20 years ago tonight, “Seinfeld” aired “The Finale.”

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by AKA, May 14, 2018.

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  1. bartels76

    bartels76 Forum Hall Of Fame

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    CT
    That scene where they watched the guy get carjacked was probably the most out of character for all of them aside from possibly George as he is a big wimp. The other 3 would've said something or stepped in. It was a very awkward scene and uncharacteristic of the 4.
     
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  2. Luke The Drifter

    Luke The Drifter Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Agreed.

    Elaine would have yelled at the guy, and Jerry, George and Kramer. Kramer just might have fought him. Jerry would have stood by cracking wise with a bemused air about it all. As you said, George would have acted cowardly (probably after Elaine told him to be a man and do something).
     
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  3. Bobby Buckshot

    Bobby Buckshot Heavy on the grease please

    Location:
    Southeastern US
    Watching it with this perspective is the only way the finale works for me. As others have mentioned, the characters don't act like themselves and so I've always thought something was amiss.
     
  4. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

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    Vancouver
    It also accounts for the implausibility (even by sitcom standards) of all those people being tracked down and asked to testify (I mean, how did they find the marble rye woman?)
     
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  5. Etienne Hanratty

    Etienne Hanratty Forum Resident

    Location:
    uk
    It also hints at the disappointing possibility that in real (Seinfeld) life, “they” were neither “real” nor “spectacular”.

    (Edit: Correct adjective substituted.thanks to Squealy)
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2018
  6. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

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    Vancouver
    Their realness and spectacularness was established in the original episode!
     
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  7. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

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    Vancouver
    Oh but until the finale we still only had her word for it....
     
  8. Dr. Funk

    Dr. Funk Vintage Dust

    Location:
    Fort Worth TX
    My wife and I were at another couple's house. We were all Seinfeld junkies, and we made a big deal building up to the finale...........wine, horderves, dinner, vhs ready to tape. I remember about half way through the show we all started looking at each other with confusing looks. When it ended, we all burst out laughing in disbelief. I haven't watched it since.
     
  9. PaulKTF

    PaulKTF Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Old folks still won't shut up about this damned show. They think they're being really clever quoting bits from a 20+ year old show that I don't think was very funny to begin with. I'm just glad it's out of the pop culture spotlight at least.
     
  10. NaturalD

    NaturalD The King of Pop

    Location:
    Boston, Mass., USA
    I remember this night well because I set the VCR and went to see Jesus Lizard. :) When they came out, David Yow introduced the band as George, Elaine, Kramer, and Jerry.
     
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  11. bartels76

    bartels76 Forum Hall Of Fame

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    It appeals to young folks as well. Hey I don't get the appeal Big Bang Theory so too each its own.
     
  12. Billy Infinity

    Billy Infinity Beloved aunt

    Location:
    US
    That's a shame.
     
  13. bamaaudio

    bamaaudio Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    It never seemed to be a popular show in the south. When I was growing up, no one was talking about Seinfeld until the big media event of it going off the air.
     
  14. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

     
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  15. the pope ondine

    the pope ondine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia

    ditto.... it was a massive letdown, the last season was a bit patchy but it really went off the rails for the finale, I think maybe they were just happy Larry was back at the helm and no one wanted to tell him it was off and a lot of it seemed out of character and just an excuse to bring back the supporting cast of the past
     
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  16. The Hud

    The Hud Breath of the Kingdom, Tears of the Wild

    I think the finale had so much hype and expectation, that it was doomed to be a disappointment.

    I also think the "Good Samaritan" law was pretty stupid and not "Seinfeldian" enough, or maybe it was too "Seinfeldian". I am not sure.

    It was also a strange decision to have most of the episode take place outside of New York.
     
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  17. NUNZI

    NUNZI Forum Resident

    I also thought it was a perfect ending to a perfect show about people who were far from perfect. My question to those who hated it , how would you have ended it? Any suggestions? You've had twenty years to come up with one.
     
  18. Billy Infinity

    Billy Infinity Beloved aunt

    Location:
    US
    As far as I'm concerned, Larry David more than made up for the lackluster finale with season 7 of Curb Your Enthusiasm. That season's story arc successfully and satisfyingly closed out Seinfeld for me.
     
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  19. hex lumphries

    hex lumphries Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn
    Couldn't disagree more! None of the characters are good people - isn't that what's funny about them? All four of them spend their days ruminating about societal minutia - there's no time for compassion. That's the joke, no?

    Looking at it through that lens, the finale, I thought, made perfect sense. The characters get what they deserve.

    And anyways, was Seinfeld EVER about characters? It's a show about nothing.
     
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  20. the pope ondine

    the pope ondine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia

    not stretched it to 60 minutes for a start, they just didnt have enough material and it felt padded
     
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  21. Jose Jones

    Jose Jones Outstanding Forum Member

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    Yes. That is the worst aspect of the finale for me. Almost certainly a Larry David idea.....
     
  22. Jack Lord

    Jack Lord Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I give it an A for effort but it fell flat. Bringing back all the old characters was a good idea but not utilized well. Must say Teri Hatcher has never looked better than her two appearances.

    Frankly I have no better idea 20 years later. They were always in crazy situations anyway so any plot was likely doomed.

    Best sitcom endings were Cheers and the Odd Couple. But those shows had solid premises that were neatly concluded. Seinfeld had no such premise- it was about nothing.
     
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  23. GregM

    GregM The expanding man

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Peanut jokes and "did you ever notice" jokes aside, the entire show is a Larry David idea. He's the comedic genius. Jerry? Not so much.

    Come on, man. Elaine had a strong sense of social justice and other "ethical" windmills she tilted at, what with boycotting tuna and promoting other causes. And Jerry definitely knew the difference between right and wrong, although he was often too shallow to choose what's right.

    Maybe, but in the name of humor they'd been getting away with it for years and really the only punishable offenses were stealing the marble rye, burning down the cabin...well, ok maybe they did get what they deserved.

    Exactly, it's not about crime and punishment. That's why the finale was bogged down and didn't live up to the rest of the show. Levity is important.
     
  24. Monosterio

    Monosterio Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Florida
    I think the following article nails what’s wrong with the finale:
    By George
     
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  25. Jose Jones

    Jose Jones Outstanding Forum Member

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    He wasn't involved in Seasons 8 & 9 at all, except for the finale, IIRC. They always had other writers too, like Larry Charles. CYE is an entire show that is Larry David's idea and for all its occasional charms, it ain't Seinfeld....
     
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