season premiere

Ok..who liked it????

I'd say it was a B- /C+ episode. I usually love Elaine, but she was real annoying last night. If I were the boy friend, I would have been glad to get rid of her the way she was. Was the actor who played George's new boss the same one (now with a mustache) who played Mr. Wilhelm at the Yankees?

Jeff Laderman

[email] (JeffBW) wrote:

Nah, that's Gordon Jump, formerly of Growing Pains, and then much earlier from WKRP.

Since we're all weighing in with our opinions, I thought the first half or so was an A, while the closing couple of scenes were just ordinary. Elaine stuff, better than great. Mustache stuff, same. Turkey boy Kramer? So so. Banya, same.

Still, I thought a strong opening overall and you know what, I bet I watch next week!

Best,

Some thoughts on the season opener:

1< Elaine and her boyfriend were hillarious I hope they follow this for several episodes.

2< The slow speed chase had me on the floor. I am sorry but that is classic Seinfeld.

3< The Kramer/turkey bit was unexpected and hilarious.

4< Ok it is not classic material, but they all can't be. If you hate the episodes so much you can always watch UPN or WB.

Heres to a great season.

Dayland

While I agree with your comments on the season premiere of Seinfeld, I ask you don't dis the WB or UPN. WB as Buffy, The Vampire Slayer, one of the best horror/action/comedies on television, and it is far and away better than all that stuff on NBC's Saturday Night Thrillogy. Also, UPN has Star Trek:Voyager and it is far and above a lot better than any sci-fi show NBC ever put on the air.

I was really disappointed by the premiere. I was most dissapointed by Geogre's plot though. I thought they should have done more with George's not being able to walk. Instead, it was if they just wanted to get that over with and move on. I thought it would be funny if George discovered it was a great way to meet women, or something. That could have been funny for several episodes.

I seem to remember NBC putting on this sci-fi show in the sixties called "Star Trek." Pretty obscure, though, you've probably never heard of it.

Me too! That was hilarious!! I can't believe some of you people don't like this episode. That scene by itself made the episode. -Dorian

Oh yes! That scooter chase scene woke everyone up in the house from me laughing! I love how he was going as fast as he could and people were just walking by them. If you ask me, this is one of the best episodes of them all!!!

MEXTEX811 wrote:

What a stinker! This has sunk to the intelligence level of a 5 year old. Shame on Jerry and his writers for coming up with such a lame first episode.

Nothing was really funny, maybe just Kramer as a turkey, and even then...

I'm so disappointed...

I have to agree. I knew they should have ended the show after last season. I thought the last season was not very good. At least we still have the older shows to watch...who knows..maybe the shows will improve....

~~Nicole :o(

Hey, are you that same fellow who posts on the alt.movies.kubrick newsgroup ? For if you are hey! It's me Ronie J Whalen! And if not, I know somebody who has the exact same quote at the end of his posts as you do.

In , christopher writes:

If you hate it so much, just don't watch it.

In , Benjamin Nathaniel Lammers writes:

You're missing the point Nicky! It's not enough for them to hate it. The real fun is in actively hating it, and telling everyone how much they hate it.

I agree, but I've begun to realize that Seinfeld grows on you. Last season seemed pretty bad when the episodes were new, but the reruns of the same episodes this summer were hilarious. I can watch the old reruns (like from 94 and 95) over and over again and they seem funnier every time. I'm sure we'll feel the same about this episode soon enough!

In article , [email] (Brian Harvey) wrote:

How true. Some episodes get better with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. viewing. I watched The Butter Shave again last night, and enjoyed it more than the first time.

BTW, I don't like this episode name. In fact, there are a few ep titles I don't care for:

The Little Kicks, The Stranded, The Outing, The Jimmy, The Seven, The Fatigues, The Susie.

Nick Fox wrote:

You've hit the nail right on the head! I've been in this NG for quite some time now, and it is obvious that today's stinkers become tommorows classics.

In article , Alex Andreadis wrote:

I've become a Seinfeld fan watching the reruns, so I discovered those old shows on syndication 2 years ago. What I can say is that they were new to me then, and very funny. And just like you, the more I see them, the funnier they get. But I began to think the shows were getting weaker (much weaker) last season. They didn't make me laugh all that much the first time around, and didn't become funnier with last summer's reruns. I don't know if my opinion will change with further reruns, but that's how it stands right now.

To me, this year's premiere was on the same level as last season, and I'm just not sure that it will become better with more viewings...

In article , [email] says...

I'm in total disagreement. This episode was funny as hell, except for much of the Elaine segments. They clearly still have it.

I concur. This was a silly, mindless conglomeration of unrelated meaningless fluff. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It is just not up to the brilliant humour of the earlier years. Last year was a sad turning point in the show and if the premiere is any indication it will be another year of enjoying the syndication reruns.

Were the writers trying to revisit past successes with situations such as Elaine on an airplane (the first occurance was funny as she tried to cope with a multitude of constant problems, neverending failures, no food, smelly bathroom, etc..) Last night there was a single joke - her dumb boyfriend - you can milk that too long and it ceases to be funny. Jerry 'throwing his act' is not in character of the old Jerry. So the NBC exec's like Banya better -so? Where's the humour? It was pretty obvious that was going to happen. They talked about Neuman and Kramer being a funny bit on the stage - too bad we did not get the benefit of seeing it. Perhaps it was the only funny thing in the show.

The funny part about Elaine/Mechanic-dude was the fact that they were on a 22-hour flight and went through all the stages of a relationship. First broke up, then he flirted "I got to get on with my life" and she whined to Vegetable. And then they got back together and then broke up again! It was so cool!

vale, cailean

Don't you just love insightful criticism?

In article , "The News Guy" wrote:

-snip-

-snip-

You missed the whole point of Jerry throwing his act. Jerry served as the lead in for Banya in the same way the show Seinfeld serves as the lead in to another sitcom. Banya achieved success only after following Jerry; the shows following Seinfeld in the Thursday lineup have always drawn the most attention before the season begins. Jerry in the show was poking fun at that fact, using Banya as a metaphorical follow-up show in real life. It's a art imitating life bit. Get it?

I didn't find that bit particularly funny. I guess it wasn't well-refrenced enough to make it funny for me.

Ronald J. Whalen wrote:

When is anything ever "well-referenced" in a Seinfeld episode? The great thing about the show is all the hidden messages. I loved the premiere and thought is was funnier than most of the shows last year. Much better than last years premiere. Although, I don't think the quality of the show will be as good as it was 2-3 years ago.

"Yeah, that's right."

Gene Lee ([email]) wrote:

Enough, son! You killed that horse an hour ago! But no, it wasn't in character for Jerry. It was self-referential to the show, but hardly within "character" for Jerry Seinfeld, TV chracter. And it got old fast...

I thought the show was funny, but had too many gimmicks. I think the better shows really are about nothing; like The Outing, The Pick, he one wiht banya and Mendy's. They were funny and didn't need anything bizzarre like Newman Fantasizing about chowing down on Kramer or the Little Rascals.

I thought two of the funniest episodes were The Bubble Boy (Moops still cracks me up) and the one where Elaine was trying to get her boyfriend to leave on time so he wouldn't miss his plane. Too funny!!

JMHO,

Sharon

[email] (Jason Kramer) wrote:

I agree that the Elaine segments were boring.  It has been done
before.   But the scene with George being pursued by the senior
citizens was hilarious.   And Kramer cooking himself was great.
Newman's cannibalism was a bit over the edge though.

On Fri, 26 Sep 1997 04:42:15 GMT, [email] (Dan Bonner) wrote:

Good call, I was thinking the same thing. For a show about nothing, this episode had a real "something" feel to it.

As an aside, I think this episode proves that Elaine is best when she's playing off of Jerry. I thought she was only really whining in her scenes, more than anything else.

Still good episode, though. Definite B+ - George's scene to "My Baby Takes the Morning Train" (whatever the song is called) was absolutley priceless. Classic..

k
-----------------------
*Melt cheese on head
 for a good hat.*

But don't you see the irony of your comment. Puke is a funny word because you don't have to think. Looks like you fit this category since you can't think beyond the obvious. out

On Fri, 26 Sep 1997, Brian Harvey wrote:

Kevin Scott Mullerleile wrote in article ...

because

can't

PUKE is funny because it has a *K* in it. Comedians use *K* words to highten their routines (silly ones) - An old comedy rule

(Sorry Kevin)

:-)

Ha! It seems we have a Neil Simon fan in our midst...

I'm probably not as disappointed as you are Brian, but I was a little let down by the whole episode. Jerry wasn't his usual self, George's plot-line was a little out there for me, and Elaine was REALLY annoying....the only good part was Kramer and Newman.

I enjoyed it. It wasn't "The Marine Biologist" but I've seen worse.

I particularly loved the bit where Jerry and George opened wearing mustaches for no apparent reason, then after they shave theirs off Kramer comes in wearing one. Weird. It was kinda like doing something goofy over summer break and then getting back to normal once school started.

The crippled George subplot was neat. It's so in character for George to have no shame whatsoever for making out so well doing something so tasteless. The sight of some middle aged secretary carrying him down the hall was funny as was how he got away with tripping some guy with his cane. The mirror razzel- dazzel he pulled to convince his new boss that he didn't switch limps was priceless.

Elaine's subplot was strange cause they keep hiding her lower body as if she were still pregnant. She's not, is she? Plus her hair looks horrible, makes her face look like a horse. The old boyfriend is my all time favorite ex-boyfriend. I loved the way he stared off at the seat ahead of him on the plane and his toss-off of "go to hell" when he parted with Elaine at the airport was priceless.

Kramers subplot wasn't all that good. I just didn't buy the thing Newman had for Kramer. 3 out of 4 ain't bad.

The best subplot was Jerry's as he complained about Banya riding his coat-tails, making the real life analogy with the various sitcoms that NBC keeps putting after his. The line "Let see how he does without the cushy time slot" was the best of the whole show.

So there. . . JPM

What do you mean by when you say that Jerry wasn't his usual self ? To me it seemed like the character was rightly portrayed on this episode, nothing new or old added, just the same old Jerry. And why do you think George's plot-line was a little out there ? I found it to be one the funniest things about the episode, the chase scene was brilliant and one of the best things Seinfeld was ever done. I loved it. Your's truly, Ronie J Whalen

In article , [email] (Brian Harvey) writes:

I couldn't agree more. Anyone know what Larry David is doing now? They really need to bring him back, or they might as well end the show. It had some humorous moments, but nothing out of particularly exceptional. Ditto for most of last season.

[email] (Brian Harvey) wrote:

Hey, it may not have been a classic, but it was 1,000 times better than the season premier of last year, "The Foundation".

Bobby D. "Words are loaded pistols"

Re: I couldn't agree more. Anyone know what Larry David is doing now?

I believe Mr. David is at work on a screenplay- check out Kenny Kramer's home page (the real Kramer) -just type "Kenny Kramer" into any search engine. The page is packed with transcribed articles and the answer to almost any question you can imagine can be found with a little reading- just scan around. Also Kenny is usually extremely accessible- just E-Mail him, but be forewarned: while he seems and I'm sure is to be a genuinely well-meaning and sincere guy- he does have a checkered past as far as reliability goes according to those who know him well- so I'd take anything he tells you with a grain of salt.

I LOVED IT. LAUGHED OUT LOUD 10X. as you can tell, i feel very stongly about this.

John F.

I really don't understand all the criticism about the premiere episode (it was great). I agree that Larry David is great, but even without him there isn't another show on television that gets even closer to seinfeld. So give them a break guys, and lets hope they will make us laugh for a long time.

Yaniv