4 ms·

I tried watching Seinfeld in the 90s and did not care for it. Some think it's because my English or cultural awareness weren't there yet and it's possible - as

I tried watching Seinfeld in the 90s and did not care for it. Some think it's because my English or cultural awareness weren't there yet and it's possible - as observational humour it does live within the gestalt of its time and culture. However, other possibility for Seinfeld show specifically is the characters - there's not a single likeable, redeemable person that I remember. In principle there's humour that can be made based on trials and tribulations of unlikeable folks but it's not for me. There was never progress, awareness, nicety. I'm not saying I need to watch Brady Bunch, but I personally found 22 minutes of concentrated selfish pettiness tiring. (I do "emotionally empathize" with tv characters more than perhaps average viewer regardless of genre so that may be to blame)

sixstringtheory 4y ago
Huh, I always figured the flawed or sometimes even detestable nature of the characters was part of the shtick. Like It’s Always Sunny…
- inkcapmushroom 4y ago
  I'm with the other commenter, I understand it's part of setting up the jokes and sort of an excuse for why they never grow as a character but it still makes it really unenjoyable to watch for me. I couldn't do Arrested Development or Archer for the same reason, after watching one or two episodes I just feel mad.
  - NikolaNovak 4y ago
    Yeah, I couldn't do Arrested Development either! I just wanted to shout at characters to stop being idiots over and over and over again :) (Archer for some reason I enjoyed in small portions; I think the clearly surreal fictional overly-exaggerated animated nature turned off some "suspension of disbelief / empathy" switch that most people can turn off with Seinfeld)
- NikolaNovak 4y ago
  It absolutely is; it's the main schtick and premise of the show; it clearly resonated with wide audience, I'm just an outlier for whom it really didn't work. (FWIW, I'm also the kind of person that didn't love "Everybody Loves Raymond"; it just seemed that characters never learned or tried to get better or showed real empathy / awareness of each other. The schtick seemed that he would "Cluelessly try to get away with stuff" and she would get upset and he would do something sweet and she'd forgive him. Episode after episode season after season. Something like first few seasons of "Mad About You" always seemed more enjoyable, funnier, and more relatable :)
kansface 4y ago
Part of the problem is that the medium changed. We used to get one episode a week with frequent commercial breaks. Watching episodes of Seinfeld now, back to back, I agree with you.
- blaser-waffle 4y ago
  in other words: he's only good in small doses

sixstringtheory 4y ago

Huh, I always figured the flawed or sometimes even detestable nature of the characters was part of the shtick. Like It’s Always Sunny…

inkcapmushroom 4y ago
I'm with the other commenter, I understand it's part of setting up the jokes and sort of an excuse for why they never grow as a character but it still makes it really unenjoyable to watch for me. I couldn't do Arrested Development or Archer for the same reason, after watching one or two episodes I just feel mad.
- NikolaNovak 4y ago
  Yeah, I couldn't do Arrested Development either! I just wanted to shout at characters to stop being idiots over and over and over again :) (Archer for some reason I enjoyed in small portions; I think the clearly surreal fictional overly-exaggerated animated nature turned off some "suspension of disbelief / empathy" switch that most people can turn off with Seinfeld)
NikolaNovak 4y ago
It absolutely is; it's the main schtick and premise of the show; it clearly resonated with wide audience, I'm just an outlier for whom it really didn't work. (FWIW, I'm also the kind of person that didn't love "Everybody Loves Raymond"; it just seemed that characters never learned or tried to get better or showed real empathy / awareness of each other. The schtick seemed that he would "Cluelessly try to get away with stuff" and she would get upset and he would do something sweet and she'd forgive him. Episode after episode season after season. Something like first few seasons of "Mad About You" always seemed more enjoyable, funnier, and more relatable :)

kansface 4y ago

Part of the problem is that the medium changed. We used to get one episode a week with frequent commercial breaks. Watching episodes of Seinfeld now, back to back, I agree with you.

blaser-waffle 4y ago
in other words: he's only good in small doses