Quite frankly, I'm worried about the 96-97 season.

Why am I worried? Why am I worried about a show that just experienced it's highest rated and most popular season ever? I'm worried because I felt last season the show drifted from a novel idea with characters that were consistanly funny and a storyline that always was different from the norm to a show that delt with storylines that were repetitive, characters that finally got annoying (i.e. Elaine and George), a complete lack of any values (i.e. "The Wait Out", "The Sponge" and "The Invitations"), a lack of original ideas, a lack of week in and week out funny episodes (i.e. "The Wig Master", "The Friars Club", "The Bottle Deposit", "The Shower Head"), a drift from "nothing" type shows to shows that were based on plots that carried the characters insead of the characters carring the plots.

I know what you are thinking, "What? The characters weren't that bad!", "Lack of values? It never had values!". Well I think that George just dealt with too many storylines that were about Susan and the Yankees. I just thought he got annoying. And Elaine just seemed like a jerk. She lost her novelty too, she acted and looked like all the other "cool" sitcom actresses. And on the matter of values, I felt that in the past the show made a good job of not praising evil deeds like lying and adultry. Instead, the show acctually made fun of these sins. But last year I felt the show didn't awknowledge some of evil deeds like George not caring about Susan's death, and Jerry and Elaine trying to break that couple's marrige apart. These immoral plots could have been alot funnier if the writers would have awknowledged the evil crap and made fun of it and not let it become just another "plot". Now to what this whole thing is about, I'm worried that all of the problems from last season will carry over to this new season. I have to wonder if anyone in the writing dept. will go back and look at last year and try to fix the problems. A good show would try to do that. Considering the high ratings I doubt they will do that. Does anyone agree with me about last season? (I doubt it)

In article , Justin Tribble wrote:

I agree with you that last season was the worst (or rather "least best" since I did enjoy it) but not for the reasons you site. The more I watch the syndicated shows over and over the more I see how shallow and insensitive these characters have always been, and I LOVE IT! I'm glad that Seinfeld is sticking it to the whole sweet and sappy type of sitcoms that populated the '80s and early '90s. I know it's an overused phrase but ... this is just a TV show with (sometimes) exaggerated characters.

Am I the only person who will admit to sometimes identifying with these characters?

Can you really say that George has gotten worse considering that in season 5 he knocked over an elderly woman to escape a kitchen fire?

Anyway, I just think the writers were out of good ideas for last season so only every other episode was really good instead of it being every episode.

I'll hold off judgement of the new season until an episode acutally airs.

IMHO all of you people are on CRACK! Last season (95/96) was one of the funniest most original seasons to date. The dark humor strung throughout was fantastic. The way plots were interwoven all the way back through older seasons was more beautifully laced together last season than any other. The season prior (94/95) was rather poor but to say last season was the worst, you were probably watching the WB or UPN networks!

wedge

Right on!

The group has grown over the years. I can't believe that some people did not like The Bottle Deposit. My friends and I thought that was one of the best shows they ever did. The only thing I thought was too bizarre was Jerr's mechanic. I really didn' like the actor. He was funny, however, when he threw the golf clubs at Kramer.

The engagement between George and Susan really changed the show. It no longer became possible for the gang of 4 to partake in activities together because George would have had to bring Susan along. Because there couldn't no longer be plot lines involving all 4 members of the group, the chemistry between the 4 main characters was eliminated. As far as the 95-96 season was concerned, the first few episodes were not that great but many of the episodes shown during the middle of the season were memorable (The Soup Nazi, The Secret Code, The Sponge, The Pool Guy, The Shower Head, The Hot Tub, The Gum etc.) when the season peaked. A noticeable decline in quality began with The Friars Club which is probably the worst episode shown to date. The season closed with 3 efforts that I considered weak (The Bottle Deposit, The Wait Out, The Invitations) although all 3 of those had their moments.

As far as the characters were concerned, George was a lot funnier when he was a loser. With being engaged and having a job with the Yankees, he lost the loser status. Also, there could no longer be stories focussing on George's short term relationships with the opposite sex (except for Marisa Tomei) which often led to some of the most amusing stories involving him. Kramer was about the same but you can only go so far with the physical pratfall type of humor and the novelty has long worn off. Elaine lost a lot of her charm and became bitchier (especially with her envy and rage over George becoming engaged ) and the character was not put in the kind of situations that show off Julia's comic talents. As far as Jerry was concerned, he was about the same but there were fewer story lines about his failed relationships than previous seasons.

Robert Sacks wrote:

Do agree, although I must disagree with what you said about the middle of last season being the "peak". I felt there was no "peak" in the season. I felt that there were a few great epsiodes off and on, but no "peak".

As * far as the 95-96 season was concerned, the first few episodes were not * that great but many of the episodes shown during the middle of the * season were memorable

The writers need fodder for stories and they have to come up with different relationships and situations. Maybe the changes that take place are not pleasing to all, but they certainly do keep your attention. I don't think we really need to be that concerned. Seinfeld has had a great run and still has its great moments. I'll bet there will be highs and lows in this season. It's still fun to watch. You can't say that about all shows with long runs (Roseanne comes to mind). Hey, at least all of the original actors are still here - think of Northern Exposure.

Chris

Robert Sacks wrote:

Yes! I just realized a few days ago that, to me, the show started going downhill when George got that job. I don't know if it has anything directly to do with that or not, but I've haven't really liked many episodes since.

And Justin, I defintely agree with your original posting. When I was syndicated episodes of Cheers, it's shocking how much the characters changed .. they went from overall sweet and caring about each other to mean and nasty. I can't stand the last couple seasons. I don't know why that happens ... maybe everyone involved gets bored with the show and says, "Eh, what the hell"... but I sense the same thing happening with Seinfeld.

-Jen

In article , [email] says...

OK Flame time! Apparently you were only watching the Independent George episode every week. Susan and the gang associated with each other in only that one episode. Rewind your tapes!

Because

See above comments for contradiction.

As

The Bottle Deposit was hilarious. THe one hour of story that interconnected everything dealing with all four characters was magnificent. This episode is an example of how the chemistry of the four was still maintained.

I willgrant you that George was funnier as a loser but you cannot say that his job with the Yankees and Steinbrenner is not funny. Some of the funniest moments on the show is with Big Stein. Kramer was about the same but you can only go so

You are such an amateur! His physical comedy is beyond reproach. He is a genius with his ablities. I understand that you probably try to act likehim and all your friends say that your no Kramer so you feel the need to say he is old hat. But you myfriend are the old hat. Ciao.

Elaine lost a lot of her charm and became bitchier

Hey blind boy where the hell are you? Her character has matured over the course of the last season where she has reached the same level of insensitivity that George and Jerry have been praised for for the last 6 season. Just because she is no longer Miss Dainty does not mean that she has lost her comedic talents. She has expanded them if anything.

As far as Jerry was concerned, he was about the

Oh cry me a river you tool. The problemwith you is that you want Seinfeld and all the characters to remain the same and stagnant. That is why this is the last season. Shows that do not grow do not last long and if they do they go downhill fast. Lookat MASH, Happy Days, etc. Seinfeld and the gang have all matured and become more cynical in the older age and with this cynicism has come humor not available to them 5 years ago. This show is noted for its groundbreaking topics. They continue to break new ground every week and you should be impressed with that.

Enough said.

Wedge

Leonard M. Comaratta wrote:

I can!! I don't find Steinbrenner funny at all! My opinion, of course.

That's mean as well as stupid. You don't even know this person - how do you know that they do Kramer imitations and that their friends don't like it?? Can't someone say that don't find something funny without being insulted?

-Jen

I completely, totally, 100% agree with you. And you can add the fact that last season's episodes just weren't funny! Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope the '96-'97 season will improve!

Thanks for saying what I've been thinking--you said it well!