SEINFELD BLOG

Seinfeld was a show about nothing. But what does this mean? How can a show be about nothing? When pitching the "Jerry" pilot to NBC, in The Pitch, George describes the concept: "nothing happens on the show. You see, it's just like life. You know, you eat, you go shopping, you read.. You eat, you read, You go shopping." The show about nothing was a show that dealt with every day life. Take The Parking Garage, for example. Here is an entire episode that takes place entirely in parking garage, as Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine search for the car. Similarly, The Chinese Restaurant is an entire episode spent waiting for a table at a restaurant. It was a show about nothing!

more nothingness

It's actually a show about everything!

What other show could have a scene where characters are waiting for a tape recorder to rewind? (as in the episode with George's briefcase)

Priceless

I would call the show a "comedy of theme" (100 years ago comedy of errors, comedy of ideas was evolved). Each person plays a facet of a theme i.e a theme like small crimes like (life)lies in the Beard. This kind of comedy has its roots in stand-up comedy, it's like stand-up comedy coming narratively alive!

"Life without nothingness is like a land of Supermans"

"What did you do today?"

"I got up, I went to work, I posted on standthecaddy.com."

"You see, that's a show! That's a show."

Matt

"How is that a show?"

lol

Because it's on TV.

Not yet.

Everybody's doing something, we'll do nothing.

J. Chiles said it best. It WAS a show about everything. No show has covered as many real-life situations and subject matter as Seinfeld. Even if a reference to something was only one sentence! But because much of the subject matter was so untraditional and unpopular for other shows to touch on or even think of, it seemed almost "nothingish" They broke every rule of "proper" writing approach, theme structure, plot organization, etc. I don't think many people realize how innovative and risky it was. It was far more than just funny, it was masterful. Sometimes Jimmy would miss the rest of a show because of sitting and imaging how they came up with something. That's much more than just being entertained and made to laugh. Jimmy's heard many people say they've seen the show and don't like it. That tells me much more about that person's mentallity, than just about their lack of sense of humor.

like when jerry and the girl are discussing the cotton dockers add, and jerry shows his distaste for it

JERRY: Even if the dialogue did ring true.. Even if somehow, somewhere, men actually talked like that, what does that have anything to do with the pants?! Doesn't that bother you?

DONNA: That's the idea! That is what is clever about it - that they're not talking about the pants!

JERRY: But they're talking about nothing!

DONNA: That's the point!

JERRY: I know the point!

DONNA: No one's telling you to like it!

Show about nothing=reality show,that's the def. .
Seinfeld is just brilliant,it's actually show about everything.For instance the opposite that's the episode about everything .

Even nothing is something!

Happy Festivus Everyone !!!

nice weblog and loved this post

nothing is everything in jerry's case..

There's a book out called Seinfeld and Philosophy you should check it out, there's a whole chapter devoted to nothing.

You're Victoria... hi!