July 5, 1989—It had a lackluster beginning and a downright horrible finale, but in between, Seinfeld—airing as an NBC summer pilot 20 years ago today—took wing with some of the most artfully constructed scripts in sitcom history.
Even at its best, Seinfeld did not appeal to all tastes. One naysayer, my Uncle Pete, blinked in astonishment one night when he saw me watching Jerry Seinfeld and his merry crew.
“Wait a minute,” he said. “You like that show?”
“What, you don’t?”
“Ehh…” He grimaced. “What’s that show about, anyway? Nothing.” He waved his right hand in the air, practically spitting out three words that were the ultimate dismissive epithet from his Bronx childhood decades ago: “He’s a bum.”
I suspect that more than a few people watching the sitcom that night shared my uncle’s poor opinion, because The Seinfeld Chronicles (as it was known in that initial incarnation) earned an okay but not great Nielsen rating (21st for the week, tying it with Totally Hidden Video). The show was, in essence, in a larvae state. Kramer possessed nothing like the hyperkinetic energy with which Michael Richards would later endow him, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Elaine didn’t appear at all.
Even now, fans of the show admit that not just the plot (Jerry doesn’t know if a woman coming to visit him has romance in mind or not) but the execution of the show leave something to be desired.
But in another sense, upon hearing that withering insult from my uncle—“nothing”—Seinfeld and series co-creator Larry David might have smiled. My uncle had gotten it, they might have reasoned. The show was, indeed, about “nothing.” In fact, they even advertised the fact in future scripts!
A bit of trivia: Paul Shaffer of Late Night With David Letterman was originally offered the role of George Costanza. He never got back to Seinfeld on the offer. Well, good thing his gig lasted!
Even at its best, Seinfeld did not appeal to all tastes. One naysayer, my Uncle Pete, blinked in astonishment one night when he saw me watching Jerry Seinfeld and his merry crew.
“Wait a minute,” he said. “You like that show?”
“What, you don’t?”
“Ehh…” He grimaced. “What’s that show about, anyway? Nothing.” He waved his right hand in the air, practically spitting out three words that were the ultimate dismissive epithet from his Bronx childhood decades ago: “He’s a bum.”
I suspect that more than a few people watching the sitcom that night shared my uncle’s poor opinion, because The Seinfeld Chronicles (as it was known in that initial incarnation) earned an okay but not great Nielsen rating (21st for the week, tying it with Totally Hidden Video). The show was, in essence, in a larvae state. Kramer possessed nothing like the hyperkinetic energy with which Michael Richards would later endow him, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Elaine didn’t appear at all.
Even now, fans of the show admit that not just the plot (Jerry doesn’t know if a woman coming to visit him has romance in mind or not) but the execution of the show leave something to be desired.
But in another sense, upon hearing that withering insult from my uncle—“nothing”—Seinfeld and series co-creator Larry David might have smiled. My uncle had gotten it, they might have reasoned. The show was, indeed, about “nothing.” In fact, they even advertised the fact in future scripts!
A bit of trivia: Paul Shaffer of Late Night With David Letterman was originally offered the role of George Costanza. He never got back to Seinfeld on the offer. Well, good thing his gig lasted!
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