Seinfeld: A sitcom that left big shoes to fill

Despite being a show about absolutely nothing, Seinfeld — the late 80s to mid-90s sitcom — really seems to have something that draws you in and keeps you glued to the screen. That’s correct, a show about nothing. Having discovered the show three decades later, it is almost absurd that, when there is an abundance of other recent content grappling for my attention, I would turn to a 30-year-old sitcom to entertain and comfort me. It is simultaneously baffling how a show that is almost totally about nothing, but pure slapstick and minutiae of everyday life can be so beguiling and amusing. Seinfeld easily earned a reputation for being the ultimate nostalgic comedy comfort watch, much like Friends, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, That ’70s Show, and Modern Family, at least for me.

The sitcom, co-created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, follows New York City-based stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld (who plays a version of himself) and his humdrum misadventure with his self-absorbed friends including Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), George Costanza (Jason Alexander), and Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards) through their mundane misadventures. During its nine-season run, the series was nominated for 68 Emmys and won 10 of them.

Throughout the series, Seinfeld included Jerry Seinfeld’s stand-up routines at the beginning and end of every episode, but as of season 8, the show stopped including it altogether. His stand-up routines served to highlight the actor’s real-life comedy roots, while also providing insights into the issues faced by the characters in the show. Given that Seinfeld was originally pitched as a series about how comedians find their material, this was a clever inclusion. Much of the series deals with benign annoyances and happenings, like misunderstandings, double-dipping, awkward dates, and, of course, soup. With the entire series now available on Netflix, a whole new generation gets to fall in love with Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer.

As a semi-fictionalized version of himself, Jerry portrays a New York-based standup comic who gets into hilariously bizarre situations with his ex-girlfriend Elaine, neighbor Kramer, and best pal George. While his friends keep him entertained with their antics, Jerry often finds himself in the middle of some. The bulk of his storyline revolves around his many romantic relationships (which usually do not last very long) and his frivolous fixations.

Elaine, who is a close friend as well as an ex-girlfriend of Jerry, frequently visits his apartment to vent, in quest of advice, and sometimes to grab a snack. She possesses a rather peculiar combination of straightforwardness, sensitivity, and ruthless sarcasm. Despite being one of the four key characters, the show does not introduce Elaine until the second episode. In nearly every episode, throughout the nine seasons, Elaine goes on different dates and continually ends up in unpredictable circumstances. One of the most iconic scenes in the series is when Elaine shows off her horribly bad dancing skills to everyone’s horror.

Cosmo Kramer referred to as “Kramer” to Jerry, is Jerry’s cherished and jumpy neighbor, known for his physical comedy and his wild entrances into his apartment. His cartoonish and fast-talking character will have you spit take more often than not. Kramer has an insatiable thirst for the next best inventions. Be it a bra for men or a coffee table book about coffee tables, he jumps from one project to another. Kramer keeps himself occupied with these antics and some bizarre jobs, which include working at a bagel shop, becoming an underwear model, and working as the voice of Moviefone. On his adventures, he is often accompanied by Newman (Wayne Knight), Jerry’s neighbor and archenemy. Interestingly, Larry David based Kramer’s on his actual wacky neighbor.

George Costanza is a childhood friend of Jerry, who lacks self-respect and is consumed by insecurity. Although he lives with his parents, Frank and Estelle, he always makes himself at home in Jerry’s apartment, just like Elaine and Kramer. Aside from being perpetually green with envy, George endlessly becomes embroiled in convoluted and unfortunate circumstances owing to his incessant lies. He is perhaps the show’s most loathsome yet compelling figure. Larry David based this character on his real-life friend, Michael Costanza.

Unlike other sitcoms that have focused on important issues or even used traditional storytelling methods, Seinfeld did not just set a standard for a variety of new comedy tactics, but it also launched a wave of new ones. Jerry Seinfeld’s observational humor influenced a wide range of other shows during his time, as well as many that emerged decades after his series ended. So much so that the concept of “single people in the great city” became the cornerstone of almost every other sitcom out there.

In addition to being effective as a comedy, Seinfeld’s impact extended beyond it. It was, possibly, the very first series to challenge the audience to identify their own worst traits reflected in the characters. The show achieved this by creating characters that were not only significantly engaging but also amusing. Sitcoms today continue to struggle to fill the big shoes left by Seinfeld. While it may seem odd seeing a 30-year-old show, in case this review fails to convince you to binge-watch it, let’s just say you will be missing out on an incredibly wholesome and rib-tickling show.