Seinfeld isn’t the greatest comedy of all time. It’s the greatest show of all time. All episodes are amazing. Even the worst ones are better than anything else you’ll watch. I discovered it by accident. In September of 1994, my friend came over on a Thursday night to play Madden. He casually asked me if I had seen “the new show with the really hot girls.” I said no, and we turned off the game to watch Friends. When it ended, we decided to give the program that followed a shot.
By 1994, Seinfeld was already the established top show on TV. I had no idea when I saw “The Big Salad” the impact the series would have on my life.
It was already in syndication, so I started watching the reruns. After graduating high school, I found myself working late nights at a grocery store. I would come home, shower, enjoy a heated up plate of my mom’s dinner, and watch Seinfeld all night on TBS. It aired back-to-back-to-back-to-back. And the new episodes were anchoring Thursday Night on NBC. I was obsessed. I memorized lines and jokes. Characters and stories. It never got old.
Decades later, it still has relevance on a daily basis. The highs and lows of life. Happy times and sad ones. Seinfeld has always been there for me.
The 180 episode series concluded on May 14, 1998. It defined the 90s. 25 years have gone by, and it’s still as relevant and funny today as it was back then.
The Seinfeld Project will pay tribute to the series. We’ll cover one season per month, and then have some fun things for the holidays. And today is a perfect day to begin – Happy Birthday Julia Louis-Dreyfus!
Season 1
There are four episodes in Season 1 – five including the pilot – which aired on July 5, 1989. I don’t think any will make a favorite episodes list, but they are interesting to watch from a historical perspective.
1 – The Seinfeld Chronicles
“Do you know what this is all about? Do you know why we’re here? This is out…” Jerry squawks into a microphone to begin the series. It’s a fun episode to digest.
While Elaine is not yet a character, the foundation of the Jerry and George friendship is started. In the opening scene they discuss the correct placement for the top button of a shirt. If that isn’t Seinfeld, I don’t know what is.
It’s funny to see how bad of an actor Jerry is (he gets better) and the fashion in that weird realm of late 80s pre-grunge 90s. Kramer is named Kessler, and the standup routine covers half the show. It gets hate but it’s not a bad episode, and it is this is the one that started it all.
2 – The Stake Out
Episode 2 comes May 31, 1990. Nearly a year after the pilot, and it’s so much quicker and sharper (still not perfect.) Elaine makes her debut, as do Jerry’s parents (though Morty is played by a different actor). The episode looks and feels so old, with Jerry’s massive computer spotted, and a trip to the video rental store. We also get the first mention of the importer/exporter business, and more importantly, George’s alter- ego Art Vandelay.
3 – The Robbery
This is the first clunker. Jerry’s apartment is robbed when Kramer forgets to close the door. We do get Jerry’s first iconic line delivery “The door, must be closed!!!” but the rest of the episode is Jerry considering moving which is ridiculous to envision.
4 – Male Unbonding
The only title that doesn’t started with “The” it has some classic Seinfeldian concepts like breaking up with a plutonic friend and an excuse rolodex. It’s also the first mention of Kramerica Industries as that character begins to get more fleshed out from his creepy vibes in the pilot.
5 – The Stock Tip
Aired June 21, 1990. The show was sputtering but would be picked up for a truncated Season 2. This episode is a bit messy with the plot and characters, and closes out the inaugural run in a way that would shock anyone to know what was in store for the series and its success.
Seinfeld is available to stream on Netflix
