Fans debate whether Susan's death in the season finale was funny or offensive, with disagreement over whether it stayed true to George's character and the show's tone.
Not only was it "wrong" because of the trivialization, it was also "wrong" because it wasn't true to the characters. George's reaction, in particular, was completely out of character.
George wants someone while they're unavailable to him; once they want him, he loses interest; if they dump him, he wants them again. When Susan became completely unavailable to George (death), he should have, if he had stayed in character, wanted here more than ever.
George also has a severe guilt complex--he's always feeling guilty for things he's even remotely involved in (he always goes around denying that things that happen are his fault, of course, but that's just part of his way of getting rid of his guilt feelings). In this situation, he *was* guilty (indirectly) for Susan's death (by insisting on the cheap invitations); then he feels nothing but relief when she dies because of his actions? I don't think so!
I am astonished by everyone's reaction to Susan's death. Sure it was offensive and heartless, but this is the essence of the show.
Everyone is so upset over Susan dying. Well, how about the daughter of the social worker whom George dated so he could continue to receive unemployment benefits? She was unattractive and obese, and the show played heavily on this, belittling her appearance.
Nothing wrong with that I suppose, but my God, when they killed Susan, I was just furious. I mean, she was pretty and everything. God! That's not funny, that's just mean.
You've managed to miss the point entirely. Do you not understand what was written in the post you responded to or did you just not read it? The fact that people are upset at Susan's death has nothing to do with the way she looks. Got it? She was a recurring character (unlike the social workers daughter) and she played an integral role throughout the season.
And it's not the fact that people don't find deaths on Seinfeld funny. When the suicide landed on George's car at the hospital, that was funny. When J. Peterman's mother died, that was funny. Those and the assorted other deaths on Seinfeld involved people we didn't know. We knew Susan and many people liked her, primarily because of George's reactions to her.
When George's parents were going to get a divorce, the writers didn't kill off Estelle. Even if they had considered it they knew that wouldn't be particularly funny, and they should have known that killing off Susan was not funny either. Granted, they probably did not really intend for Frank and Estelle to get a divorce and they were not looking to get rid of a character. The point is, they could have come up with a hundred other scenarios that got Susan out of the picture without killing her.
Monty, you give people too much credit. I can think of several posters to this newsgroup who could barely conceal their powerful physical attraction to Susan. Her recurring role just served to aggrevate the situation.
I think the reason why they chose to get Susan out of the picture by killing her is because of the irony of the situation. George didn't want to marry Susan. Because he didn't want to marry her, he didn't want to spend much money on the wedding (ie.: the invitations). He was too chicken to break up with her, so he fantasized about her dying in a plane crash. The wedding invitations issue was just him being a petty tight wad. He also didn't want to waste any time discussing the different options. He just wanted to grab the cheapest ones and vacate the store as quickly as possible. His quick solution to the stickiness problem "so we'll get some Elmer's" demonstrates how little he cared about the invitations.
The irony is that something he cared so little about and wanted get over with so quickly is what caused his fantasy to come true, and ultimately achieve what he desired so intensely (to get out of the marriage). What's interesting, and even more ironic, is that Susan didn't pick up on George's suggestion to use Elmer's glue to make the envelopes stick better. If she had, she wouldn't have died.
By the way, I didn't find Susan's death funny. The irony was intense, but it wasn't funny. I was sort of in awe. I really didn't know how to react because I was so surprised by the ending. I agree with you, Monty. We knew Susan too well for her to be killed off in the final episode. I wonder though, if she isn't really dead, and the writers have something up their sleeves for next fall.
On another subject, I found Jerry's relationship with his new fiance hilarious. First he comes to the conclusion that what he's been looking for in a women is essentially, himself. Then he says he's made a big mistake because he really can't stand himself, and if anything, he needs someone the total opposite of himself. I am looking forward to the next season to see what happens in their relationship.
Also on another subject . . . in the final couple of episodes Elaine changed her hair again. I don't think it suits her character. Comments?
I don't really think George has ever been motivated by guilt. Georges sole motivation is what other people think of him. If he thinks somebody will blame him for something and think badly of him then he will try to deny his involvement or justify it. He is like the criminal that is not sorry for his crime, but sorry he got caught.
It just wasn't like Seinfeld to have such a non-shalant reaction to her death. Also, remember in the second to last episode of the season where Jerry and Elaine tried to break that couples marrige up because they both had crushes on them? This was not funny. It was sick and evil. Allot of times Seinfeld is non-shalant about things, but now theres a change: these things are getting more serious. Death and breaking up someone's marriage is not something that is really that funny. The season premire will be the defining point of the fate of Seinfeld.
I was shocked by the season finale..Susan's death.. Why couldn't they have her go back with a lesbian again..She dated a woman after George and she broke up the first time.... Mary
Gotta agree on this one. George would have been releived, but wouldnt he have felt guilty at some point? Knowing George, a lot guilty for getting what he actually wanted? Then guilty for feeling good about it? Plus, Susan leaving George for a woman would have been hilarious. Maybe she could have fallen in love with one of George's ex- girlfriends, or even JERRY's? What about perfect-breast woman?(aka Teri Hatcher aka Lois Lane?)
TV GUIDE made a comment on the SEINFELD season finale this week, saying that it went way below their standards and was just "insensitive"--I agree with the attitudes, but not with the reaction to the show. Anyway, they're probably going to make it a dream sequence and have Susan appear in the shower next season a la Bobby Ewing on DALLAS.
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Lori Ann Chauvette | Only love can break a heart....but only a
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