Seinfeld Finale Fiasco

It was disappointing but understandable that a semi-regular cast member could be killed off. What was not understandable was the extremely self-centered reactions of the entire regular cast, especially George, to Susan's sudden demise. The death of a loved one was totally secondary to his own interests. The choice to use this situation to get laughs was bitterly disappointing. There were so many other ways the show could have ended on a much funnier and more appropriate note. After passing out, Susan could have hit her head and gotten amnesia or slipped into a coma thereby putting George into a "cliffhanger" of a dilemma. Is he still obligated to marry her or must he wait for her to recover? How long of a "grace period" does etiquette dictate he wait? Can he date while waiting? These are typical Seinfeld musings and situations. They would have left fans interested and eager for next season.

Why we all know the characters are kids who in many ways never grew up, this time they have crossed over the line by acting with coldheartedness and shallowness to an embarrasing degree. We are ashamed of them as friends. After all, this isn't Married With Children.

More disturbing is the fact that they insulted their audience by playing a laugh track during the hospital scene to encourage all of us to laugh along with their immature reactions to the sudden death of a friend and lover. In case we didn't get this message, we certainly got it when George tried to make a date during the epilogue.

It wasn't too long ago when a segment like this would not haven even been contemplated because of negative public opinion, network sponsorship, or sponsored disapproval. Is its airing now a reflection of the acceptance of our society of such depictions? Have the writers gotten so drunk with power generated by success that they feel they can play with the emotions of their viewers and maniupulate them so that they laugh at things which are not only unfunny but tragic? We will watch future episodes with trepidation.

In article , [email] (GuidoV) wrote:

Give me a break. You guys all blow this out of proportion. The show in meant to entertain. I laughed at the end, because I knew that while none of them in a real situation would act as they did on the show, it shows their character's personalities well. It's all in good taste, people. Jerry didn't purposely try to piss all of you off. I've never seen so many people get so emotional over a comedy. You can watch a movie with a killer that blows away hundreds of people without a regret and not mind it at all, but when three narrow-minded, somewhat childish, characters respond to the death of a friend, you make a big deal. Just laugh, you'll feel a lot better, and that's what you are supposed to do.

On a lighter note, the Caroline in the City finale REALLY pissed me off! She needs to run off with Richard and forget Dell. Richard is such a cool guy.

• Drew

..."On a lighter note, the Caroline in the City finale REALLY pissed me off! She needs to run off with Richard and forget Dell. Richard is such a cool guy.

• Drew"

I going to listen to you? Someone who actually gets a kick out of Caroline In the City? How can you talk about good/bad taste when you tune into that mindless program every week?

-Guido

Give me a break. Richard's gayer than hell. The writers just don't have the balls to write him as a gay character. Guido was right, in any case. "Caroline in the City " wouldn't have lasted two weeks if it hadn't been scheduled between Seinfeld and E.R. The show stinks.

"It's a small world but I wouldn't want to paint it." -Stephen Wright

In article , [email] wrote:

the balls to write him as a gay character.

You know, the Internet has presented us with a multitude of truly ignorant people. Explain to me, palasits or whatever your name is, why you seem to believe he is gay. Maybe your own homosexual tendencies are forcing you to come to the realisation that you must force it upon others. So, come on, tell us all about it.

• Drew

[email] wrote:

I don't care if you think it stinks (just don't watch it then), but why do you say "Richard" is gay? I mean, if he's not _written_ as a gay character, then he (the character) is not. (BTW, being gay would not make the character a better or worse person, but would only affect whether or not he had a romantic relationship with Caroline.)

-MM- ....sociology student, just observing things.

------- "I'm sure we all agree that we ought to love one another, and I know there are people in the world who do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that!" -Tom Lehrer, intro to "National Brotherhood Week." ------- http://www.mindspring.com/~moomoo/index.html

[email] (GuidoV) wrote: <...>

<...>

Well, I didn't like the ending of the show myself, but I wasn't THAT upset about it--however, you seem to be taking a sociological view of it rather than that of a casual viewer.

<...>

Well, I didn't laugh. I didn't think it was in good taste. But, to each hir own. No biggie. I think people DO get emotional over TV--sociologists say that TV is the second most socializing influence, the first being one's family. But, I think people are only harping on it because this is the forum for discussing it--I'd hate to think anyone is really losing sleep over it. Obsession is the nature of Usenet. ;-)

DUH...everyone has different tastes. I like Caroline, I watch it every week, but it doesn't bother me that you think it sucks either. Express your opinion, listen to who you want (or, just stick with your own opinion and don't worry about other people's), but slagging something that entertains someone else is pointless.

To Drew: I enjoyed the season finale' of Caroline very much--It's my favorite episode so far. I thought the first half was *hysterical*. The second half was a little slower than I thought it needed to be to make it's point. But the ending got me all worked up--one of those "OH please don't end it there!" feelings. I thought it was well-executed. But it left me with the assumption that she would find him next season. Yes, I like the eccentric, "uncool" Richard a lot better than the shallow Del.

My $0.02, (and don't tell me...Yes, I know, it's not even worth that...) :) ~Moo~

------- "I'm sure we all agree that we ought to love one another, and I know there are people in the world who do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that!" -Tom Lehrer, intro to "National Brotherhood Week." ------- http://www.mindspring.com/~moomoo/index.html

In article , [email] says...

If you don't think we can be manipulated by the tube and that attempts to manipulate our opinions and emotions via the tube are not made then you are missing the point. I don't think we should pay too much attention to the fact that Susan was killed off the show. It's just a show - fiction. But what concerns me is that they (the writers, producers, NBC, etc) think that they can get us to accept and even laugh at (through the actions of our favorite TV characters and a laugh track) something that is normally a very sad & unfortunate situation. In an action movie, we are not prodded to feel sympathy for the killer. The constant exposure to such things in films and TV has deadened our sensitivity to the extent that we can eat dinner and watch tragedy on the news without missing a bite. By conveying our displeasure from time to time to the powers that be over this attempted manipulation just might cause someone to think twice about its use and cause more respect to be shown to the viewer, even if the reason for such respect is purely financial. That's all.

                                       ^^^^^

Have you people even watched Seinfeld this year? George didn't love Susan. He couldn't stand her. He was just too much of a wimp to break it off. The rest of the gang couldn't stand Susan either, and she didn't like them.

Loved one. Feh.

   I'm pretty sure that the people who were offended by the finale
   are indeed regular viewers. Ever heard of a little HUMANITY???

Agreed. Come on, people, we're talking about a guy who mugs an old lady for marble rye, a woman who callously discusses her wardrobe with her friend at a funeral, a man who kidnaps a cute little dog to abandon it in the country, and another man who asks a priest for the death certificate of his girlfriend's relative at a funeral so he can get a cheaper airline fare! You want humanity? I think "Ol' Yellar" is playing on the Disney channel.

The dog was asking for it. People need sleep!

What was not understandable was the extremely self-centered reactions of the entire regular cast, especially George, to Susan's sudden demise.

Why would you have trouble understanding a self-centered reaction coming from a group of confessed self-centered people. Remember in the same episode Jerry declares he has finally found what he was looking for, himself.

I predict that Susan will be back as usual next season, and when George is asked, "didn't she die", he'll just reply, "it didn't take", and that's the last we'll hear of it.

<I predict that Susan will be back as usual next season, and when George is asked, "didn't she die", he'll just reply, "it didn't take", and that's the last we'll hear of it.>

I'd be willing to bet you any amount of money that she doesn't return. Given the fact that I have only bad luck, I feel that if I bet against her, she has a better chance. Seinfeld plotlines don't continue from one season to the next, so I'd be willing to say that I'll end up right either way.

"Kill all the Prussians and we'll have peace." A Saxon-German Soldier, 1914

On 23 May 1996 21:08:52 -0400, [email] (JCS21212) wrote:

why does anybody care about a character that offered very little to the show. it's not like any of the parents died or Newman or somebody of that sort.

<why does anybody care about a character that offered very little to <the show. it's not like any of the parents died or Newman or somebody <of that sort.

First off, Susan was a far more signficant and better character than either of the sets of parents and Newman. Second off, she offered a great deal to the show, serving as the impetus to some of the best episodes (Bubble Boy, Cheever Letters, Two Worlds Collide, and so on for about fifteen episodes). Third off, premature death being taken as funny should be enough to cause any sane person to care.

"Kill all the Prussians and we'll have peace." A Saxon-German Soldier, 1914

On 27 May 1996 11:13:45 -0400, [email] (JCS21212) wrote:

Any of those episodes would have worked fine without Susan. You lose all intgrity when you claim that Susan's character is(was) better than that of Mr. Costanza. What was the funniest scene Susan made happen?? I mean which did she make funny(being vomited on doesn't count). I'd rank Susan 10th out of all the supporting characters shown on the show

1)Newman "you emit a foul and unpleasant odor" 2)Mr Costanza "arent those the people that sacrifice squirrels???" 3)Mrs. Costanza 4)Crazy Joe Divola 5)The investigator from the library(his name eludes me right now) 6)Babu 7)Soup Nazi 8)Poppy 9)Jackie the lawyer 10)Susan

The name of the investigator from the library was appropriately enough "Mr Bookman".

On 27 May 1996, JCS21212 wrote:

I disagree. I don't think Susan was a very good character at all, in the sense that she wasn't very funny. How can you say she is better than the Costanzas or even the Seinfelds, for that matter? There have been numerous scenes with them that have been truly hilarious whereas I have rarely laughed at anything Susan has said or done. Now, true, she has taken part in scenes that I thought were funny, like the ones you mentioned, but I don't think that it had much to do with her abilities, but rather with the other actors and the writers. I don't really remember her contributing much to these scenes other than just being present.

Kevin

"First off", Susan wasn't nearly as funny or worthwhile as Newman or the parents. Susan's entire presence on the show WAS to George what Newman IS to Jerry. Her character was hardly significant. "Second off", I agree with you. Susan offered much to the plots of many shows. "Third off", I agree that her death was not funny at all. The only humor I got out of it was invisioning the JSC posts.

On Monday, May 27, 1996, JCS21212 wrote...

great

should

<"First off", Susan wasn't nearly as funny or worthwhile as Newman or the parents. Susan's entire presence on the show WAS to George what Newman IS to Jerry. Her character was hardly significant. "Second off", I agree with you. Susan offered much to the plots of many shows. "Third off", I agree that her death was not funny at all. The only humor I got out of it was invisioning the JSC posts.>

Its JCS by the way, Scott being my last and not my middle name. I will say that I think that Newman is far more significant to the show than you give him credit for. He only serves as Jerry's nemesis some of the time, most of the time he is one of Kramer's friends (the Mail Truck episode and the one where Newman is trying to get out of the speeding ticket are episodes tha readily come to mind). As for Susan, she is a head and shoulders above any other character on the show, much less Newman or the parents (who don't have important parts at all, especially Jerry's). As for Susan not being signficant, I will only say that any character in as many episodes as Susan was in is signficant to any show. You can say she wasn't as signficant as others (which still wouldn't be true) but you can't say that she is not significant.

"Don't you worry Mr. Simpson. I've argued in front of every judge in this state, often as a lawyer." Lionel Hutz

[email] (JCS21212) wrote:

Not having counted, mind you, but I would feel fairly confident in saying that Jerry's parents have played important parts in as many shows as Susan did. Some that significantly stand out are the pen, the one where Jerry gives them the Cadillac, the one after when George's parents threaten to move to Florida, the one where Jerry's caught kissing in Schindler's (sp?) List....

-Greg "Jimmy crack corn, and I don't care!"

<Not having counted, mind you, but I would feel fairly confident in saying that Jerry's parents have played important parts in as many shows as Susan did. Some that significantly stand out are the pen, the one where Jerry gives them the Cadillac, the one after when George's parents threaten to move to Florida, the one where Jerry's caught kissing in Schindler's (sp?) List....>

I would be willing to agree with you that they have been IN as many episodes as Susan but I don't think they are as significant. The Constanzas play a more central role in the show and I think Susan did as well. Granted, I'm not really the best person to be arguing how signficant Susan is objectively but I don't think Jerry's parents were especially important to the show (your episode, though, are quite valid examples for your point of view).

"Don't you worry Mr. Simpson. I've argued in front of every judge in this state, often as a lawyer." Lionel Hutz

[email] (JCS21212) wrote:

Hmmm...The Costanzas are definitely the most important of these three (just because they're featured more than the Seinfelds, and they've been around for the entire show, instead of two seasons on and off like Susan. The Seinfelds basically pop up every once in a while, but while she was there, Susan showed up a lot. I guess I'd have to count to see which has factored more importantly (and I'm not going to do that. ;) /----------------------------Joshua Hall-Bachner----------------------------\

\-------it's right." Toad The Wet Sprocket, "Windmills"---------------------/

On 23 May 1996, Gdridley wrote:

I like your idea but I would rather see George be haunted by the ghost of Susan from time to time.

Jer