Is Jerry Seinfeld overrated?

[Catman]

Yes, cause I forgot people aren't entitled to their opinion.

 

[Shifty]

I still can't believe TV Guide named it the greatest sitcom of all-time. Now, how the heck is Seinfeld better than I Love Lucy, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Happy Days, Cheers, The Cosby Show, etc etc etc.

Their *********ion episode was funnier.

Larry David had plenty to do with Seinfeld as well.

 

[Catman]

Their *********ion episode was funnier

Funnier than what? All those other shows in general?!

Larry David had plenty to do with Seinfeld as well.

Of course! I love Larry David. I think I like that Curb show more than Seinfeld.

 

[Shifty]

Funnier than what? All those other shows in general?!

Than the I Love Lucy *********ion episode. The Happy Days *********ion contest episode was a close one.

Seinfeld might have been number one because of its impact on the American public. "Re-gifting", "Not that there is anyting wrong with it", "Yada, yada, yada.", "Soup Nazi", "Man hands", "Hello, Newman", "Assman", "shrinkage", "Puffy shirt", "Master of you domain".

It helped improve NYC's image, how many sitcoms were set in NYC after Seinfeld made it big? Larry David's "no hugs/no lessons" mantra set it apart, plus later in the show's run when all the storylines became connected at the end of the episode, plus it was a show about nothing. The fact that these characters weren't the usual ones seen on TV, they're wasn't one character who was rude say like Carla to half the cast of Cheers - everyone was rude to their friends.

And all the stupid subject matter they tackled like The Virgin, urinating on couches, George eating from the garbage, Kramer as a CK underwear model, Elaine's nipple, the guy who pulled "it out" on a date with Elaine, Jerry making out during Schindler's List, Frank Costanza and Kramer arguing over the upperbody support garment for men, killing Susan via poison envelopes etc.

Would any of those "classic American sitcoms" deal with subject matter like that?

Its your country, it must have connected with a lot of people at the right time. I think Arrested Development was a funnier show with only 53 episodes and it will never reach the popularity of Seinfeld but so what?

Of course! I love Larry David. I think I like that Curb show more than Seinfeld.

Larry David should be a god for a religion. I would practice it, and worship him.

 

[Catman]

Seinfeld might have been number one because of its impact on the American public. "Re-gifting", "Not that there is anyting wrong with it", "Yada, yada, yada.", "Soup Nazi", "Man hands", "Hello, Newman", "Assman", "shrinkage", "Puffy shirt", "Master of you domain".

All of which happened during and after season 4. Like I said before it took them a while to get it right. I like Seinfeld. Don't get me wrong. All I'm saying it took them four seasons to finally get it right. There's sitcoms that were awesome from the very beginning.

Cheers had 11 incredible seasons.
All in the Family had 7 ground-breaking seasons!

Seinfeld on the other hand was only good for 5 seasons!

As for Seinfeld making an impact on American public...what about I Love Lucy?! I Love Lucy was the FIRST true sitcom! And, what about All in the Family? Not only was All in the Family the first sitcom to deal with social and political issues but no other show has done a better job at it. So, Seinfeld made its mark but don't forget about the others!

 

[Shifty]

All of which happened during and after season 4. Like I said before it took them a while to get it right. I like Seinfeld. Don't get me wrong. All I'm saying it took them four seasons to finally get it right. There's sitcoms that were awesome from the very beginning.

Cheers had 11 incredible seasons.
All in the Family had 7 ground-breaking seasons!

Seinfeld on the other hand was only good for 5 seasons!

As for Seinfeld making an impact on American public...what about I Love Lucy?! I Love Lucy was the FIRST true sitcom! And, what about All in the Family? Not only was All in the Family the first sitcom to deal with social and political issues but no other show has done a better job at it. So, Seinfeld made its mark but don't forget about the others!

TV Guide listed them in the top ten didn't they? Those shows were groundbreaking at the time and their legacies will be seen in other television shows but do young Americans make references to Lucy or All in the Famliy or Cheers? Do you see that happening in the next twenty years? People will have "regifting" or "shrinkage" or "manhands" come up in everyday convesation.

The first three seasons of Seinfeld consist of 40 episodes, when the average season for a sitcom is 22 episodes. So technically, the fourth season of Seinfeld is the third.

The first season consists of 1 episode from July 1989 and 4 episodes from summer 1990. Season two is 12 episodes from January 1991-June '91 and toward the end of that season the stories start connecting. The third season in fall '91 when things started working, so about 20 episodes in does Seinfeld really take shape. I'll give it to you that it took three years but it took everything possible for the show to stay on the air.

And go back and look at the episodes of the third season before Seinfeld made it big, they had all the stories connecting, they had "a show about nothing", different subject matter, memorable episodes (The Parking Garage, Keith Hernandez, The Red Dot, The Parking Space, The Limo, The Subway...) America just didn't notice until it was moved to air after Cheers during season four. The only episodes that are a chore to watch are from the first five episodes (season one) and some of the second season. Do you have the DVDs?

 

[Catman]

Those shows were groundbreaking at the time and their legacies will be seen in other television shows but do young Americans make references to Lucy or All in the Famliy or Cheers? Do you see that happening in the next twenty years? People will have "regifting" or "shrinkage" or "manhands" come up in everyday convesation.

Seinfeld will suffer the same fate. Nowadays people reference Family Guy or Conan A LOT MORE than Seinfeld. A show shouldn't be blamed for being old.

The first three seasons of Seinfeld consist of 40 episodes

And most of them were nothing special.

America just didn't notice until it was moved to air after Cheers during season four.

Its really what saved the show. In interviews you always see Seinfeld talking about Jake and the Fat Man. But what about Home Improvement? People forget that ABC put Home Improvement up against Seinfeld. And the Tool Man was kicking his ass! It wasn't till NBC moved Seinfeld after Cheers that they finally started getting higher ratings than Home Improvement.

Do you have the DVDs?

Nope, but its on TBS like 4 times a day. Like I said before, dude, I like the show. I just think the early episodes were nothing special. The show started getting good when they introduced all the wacky characters like George's parents, Newman, etc.

 

[jaydawg]

I would concur that Seinfeld is overrated. I mean, he was by far the weakest link on his own tv show. There's no doubt that the majority of the shows genius was on Larry David, then subsequently, the Constanza character and the brilliance of Krammer.

I've seen his stand up a couple times. He's decent but there are so many more people that are better than him. He may have pinoeered the whole observation routine, but really, thats not such a great structure anyways. He's great because of his show, not his actual comedy.

 

[Shifty]

Seinfeld will suffer the same fate. Nowadays people reference Family Guy or Conan A LOT MORE than Seinfeld. A show shouldn't be blamed for being old.

And when TV Guide updates the list in 25 or 50 years, do you think Seinfeld will still be number one? With DVDs, with it being in colour, playing countless times a week and talking about more mature things than the other shows because they were allowed to they will live on.

And most of them were nothing special.

Never said they were, just saying that if Seinfeld had a average order of episodes like all sitcoms have it would've be 66-70 episodes before the fourth season, not 40 as it was.

Its really what saved the show. In interviews you always see Seinfeld talking about Jake and the Fat Man. But what about Home Improvement? People forget that ABC put Home Improvement up against Seinfeld. And the Tool Man was kicking his ass! It wasn't till NBC moved Seinfeld after Cheers that they finally started getting higher ratings than Home Improvement.

Yes because NBC owned Thursday nights and Cheers was the number one show. You can have a show like Black Donnelly's but if its up against one the the most watched shows, CSI:Miami, it will be a struggle to survive. But the tone, and type of shows in season three was exactly the same in season four. They also won the Emmy in season four.

Nope, but its on TBS like 4 times a day. Like I said before, dude, I like the show. I just think the early episodes were nothing special. The show started getting good when they introduced all the wacky characters like George's parents, Newman, etc.

It did become better but I still enjoyed the third season. Watching it on DVD and seeing the "lost two minutes" and not having commercial interruptions and having "Inside Looks" talk about certain things about the episode really improve the show.

 

[Catman]

I would concur that Seinfeld is overrated. I mean, he was by far the weakest link on his own tv show.

lol. I know. Personally my favorite character was always George. Which, I GUESS, makes sense as to why I think I like Curb a lot more than Seinfeld.

And when TV Guide updates the list in 25 or 50 years, do you think Seinfeld will still be number one?

We'll see.

playing countless times a week

I'm curious about that. I remember as a kid back in the late `80s and early `90s you could see A LOT of old tv shows on various channels. I remember Gilligan's Island was on TNT all the time. I remember TBS aired the Brady Bunch like at 5pm. I remember syndication channels aired I Love Lucy all the time. As well as the original Star Trek show.

Now you can only watch those shows on TV Land.

So, I wonder if Seinfeld will one day be buried on TV Land with all the other classic TV shows.

Yes because NBC owned Thursday nights

Back when Thursday Nights was MUST SEE TV for NBC it was a blessing but also a kiss of death for tv shows. For example, Family Ties (a brilliant sitcom BTW) was one of the top 5 rated shows when it was on Thursday nights with Cheers and Cosby. Then, in `87 Cosby forced NBC to put A Different World after Cosby. As a result, Family Ties was moved to Sundays...I think...and it took a MAJOR ratings drop.

So, if NBC would have left Seinfeld an extra season in its original timeslot, Tim "the tool man" Taylor would have f---ing killed that show before it even hit its prime!

I think thats why Jerry Seinfeld doesn't like bringing it up. He prefers to pick on Jake and the Fat Man, which is a show no one even remembers!

 

[Shifty]

I think thats why Jerry Seinfeld doesn't like bringing it up. He prefers to pick on Jake and the Fat Man, which is a show no one even remembers!

And just how stupid the title is and that no network today would greenlight a show with "Fat Man" in the title. Loved the Family Guy parody. Maybe because he respected Allen, another standup comedian who paid his dues and that he was losing to a "fat man". I seem to recall from the Seinfeld DVD that they were beating Cheers in its final season for a few weeks. Its pretty rare for a show in a new timeslot retain and bring in new viewers, especially a show like Cheers. Grey's Anatomy is the only one that comes to mind when it aired after Desperate Housewives.

George Louis Costanza was the best.

 

[Shifty]

l


I'm curious about that. I remember as a kid back in the late `80s and early `90s you could see A LOT of old tv shows on various channels. I remember Gilligan's Island was on TNT all the time. I remember TBS aired the Brady Bunch like at 5pm. I remember syndication channels aired I Love Lucy all the time. As well as the original Star Trek show.

Now you can only watch those shows on TV Land.

So, I wonder if Seinfeld will one day be buried on TV Land with all the other classic TV shows.

See here's the interesting thing. Each decade had dozens of classic comedies and with only three or four networks had tens of millions of viewers. Now viewership is so split, Two and a Half Men is the most watched sitcom in America. (And its pulling under 20 million.)

Not to mention all the bad sitcoms created in the mid '90s to early 2000s that turned people away from comedy. Reality tv has eaten up hours and then speciality shows like The Daily Show, Chappelle's Show, Conan, are where people get their laughs.

So there is always this cycle of shows that show up on TV Land or various forms of syndication etc. When I was young I would watch "Three's Company" reruns in the very early 1990s. But 20 years from now, is The Office or Scrubs going to be on TV Land?

Tough to say seeing how they don't have over 10 million viewers right now anyway. Seinfeld, Frasier, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond are the last giants from the 90s/200s that have heavy airtime in reruns but what comes next? Air little watched comedies or air keep on airing Seinfeld and Friends?

 

[Catman]

And just how stupid the title is and that no network today would greenlight a show with "Fat Man" in the title.

True, but I'm just curious as to why he never brings it up that Tim Allen was kicking his ass for a while. And, he's another fellow comedian.

20 years from now, is The Office or Scrubs going to be on TV Land?

Tough to say seeing how they don't have over 10 million viewers right now anyway.

Scrubs for sure! The ratings on NBC may not be great, but the reruns are getting incredible ratings on Comedy Central. Which is why they air it 4 times a day and have ATLEAST one marathon every month.

Seinfeld, Frasier, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond are the last giants from the 90s/200s that have heavy airtime in reruns but what comes next? Air little watched comedies or air keep on airing Seinfeld and Friends?

Family Guy

 

[mightiest_mortal]

Seinfeld BOMBED in the UK. We expect more from our comedy here

 

[Catman]

Seinfeld BOMBED in the UK.

Really? Never knew that! But, it makes sense since Seinfeld is as one NBC exec described it, "too New York and too Jewish!"

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

Seinfeld sucks and always sucked, the show was crap

 

[Catman]

Seinfeld sucks and always sucked, the show was crap

I wouldn't say that. I did like the show. I Just think that only 5 out of its 9 seasons were good. And, that TV Guide naming it the best is a bit far fetched.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

no it was crap, i never laughed once

now i grew up watching the likes of monty python, mel brooks and morcambe and wise, so i do have a good sense of humour

 

[Sun_Down]

Even though it took him FOUR seasons to accomplish that while Cosby could pull it off in the pilot episode of The Cosby Show.

I, along with most people, would disagree. IMO, this was a rare show that was just as funny from the first episode to the last.

It's all a matter of opinion, so I don't really understand why you're so vehement that everybody agrees with you.

 

[Erzengel]

I've never watched a full episode of Seinfeld.

 

[tupelohoney]

then you havent lived sir.

 

[Erzengel]

I think I'll make it.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

There's atleast 50 comediens (past and present) who are better than him. Lenny Bruce, Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock,

erm...if Chris Rock is so much better than Seinfeld, why is it that the Seinfeld show is geniusly hilarious and Everybody Hates Chris is one of the lamest, least funny shows I've ever seen on television?

The King of Freaking Queens or Everybody Loves Raymond are piss-yer-pajamas, cutting edge laugh riots compared to that show.


Some examples of Chris Rock's "superior comedic skillz":


'He' loses his lucky socks. At school he finds out he has to give a report.
Chris Rock's narration: "Now not only do I need some new SOCKS...I'm gonna need some new UNDERWEAR!"


They give the class eggs for an assignment to pretend the eggs are babies that they need to protect and care for.
'Chris's' racist teacher gives him a BROWN egg (LoLz!)...

Chris Rock's narration: "A brown EGG?!? Now MY eggs gonna get pulled over by the cops more often! "



Sheer effing ******ed crapola

 

[Mee]

"Everybody, Especially Wilhelm, Hates Chris"

 

[kane9321]

jerry seinfeld is not funny..period
he wasnt even the funniest comedian..on "his" show