Seinfeld - drama series review

While watching Jurassic park with junior (for the umpteenth time) there was one guy who looked very familiar. If you've seen the same movie several dozen times, obviously some level of familiarity has to seep in. But this guy in particular, the one who steals the dino DNA/embryo thing from the lab, looked very familiar. It suddenly dawned on me from where and then only i realized he is from Seinfeld, where this guy plays a character called Newman, despite having seen that series several times i had never actually written about it!! Arthritis of the memory may be!!

Many of my friends have told me that compared to Friends, they prefer Seinfeld better. While those who vouch for Friends are settled in India not one of the Seinfeld fans are here at the moment. Maybe it comes with the territory. The series is probably the most Americanist of series I've ever seen. It is openly racist in many situations, especially the one involving a Pakistani hotelier who gets deported back to his native, having missed his visa forms because of Seinfeld. He is called Babu and pronounced "Baboo" almost with a silent yet sound "n". It must probably be from the times when Americans didn't know the difference between India and Pakistan. While Friends had a subtler way of passing racist comments, Seinfeld was quite open about it. They have an episode where they take self-digs at the show themselves, where they go to NBC to present a new idea, a drama series based on "nothing'". Seinfeld series is actually that - a show based on nothing specific but just what happens in any given day in the lives of Jerry Seinfeld (who plays himself), Elaine (Julia Luis-Dreyfus in an absolutely hilarious and possibly the best lady comic artist I've ever seen), George Costanza (Jason Alexander in a role that is so true and original that he represented the majority of male population on earth for whom he was the official torchbearer) and Kramer (Michael Richards, in a role that is owned by him. If at all they want to remake the series, there is no one who can possibly play his role and he deserves a special series of his own like Sheldon from TBBT). These four not just wreck havoc in their own lives but on those who are associated with them as well, knowingly and unknowingly at times.
As a character the most irritating one must be that of Kramer. It is highly impossible for someone to be friendly leave alone remotely be associated with a character like his!! The at times good at heart and most of the times a leechy parasite of a guy, who does god knows what for his living but somehow manages to pass by, mooching off on his neighbor (Seinfeld). But, the way he portrays his role (and what a voice!!) he deserves a spin off series of his own!! Jerry's character in itself is not something to be boastful about for it is one of the most vain glorious lead character ever written for a comic series. It is Ellen and George who not just steal the show, but literally carry it forward, be it their eccentric taste or by their antics. If George couldn't be more wasteful, it is Elaine who is such a joy to watch on screen. The sheer unabashed way in which she presents her character is a delight to watch.
The series has contributed several funny liners to the general spoken lingo like "Yadda yadda yadda" and lot more. I personally liked the few minutes of stand-up clippings that they played at the beginning and end of each episode. Jerry Seinfeld was funnier in those few minutes of stand-up than on the whole show. The best part of it all being, just by syndicating this one series, this guy has become a billionaire!! Such is the spread and fame of this series that seems to be forever on Netflix, unlike other shows, which run only for a specific period of time.

Comments

Ramesh said…
Since I know nothing of either series, the comparison goes way over my head. They seem to be the American variety of the ubiquitous serials on Hindi TV. No thanks.

And no, you don't have "arthritis of the memory" (lol). You watch so many serials and movies, that it is impossible to recall any single one, much less a character across them.

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