of Susan Ross, in Episode 126, "the Invitations", the season finale of the seventh season. Over those 86 episodes, each week's Seinfeld was the best written and preformed half hour on television. Period. The episodes which followed Susan's death were the weakest Seinfeld's episodes, and constitute the Long Plateau. That said, they are still extremely funny and extremely well written, suffering only by way of comparison to the episodes of the Golden Age. Seinfeld is perhaps atypical in that it has two "best seasons", the fourth and seventh. Long live Seinfeld, and let all of us who were lucky enough to catch a new episode on its original air-date count our blessings.
When Larry David left the show, when he left, the quality of writing had badly slipped, not a single episode captured the intelligence or atmosphere of the earlier seasons. Worst of all, the episodes went from being original and detailed in characterization and small things to being lazy and not really caring about the characters or details. The Characters changed too. George went from being 70% Neurotic-30%Angry to 70%Angry-30% Neurotic and Elaine went from being 95%Pleasent-5%Angry,Unpleasent to 100%Angry, Unpleasant-0%Pleasant.
I hesitate to say my favorite show of all time jumped because, at its worst, it was better than most shows at their best. However, if I must pick a shark jump for this brilliant show, it has to be when Larry David left because out went the smart, everyday storylines and in came the weird, cartoonish stuff that makes up a lot of other shows content. Still the best show ever on network TV!
It's hard for me to say whether SEINFELD ever jumped the shark because I really didn't watch it with any kind of regularity until it went into syndication, but I had to weigh in on it because it is a sitcom that broke a lot of the rules for sitcoms and is considered a classic. TV GUIDE called it the best sitcom ever. I think the show had a lot of things going for it. The chemistry between the four lead actors was undeniable and the writing for the most part was strong. Honestly, I have some episodes that I really loved and there are others I cannot even sit through. I loved the Soup Nazi. I loved the weekend in the Hamptons with the ugly baby, George's girlfriend going topless and George's "shrinkage." I loved when George didn't want to read BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY's so he went over to Robert Hooks' house to watch the movie instead. The episode with Molly Shannon and Raquel Welch was funny. I liked the car with the BO smell ("What am I? Hard of smelling?"). I liked when Jerry and Elaine were on the plane and he was in first class and she was in coach or when Elaine was flying with Putty and Vegeatable Lasagna. There was a lot of funny stuff done here. Did I live for the show? No. Did I plan my life around it? No. What I noticed when I looked at the general attitudes of the characters was that these were really unpleasant, egomaniacal, stuck-up people who thought they were better than everyone else. They seemed to be constantly looking down on other people like they were so much dirt underneath their feet, especially Jerry and Elaine. They were very nasty to a lot of people over the years and gave a lot of people a lot of grief. I think what happened to them in the last episode was totally justified. These four people mistreated a lot of people over the course of this show. I know it's just a TV show, but these were not nice people.
Best sitcom of all time, period. Other shows have reached greater heights (The Simpsons, for one, many would argue Cheers), but no sitcom was as consistently funny throughout its time on the air. For the record, the final episode was brilliant, as evidenced by the many who simply couldn't grasp its depth.
Seinfeld's last episode was brilliant, and I think everyone who hated it got angry that Jerry had them pegged from the beginning. The characters were not on trial, we as Americans were. We had made four cretins national heroes. They were everything wrong with society in America, and America ate it up! Once people saw that, the last episode was deemed a failure. A FAILURE??? It was a triumph on every level! Exposing the hypocrisy of our culture on a national scale on prime-time network TV? Undeniably brilliant!
There is a direct relationship between the dwindling amount of hair connecting the sides of George's head and the presence of fresh ideas - when all hair on top was gone, so was our greatest sitcom, from the pantheon of the all time greats, to just another show, one that more closely resembled a post Who's The Boss Tony Danza vehicle than the brilliance of its mid 90s episodes.
Everytime I think about a show "Jumping the Shark", I always think about Seinfeld. It's probably one of the only shows that started its decline due to the departure of a key individual who wasn't a member of the cast. Larry David's departure definitely signaled the beginning of the end for Seinfeld. I didn't even realize it at the time, b/c I didn't really know anything about LD, except that he was one of the co-creators of the show. Now that I've seen his work on "Curb Your Enthusiasm", and now that I've also seen the reruns and can compare the early shows(1989-1994) with the post-LD era of shows(1994-1998), it's easy to see that the show was never the same after he left.
This show never really jumped the Shark. Sure the Death of Susan was kind of strange, but George couldn't be tied down, he would become unfunny. The writers of Seinfeld were constantly thinking that the show would be canceled at the end of the season. It wasn't untill Susan that the show became a definite.
This show started to jump when the writers, and Jerry Seinfeld got lazy. They apparently felt that the whole thing was silly and it didn't matter what they wrote. But it did to the shows legion of fans. They writers forgot that you can't build up expectations around a situation (like George and Jerry's engagement) and then toss it all away like it doesn't matter. In George's case, when she died licking stamps, or in Jerry's case when they suddenly came to a spontaneous mutual realization "I hate you!". And Elaine throwing George's Toupe' out of the window for no reason other than "I hate this thing!" was another lazy way to get rid of something the writers were done with. The finale was good, and I liked it, but I don't think the finale that aired was the original story planned for the final episode. Seinfeld made a comment in an interview a few years before the show ended declaring that the final episode had been written for some time. But, around the time of the last season Seinfeld said in another interview that Larry David was coming back to write the finale. This didn't make sense until I realized that one show in that last season stood out like a sore thumb. It was the episode where Jerry got feelings. it had all the earmarks of being a series finale (Jerry asking Elaine to marry him--George confessing his darkest self) and Jerry being scared straight again. That show was written too well to have been written in that desperate last season. I believe Seinfeld had written that episode with Larry David years before, planning it for the finale but ended up using it because the writers were giving him crap. This may have been after David agreed to come back for the last episode. As for the decline of the show, it was aparent to everyone. They got out just in time. "Showmanship" Seinfeld declared. "Going out on a highnote" and "leave them wanting more" you said it Jerry, you said it.
This show never completely jumped. It was close though when Larry David left. A lot of people dont realize that the creaters/main writers leaving the show is just as devastating as an actor leaving the show because the actor can only go as far with the material that is handed to them. So when David left I still think it went from classic to very solid. The only true drop of for me was in Elaine. What the heck happened to her. I never remembered her in the early episodes being so mean and sleeping around like crazy. They did go the crazy route in the last few seasons but I can still watch them. I can watch just about every episode and laugh. When I watched the finale I was confused at first like everyone else. Then when I found out about what George and Jerry were talking about the buttons on the jacket and Jerry wondering had they talked about htat which they did in the pilot I got one theme from the series. These people who did nothing but talked all day ran out of things to talk about in the one place they needed it. Then I watched the finale again and I couldn't believe how we all fell in love with these 4 evil dark people. So now when I watch the old episodes I realize how deep and smart this show really was. I definitly don't think it is the greatest show of all time, but I definitly think it was one of the smartest. I think if anything overall the finale saved the show and I get how these evil people are.
Seinfeld never jumped, it was a great show from start to end. Did it take a dive when Larry David left? Yes, but it wasn't a shark jump (I just watched an episode from 1998 last night, and laughed like crazy). "The Bizzaro Jerry" wasn't during David's tenure, and that one is a classic. Admittedly, early on it took a little time for the show to get into it's groove. The Seinfeld Chronicles, as well as Seasons 1 & 2 (I don't count "Chronicles" as part of the first season, it's just too different) are okay, but nothing spectacular. "Chinese Restaurant" was good, but it sure wasn't "Soup Nazi" good. And the finale? I'll admit, I wasn't very satisfied when everyone ended up in jail, but it was worth watching just to see everyone that had appeared on the show over the years one more time. Besides, expectations for the episode were monumental, NOTHING was going to live up everyone's expectations of that episode. Seinfeld was the pinnacle of the "Stand-Up Comedian Gets a Sitcom" genre, and stands as one of the greatest, funniest, smartest shows ever made. Never never never jumped. Hello, Newman.
This show definitely Jumped The Shark. To find out exactly when, let me take you for a walk down memory lane. At my old job, many moons ago, I had a friend who was a big Seinfeld fan. We didn't have much else in common, so like a lot of work friendships our relationship revolved around a TV show. Each week we would sit down and spend the first half hour of work discussing all the hilarious bits from the latest Seinfeld episode. It truelly was a "water cooler show". Then one day we sat down as usual and said "Did you see Seinfeld last night?". "yeah..... " Then we looked at each other. "It wasn't really that funny". "No, I was thinking the same thing". Next week's episode was worse and then after that we stopped discussing Seinfeld at all. So which episode was it where the show actually "Jumped the Shark"? The slide started in season six, when the writers started toying with the previously succesful formula. George was suddenly a succesful executive working for the Yankees, instead of an unemployed but lovable loser. Elaine got a new job with Mr Pitt, and changed from a sassy feminist to became a pain the ***. However, the sixth season still featured some very good episodes, and some classic scenes. The real jump the shark moment was "The Engagement", the first episode of series 7. In this episode, George suddenly rings up Susan (an old girlfriend who despises him and who is supposedly now a lesbian) and next thing they are engaged! Real believable. The show then descended rapidly into farce and "situation" comedy, rather than "observational" humour. Instead of asking "isn't life funny" it became "isn't this a whacky situation the characters are in?". The trend toward "zany" extra characters began in earnest. Mickey, Peterman, Susan, Puddy, Newman. OK, so the Soup Nazi was funny, but that episode would be one of the more average ones in any of the earlier seasons. For those who say that Seinfel JTS when Larry David left the show, well guess what? He left the show BECAUSE it had already Jumped the Shark and he had run out of ideas and felt like a fraud. Look for an interview with him on the net and you'll find out I'm right.
This was a very funny show except for the first season when they really hadn't developed their characters fully yet and the last episode where it seems like they were just so excited to be finishing that they forgot to write the episode properly. It was as if the writers left before the last show and a group of interns were sent in to write it or something. Just a really bad last episode, which is sad because it was a funny show. You would think that the cast might have balked at this episode considering that it would be the last impression they left with the viewing public. Who is going to remember George, Elaine, and Kramer as anything but those characters? I know all three of them came out separately with their own shows after Seinfeld went off the air, and all their shows got canceled very quickly because they just weren't funny. This last episode of Seinfeld seemed to be written by the same people that wrote their spin offs. The public is not just going to tune in because they are on the show. It has to be funny also. The last episode of Seinfeld and their spinoffs just weren't.
If you want to be a real purist about it, Seinfeld jumped the shark very early on. The earliest episodes were truly a show about nothing: They're stuck in a mall parking garage, they're waiting for a table at a chinese restaurant, they're meeting up at the movies, they're picking up Jerry and Elaine at the Airport. Once the episodes started having plots with a gradual building up of tension, a climax, and an ending, you could argue that the show was no longer true to its original concept. But that was like, 80% of the show's life. There were some pretty hilarious episodes and moments after that, so I really don't count it as that. I say it's when Larry David left, because at that point the characters just sat around marveling at how dysfunctional they were. What Larry David did, more successfully than making the show "about nothing" (which is impossible to do for very long), was that he made a sitcom without some really touching moment at the end where everyone learns a lesson and hugs and makes up. That was a hell of an achievement in the era of Full House, Family Matters, and Blossom. Once Larry David left, they characters started pointing out how amoral they were, and that's when the show really jumped.
I think the pairing of Elaine's hairdo change and George's incessant screaming and yelling marked the jump. That was a tie with the episode where Kramer poured his own blood into the gas tank of Jerry's car. Gross and bizarre, and a stupid plot line.
Seinfeld NEVER!!! jumped the shark. The motto of the show was no learning, no hugging and it stayed true to that until the end. That's why Susan's death episode is so good and why them ending up in jail is even better. Yes it changed a little once Larry David left but it was still hilarious.. some of the funniest episodes came after he left.. Kenny Rogers Roasters, Blood Bank, and Little Jerry. Saying Seinfeld jumped the shark is like saying the Beatles jumped the shark after Sgt. Pepper. Many consider that their greatest album. So is the White Album when the Beatles jumped? No.
Seinfeld was (and still is) the greatest show! I don't like how they took off Jerry's act at the beginning, but the show never jumped. The best episode was either the Car Garage one or the one with Keith Hernandez.
The show was incredibly stupid after Larry David left the show. It seemed that the writers tried to see how outrageous the show could get. With all the public *** kissing of the cast, it seemed that it affected their performances. It's as if they were constantly winking at the camera and not doing proper characterizations. The finale has to be one of the worst in television history. Popularity usually ruins a program.
This will be a long one so forgive me. To me, watching an episode of this classic comedy is like an antidote to the angina I have to face on a daily basis. I’m sure those who love the show like me will understand what I mean. For the longest time, I felt like many others that the departure of Larry David at the end of the shows 7th season signaled this shows jump over Jaws. But now that I’ve had plenty of time to re-evaluate the idea of “jump the shark” as it relates to this show, I have to say I don’t think it ever did. If anything, I think it reverse jumped. Let’s face it, some of those early episodes leave a lot to be desired. I’m mainly talking about seasons 1 & 2 here - only 17 episodes. And even this early on, Larry & Jerry were able to come up with gems like The Pony Remark, The Chinese Restaurant, The Deal, The Phone Message & The Jacket. And props to Lawrence Tierney’s superb characterization of Alton Benes, Elaine’s father in that episode. (see the Seinfeld dvd collection or the description on tvtome.com if you’d like to know why Tierney was never asked to reprise this character) That said, the history of the show can be broken up into 3 phases. The first phase consists of seasons 1 & 2 and this is where the show was still finding its way. With season 3, the show really came together and this is where Phase 2 begins. In the first two seasons, Jason Alexander’s George Costanza was the saving grace and most of the really funny moments were his. Michael Richards’ Kramer was nowhere near as outrageous as he’d get later on and Louis-Dreyfus’ Elaine was kind of a wet blanket. Jerry was pretty much always Jerry so I didn’t see a change there. Anyway, season 3 began Kramer’s transformation and even though Louis-Dreyfus’ character wasn’t as funny as she’d get later on, she gradually started to take her place as one of the guys. Personally, the more rotten and despicable these characters became, the funnier the show got, imo. I know this is what most Seinfeld detractors hate about the show but to me, that’s what’s funny. I especially loved later season Elaine because it was always fun seeing her get her comeuppance. This was where Louis-Dreyfus shined. And that’s one of the reasons I don’t care for The Soup Nazi episode as much as many others do. (I like it but think it misses, by a hair, classic status) Elaine has the upper hand at the end of that episode and that is not good for any of these characters – Jerry is the exception and that’s only when it’s in contrast to another characters misery. Ok, back to our history. So starting with the 3rd season and moving on through the 7th season, the end of which David makes his exit, the show enjoyed its glory years. I love the 3rd season, mainly because Michael Richards started to come into his own and especially because Alexander was firing on all cylinders. (check out The Red Dot for classic Costanza – Lippman: “It’s come to my attention that you’ve been having sex with the cleaning woman on your desk, after hours.” George: “Was that wrong? I have to tell you I need to plead ignorance here. Because if anybody had told me that kind of thing was frowned upon……”). As much as I love the 3rd season, I have to admit the 4th season is where this show really shined. The pilot sub-plot that ran through the whole season may have ultimately been a fizzle but I’d say a good 80-90% of the 4th season was simply superb. It’s no coincidence this was the season for which they won the Emmy for outstanding comedy series. Imo, the show slumped a little during the 5th season; not nearly as good as the 4th (but I think it would have been close to impossible to top it) but still very good. I’m sure I’m in the minority but the 6th season is probably my favorite of all. Two very funny storylines dominated this season. I LOVED Elaine & her subservient relationship with Mr. Pitt. Ian Abercrombie was simply superb as Pitt and I feel he should have been rewarded with an Emmy. Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the superb storyline with George being the Yankees “assistant to the traveling secretary”. A good deal of supreme comedy came from both storylines and David doing the voice of Yankee owner George Steinbrenner was sublime. Speaking of which, I forgot to mention another favorite moment and that was in “The Opposite”, an ep that is probably in many fans top ten, and it is George’s on-the-spot interview with Steinbrenner where he proceeds to rip into Stein and Stein hires him in spite of it. Too F*** Funny. Then we get to the 7th season. I know many feel this one was as good as the 4th but I can’t agree. Although I do admit that the whole George-Susan engagement storyline was way better than the pilot one from season 4. George’s crying fit as he successfully convinces Susan to postpone the engagement is one of the seasons highlights. But this is also the season that cranked out such sub-par efforts as The Wink, The Showerhead, The Bottle Deposit, The Doll, & The Wait Out. Then after David leaves, the show moves into its 3rd & final phase. Okay, here is where I’m sure many of you will disagree because I felt the same for a long time. But the last 2 seasons are not that bad. I know this is a long post but please bear with me on this. At this point, the show boasted what is probably the best ensemble cast in situation comedy history. The show already had Jerry & George’s parents who could always be counted on to provide many laughs. On top of that, we also had Newman, Puddy (beginning in season 6, and a fantastic addition to the group), Uncle Leo, Mickey, Mr Pitt, Mr. Lippman, Mr. Peterman, Susan, Susan’s parents (love Grace Zabriskie as Mrs. Ross – “Look Henry, I spilled wine on my shirt”), Tim Watley, Sue Ellen Mischke, Poppy, Babu, Bania, Steinbrenner, Wilhelm, Morgan, Jackie Chiles, Jack Klumpus, Debra Jo Rupp, hilarious as Jerry’s manager Katie, and on and on. My goodness. It is true that if you compare the last two seasons to earlier ones, the show definitely took a turn toward the surreal & wacky and resembled more & more The Abbott & Costello show which is the show that largely influenced both Seinfeld & David. This wackiness & surreality could lead to classic episodes such as The Little Jerry, The Bizarro Jerry, The Little Kicks, The Merv Griffin Show, The Yada Yada. But it could also result in dreck like The Susie, The Slicer, the latter half of The Muffin Tops, The English Patient. But I think in some ways these later wackier episodes have aged better than some of the early lackluster ones. I’m not sure why that is but I find it to be true. And there is one person whose characterization gets better and better and with which you cannot help but marvel and that is Michael Richards’ Kramer. Granted, Jason Alexander’s George Costanza will always be my favorite character from this show (notwithstanding the way his character was written as “over-the-top angry” in many episodes from the last 2 seasons) and feel it is a crime he never won any significant awards for it, but Richards was marvelous and totally deserved all the accolades. And this is coming from a person who took a while to warm to him and hated how the audience would applaud his every entrance in the 4th season (thank god Seinfeld & David had the presence of mind to stop this). And now I’d like to list some of my favorite moments from this show: In “The Opposite”, an ep that is probably in many fans top ten, and is probably at least in my top 5, it is George’s on-the-spot interview with Steinbrenner where he proceeds to rip into Stein and Stein hires him in spite of it. Too F*** Funny. Jerry freaking out in The Diplomats Club episode, Elaine’s The Way We Were reminiscence after Mr. Pitt fires her in that same ep, the three very best Kramer bits, imo: The Merv Griffin Show, The Movie Phone gig, & The Jimmy where he is mistaken for mentally challenged, Elaine rushing over to congratulate Jerry and him pushing her out of the way so he can get to his “Lois Lane” girlfriend in The Race, A dry-eyed Jerry using the napkin a teary-eyed Elaine gives him to wipe his mouth after hearing about the Bubble Boys plight in what else “The Bubble Boy”, George knocking over all of the women & children to escape a fire, The Fix up’s Maggie Wheeler who fit in very well on this show and it’s too bad she wasn’t asked back, and I felt the same way about Siobhan Fallon who played Elaine’s roommate Tina in the early seasons, the contrast in The Airport between Jerry in 1st class & Elaine in coach, and I think they should have done more with Elaine in conflict with “obvious” gay men as they did in this episode and the one where she tries to get the tennis racket back from Terry Sweeney in The Switch, Elaine’s pitiful “I can’t go” which she would say often working for Mr. Pitt during the 6th season, the Chinese food delivery ploy used to get somebody off the phone, the hysterical, strutting wiz guy & George bursting out of the van at the end yelling “I knew it wasn’t Berkowitz!”, all of them from the basically mediocre Junk Mail ep (which was a great thing about the show – even the lackluster eps have brilliant, hysterical moments in them to recommend) & Elaine in “The Little Jerry” after Jerry tells her how big a responsibility marriage is: “Jerry, it’s 3 O’clock in the morning. And I’m at a cock fight. What am I clinging to?” And lastly, here are my 5 favorites by season: Seasons 1 & 2 – The Deal, The Phone Message, The Chinese Restaurant, The Pony Remark, & The Jacket, Season 3 – The Pen, The Red Dot, The Boyfriend, The Fix Up, & The Keys, Season 4 – The Airport, The Contest, The Outing, The Bubble Boy, & The Pick (that was tough as I had to leave out several other favorites), Season 5 – The Mango, The Puffy Shirt, The Opposite, The Conversion, & The Cigar Store Indian, Season 6 - The Jimmy, The Big Salad, The Face Painter, The Diplomat’s Club, & The Doorman (that was very tough as the 6th is my favorite season), Season 7 – The Pool Guy, The Sponge, The Rye, The Invitations, & The Engagement, Season 8 – The Bizarro Jerry, The Little Kicks, The Yada Yada, The Abstinence, & The Little Jerry, Season 9 – The Merv Griffin Show, The Burning, The Voice, The Reverse Peephole, & The Serenity Now. My least favorite episodes are: The Bris, The Wink, The Barber, The Susie, The English Patient, The Slicer, The Heart Attack, The Sniffing Accountant & The Baby Shower. So after such a lengthy post, I have to again stress that this show never jumped and gave its fans many many hours of enjoyment even after it’s co-creator David left to pursue other projects. Long Live Seinfeld!!!
Seinfeld jumped around 1993 or 1994. The show became less and less about the dialogue or some of the silly stiuations that people find themselves in, and gradually fell into the same ole'-same ole' that kills off most sitcoms.I will say that there were some Very Good episodes after that time; but the truth is, Larry David and Seinfeld began to runout of "A" material around 1993. Giving George Costanza a steady girlfriend then a job with the Yankees ??? Kramer got goofier & goofier, we saw too much of George's parents, and Elane Benes was shuffled into a class B character. Seifeld had some problems in the beginning, but managed to overcome them. As the show became more & more popular, it slowly sank to the lowest common denominator.
I think "Seinfeld" jumped when they did the "Summer Of George" episode back in 1997 when Molly Shannon and Raquel Welch both guest-starred in that episode. They were more scary than funny, as their I'm-gonna-kill-you, I'll-attack-you, and catfight routine got old pretty old real quick. It was an example of how the show had gotten a little bit less funny after Larry David left.
It was obviously the final season Finale. From the whole "I love you" thing with Jerry and Elaine on the plane to the empty and unlikely court trial. They really should have just ended the last show off like any of their other shows, with a whole lot of fun doing nothing.
While occasionally something too wacky or something that didn't quite work occurred in earlier seasons, by the last season the quality seemed spent. There was a reason why Jerry Seinfeld rejected the offer for another season. I think the "Frogger" episode says it all as to what went wrong that last season. When it became clear there weren't going to be new shows, it sort of jumped back, notice I say "sort of." The backwards show had some new energy (though still flawed) and the Puerto Rico Day show actually had the energy of classic episodes (in fact, it may have been fine if that was the last episode). The final episode was trying way too hard to have one's cake and eat it too, by bringing in all the guest characters and NBC reconsidering the show, and Elaine ready to tell Jerry something as the plane was about to crash. Way too much. And throwing Geraldo news media sensation to the trial. Oh, and it's tongue and cheek reference of Susan's father buying a gun which ends up not being used, or going off. The ending, however, where it seems they're in a "No Exit" situation in prison, was its saving grace.
Without a doubt, Seinfeld jumped the shark when Susan died. A group of us have decided that the phrase "jumped the shark" has, well, jumped the shark. We've replaced it with "licked the toxic envelope" in honor of this episode.
If you look at it as a critic and not a fan (and I am a huge fan of Seinfeld), you have to admit the show jumped the shark. Not to say it wasn't funny almost until the end, but it really started to run out of ideas. I think the first episode of the last season was the one with the stupid cock fight and George having sex with the escaped prisoner. To me, that was really over the tank, along with a lot of episodes that last year. The last two PRIOR to the finale were extremely stupid and basically unfunny. One involved that dopey backwards episode where they go to a wedding in India. Right. That was really reaching. The next to last episode, I think, was the one where they were caught in traffic during the Puerto Rican Day parade. Just running on empty. I actually liked the last episode, but the last season really started fishing for ideas and therefore it jumped the shark. It could have started earlier, but I liked the Susan character and also David Putty. But as much as I hate to admit it, it jumped.
When Elaine went from the funky bohemian style of dressing (granny skirts, anklet socks, big poofed up frizzy hair) to a more stylish tailored look. It was too big of a change in look for the character...was more about Julia Louis-Dreyfus looking for her next role
I would have said that the show jumped on its final two-part episode, but since then I've come to appreciate even that one for its now-obvious nods to Camus and Sartre. (Other people have mentioned this already; I'm just reinforcing their claims.) Beyond that, I can't believe anyone would say that it jumped on the backward episode. The backward episode was a reference to Jason Alexander's pre-Seinfeld membership in the original Broadway cast of the (unsuccessful) Sondheim musical "Merrily We Roll Along" which also featured a backward plot.
The magic was still there at the end of the 94-95 season, but when the started the 95-96 season focussed on George and Susan being engaged, it lost it. The season was uneven, too many downer shows, which were too bleak in their sentiments, and the good episodes were often not as funny or focussed on slapstick rather than whitty lines. Next Season after was better, although often a parody of itself. Last season was just flat. But I liked the ending - it made sure they weren't tempted to bring it back.
The backwards episode represts a markoff point in which the decline in the show's quality, even though, ironically, it was a fairly entertaining episode in its own right. It just seemed that after that episode that the plots, characterizatons, acting and so forth got more and more worse as it went on. We had one-off characters returning in later episodes until it actually brang one back again as a fifth member of the Seinfeld group - I'm of course referring to Putty, a very boring, one-dimensional character. It might seem fitting that Elaine was hooked up with that dillweed in the later episodes, as she herself became progressively more stupid (remember the episode where she ate a SIXTY YEAR OLD wedding cake?). The *only* good episode within the last few series of Seinfeld was, of course, the "Soup Nazi" one. Other than that, a series that had George's mother sleep with a judge to get her son off a 1 year prison sentence (this occured in the show's last episode) showed the level to which it descended in order to gain cheap laughs. The cast may have said they wanted the show to end on a high, but it ended - inexplicably more popular as it dragged its limp corpse on - on a horrible low.
Well, about a year and half ago I voted that even with the show's slide, that Seinfeld did not jump the shark. However, after getting the first 5 seasons on DVD over the past year, and watching a rewatching them, and after seeing the later seasons in sindication I have to recast my vote: Seinfeld, did indeed jump the shark! I'm not sure I why I didn't notice it during it's first run? Maybe because it doesn't fit the classic JTS scenario. It wasn't a sudden event, or even a series of events. It just gradually went on a downhill slide over the period of about a year. I guess because it was a slow evolution, I, and most people didn't really notice it. But after rewatching all the earlier seasons I've realized that seasons 1-5 and seasons 7-9 were completely different shows. The 6th season was the transitional period. And even to a a small degree, season 5 had a few episodes where the characters began to change. (yet season 5 is so good who cares?) Season 5 also happens to be the first season that was "must see TV" and by the 6th season I think everyone on the show was aware they were THE show to watch. When exactly did it jump the shark and what made it jump? Well again, there is no exact point when it jumped. It was a little by little type of thing. Mainly for me, what made it jump is the character shift, and the whole 'point' of the show. Also if you go back and look at old interviews with the cast or the crew, and then look at interviews after the jump, you'll see they say 2 different things. The later interviews (and those of today) they claim the show worked because "funny is funny"...B.S.!!! There have been alot of "funny" shows that were insanely more hilarious than Seinfeld. But none of those are considered one of the greatest (if not the greatest) sitcoms of all time. Whenever I hear them say that, I cringe, because either they never really got what made the show work, or they were completely aware of it, and just didn't fess up to the fact they had changed the show. The majority of people seem to think the show jumped when Larry David left with the death of Susan. But I agree with another poster on here...he left because it had ALREADY jumped and he knew it. While I agree that the death episode probably fits the tachnical definition of JTS more than any other episode, I dont think thats when it jumped. granted, when that ep aired, I knew it was supposed to be funny...and I was supposed to laugh, but I just didn't. However in retrospect I think it had already jumped by then. Even today if you watch all the episodes in order, you almost dont notice the difference because it all happened so slowly. But if you watch a season 3 episode, then watch a season 7 episode, the differences are night and day. Funny is not just funny. Thats not what made the show popular. What made the show popular was that it was smart, and real...it took real life situations and basically thats it. So many of the great classic episodes are about real events in the lives of Jerry Seinfeld, larry David or one of the writers or crew. The fact that so many people didn't "get it" for so long shows that it wasn't just a slapstick comedy show. It was a smart, cynical, yet real show. And it didn't patronize it's fanbase. Thats what made it so great. It wasn't exactly about nothing, but it was about seemingly mundane things that we do every day that we consider "nothing"! The reason episodes like the Chinese Restuarant and the parking Garage are the classics of all classics, is because we can ALL relate to that. And despite what the actors said at the end of the series about the characters being all jerks, that is NOT how the show began. The early seasons, the gang wasn't just a bunch of jerks who "deserved each other"! More B.S. trying to convince us they didn't screw the show up. The characters originally were actually people I would like to have known. Were they perfect? No! of course not. Again, thats what made them popular and attractive. They had their flaws and wore them proud, but they were good hearted people. In one early episode Kramer is responsible for jerry's apartment being broken into. And Jerry tells kramer, "Don't pay me back, it was an accident!" How many friends do YOU have that wouldn't demand you pay them back with interest??? The point is everything the actors claimed the characters were didn't come to fruition until the last 3 or 4 seasons! I agree, season 9 Jerry would have probably asked Kramer to give his left pinky toe in addition to paying him back...but the show and the characters weren't always like that. And this is whats so sad about Seinfeld. It was the first character driven show with little or no plot. But during the later seasons the plots became more important because they had trashed the characters. I mean George became a nutcase who blew his top every 10 seconds. Jerry became an jerk. Elaine went from being the girl you'd want to marry to the slut you wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. (and thats putting it mildly) and Kramer just became "the whackiest of the whacky"! What the heck happened? And why did it happen? I dunno? All I know is that it did. It even began to show hints of change in the last few eps of season 5, but not much. Then season 6 came, and it was still great, but after the 100th episode...it just wasn't the same anymore. This is all about the time they took out the stand-up material from the opening and closing segments. Once that was gone, the show had completed its transition as had the characters. It was now Seinfeld for the masses! I think they simply tried too hard. They had all this stuff to live up too and I think it got to them. Instead of being the show that didn't care about the ratings and only wanted to please its core fanbase, it was forced to dumb itself down to draw bigger and bigger ratings. It tried to be everything to everyone...and when you do that you are probably gonna fail. That doesn't mean I think all the later eps were trash. Because they weren't. There were some gems in there, but it isn't really the same show. I still love Seinfeld though, and I still think its one of the greatest shows on TV ever. But when I see late season ep. on TV, I longingly wish for the George I could relate to. I miss the Jerry I could trust. I miss the Kramer of old, and I miss the Elaine I only wish I could find in real life. These are the things that made the show great. Everyone either knows at least one of these characters in real life. And I miss it in the late episodes. Im just thankful I've got the DVD's so I can watch any of them anytime I want. Again I love the show. But for me, it certainly did jump the shark!
They came close but never did. The only time they came close was at the end of seasn 2 "the deal". It was too friends like, Jerry and Elaine get back together and have a tuching moment. This is the only time they did not follow their rule of "no hugging no learning". I understand that they had to or NBC would not renew them, and they were not the powerhouse of later on.
When Larry David left. I didn't realize until after he left how much of the show's development was his. Series finale was the death nail that confirmed it. Jerry Seinfeld may have been an adequate actor, but Larry David deserves mucho credit for this series. Love the serendipitous plotlines that come back full-circle.
Never jumped. Retained its focus on little things but created big plots from them. Biggest factor "No hugging, no learning." Other shows could learn a lot.
The quintessential jump-the-shark episode was when Susan died...and George acted like a world-class schmuck about it. He wasn't all that nice to her while she was alive (why she put up with him,I don't know-she definitely deserved better),but his reaction to her demise (which he indirectly caused by buying wedding invitations with old,cheap,toxic glue on the envelopes) was totally callous!!!
To any one who is citing specific episodes like 'susans death' or 'butter shave' these all are post-Larry shows, so the obvious answer is after larry left. it was easy to pick the change in dynamics, the actors changed costume, the characters became louder, more obnoxious, more irritating, more unlikable and so over done with 'wacky, zany' plot lines it was just tiring and ceased to be funny. from there seinfeld joined the scrap heap of american sitcoms to rot slowly and die painfully in front of everyone. before then it was pure unadulterated genius, at the hands of larry david. no offence to jerry, but he's just not executive producing material. sorry. why do american shows never have the good taste to end before they get ****? why must we all witness the horrible, painful demise of shows we once loved? usa, take a note from the UK and let your shows finish before they become tiresome and forgettable!
This show never jumped. Every episode is unique and i guess only a true Seinfeldian would respect this. People have said that continuity is annoying, this is a strength (for dedicated viewers anyway). People have also said the linking of stories is a weakness, it added to the appeal cause it was fresh, something never seen before and they didn't use it every episode. And there have been very few shows since that do not use this technique of linking at least a few times. Even after Larry David left, no jump, there were still quality production and writing teams, such as Larry Charles (a genius), Peter Mehlman and Majorie Gross. Not mention Seinfeld himself. A lot of people tend to say his departure the show sinks. not true. Heres a few episodes after that that are true classics. The Hot Tub, The Rye, The Shower Head, The Wig Master, The Bottle Deposit, The Fatigues, The Chicken Roaster, The Little Jerry, The Van Buren Boys, The Muffin Tops, The Junk Mail, The Slicer, The Bookstore. So any Idiot that thinks Larry David was the heart and soul of this show is a moron. However he was a big part and it was a sad event when he quit (he lived on in Steinbrenner), and the show did change after he left but it still had comedic value and was still very watchable and whos to say it was better or worse, i still enjoyed it. I'd Rather have a bottle of scotch. The Point is the show never jumped, even if it did skip a little it is not even close to the huge distances its contempories have reached. Every One Loves Raymond, the true underbelly of television what a joke of a program. Nothing since has come close to the genius of Seinfeld, i don't know what it is but the show was something special. Perhaps it was Frank or Cosmo or J Peterman or Jackie Chiles or Uncle Leo or Newman or Steinbrenner or Bob Sacamano or Kruger or perhaps it was all of them. NAME A BETTER COMEDY SERIES.
Even though the humor changed a bit after the departure of Larry David, Seinfeld remained insanely funny to the end. The episodes always continued to be original and the writing always sharp and witty. Something that confuses me is that people are saying the show jumped when Elaine's style changed. Let me ask these people a question: Have YOU ever changed your look over the course of 8 years? The way she looked when the show began is not the way people looked in the late 90s so why should she?...Also, please do not say that others missed the "depth" of the final episode. We all know that those of you who "understood" are pure geniuses but the reality is that the episode was not that good because they took the characters and storyline out of New York. Why would you have the entire run of the show take place in NY (some very minor exceptions) only to abandon this successful formula in the final episode. It was a bad move since the whole feel of what made Seinfeld special was lost. That being said, a show cannot jump on its final episode because it's the very end. There can't be a decline if there's no show anymore!
Anyone who thinks that the "Yada yada yada" episode was funny is an idiot. You all drank the kool-aid at that point. It was a stupid episode and the way NBC hyped it made it worse. The show became a cliche at that point.
Seinfeld jumped at two stages - first after Larry David left. The quality of the scripts went downhill after this - just compare "The Pen" episode with "Kenny Roger's Roasters". Come on. And I have to agree the Finale was terrible - what a way to end one of the most influential shows of the 20th Century. Truly terrible - they go to jail for what? Speeding/parking tickets... how lame can you get? I expected more from Jerry to end this... luckily major shows after this haven't followed suit (ie. Friends, Raymond). They must have learned from this.
For nine seasons, I honestly must say it never occurred to me that the point of the stories and character development was to make you hate the main characters. In fact, I sort of liked George as a person, because he was too hapless to blame him for his sneakiness. Kramer was similarly too burned out to get mad at. Yes, Elaine could be obnoxious. Jerry (the character) was so badly acted most of the time that it was hard to form an opinion on him, but I usually saw him as just a catalyst for everything else, which was generally a lot of fun. Then came the last episode, with its arbitrary running time so as to force you to watch the clip show, its multiple and predictable false ending, and its second half or so dedicated entirely to what was essentially a second clip show...basically just filler between commercials...and worst of all, dedicated to making the viewer feel like a psychopath for sympathizing with these characters, at least on-and-off, all along. Now people who don't like the show have the excuse, "well the characters are so mean-spirited, I can't stand them." Believe me, I've heard it. I still think George Costanza is the easiest-to-sympathize-with character in the history of television.
All those that say that the last episode was bad didn't get the dark side of the comedy of Seinfeld. It was a perfect ending to the show. Of course the characters got more and more exaggerated throughout the course of the nine seasons, but that was the natural development of their characters. For anyone that followed the show the whole time, it is obviouse that having them end up in jail was the perfect ending. Although seasons 3-6 were the best, the others seasons had countless great episodes too. (the backwards episode was brilliant writing) Even after Larry David left, the zany plots worked because the characters had established themselves in the previous seasons.
Jerry Seinfeld couldn't act his way out of a paper sack. The other actors covered for him as best they could, but it wasn't enough.
To anyone who says there was no end gag, there was! The last line about the buttons where they are sitting in jail is the first line on the first episode.
For a show to last as long as it did and to be as hyped as it once was, it was obvious that it was going to tail off, but when you look at the imminent ending and the push to have a great finale that could possibly break the record of the most watched TV show of all time (an impossibility in the days of cable and DVD), for Seinfeld to succeed with all of its pasts intertwined in 1 episode and parody an obscure Jean Paul Sartre play (No Exit) was just fantastic on so many levels of humor and excellence in entertainment.