Seinfeld the Greatest Sitcom Ever?

[brettdale]

http://mediasportandotherrantings.blogspot.com

Seinfeld the Greatest Sitcom Ever?

What made Seinfeld so good? What made it head and shoulders above any other comedy of the 90's putting it in the same League as Mash or The Office and Extras. Was it the fact that they touch on Issues no other Sitcom would touch, in a brilliantly beautifully written Ambiguous style.

Was it the fact that there were no sentimental moments that would touch the Heart Strings? Was it they played on People's stereotypes of the ethnic makeup of NewYork, Was it the Underrated timing of Julia Louis Dreyfus, the Physical Comedy of Michael Richards or Jerry Seinfeld himself?

[Cant trust em]

1. Let me answer your question with another question

Is it even close?

[rwenos]

4. M.A.S.H.

Your rhetorical question assumes too much. Seinfeld was a spectacular show, always funny, took risks, great stuff.

M.A.S.H. was all that, AND utterly political too. And for some reason the corporate pigs let it run for what--14 years? Would never happen nowadays.

Both great shows. But Seinfeld doesn't stand quite as alone as you state.

[Make7]

2. I think Larry David had a large part in making that show what it was. ( n/t )

[greyl]

3. I agree.

Overall, I think it was the sum of many great things that made it so great - kinda like the Beatles.

I happen to be watching the DVD commentary of The Muffin Tops right now. Top of the morning to you! ;)

[wtmusic]

5. Holy cow...the Beatles?

Not even close. Seinfeld will be long forgotten in 40 years.

[greyl]

7. To clarify, "the sum of many great things that made it so great - kinda like the Beatles".

In other words, we can't credit one person or one specific aspect of the show for making it great, just like we can't exactly say George Martin made The Beatles great.

I don't think Seinfeld had the same cultural gravity that The Beatles did, but I seriously doubt it will be long forgotten in 40 years.

[tridim]

8. It'll still be in reruns in 40 years.

[wtmusic]

15. OK, gotcha

I just have no idea what people saw in that show. To me it was entirely forgettable.

[Make7]

9. I can't remember where I heard this, but....

... I heard that once when the cast was doing the first group reading of the script for one of the episodes most of them thought the plot was way too far fetched to be believable. Larry David reportedly responded to their comments by saying that it had actually happened to him. True or not, that's comedy gold!

One of the things that is surprising about Seinfeld is that the main cast was the same for the entire time the series was on. That is very unusual for such a long-running show. But when it works so well, why would anyone want to change it?
_______

Regarding the Beatles, I think George Martin deserves quite a bit of credit - even though he is always very modest when recounting his role. No doubt that the Lennon/McCartney partnership was one of the best songwriting teams in rock history (Harrison was talented in that regard as well), but I think George Martin contributed more than many people realize.

I'm not really an early Beatles fan - I think Rubber Soul is the first album that really had stuff that I liked.
_______

I agree that great collaborative efforts are the sum of many things - often difficult to define. It's some sort of black magic or something...

- Make7

[FormerDittoHead]

31. No, that's top of the muffin... TO YOU!!!! n/t

[greenvpi]

6. Racist and elitest

> stereotypes of the ethnic makeup of NewYork

You admit that and you also admit to liking the show? Have any other racist tendancies?

[brettdale]

19. Nope

It was making fun of peoples sterotypes of ethnic people.

I would love them to come back and do a one off show with the plot being Jackie Charles represents Kramer for saying a few words he shouldnt, done well it would be a classic.

[Hardrada]

10. Jeeves and Wooster!

What ho, Jeeves?

[Speck Tater]

11. Well. I may in the minority, but...

I never saw Seinfeld when it was on the air, but I heard everyone talking about it, and assumed it must be pretty good to generate so much interest.

Finally, my brother-in-law, a huge Seinfeld fan, loaned me the first season on DVD. After all the years of hearing about it, I looked forward to a real treat.

I had to force myself to complete the whole first season, hoping to eventually find the place where it started getting good. I couldn't stand it. I guess I can't really get interested in a show unless there is at least one person I can identify with, or failing that, one person toward whom I can feel sympathy or understanding. In short, if I really can't bring myself to give a hoot about anybody in the show, then I really can't bring myself to give a hoot about the show itself.

The characters where all such shallow, superficial phonies that they all just disgusted me. I found nothing admirable, or sympathetic, or even interesting about any of them (with the possible exception of Newman, who I found somewhat interesting). I'm afraid that in my book, Seinfeld can't even come close to a real classic like I Love Lucy, or Cheers, or M*A*S*H, or even Rocky and Bullwinkle.

[Faygo Kid]

16. Absolutely! Check out this web site. Bertie's music for your listening pleasure.

I find his music positively invigorating: http://www.hatsharpening.com/j&w/moremusic.php

[Mojambo]

12. Larry David. And it's not even his best work.

He's a genius. It's as simple as that.

[mitchum]

28. Yes, he is indeed a genius

that's why I call myself a Davidian

[eShirl]

13. Seinfeld? Are you serious? Utter tripe.

Give me M*A*S*H, All In the Family, Blackadders II-IV, Hogan's Heroes

[DeeDeeNY]

14. The intersecting plots added to the show's quality

The way all the subplots came together at the end was sheer brilliance.
Many people saw something of themselves in the (loser) characters, not to mentions situations they could identify with, such as regifting. There were episodes where I was laughing so hard, I was choking -- I hadn't done that since Taxi!

[Deny and Shred]

17. Seinfeld ? Beatles? Really ?

As an adult, I'm not huge on TV, but I have seen a bunch of episodes. I must be seeing all the wrong ones. If any sitcom is the Beatles, it is MASH. Seinfeld might be U2. All in the Family would be Dylan, huge and edgy at the time, but dated. Actually Lucy ought to fit in somewhere. Elvis?

While certainly not one for the ages, WKRP only ran for 2 years, so episode for episode, about as many laughs per show as any program. Several unique characters as well.

George Martin added virtually all the string and horn arrangements without which the Beatles might have been a far more typical band. He can hide a simple chord progression very well. George Martin also produced Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow - a diesel album for any 6-string aficionados who aren't familiar.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

18. I lived in the New York City cultural orbit for nine years

While the area has many fine qualities (great performing arts, wonderful ethnic foods, a sense of history, emotionally expressive people), Seinfeld reminded me of something that drove me crazy: an unusually large number of people plagued by obsessive self-absorption.

The first episode I saw was one in which Elaine obsessed for a full half-hour about a nipple showing through her clothing in a photograph. I knew people who were capable of carrying on like that, and I always thought they were ridiculous.

The show was on when I was living in Portland, and a local deli held weekly Seinfeld viewing parties that apparently attracted crowds of homesick New Yorkers. I just couldn't see the attraction.

[Kashka-Kat]

20. 1st couple of years - great, next couple of yrs- not so great, last couple of years- awful

It just became excrutiating after a while, lost a certain something. Happens to a lot of shows, they just keep milking the cash cow until it expires.

[terryg11]

21. It was something different.

It's style of comedy and self absorbed characters. Larry David's brain really drove it in my opinion although they had some great characters to help out

[Montauk6]

22. Greatest Sitcom EVER??? Nahhhh....

When I think great sitcoms, I think of classics like

All in the Family
The Jeffersons
Maude
The Odd Couple
Get Smart
The Addams Family
The Munsters
M*A*S*H
The Phil Silvers Show
I Love Lucy
The Lucy Show
Bewitched

[Forkboy]

23. It's the only American sitcom I can watch on a regular basis.

Like Blackadder, Red Dwarf, and The Young Ones, my favorite shows. Most American sitcoms are predictable to the point of pain, joke setups that undiscovered tribes can see coming, etc. Seinfeld didn't treat it's audience as idiots like most do.

[chelsea0011]

24. Gawd NO! MTM, All in the Family, Bob Newhart, I Love Lucy, MASH, Cheers

The lists go on and on. Poor sitcoms at the time made Seinfeld seem better.

[closeupready]

25. Seinfeld is a great one, but Mary Tyler Moore was always very funny.

I Love Lucy, too.

[Lindsey]

26. Seinfeld was, and I agree, the greast sitcom ever, because everything

came together like nothing I've ever seen. The cast, the fact that it really was a show about nothing. I mean really, hasn't just about every one of us had to wait for hours at a restaurant, and I can't tell you how many times friends and I can't find our car in a parking garade. And the characters were meant to selfabsored.

As far as The Beatles, they were the best of the best. I think the op was simply pointing out that in the arts there's usually something so
steller it's in a catergory of its one.

[Enthusiast]

40. I agree with you, Lindsey.

Good observations. The characters were self absorbed, like people in real life.

[mitchum]

27. Yes, thanks to Larry David

[Angry Mollusk]

29. Monty Python's Flying Circus was the funniest show ever made

But that was British, and they have their own distinct sense of humor...

Very few American comedy shows are funny- exceptions being Seinfeld, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

I think Curb Your Enthusiasm is hilarious!

[GigiMommy]

30. The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

It makes you think which is why I liked it so much.

[marmar]

32. Give me Cheers anyday over Seinfeld.....

:toast:

[WarholPop]

33. yes

greatest sitcome ever. I have watched each episode multiple times, and still crack up.

[dbackjon]

34. Nope

M*A*S*H


Arrested Development

[mdinusa]

35. Good questions: I think it is something unique

I think Seinfeld had something special that was almost "cosmic".

The four main stars were all very different from each other, but they had a certain chemistry that really made the show.

I think, #2 reason, is L. David and Seinfeld's unique style of humor- and their chemistry together.

#3, each main character was actually based on a real person. This is pretty cool.

#4, Kramer made the show. He is the greatest.

#5, George and Jerry's chemistry.

So, in a word, chemistry.

So there u have it. Please give your thoughts on this!!!!

PS Curb your Enthusiasm on HBO is awesome.

[Whisp]

36. never did get why it was so popular.

the cast and script bugged the shit out of me.

not sure if they were commenting on the Me Me gen, or making Me Me's think it's so cooool.

[Dave_Fl_50]

37. Nothing compares to House MD

Yse it IS a sitcom

[mwb970]

38. How strange. I was just thinking about this!

A few days ago I was making the point to someone that although I am enjoying watching some of the old, old black-and-white sitcoms on DVD (like Love That Bob and Meet Corliss Archer and I Married Joan), my very favorite sitcom of the late-50s, early-60s era, The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis, is almost unavailable on DVD.

In trying to describe how, for me at least, Dobie Gillis towers over other contemporary offerings in the same basic form, I said that it was like the Beatles compared with other 60s musical groups, or like Seinfeld compared with other 90s sitcoms. It's as if they're in a whole other class somehow.

Putting Seinfeld atop all other sitcoms is quite a stretch, though. The ironic tone fit the 90s but probably does not have the universal, timeless appeal of, say, I Love Lucy. Or Dobie Gillis!

[ptolomeus]

39. Everybody loves Raymond

My personal favorite.

[Dervill Crow]

41. Hardly.

I started watching the show in re-runs and laughed myself silly the first ten or fifteen episodes that I saw. Then I got over it when I realized that Kramer and George's mother were the only people on the show that I liked.

[ailsagirl]

42. I remember when "Cheers" was declared the best ever

No way. IMO, Frasier, Dick Van Dyke, and I Love Lucy were the best!!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

43. Delete

Forgot that I contributed to this thread long ago.

[The Wizard]

44. The Honeymooners

Gleason was a genius and the rest of the cast played their parts around him with the skills of talented actors. There was even a successful cartoon parody, The Flintstones.

[MISSDem]

45. Better than Mary Tyler Moore?

No way. I adore those shows. They make me laugh out loud.

[Kire]

46. don't be ridi-cool-us

Best Sitcom Ever

[Democrats_win]

47. It stands with Andy Griffith, Mary Tyler Moore, Mash, I Love Lucy & Beverly Hillbillies.

Seinfeld was a wonderful fun and yes, great show.

These shows remind us that television exists exclusively for the advertisers, not the viewers.

[YouCanCallMeJack]

48. Seinfeld is excellent, but not #1 over-all.

All in the Family
M*A*S*H
Seinfeld
Cheers
The King of Queens

Seinfeld is extremely funny, and groundbreaking in their sense of pushing the envelope. Larry David is underrated as a comedian. But there is basically no social commentary in Seinfeld. All in the Family and M*A*S*H had social commentary, and were extremely funny and well written. They rank higher. As far as the King of Queens, just a personal choice...that show is damn funny,every single episode.

This is my first post here at DU. I have been a loyal reader for a long time, but being a fairly personal person, shied away from my opinion being viewed by millions. Well, I am going to see how this goes. I feel it is best to start out slow, and avoid some of the political boards for now. While most here are spot on, there are some radical posters with fringe opinions that I am not particularly fond of. The internal name calling and personal attacks are disturbing at the very least. Anyway...here I am!

[brettdale]

50. Great choices

Mash, cheers, taxi are up their with the greatest of all time, Seinfeld.

Throw in The Office and Extras from Ricky Gervais, and you have the best of all time.

[ColoradoMagician]

49. I loved it then.

I still watch the reruns, daily. It is a great show.

[brettdale]

51. It doesnt age

Sure its a 90's show, but it hasn't age with this decade.

[malik flavors]

52. It's probably the best sitcom, but their are a few animated shows that could compete with it.

[AccessGranted]

53. Uuuuuuuh No

Me no likey.