When the final episode of Seinfeld aired on 14 May 1998, an amazing 76.3 million Americans tuned in, making it the most popular situation comedy is US television history. Co-created by Larry David, this 'comedy about nothing' made celebrities of its four stars: stand up comedian Jerry Seinfeld; comedian and actor Michael Richards who played eccentric neighbour Kramer; Julia Louis-Dreyfus who played Jerry's former girlfriend, Elaine and Jason Alexander as his volatile, insecure best friend George. Unique in its outlook and execution, the success of the series lay in its early years, able to develop its own style below the radar as a minor network hit, before reaching a mass public with its fourth season in 1992. Classic episodes discussed here include: 'The Junior Mint', 'The Chinese Restaurant', 'The Puffy Shirt' and the ground-breaking 'The Contest'.
Much analyzed during its time on screen, the show has not been re-evaluated for many years. Now, over twenty years since the series finished, Stephen Lambe's timely and superbly-crafted new book examines Seinfeld's first five seasons episode by episode, tracing the development of every character, catchphrase and quirk, from the series' embryonic pilot episode in 1989, to its status as an Emmy award-winning show by the time that season five wrapped in 1994. While the series was a huge success in the USA, it was also a cult hit across the globe, and its legacy continues into the new millennium.
Stephen Lambe is an author and publisher. He first became addicted to Seinfeld watching late-night re-runs on British television in the 1990s. An American Studies graduate, he has since seen every episode many times. His books include an analysis of the British 'Carry On' series published by Sonicbond in 2019. He lives in Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, UK.
