Seinfeld
Summary
Despite the love life fans had for the series overall , few instalment of television have been as controversial as theSeinfeldending . " The Finale , " which originally aired on May 14 , 1998 , was an 60 minutes - long episode that make for back just about every character Jerry , George ( Jason Alexander ) , Elaine ( Julia Louis - Dreyfus ) , or Kramer ( Michael Richards ) wronged throughout the show ’s nine - year run . Anyone who has ever seen the episode has a strong opinion about it , and fans stay in two separate camp over the polarizingSeinfeldending .
For a show with such classic episodes as " The Contest , " " The Soup Nazi , " and " The Puffy Shirt " throughout the ' 90s , it was always go bad to be difficult to please everyoneand finish the show on a in high spirits note . The consensus is thattheSeinfeldfinalefailed to stick the landing , and similar to shows likeDexterandGame of Thrones , itwasa large serial with a subpar termination . However , wait past the flood of criticism , the two - part episode still has its merit , and it ’s far from the disaster that some make theSeinfeldending out to be .
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What Happens In Seinfeld’s Finale
The Cast Ends Up Behind Bars
Who Testified Against Seinfeld & Friends ?
Witness
ground
Custom Image by SR Image Editor
Mabel Choate
Jerry Seinfeld assail her on the street
Bubble Boy
Seinfeld stars Jerry Seinfeld as a stand-up comedian whose life in New York City is made even more chaotic by his quirky group of friends who join him in wrestling with life’s most perplexing yet often trivial questions. Often described as “a show about nothing,” Seinfeld mines the humor in life’s mundane situations like waiting in line, searching for a lost item, or the trials and tribulations of dating. Co-starring is Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Jerry’s ex-girlfriend and current platonic pal, Elaine Benes; Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Jerry’s neurotic hard-luck best friend; and Michael Richards as Jerry’s eccentric neighbor, Kramer.
George abound his house of cards
Lola
Kramer gave her a wrong wheelchair
Sidra Holland
Elaine fell on her white meat to see if they were real
Erithacus rubecola
George press an old woman and child out of the way during a ardor
Soup Nazi
Elaine drove him out of byplay
TheSeinfeldending begins with Jerry getting the news that he has finally struck a softwood with NBC to createJerry , the fictional show within a show that was a meta plot line in Season 4 . NBC lend Jerry their individual jet , and as a last hooray , the gang heads to Paris to celebrate . But as they are en itinerary , Kramer stumbles into the cockpit , causing the plane to crash in the fictitious Ithiel Town of Latham , Massachusetts . As they await in Latham for their plane to be repaired , they see a man getting carjacked at point .
They are all arrested under the " Good Samaritan Law . "
In typicalSeinfeldfashion , they express mirth at the man instead of help him , as Kramer film it on his video photographic camera . But when the police show up , the victim reports the four of them for not helping , and they are all arrested under the " estimable Samaritan Law , " which requires bystanders to help out when they witness a crime . They hire Jackie Chiles ( Phil Morris ) , a recurring fiber who is a pasquinade of Johnnie Cochran , to defend them , which riles the district lawyer and inspire him to dig up as much turd as he can on them .
The DA calls several witnesses who have had negative experience withJerry and his friend : Mabel Choate , the elderly womanhood who Jerry mugged for marble rye ; Sidra , whom Jerry dump for rumored breast implants ; Dr. Wexler , who observe George ’s jubilation follow Susan ’s death ; Leslie , the low utterer whose " Puffy Shirt " Jerry jest at on home television ; the Soup Nazi , who take Elaine ruined his business ; Babu Bhatt , who believed Jerry get him deport . The damning testimonial results in a shamed verdict . TheSeinfeldfinale prove all four in prison , where Jerry gets hackle while doing standup for the yardbird .
Why Fans Hated Seinfeld’s Finale
The Show About Nothing Became About Something In The End
In addition to the already - massive expectations for theSeinfeldending , considered the slap-up sitcom of all clip , carbon monoxide - creatorLarry David , who had leave the show after Season 7 , return to write the final script . But when 76 million people tune in , many mean it did not strike the right tone . Seinfeldhad a winning chemical formula of get viewing audience to steady down for ugly theatrical role , mainly because their antics were so funny . But in the finale , there were none of the typicalSeinfeldantics .
Some also found that the net episode undermined the show ’s full premise .
It get a bit overpowering to recall all the terrible affair they had done throughout the serial — all in an hour . Some also rule that the net episode undermined the show ’s total premise . The whole joke ofSeinfeldis that it is a " show about nothing , " where every instalment features the characters getting into laughable situations of little significance ( deciding which pastry dough to bestow to a dinner party , endeavor to get a table at a Chinese eating house ) , then making some selfish determination that makes everything worse . But no installment had any material consequences .
Even when the characters reappear , they seemed to forgive Jerry and his friends for whatever indiscretion happened in the early episode . So when they were ultimately push to grapple with those consequences , some felt it to be a betrayal of what made the show neat . AsUSA Todayput it,“it may remind watcher of the last episode of NBC ’s St. Elsewhere , which basically assure faithful fans they ’d been wasting their time on a child ’s dreaming . "
Why Seinfeld’s Ending Is Great
Seinfeld’s Characters Get What Is Coming To Them
TV coda often assay to be the best episode of the entire serial , especially for a show as beloved asSeinfeld , which had so much success throughout its footrace . Some show succeed in cause everyone happy , but only some can finish great . It ’s still a funny , well - crafted sequence after peeling away all the hype and expectations . The " Good Samaritan Law " is the ultimateSeinfeldjoke , a ridiculous , pesky affair from the veridical world that gets play out to completion . Almost every dear side character made an appearance , and to laughable burden — not just to show face .
George Steinbrenner bear witness up to testify , and Frank Costanza interrupts to yell , " How could you give $ 12 million to Hideki Irabu ! " — a callback to Jerry Stiller ’s Frank Costanza ’s Jay Buhner rant from " The Caddy . " Leslie , the Low Talker , talks so softly that the court ca n’t find out her . After Jackie Chiles sleeps with Sidra , he revives the iconic line by telling Jerry , " by the way , they ’re real , and they ’re spectacular ! " Most cameo add together to the episode ’s spark , where they could have serve no intention .
Larry David toldGrantlandthat he " was not concerned in an emotional ride , and neither was Jerry . "
While some reason theSeinfeldfinale was n’t true to the expression , it was to the fictional character . Jerry and his friends were never give way to have a glad ending . The show famously preached a mantra of " no hugging , no learning , " and whileSeinfeldcould have paired Jerry and Elaine togetheror given him his NBC show , it would n’t have fit the show ’s world . Larry David toldGrantlandthat he " was not interested in an aroused ride , and neither was Jerry . " This attitude was the right one to have . Fans might have wanted something else , but the show stupefy to its grease-gun .
Sitcoms are one of the most democratic formats of goggle box show , and the best situation comedy of all prison term showcase just why they continue to dominate .
Jerry Seinfeld Says It Won’t Return
Several television show are getting reboots , butSeinfeldisn’t one of them , make the ending better even if it was factious . Unlike popular shows likeSex and the City , Charmed , orGilmore Girls , theSeinfeldending was the definitive oddment of the series . It was bang-up to lastly see that the work party got some comeuppance for their ego - centered conduct throughout the show , in the end bringing closure to the long - running goggle box series . BringingSeinfeldback would degrade the ending of the TV show , return all of their antic and penalty insignificant .
Jerry Seinfeld Knew When To End The Show
Seinfeld Cares About His Show’s Legacy
One reason masses did n’t like theSeinfeldfinale might have been the confusion over losing the popular television set show . Seinfeldchanged a mickle from time of year 1 , when it struggle to receive its foothold and was constantly afraid of being canceled . However , by time of year 9 , it was a massive hit that show no sign of slow down down . Nevertheless , Jerry Seinfeld ( viaEsquire ) admitsthe decision was comfortable and mutual among the castwhen they all meet in his dressing way as time of year 9 began . Seinfeld recalls discussing with the others :
" We ’ve had a great deal of good fortune here . peradventure we should n’t push our luck too far . And we all agreed that this was the right moment . "
Looking at Jerry Seinfeld ’s life history and his approach to the show , coming to this conclusion is not all that surprising . Seinfeld has always been interested in the bequest of what he leave behind rather than seeing how long he can keep . His obsession with his joke rewrite reflects his determination to get it right , and the idea of going on and possibly defile the once - groovy show does n’t appeal to him at all . As much as fans can argue theSeinfeldfinale , Jerry Seinfeld ’s lesson in when to take the air away is perhaps something other shows should learn from .
Jerry Seinfeld Hinted At A Second Ending
Jerry Seinfeld Is Working On Something With Larry David
While it has been well - documented how adamantine Seinfeld is about not return to the series and how he has no interest in a revival , his stance on the topic might have changed . During a stand - up comedy operation on October 7 , 2023 , footage leak of the comedian discussing anupcoming projection withSeinfeldco - Godhead Larry David . Jerry Seinfeld commented :
" Something is going to happen that has to do with that end . And just what you are thinking about , Larry and I have also been suppose about , so you ’ll see … you ’ll see . "
Something of a metaSeinfeldreunion happened in David ’s HBO showCurb Your Enthusiasmseason 7 , which broadcast in 2009 . The overarching story involved Larry developing a Seinfeld reunion to pull ahead back his wife , who leave him in the former time of year . That season ofCurb Your Enthusiasmheavily featured theSeinfeldcast together act like their persona , but even that meta - reunification was well over a decade ago . Given that both Seinfeld and David are operate together on a project that could retcon theSeinfeldending , while it is n’t necessary , it ’ll be great to see the characters back together again .
What The Seinfeld Cast Said About The Finale
Some Loved It, And Some Not So Much
" We think that would be fun and it was fun . I guess the only mistake , if there was one , was leaving them in poky . We did n’t really have to do that . "
For his part , Jason Alexander said it was " a unspoiled instalment , not a with child sequence " in an audience withEmmy TV . Julia Louis - Dreyfus made an notorious joke on David Letterman ’s final installment , say , " Thanks for lease me take part in another hugely disappointing serial publication finale . " However , that was a joke , andLouis - Dreyfus has since said she is happy with the last . " Absolutely not . We made a great show , " she said about the critique ( viaCBR).“That was my big takeaway . That ’s what stuck with me . "
Jerry Seinfeld has also been intransigent thatSeinfeldwill not turn back , despite shows like30 Rockmaking gag about the series returning throughSeinfeld - vision . While discussingSeinfeld ’s transition to the streaming help Netflix withET , the comic state that a homecoming to the small sieve would"seem sad to me . It would seem like we could n’t think of a new idea . “Even though not everyone loved theSeinfeldfinale , it was a great way to fold out the show and ensure that the serial publication would n’t make a return .
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Cast
Seinfeld stars Jerry Seinfeld as a stand up - up comic whose life in New York City is made even more chaotic by his quirky chemical group of booster who join him in wrestling with life ’s most perplexing yet often little questions . Often described as " a show about nothing , " Seinfeld mines the humor in life ’s mundane situations like waiting in melodic phrase , searching for a lose item , or the trial and tribulations of date . Centennial State - star is Julia Louis - Dreyfus as Jerry ’s ex - girlfriend and current platonic crony , Elaine Benes ; Jason Alexander as George Costanza , Jerry ’s psychoneurotic hard - circumstances good friend ; and Michael Richards as Jerry ’s gonzo neighbour , Kramer .
