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by Chad Maddux Published: November 17, 2006
And I completely agree. I never saw a complete episode of Seinfeld when it originally aired on NBC. I saw about half of the series finale when it originally aired. However, since then, I've watched every episode ever aired. And I've watched most of them several times over. There's no doubt about it: it's my favorite show of all-time. Seinfeld began on July 5th, 1989 when the pilot, "Good News, Bad News," first aired. There would be 179 more episodes spanning nine seasons. The newest release, Volume 6, contains all 24 episodes from the seventh season. These episodes originally aired on NBC from Septemer 21, 1995 through May 16, 1996. I'm always amused when talking about the show with people who dislike it. They all have, basically, the same reason: either "it doesn't make sense" or "it's about nothing." That's what makes it so incredible. Jerry Seinfeld and co-creator Larry David have taken every day simplicities and made them funny. But it's not cheap humor. It's what I would call methodical humor. To explain, let's take a look at the qualification known as "sponge-worthy." In "The Sponge," Elaine's preferred method of birth control has been snatched (no pun intended) from the market. She now has a limited supply and must therefore carefully select her partners, determined by their "sponge-worthiness." Watching Elaine's boyfriend try to convine her that he is worthy is hilarious but it's not cheap sex humor. It's straight-forward, but it's clever. That's what has made me such a fan of the show. The topics are mundane and obvious but presented in a hilariously comedic form. From the problem of a weak shower spray, a secret ATM pin, and a regretful relationship, all of the topics are expressly familiar. You can relate as you laugh. Undoubtedly the best and most well-known episode from this season is "The Soup Nazi." An eccentric chef who makes "the best" soup has very strict ordering procedures. Failure to follow these codes of conduct is entirely unacceptable and will result in the utterance of one of the show's most well-known phrases: "No soup for you!" I own all of the (currently) released seven seasons, and I've been thorougly impressed with them all. They are jam-packed with extras. "Sein-Imation" is a very clever presentation of the show. It's a bit strange at first but stick with it. This set contains some documentaries, two on Larry David and one on Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The "Inside Looks" are also interesting featurettes about elements of certain episodes, including the real-life stories that inspired them. The Bloopers are always my favorite bonus features. This set features over 20 minutes of high-quality bloopers. Some bloopers feature inferior quality video and/or audio but not in the Seinfeld releases. However, bloopers are not the best bonus feature in this instance. All of the Seinfeld DVD releases containe a feature for EVERY episode entitled "Notes About Nothing." During each episode, tidbits of information are displayed on the screen about various aspects of the show...and some information that is totally unrelated. It's entertaining but, at times, can be too fast. Literally, there are times when three lines of information will be displayed for two seconds, enough time to read the first few words of the first line. It could be intentional but it's irritating. There are some recurring elements in the "Notes" such as the recurring Kramer entrance counter. As if I was doing it myself, there are specific rules for what is (and is not) counted as an entrance. Kramer must be seen stepping across the threshold. In rare instances, the sound of the door opening followed by Kramer's presence in the apartment is enough to count. It's simple, but it's methodical. Seinfeld is certainly an acquired humor. Some people just don't get it and never will. But for clever viewers who enjoy the show, this release (along with all of the prior releases) are absolute required additions to your collection. You can re-visit the entire series twice. Trust me, watching with "Notes About Nothing" enabled is an entirely different entertainment experience. You will not be able to pay attention to both the episode and the Notes so don't even try. Even without any bonus features, the greatest show of all-time could receive nothing but the highest rating possible. The superior quality of the bonus material is just an additional perk. Just in time for the holiday season, the seventh season of Seinfeld is just about the perfect gift for any Seinfeld fan. Also available for purchase: Seasons 1, 2 & 3 Gift Set | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6
Note: All discs feature "Yada, Yada, Yada Audio Commentaries", "In The Vault Deleted Scenes", "Inside Looks", and "Notes About Nothing." |
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