In the 1990s, there were few shows more popular than Seinfeld. For nine seasons, it was a massive hit that changed how sitcoms were made and it continues to influence new shows to this day. It is also a very rewatchable show that is still funny to revisit all these years later.
Of course, no show is flawless and the same goes for Seinfeld. While fans continue to praise it, many overlook some aspects of the show that were maybe not as great as they remember. While these flaws don't take away from the legacy of this incredibly popular series, they cannot be ignored forever.
The Rough First Season
It has become something of a legend that Seinfeld, the show that would eventually be the biggest thing on television, was nearly canceled early on. However, looking at those first episodes in the first season, it's not hard to see why.
The show was trying something new in terms of a sitcom so it makes sense that the audience would need time to catch on. But it also seems like the show wasn't totally sure what it was doing. There is an awkward messy quality to those early episodes that still remain among the lowest-rated of the series.
Lack Of Diversity
Looking back at a lot of sitcoms from the 1990s, the lack of diversity really stands out. With shows like Seinfeld and Friends, both set around working-class people living in New York City, the fact that nearly all the characters seen on the show are white is hard to overlook.
While some might argue that these shows were a product of their time, it is not like there were not mainstream shows featuring people of color. Seinfeld and others could have done more to feature a more diverse group of actors.
The Pilot Storyline
Though Seinfeld didn't have many long-running storylines, season 4 of the show largely focused on Jerry and George trying to sell a pilot to NBC. The joke at the center of the storyline was that the potential show they are pitching was basically Seinfeld as it exists.
While there was some interesting meta-humor here, the whole thing seemed like a waste of time. To see a hit show referencing itself in such an extended way felt like a self-congratulating move and pretty awkward.
Meanspirited Humor
One of the major things that separated this show from other sitcoms was its willingness to make its characters unlikable. By allowing Jerry and the others to be bad people, it meant that the show could explore some hilarious dark humor-centered scenarios.
However, sometimes the target of the humor made it uncomfortable. The show would often feature storylines involving racial stereotypes, people with disabilities, or homosexuality that would be the butt of the jokes.
Lesser Final Seasons
Though Jerry Seinfeld was front and center in the show's success, Larry David is known as the other very important piece to the puzzle that led to the show's massive success. Unfortunately, when David left the show after its seventh season, his absence was felt.
While there were certainly some great episodes during the remaining two seasons and plenty of laughs, they feel like they are missing that special ingredient that made it such a distinct and wonderful series.
Kramer's Absurdity
It didn't take long for Kramer to become the breakout character on the show, as his wacky personality and madcap behavior made for some of the most memorable moments in the series. However, the character sometimes felt like he belonged on another show.
It is impressive that the character never got annoying or stale over the course of the series, but sometimes the show would go so over-the-top with the character that it no longer felt like a grounded situational comedy.
Treatment Of Girlfriends
Like most sitcoms, there were a number of romantic interests over the course of the series for all of the main characters. Given that the main characters were such unlikeable people, these romantic relationships rarely lasted. But for the girlfriends, in particular, some of their treatment was downright ugly.
The selfish nature of the main characters meant that these women were often overlooked or disrespected. For example, one episode features the main characters drugging Jerry's girlfriend so they can play with her toy collection.
Death Of Susan
When thinking about the mistreated girlfriends in Seinfeld, it's hard not to immediately think of Susan Ross. She was George's on-again-off-again girlfriend throughout the series and they eventually ended up getting engaged.
But it was Susan's end that was one of the darkest moments in the show. After George picks out some cheap envelopes for the wedding, Susan dies licking the toxic glue on them. The reaction George has to her death is very disturbing, and the gang just dismiss this dead woman with no further care.
Clip Show Finale
The finale of Seinfeld has earned a reputation as one of the most disappointing finales of all time, and people are still talking about it to this day. However, people seem to focus on the wrong aspect of why it was bad.
Many people complain that the show ends with the main characters going to prison, but this is just the kind of dark humor that works for the show. However, the fact that a large portion of the finale is just a clip show of the memorable moments of the series felt like a real cop-out for many.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
While Seinfeld will always go down as one of the best sitcoms of all time and a pioneer for a new type of sitcom, there will always be one show that many fans feel did the same thing, only better.
Sometime after leaving Seinfeld, Larry David created his own show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is similarly about nothing other than an unlikeable central character who gets into various awkward social situations. While the legacy of Seinfeld still stands, Curb Your Enthusiasm feels like the show Seinfeld wanted to be, as it is able to push the envelop further and really go for it with how unlikable this guy is.