This piece was originally an essay assignment analyzing the cultural impact of American television.
Everybody has their own relationship with the popular sitcom "Seinfeld." Some enjoyed it during its original release, others like me have fond memories watching the reruns every weeknight on Channel 2, 6:30 to 7:30 pm and 11:30 to 12:30 am. Love it or hate it, none can deny the immense cultural impact the show has had on American entertainment and beyond. Seinfeld, with biting wit and self referential tendencies, broke the barriers within the medium of sitcoms, is largely responsible for popularizing postmodernism in the mainstream American consciousness and beyond.
For those who have not watched, "Seinfeld" is a show about four thirty-somethings living in Manhattan. There is the titular Jerry Seinfeld, a finicky comedian whose OCD causes friction in relationships; George Costanza, bald buddyman to Jerry and self-described loser; Elaine Benes, the shallow ex-girlfriend of Jerry; and Cosmo Kramer, the eccentric neighbor. For the majority of the show, episodes present each character their own particular arch, superficially related to the other characters until their own motives cause disaster to befall the entirety of the group. Built upon the premise of “a show about nothing,” plots are built around daily minutiae and society expectations.
This may seem fairly unassuming and basic, but before "Seinfeld," this setup was unheard of. Sitcoms were much more conservative in attitude compared to the standard set by "Seinfeld," with episodes typically revolving around some trope and a tacked on wholesome lesson, with the next installment taking place in an alternate dimension where the previous installment never happened. "Seinfeld" subverted this trend by building up plot events through minor, everyday happenings like waiting in lines at a Chinese restaurant, trivial dates, and breakfast at the diner. Plotlines were heavily built upon previous interactions in other episodes, making some episodes incomprehensible to new viewers. Despite this consistency and it’s unabashedly New York style, audiences still found the show relatable for its candor and familiarity of the response of the characters.
The characters in "Seinfeld" are narcissistic and cynical, driven not by any ethical foundation but by whimsy and self interest. Their motivations are volatile and hardly consistent; as a result, they lack clear pathway and development. “No hugging, no learning,” was another bit of ethos held by the production team, meaning any sort of sentimentality and tenderness so common in sitcoms was to be purposely eschewed. Taboo subjects are treated with irreverence, only serving as launching points a humorous situation. (For example, Jerry getting thrown out of the movie theater for making out with his date during a showing of "Schindler’s List.")The characters suffering, and by extension the suffering of all humanity, is pointless and indicates the absurdity of the world we live in, a concept commonly explored by postmodernists.
Cynicism lies in the heart of "Seinfeld," and this is no better exemplified by miserly George Costanza. George is selfish, slothful, and insecure; as a result he is constantly paranoid that those around him are conspiring against him, usually in the form of social normatives. For example, in “The Money,” Elaine buys George his Arabian Mocha Java out of kindness when he is in the bathroom and unable to purchase it. “You see what just happened here... She treated me to the Arabian Mocha Java. She’s sticking it to me that she makes more money than me. Sticking it!" Whether it's lying about his identity, sleeping on the job, or being smugly relieved of his fiance's death, George proves self interest can be just as humorous as it is appalling. For the audience, this radically redefined the events and development of the characters a sitcom involves us in.
In direct contrast with George’s misery and failure, Jerry’s charisma and narcissism are vital tools in his success in society. Jerry is financially secure due to his mild success as a comedian, versus George’s inability to keep a job and living with his parents. Where George is continuously lamenting his dismal sex life, Jerry has no problem with the ladies, charming over sixty girlfriends throughout the series. George’s incredible insecurity and self-loathing is balanced by Jerry’s assured attitude and self-absorbed tendencies. None of the other characters are as self centered as Jerry. Because of this, he is unable to form lasting relationships with others, often nitpicking his partners superficial qualities such as their laugh, their sexual habits, or the amount of peas they consume.
Self-awareness and meta-humor can be commonly found within the show, and is among the series most notable characteristics. Often times a joke will be made that directly references a character or event from a previous episode. The series two part finale, “The Finale," is humorously jam-packed with nearly every major and minor character and their conversations revolve around past episodes. Anybody unfamiliar with the inside jokes would flounder trying to make sense of what is going on. Once the show was nearing the height of its popularity, the writers would cheekily wear their product endorsements on their sleeve, as evident in one episode where during a surgery an obviously contrived conversation about Milk Duds leads Kramer to dropping the candy into the patient’s body.
Another prominent example of the meta-awareness "Seinfeld" became so popular for was the frequent crossing of the barrier between fiction and reality, most obviously in the title. "Seinfeld," a show about Jerry Seinfeld, starring Jerry Seinfeld, a comedian in New York playing a comedian in New York. In one particular episode, “The Pitch,” Jerry and George discuss their own sitcom idea, aptly titled “Jerry.” “What, just talk? Well, what’s the show about?” an incredulous Jerry asks George. “Nothing...it’s a show about nothing!....I think we got something here!” "Seinfeld" displayed it’s own particular knack of comedy not of the humorousness of the situation, but by commentating on the conventions of the narrative.
"Seinfeld," besides creating numerous conventions utilized by sitcoms today, has popularized many gags and jokes that have cemented themselves into American culture. Catchphrases such as “master of my domain” and “NO SOUP FOR YOU!” are easily recognizable, even nearly twenty years after the show has ended. Others such as “YADA YADA YADA…” have entered colloquial language in its own terms. The four main characters individually are household faces, easily recognizable in America, while might be obscured by its cult-like status outside of our country.
As it is a popular and lengthily syndicated show, no doubt other cultures have witnessed the hilarity of "Seinfeld," which might cause some confusion to some viewers. "Seinfeld" draws heavily from pop culture and the social nature of the United States, which will definitely prove to be jarring compared to other sitcoms for foreign viewers. Plus, the spiteful and cynical nature might put off potential viewers who do not realize that it isn’t literal, but this is a problem exists here in America too. In the end, if foreign viewers can see past it’s campy nature, they can appreciate what the show for what it is.
Taking place in what might be the most recognizable metropolis in the world, "Seinfeld" is appealing to other countries as it provides a heavily nuanced look into everyday urban life in the United States. Not surprisingly, English speaking countries tend to appreciate the show more than other non-English speaking countries. Outside of America, "Seinfeld" found most success in Australia, landing itself in a primetime slot of 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Friends, another popular sitcom from the 1990’s, found much more success than "Seinfeld" abroad, probably because it's lessened degree of metanarrative.
"Seinfeld" remains a cultural force in the United States. Its postmodernist style and bitter look on urban America maintains its influence on popular culture, especially the sitcoms that followed in its wake. Even nearly twenty years after "The Finale," Jerry and Co. continue to make us laugh.
