Seinfeld...Timesless or Outdated?

[BillsPride12]

Something I have noticed a lot more recently is whenever the show Seinfeld comes up on 90s Nostalgia pages and Twitter etc....there seems to be a split down the middle between people that think the show feels outdated now v.s. those that think it holds up pretty well.

 

I mean yeah there's no smartphones, social media, or Uber references etc but take away those aspects and the show still feels pretty solid to me.  I think the humor and the storylines that revolve around dealing with random people or the nuances of dating and society in general are still pretty relevant.

 

There's other shows from back then I really liked...and still do...but do feel very outdated now.  Something like Married with Children would be a good example of that for me. 

[dpberr]

I don't think Seinfeld's comedy is outdated but I've always thought he was the stand up comic for the boomer generation, with limited crossover.  Not everyone "gets" his comedy.  I always found the created side characters funnier than the main cast. 

 

I've been surprised at the Friends revival.

 

To your point about old shows, the genius of In Living Color and Mad TV would never see the light of day with today's culture.  I also don't think you could do dance shows today - Soul Train, American Bandstand, Dance Party USA, Club MTV.  

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, dpberr said:

I don't think Seinfeld's comedy is outdated but I've always thought he was the stand up comic for the boomer generation, with limited crossover.  Not everyone "gets" his comedy.  I always found the created side characters funnier than the main cast. 

 

I've been surprised at the Friends revival.

 

To your point about old shows, the genius of In Living Color and Mad TV would never see the light of day with today's culture.  I also don't think you could do dance shows today - Soul Train, American Bandstand, Dance Party USA, Club MTV.  

 

I still think someone of the best comedy shows are the old ones. All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son to name a few.

[ExiledInIllinois]

21 minutes ago, dpberr said:

I don't think Seinfeld's comedy is outdated but I've always thought he was the stand up comic for the boomer generation, with limited crossover.  Not everyone "gets" his comedy.  I always found the created side characters funnier than the main cast. 

 

I've been surprised at the Friends revival.

 

To your point about old shows, the genius of In Living Color and Mad TV would never see the light of day with today's culture.  I also don't think you could do dance shows today - Soul Train, American Bandstand, Dance Party USA, Club MTV.  

Yeah... But "Dancing With The Stars" some how sells. /smdh

[ChevyVanMiller]

Timeless...

[Fr. Jerk]

It's both, ya dig? 

[Fleezoid]

I think it's a bit outdated. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 

[Another Fan]

Maybe a middle option for me?

 

I think the humor is still relevant but the show feels on the its all been shown too many times for my tastes.  

[Wacka]

I love Lucy is 75 years old and is still shown  somewhere in the world 24/7/365.

Edited May 8, 2023 by Wacka

[ArdmoreRyno]

TIMELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Greatest comedy in TV history. What sucks, the woman I'm engaged to is 30 (I'm 48) and there is a big disconnect in humor on TV for both of us. Nearly every day, I see a situation or am in one that I can related to a Seinfeld episode... example, the other day we were driving downtown OKC and a pigeon was in the middle of the road and wouldn't get out of the way of my car. I yelled "they're breakin' the deal!!! It's like the pigeons decided to ignore me!!!!!" 🤣 She had no idea what I was talking about. LOL

[Bad Things]

Just the other night, my wife and I had this same chat.

That said, Mrs Bad Things and I both see Seinfeld as timeless.  I've watched it so many times, and it still makes me laugh out loud.  None of the other "classic" sitcoms can do that for me.

[TheCockSportif]

Classic show, and likely an arguable point, but it changed humor on television: puffy shirts, self pleasure, fwb, bad boys, taking a carriage ride through NYC, psychosis, neurosis, race relations, briss, "bubble boy", heck, so many great, great episodes.  I am not sure that if someone came up with a Seinfeld on broadcast tv in 2023 -- that they'd be able to pull it off.  Seinfeld came up with the anti-hero genre, "Friends" riffed on it (can you think of another less likable set of people?), and the Sopranos and Breaking Bad perfected the genre.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

27 minutes ago, Bad Things said:

Just the other night, my wife and I had this same chat.

That said, Mrs Bad Things and I both see Seinfeld as timeless.  I've watched it so many times, and it still makes me laugh out loud.  None of the other "classic" sitcoms can do that for me.

Kirstie Allie era 'Cheers' and Seinfeld episodes starting around season 3 are two of few that I enjoy.  'Night Court' was bizarre enough to be enjoyable as well, in an ungrounded sort of way.

Edited May 8, 2023 by Ridgewaycynic2013
Effing predictive text

[ExiledInIllinois]

4 hours ago, ArdmoreRyno said:

TIMELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Greatest comedy in TV history. What sucks, the woman I'm engaged to is 30 (I'm 48) and there is a big disconnect in humor on TV for both of us. Nearly every day, I see a situation or am in one that I can related to a Seinfeld episode... example, the other day we were driving downtown OKC and a pigeon was in the middle of the road and wouldn't get out of the way of my car. I yelled "they're breakin' the deal!!! It's like the pigeons decided to ignore me!!!!!" 🤣 She had no idea what I was talking about. LOL

May-December relationships have been bemoaned since the dawn of time.  Okay... May-October for you guys. 😉 

 

"Hey Nineteen
That's 'Retha Franklin
She don't remember
The Queen of Soul
It's hard times befallen
The sole survivors
She thinks I'm crazy
But I'm just growing old..."

 

😉 

[coloradobillsfan]

I can't go a day without hearing Seinfeld references in my head.  Dentist appointment, renting a car, parking a car, getting Chinese food, getting low pressure in the shower, writing with a pen, eating soup, figuring out a tip, putting the tip in the tip jar, watching the Devils in playoff hockey, yada yada the list just goes on and on it's really quite remarkable how insane this show has made me.  Serenity now.  

[Just Jack]

1 hour ago, coloradobillsfan said:

I can't go a day without hearing Seinfeld references in my head.  Dentist appointment, renting a car, parking a car, getting Chinese food, getting low pressure in the shower, writing with a pen, eating soup, figuring out a tip, putting the tip in the tip jar, watching the Devils in playoff hockey, yada yada the list just goes on and on it's really quite remarkable how insane this show has made me.  Serenity now.  

 

Just a couple days ago the in-laws were ordering chinese food, and I said "Chinese Food" like Georges mom did in the one episode to get out of talking to him on the phone, and no one got my reference. 

 

 

 

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

Timeless … it made me consider a career in latex sales 😂

[EmotionallyUnstable]

I’ve tried to watch the reruns, as I’m too young for the initial broadcasts.

 

I just can’t get into to. I don’t think Jerry is funny as a stand up, some of the sit com moments are good. 
 

not my cup of tea

[ChiGoose]

I never watched it when it was new but my wife’s family are big fans (her aunt was actually in an episode) so I’ve watched a lot of it since marrying her. 
 

I honestly think it’s great and establishes how a character driven comedy can create a fun story over literally nothing if the writing is good. 

 

That being said, I’d be interested to see how teens think of it. The big joke since it ended is that 90% of the problems on the show could be solved by a smartphone. How will younger generations who grew up with the internet and smartphones see it?

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

9 hours ago, Just Jack said:

 

Just a couple days ago the in-laws were ordering chinese food, and I said "Chinese Food" like Georges mom did in the one episode to get out of talking to him on the phone, and no one got my reference. 

 

 

 

Looks like a topic for the Festivus table, Dec. 23, 2023.

[BillsPride12]

7 hours ago, ChiGoose said:

I never watched it when it was new but my wife’s family are big fans (her aunt was actually in an episode) so I’ve watched a lot of it since marrying her. 
 

I honestly think it’s great and establishes how a character driven comedy can create a fun story over literally nothing if the writing is good. 

 

That being said, I’d be interested to see how teens think of it. The big joke since it ended is that 90% of the problems on the show could be solved by a smartphone. How will younger generations who grew up with the internet and smartphones see it?

What episode was her Aunt in!?

[Gregg]

26 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Looks like a topic for the Festivus table, Dec. 23, 2023.

 

RIP to a great comedian in Jerry Stiller. I liked his character Arthur Spooner in KOQ better.

26 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Looks like a topic for the Festivus table, Dec. 23, 2023.

 

RIP to a great comedian in Jerry Stiller. I liked his character Arthur Spooner in KOQ better.

[BillsFanSD]

It's timeless, but at the same time the existence of Curb Your Enthusiasm has taken a lot of the shine off of Seinfeld IMO.  Curb is the exact same show, only without the restrictions that come with network television, and it's unambiguously better.  Every time I watch Seinfeld now I can't help but think about what this show might have been if it had aired on HBO instead of NBC.  

[ArdmoreRyno]

5 minutes ago, BillsFanSD said:

It's timeless, but at the same time the existence of Curb Your Enthusiasm has taken a lot of the shine off of Seinfeld IMO.  Curb is the exact same show, only without the restrictions that come with network television, and it's unambiguously better.  Every time I watch Seinfeld now I can't help but think about what this show might have been if it had aired on HBO instead of NBC.  

 

The reunion episode was GREAT. It was the finale we deserved. And the "Judy" episode made me laugh to the point to where I almost threw up! LOL

 

"Mommy, Mommy, that bald man's in the bathroom, and there's something hard in his pants!"

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

RIP to a great comedian in Jerry Stiller. I liked his character Arthur Spooner in KOQ better.

 

RIP to a great comedian in Jerry Stiller. I liked his character Arthur Spooner in KOQ better.

 

"Let me understand. You got the hen, the chicken and the rooster. The rooster goes with the chicken. So, who's having sex with the hen?"

Edited May 9, 2023 by ArdmoreRyno

[Gugny]

Definitely timeless, in my opinion. 

[DrDawkinstein]

Classic, timeless, holds up. Without a doubt.

[WhoTom]

13 hours ago, coloradobillsfan said:

I can't go a day without hearing Seinfeld references in my head. 

 

Ditto. I never thought of the phrase "calling an audible" in any context other than football, but now it's my standard phrase for making a last-second change of plans. Even my wife, who's not really into football but will watch an occasional game with me, says it.

 

Others include:

• Yadda yadda
• Not that there's anything wrong with that.
• Up here, I'm already gone.
• These pretzels are making me thirsty.
• I got a lot of problems with you people, and now you're gonna hear about it!
• Aluminum - good strength-to-weight ratio.
• Remember Jerry, it's not a lie if you believe it.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by WhoTom

[The Jokeman]

I love the show, as I own all seasons on DVD, play the game Scene It! that exclusively on the show, own Funko Pops of Jerry and George and have a Jerry t-shirt and saw him perform standup live. Yet the show is dated as mentioned no cell phones which would make scenarios like The Chinese Restaurant never happen since George wouldn't have to wait for someone to finish a call to use a pay phone etc. Movie Phone isn't a thing now since you can just google movie showtimes  on cell phone or even prebuy tickets etc so don't have to wait in lines etc. Also there are a few cultural stereotypes in a few episodes.  That said I still watch it and enjoy it.

 

[Ned Flanders]

George seems much more annoying to me now then when the show originally aired...the first several seasons hold up ok but the last few are dreadful, it turned into Three's Company, where the comedy was centered around a "misunderstanding."  Basically, if I'm going through the channels, I now fly bye Seinfeld...there's only a few episodes I need to see again. 

[shrader]

The pop culture references are the only thing that is dated about the show.  That is unavoidable.

 

And I'm not sure if pop culture is even the right word.  Sure, there's things like Bette Midler or referencing JFK, but then there's also Susan's father having an affair with John Cheever.

[Logic]

While some of the particulars of the episodes are outdated -- namely, MANY of the episodes could never happen today thanks to the existence of cell phones -- the humor itself is timeless, and still hilarious. And for those who DO find it too outdated to enjoy, there's always Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is sort of "Seinfeld in the modern day". 

Comedy is a pretty subjective thing, but in my house, Seinfeld is a non-negotiable. If you don't think Seinfeld is funny, you're probably not my kind of people. 
 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Logic

[coloradobillsfan]

1 hour ago, Ned Flanders said:

Basically, if I'm going through the channels, I now fly bye Seinfeld...there's only a few episodes I need to see again. 

Men only care what else is on tv

 

44 minutes ago, Logic said:

If you don't think Seinfeld is funny, you're probably not my kind of people.

This guy... this is not my kind of guy

[SinceThe70s]

5 hours ago, coloradobillsfan said:

This guy... this is not my kind of guy

 

One of my favorite lines from the entire series. I wonder if he actually blew the line (adding "This guy...") and they realized it was funnier.

 

18 hours ago, ChiGoose said:

I never watched it when it was new but my wife’s family are big fans (her aunt was actually in an episode) so I’ve watched a lot of it since marrying her. 
 

I honestly think it’s great and establishes how a character driven comedy can create a fun story over literally nothing if the writing is good. 

 

That being said, I’d be interested to see how teens think of it. The big joke since it ended is that 90% of the problems on the show could be solved by a smartphone. How will younger generations who grew up with the internet and smartphones see it?

 

My teens think it's great. IMO the great sitcoms are more about the characters that you grow to love/hate more than the storylines and Seinfeld had many great characters.  Beyond the cast of 4 there were great secondary/recurring characters (Newman, Peterman, the Seinfelds, the Constanza's...),  less-frequent recurring characters (Putty, Jackie Chiles, Poppy, Babu Bhatt, Banya,...) and then celebrities (Mets, Yankees, Mel Torme, Bette Midler,....).

 

I'll leave with one of my other favorite lines, Elaine's curmudgeon father's comment about Jerry being a comedian:

 

We had a funny guy with us in Korea. A tailgunner. They blew his brains out all over the Pacific. There's nothing funny about that!

 

[BillsPride12]

4 minutes ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

One of my favorite lines from the entire series. I wonder if he actually blew the line (adding "This guy...") and they realized it was funnier.

 

 

My teens think it's great. IMO the great sitcoms are more about the characters that you grow to love/hate more than the storylines and Seinfeld had many great characters.  Beyond the cast of 4 there were great secondary/recurring characters (Newman, Peterman, the Seinfelds, the Constanza's...),  less-frequent recurring characters (Putty, Jackie Chiles, Poppy, Babu Bhatt, Banya,...) and then celebrities (Mets, Yankees, Mel Torme, Bette Midler,....).

 

I'll leave with one of my other favorite lines, Elaine's curmudgeon father's comment about Jerry being a comedian:

 

We had a funny guy with us in Korea. A tailgunner. They blew his brains out all over the Pacific. There's nothing funny about that!

 

Best supporting cast of characters of all-time!  I can't think of anything else that compares unless you are allowing The Simpsons in the conversation

[coloradobillsfan]

57 minutes ago, SinceThe70s said:

One of my favorite lines from the entire series. I wonder if he actually blew the line (adding "This guy...") and they realized it was funnier.

It has a story all its own, and how it was incorporated into the script exemplifies just how many levels deep this show can get:

 

 

[Orlando Tim]

It is a great show for anyone who lived through the 90s. Teens today generally just think it is an average show. Many don't want to take the time understand jokes that are very 90s, which many episodes have.

[Augie]

11 hours ago, Gugny said:

Definitely timeless, in my opinion. 

S

[Gugny]

2 hours ago, Augie said:

S

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

That was my uncle Bob at his 80th birthday party. He tripped, hit his head, and that just came to him. 

 

I mean, that is how he tells it……

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

6 hours ago, Gugny said:

As much as I like cats, shouldn't that be a hypno-toad?