One of the most popular sitcoms of the 1990s, winning ten Emmy Awards, is still repeated regularly on TV today. Seinfeld, starring stand up comic Jerry Seinfeld as a version of himself, broke the mould in situation comedy. In contrast to other sitcoms, there were no dramatic highpoints or great themes. It came to be known as the show about nothing. Fans miss the show of course, but it can be re-lived through the release of DVD. The complete Seinfeld is not available as yet because the final two seasons have not come out yet.
The show, created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, centered on Seinfeld and his circle of friends. The audience could relate to their everyday experiences, which often involved the annoying aspects of modern, urban living that everyone encounters. Relationships too, were explored, as each character tries to negotiate the dating game.
The supporting cast became household names during the run, which began in 1989 and finished in 1998. Jason Alexander plays George Costanza, a neurotic, who needs the calming influence of Seinfeld. Elaine is played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She and Seinfeld have a close friendship in the show, despite being each other's ex. Cosmo Kramer, who lives across the hall from Seinfeld, is the eccentric of the bunch. No ones ever knows what he will do next.
There were a total of 180 episodes and nine seasons. The DVDs released so far are divided into complete seasons, with some special gift sets available. The DVDs contain many extras, giving fans of the show a complete Seinfeld look behind the scenes. Some discs contain commentaries by and interviews with the cast and creators. There are documentaries, deleted scenes, outtakes, photo galleries, trivia track and some television appearances by the cast. Sony Pictures have released the first seven seasons so far and there isn't a scheduled date for seasons eight and nine. When these come out, there will probably be a box set for the complete Seinfeld series available.
DVDs give popular shows another lease of life, giving fans a warm, nostalgic glow and also enabling the audience to catch up on missed episodes. The complete Seinfeld season discs are more generous with extras than a lot of other shows, so are worth buying for those alone. They will have to suffice, as it looks like there is no financial incentive that can entice Jerry Seinfeld to make new episodes. Even shows about nothing have to end sometime.
|