Fans debate whether the season 9 premiere delivers quality writing, with some finding it entertaining while others criticize it as jejune and lacking the satirical edge of earlier seasons.
The latest episode of "Seinfeld" was a disappointment, especially for a season premiere.
True, the show had higher production values than past episodes: more sets, larger cast, special effects. In comedy, however, there's one production value that's more important than all the others combined: writing. In this respect, the episode fell short of expectations.
Some of the plot lines were jejune, with no satirical bite. Elaine's plot line was promising, but the promise wasn't fully realized. George's plot line had too many loose ends: why did his new employer feel so compelled to hire and accommodate a handicapped employee? Most of all, the plot lines didn't weave together the way they did in the best of the past episodes.
It's ironic that today's (Thursday's) issue of Variety contains a full-page color ad by Castle Rock, congratulating Michael Richards on his award for best supporting actor in a comedy series. If the season premiere is a foretaste of this season's level of writing, there won't be many Emmy's in the show's future.
Perhaps the show's writers should take a break from life in La-La land and come back to New York for a while to recharge their creative batteries. The writing has gone from clever and satirical to plain silly. Like Kramer, the writers have been out in the sun too long.
I enjoyed it very much, and it made me laugh thoughout! Tell me you didn't laugh when you saw Jerry and George w\ stashes at the start! And that "outta work porn star" line got the show rolling with a bang!! I loved how they brought back a lot of old "one timers" from the past cast.
Did you happen to catch the names of the writters? Alec Berg was one, wasn't it? Alec Berg, don't you like the way that sounds? Alec Berg.... Anyways, your 100% right about the writing. I believe it was Leno that said something to the effect that comedy doesn't need huge sets, or a huge cast, but it NEEDS to have great writing. As always with expectations, it's really based on what you had in mind. All I had in mind was to laugh, that was achieved plenty of times. No, this opener wasn't the greatest episode ever, but they got the ball rolling in a good direction. Just looking at the episode list from past seasions, it's amazing to see how many B- shows are followed by an A or A+ show, then back to a B+ or B show. But you can't count on anything, expect to laugh(well, thats just my opinion. There have only been one or two episodes that didn't make me laugh at all!)
Agreed.
Did you catch Enternatment Tonight? They said that Elaines boyfriend will be on for 7 more shows this season! So it's gonna be an ongoing thing and it will probably be fully realized soon enough. I like how Seinfeld doesn't take it week by week like other sitcoms. Where each episode is something totally new. They take there time with some plot lines and strech it out and that makes it so much easier to gain an understanding of the characters.
Equal Opportunity my friend. Affermitive Action. A company has to take great care as to aquiring thier emplyees, or the ACLU will get on them about not accepting handicapped people for emplyment. I loved that plot line. The pause in George's face when he realized what was going on was priceless! I agree with your last statement 100%. This was a problem as far as two seasons ago. You rarly see the core group of four together in a scene anymore. And I feel that needs to be addressed by the writers. Why did they take it in that direction?
The writing wasn't THAT bad!! Compared with other sitcoms on TV, Seinfeld is still a top 3(or better) show. Michael Richards physical comedy during this show was A+! The plot line w\ Newmans canabelism over Kramer was great during that scene(and the turkey with K man's head!!)
I've got a feeling that none of the writers have ever been outta LA!
Just gotta not have to high of expectations, and hope for the best. It's tough to top yourself, and these guys got a long road to climb.
nfa lincoln(who enjoyed the season opener, and can't wait for next week!)
Unfortunately, I have to disagree with anyone who found the season opener even REMOTELY funny (Well, OK, I laughed when Kramer put the aftershave on!). Geez, I was dying! And ya know what? I LOATHE Jennifer Crittenden as a writer! Not once have I seen a well-written show from this woman! Everytime I see her name come up on the opening credits, my skin crawls. I have HONESTLY TRIED to like the shows she writes, but it's like having my teeth pulled! I'm sufferin'! Granted, she's not the only crappy writer on the show these days, but she is by far the worst. Note to NBC execs: Send her a pink slip -- or better yet, maybe Marvelous Marv will have her write his sordid biography! What the hell were they thinking by giving this woman a very pivottal role in the life of the show -- the SEASON OPENER to what may be the LAST season? Here's a quarter -- buy a clue!
One might say, "Can you do better?" Well, if I got my point across (or even slightly swayed someone) up above... then yes! But then I'm not paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to write tripe like that! I only write technical manuals for a BILLION dollar industry! I can assure you -- I'm on the low end of the proverbial pay totem pole!
The PROFESSIONAL writers of Seinfeld -- or at least Ms. Crittenden -- should take a hint from the PROFESSIONAL actors of "ER" (who did a hell of a job last night and seemed to have a lot of fun doing it)! It's about supply and demand -- simple and pure. If your entertainment industry talents don't turn on the masses, out you go!
Supply and demand yes.....But the only way you will make a difference is to stop watching and bring about a BILLION of your friends with you. Supply will be there if the show is demanded whether or not it was liked. I bet you'll be watching "The Voice" right along with me next week. I agree that the show is lacking in a certain edge that only Mr. David could provide but saying that last nights show wasn't funny to me means that you are just looking for reasons not to like the show, just enjoy and and stop analyzing it to death. C'mon, the bloody turkey waved at Newman!!!!!!!!!! I almost stopped breathing.
Some people just have to complain about something. If it was the funniest thing on the planet, someone would STILL post about how god awful it was. I think maybe Steve has something personal against Crittenden.
FWIW, I loved this new ep, and wouldn't mind a bit if she wrote every
one this season. I don't have a clue what's on other channels at 9:00
on Thursday, but you could always look for something better.
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although i am a HUGE seinfan i think the show is getting weak. since larry david left and jerry was the only writer the idea's started to go downhill. if you look at last season's shows they wern't they great either compared to some of the classic seinfelds larry david and seinfeld wrote. the season premere was funny for something seinfeld could write but if david was still there he'd make it vintage seinfeld.
what i liked about the season premere was we got to see vintage costanza, him taking atvantage of being handicapped and vintage kramer. i thought david putty coming back was a BIG surprise and a good surprise at that. and who can ever miss banya??
Actually, I believe Jennifer Crittenden was just a story editor on last night's show; I distinctly remember the writing credit going to Alec Berg, Jeff Schaeffer, and David Mandel. Crittenden did write some pretty mediocre episodes last season (The Package and The Millenium) but she also wrote The Little Jerry, which, although silly, was pretty darn funny. However, she didn't have a lot to do with the season premiere.
Personally, I thought that George's handicapped ploy was classic, and I LOVED the musical montage of him acting handicapped at work. This was everything I'd hoped would come out of George's injury. Jerry's plot was a subtle and clever jab at the lackluster shows in the post-Seinfeld slot. I didn't care much for the Kramer and Newman schtick, although the turkey waving was amusing (I like stuff you don't have to think about!) and Newman reading Alive was a nice touch. Elaine's plot was totally disposable, but maybe they'll pay it off later this season. Calling that foreign guy Vegetable-Lasagna got old fast, though, and never really made sense.
OK, my bad! I was mistaken with my observation! Jennifer Crittenden did, in fact, co-produce the show! So...OK.. they PROMOTED her! Good move... not! At least my mistake didn't show up on Thursday prime-time! I just like to make a fool out of myself so the entire WORLD WIDE WEB can see! HA-HA!
I still don't like her, though, and I still didn't like the premiere. As I mentioned, there are several crappy writers on the show these days. I don't think they were intelligent enough to have come with the idea to "satirize the show by using it as an opener for Veronica's Closet". Give me a break! If you guys had to put THAT much thought into justifying this premiere -- and I might add that you're spreading it as thin as BUTTER (I meant to do that) -- that's not satire! It just sucked!
As per my "complaints", I'm entitled. And you on the receiving end are entitled to agree or disagree. I'm not going to get angry at a bunch of people I only know through TEXT! I'll let you guys slug it out and leave it at that!
btw, I gave this show a B-. So far, from the looks of it here, some people downright hated it, and some thought it was ok. I'm on the ok boat. Whatta think?
I have to agree with you on this one, I thought the Elaine "portion" of the season opener was pretty lame. But, I thought the rest of the show was great! I was laughing out loud the whole time. Ummmmmmmm Butter...........maybe I liked it because I'm from Wisconsin, hmmmm?
I don't think there is supposed to be the normal level of humor in this episode. What I thought was happening, especially at the end, was that the whole episode was intentionally weak because Seinfled (the actor) is tired of his show being used as as intro to so many weaker new shows in the last couple of season's. Think about it, in what other situation does the headlining act open for the no-name act? Certainly not in stand-up comedy as would be implied from the whole Banya(sp) thing. I thought the whole episode was kind of stupid until Jerry was on stage in suspenders talking about "What's the deal with lampshades?..." That was the first time I laughed out loud because it was so bad, then this whole theory clicked as to why the whole episode was so non-Seinfeldlike, almost calculatedly unfunny. "Let's see how he does without the cushy time-slot,"... "...tired of him riding my coat tails..." It's really sort of obvious. And no other TV show could get away with this kind of thing, or even think to do it. Maybe I give them too much credit but I definitely think the writer's of this show are more clever than I am so its possible.
This is an interesting theory. But although Jerry "warming up" the crowd for Banya's act is clearly a hint at NBC's use of Seinfeld to introduce other shows, I don't think the writers would go so far as to deliberately make the show unfunny. There are big ratings at stake here, and I don't think even Seinfeld could afford to take the chance of doing something like that. Anyway, I thought the show was on pretty much the same level as last season's episodes, which I have found very disappointing.
Maybe unfunny is the wrong word, cheap laffs as opposed to clever satire was what I saw happening. The whole show was just like the "blown" act. And yes, I think only Seinfeld can take the chance of risking ratings with this kind of horribly subtle and multi-layered satire. I live a city apartment building where I can see whats on TV in 50 or so peoples apartments (not a peeping-tom or anything, it's just my view) and when Seinfeld is on it's like being in an appliance store with every TV tuned to the same channel. And it will be like that next week even in the homes of people who thought the premiere sucked. (of course if they read this, they'll have their shades closed). It's really kind of scary the power the guy has. I feel like such a lemming.
Even a mediocre episode of Seinfeld (and I guess I think the premiere was one--unless the above subtext really is a part of it; then, I guess it's brilliant, and over my head also) is still way out in front of most of what's on. Even if the writers *were* "throwing the show," there were still plenty of classic moments. My favorites: 1) Elaine's struggle to hold her tongue while David stared "unproductively" into space (and Vegetable Lasagna cowers to her right) 2) Jerry taking off his jacket to reveal those mismatched suspenders. FH!
You must be kidding, I thought that was the perfect way to open each episode...
Oh and someone else pointed this out about JLD - why is her character such a bitch now?! Is she finally bitter and depressed about not finding true love?! Yeah right! :)
As a fan of early, realistic, good "Seinfeld", back when the Nielsens sucked, it's weird to see the show get crappier yet more popular over the years. I guess old Van Halen fans feel the same way about Van Hagar.
About the premiere: the handicap and David Putty stories were amusing at first but grew old, the Banya thing was intriguing and Jerry's hack standup was brilliantly profound...but the Newman/Kramer turkey thing was a vile piece of sub- Home Improvement bullshit that wouldn't have been appeared on the worst UPN sitcoms.
While I don't that the Seinfeld premiere episode was great, I do agree it was very good from previous episodes they've showen and in any case it was certainly a better premiere episode than any of the other NBC shows which premiered on Thursday <with the exception of the ER Live episode which was one the great shows I've ever seen on TV>. Your's truly, Ronie J Whalen
I agree. Seinfeld will slip if they cannot do any beter than that. There was little creativity shown in the first show and they basically gathered up bits from previous shows that that's not what people expect from Seinfeld.
I thought this show was okay at best. I've given up expecting episodes like "The Pie" or "The Boyfriend."
The Elaine subplot was horrible! I can't believe how much her character has changed. She used to be fun, sweet, and flirty. Now she is just a nasty bitch! So sad.
That's exactly what I thought, that, like "throwing his act" to make Banya bomb, Jerry was intentionally "throwing the show" to yank the coattails out from under whatever incredibly average show would be following Seinfeld that week.
Then [email] (Martin Nadeau) wrote:
I think Seinfeld IS the only show that could afford to do something like that, because even though I, like many others, thought the premier was sadly lacking in SO many ways, I'll be tuning in next week and I'd venture a guess that most of the other disappointed folks will be too.
My "letter grade" vote on the premier would be a C- or D. George taking advantage of being handicapped was basically what I expected, and the moustaches at the beginning were a nice touch. Elaine, I'm sorry to say has become a total harpie and just screams at everyone all the time. What have the writers got against her? I can't imagine Julia is enjoying the role too much anymore. If the quality of the show continues like this, I hope this is the last season.