11/25 Episode

     I just wanted to mention something unusual about the 11/25 episode.
     In the our local newspaper TV listing of Seinfeld for that night, it
     described the show as "Elaine sits next to a Corpse".  I watched the show
     and this did not happen (on the plane).  I wonder it this was a mistake
     in the TV listing or the episode shown was a different version.

     Also, about 30 minutes before the show, there was a promo for Seinfeld
     showing Kramer and the gang in the airport parking structure, with Kramer
     saying that he "forgot were he parked the car".  This sequence also was
     not shown on that nights episode.

     I should note that the show was delayed 30 minutes, so that
     the previous show (I forgot what it was called) was extended 30 minutes
     (which was "Live" BTW).

I find all of this very strange!

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If I recall correctly, that promo you saw (the gang in a parking garage, and Kramer forgets where he parked) was a promo for a repeat where they go shopping in a mall on a Sunday. BTW that was an excellent show...really hilarious.

----I just wanted to say, that, besides the dialogue between Jerry and the Blonde, Kramer's expression during and after sliding down the luggage chute made the show for me. I'm still laughing as I think of it today.

I think that without Kramer, the show is mildly funny. The situations are funny and the lines and inside cracks between episodes are great, but it is Kramer, more times than not, that puts me rolling on the floor. Who's for a new show starring Kramer?

"OK, you guys ready?" -Kramer (I guess the situation and the expression make this line memorable)

There have been several calls for a show starring Kramer posted here by the diehard Kramer fans. I think the character is great but I feel a Kramer show would be a flop, here's why.

In these sitcoms there is a formula. Among the elements of the sitcom formula are the one-dimensional characters. These characters may be interesting or hilarious in their own right, but as far as being dynamic enough to stand on their own feet they fail. Kramer is one of these. He is great for injecting perfectly timed comic relief or a general counter-opinion to Jerry and George. Taken out of this context Kramer would be boring.

It would not surprise me if they made such a show. Typically if you have a good thing on TV, the execs will remove the subtle aspects that make it great and beat the viewing public with it until we puke.

Whats your opinion, we'd like to know...

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I have noticed the "Kramer" character in a number of shows, each serving the "physical/zany" comic relief role. None of the examples I could come up with were spun off into their own shows. The list follows...

Show character ___________________ ______________________ 1. The Odd Couple Murray the Cop 2. TAXI Latka/Jim 3. M*A*S*H Cpl. Max Klinger 4. The Honeymooners Ed Norton 5. Bob Newhart (the psychologist) his "regular" patients 6. Bob Newhart (the inn-keeper) the Daryll brothers + 1 7. Wings Lowell 8. Evening Shade the guy on the pushcart (???) 9. Get Smart Agent 13 (?), always in a mailbox, etc.

any additions, comments? Jeremy

No additions, but a comment:

Take Klinger as an example. On "M*A*S*H", he was the wacky guy. On "AfterMASH" he was just as deadly serious as the rest. Or Lou Grant: while not "wacky" on MTM, he was at least funny. Look what happened when he got his own show.

If Kramer were to ever spin-off, his character would be changed, whether by forces of nature, the simple fact that a different team of writers would be doing the scripts, etc. A disaster waiting to happen.

I concur. Kramer as the anchor of the story line, being the looniest of his friends, always makes us laugh with his craziness. For Kramer to succeed in his own show, he would again have to be surrounded by other characters who prop his looniness up. This is not impossible but very unlikely that Hollywood would get this right. I take umbrage with the contention that Kramer is the funniest char. on this show. As I have said in other posts, I think that each member of the cast is absolutely superb in their definitions. If you don't get this then you are missing most of the humor here. This is not a flame or an attack. It is simply the disappointment felt, just as when one turns on some friend to a great book and that book doesn't speak to them at all. I grant that generally the vein of humor relied upon is at times subtle and is always quick. Something that NY is known for. (Oh, nnnnnoooooo. The "NY thing" police are gonna get me)

To all those level-headed individuals who correctly pointed out that Kramer could not possible succeed with his own show, I thank you. They were correct in stating that no man (or woman) is an Island (otherwise all that we would have is talk shows and game shows. While Kramer's looniness does definately keep me rolling on the floor, without George's klutziness, Jerry's wit, and Elaine's personality, the show would not be a show. You need all of it for humor.

I can only applaud the writers and actors for their ability to create and sustain such a wonderfully entertaining and constantly different show that does not tie in to overall generalizations and stereotypic themes.

I can only hope that it will continue.

BTW- does anyone know of anybody who resembles any of the characters? My wife is the spitting image of Mayim Bialik (Blossom) and that gave me an idea....

-Michael

IN RE: The Kramer Show...it would never work, for reasons already stated. Just look at his appearance on "Mad About You". I was baited for two weeks by the ads, then barely cracked a smile during the one lousy scene he was in. Remember when George and Elaine didn't want to go out alone together because they were only "friends-in-law" through Jerry? The same's true of Kramer. Without the other characters to hold him into place, he'd just be bouncing off the walls aimlessly, a lousy self-parody of himself.

--Aaron

PS: If Paul's only been married for four months, and he sublet his apartment to Kramer, who's lived there for over two years, then where the hell did Paul go until Summer '92?

In article [email] (Aaron L Dickey) writes:

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Before our "you don't understand the big city" friends flame ;), let me offer a possible explanation. Let me apologize in advance for having not seen the episode due to holiday commitments. Sublets, sub-sublets, sub-sub-subsublets abound in NYC and other metro areas with rent control laws. Often you rent an apartment from someone who hasn't lived there in years who is not even the true landlord. I've been at several NY cocktail parties where the major point of discussion was available apartments and sublet deals. Remember the show last year where someone died and the "newly available" apartment was the main issue. -DW "standard disclaimer here" Flame on. PS Do people in NYC really think building security systems where you "buzz people in" aren't allowed west of the Hudson river? How humorously myopic! Hey folks, take a risk, cross the river sometime. There is a whole country out here filled with bright people with working brains who "get it". Well, maybe not a detailed discussion of exits on the "expressways". ;) Flame off.

Good show but they were shopping on a Saturday :-) I'm not sure what the promo was shown for but the next two classic shows scheduled to be shown are from 1990-91 inaugural season - "The Stakeout"(12/2) and "The Robbery"(12/9). "The Parking Garage" of which you speak of was first braodcast last fall.

-Mark Cutting off humorly impaired on Van Wyck

My favorite line (and I know I'm not going to screw up the wording) was...

"HEY!" -- Elaine in the ear of the sleeping passenger after being kicked out of 1st class.

She was so polite and mousey earlier, and then she just finally was sick and tired of it and didn't care who she distributed. I was rolling!

Bryce

(Michael B Caplan) writes:

I don't think that a show just starring Kramer would be as funny with Jerry playing the straight man.

This actually sounds more like the episode when they all went to a shopping mall and then couldn't find the car. I think it was at least two seasons ago.

   I also remember the mention of the corpse in the Philadelphia
papers about the 11/25 show.  The shot from the parking garage was
one of the clips in the embarassing BW interview two weeks ago.
Maybe next time, if Jerry allows another interview with her,
while in his unfinished garage with the car running, she can
ask him "If you could be any type of cereal, what kind would you
be?"
  Who would cry at that point.
                   Rich