Schedule info (more re-runs + final episode)

Mark your calendar for Wednesdays at 8:30 pm (Eastern + Pacific zones), starting March 18, for NBC re-runs of Jerry & crew ... as the network hustles shamelessly to build the cashing-in hype for the May 14 finale (which'll be taped April 8).

Speaking of cashing in, a USA Today piece by gary Levin today said the ad industry buzz is that NBC expects to get $1.5 million or more for 30-second spots on the finale -- nearly 3 times the current rate and even more than the Super Bowl's $1.3-million rate for each half-minute ad last month.

"It'll be somewhere between mammoth + huge," NBC vice-prez John Miller told the paper, speaking of his promotional efforts. "If we did nothing, it would be a monster event. Our challenge is to make it Godzilla."

Hootchy-mama!

-- alan stamm / detroit

Not a surprise, final episodes of long running popular series (M*A*S*H, Cheers) always have the chance of beating out the Super Bowl.

We are already feeling the effect, we're already seeing commercials of "9 Episodes Left", which might seem a little extreme, but that's nothing compared to what is about to come. . . . . .I heard somewhere that the two weeks leading up to the final episode the commercials for the final Seinfeld will be showing "Great Seinfeld Moments" then showing the greatest Seinfeld moments in history and then putting the tag "Last Episode, May 14" Its also quite obvious that NBC will try to make the final 4 30 minutes the most watched 30 minute episodes ever, much like they did with Cheers 5 years ago, probably reaching as high as a 45 rating on the Nielsens. The final episode WILL be Godzilla. 4 months away from the finale and insiders are already predicting that the final episode will eclipse Cheers' 2nd place record. By the time May hits, don't be surprised to hear buzz about Seinfeld beating out M*A*S*H.