Get out! The Emmy-award winning, genre-bending sitcom has finally arrived on Netflix.
Seinfeld, originally aired in 1989, is arguably one of the most iconic television shows still to this day. Whether you’ve been watching the show since you were too young to even understand the jokes, or if you’ve never seen a single episode of it before, watching (or re-watching) the show will definitely be an enjoyable way to pass the time during the colder seasons.
If you’ve never seen an episode, the show follows comedian Jerry Seinfeld (who essentially plays himself) and his three wacky, yet, lovable (but not very likeable) best friends, George Costanza, Elaine Benes and Kramer, as they try their best to navigate their lives in 90’s New York. They find complexities and struggles in the most mundane of tasks, and the show in general really conveys the absurdity of a lot of societal norms that many of us do without a second thought. For example, in one episode where the group are going to a party, Jerry and Elaine suggest they stop beforehand to get a gift to give the hosts. Riddled with confusion, George asks why they have to do this. Elaine tells him it would be rude if they didn’t bring anything. Again, George asks why. Jerry tells him, “The fabric of our society is very complex, George.” The show places a magnifying glass over these societal norms and social etiquette that so many of us do without question – but if we actually stop to question it, we can quickly begin to see how absurd and silly a lot of it is.
Unlike other tv shows, films or any other kind of media, Jerry and his friends don’t grow, change, learn or develop over the course of the shows nine seasons. In the final episode, (don’t worry, not a spoiler!), this is really emphasized, as we see the show finish in a full-circle fashion – ending very similarly to how it began. This in itself is a testament to how realistic the show is and why so many people feel a connection to these characters. Many people don’t get a standing ovation or ride off into the sunset or have a happily ever after- sometimes you end up right where you started. Now, I’m not saying to idolize or aspire to be like these characters in any way, but I think most of us, (dare I say, the best of us) can find comfort in knowing that you don’t have to do great things in order to have an interesting story.
Need I say more? It’s an iconic show that will have you laughing one minute and saying, “Oh yeah, that is ridiculous. Why do people do that?” the next. No matter what is going on your life, binging Seinfeld should definitely be on your to-do list. I mean, I can’t think of a more productive way to spend your time than watching a show about nothing. But if your binging game is strong and you find yourself running out of shows to watch, we’ve got you covered with this list!
