Seinfeld: A Cultural History

by Paul Arras

Since coming to an end at the pinnacle of its popularity, Seinfeld’s story continues. The show’s enduring appeal has helped earn its creators billions of dollars and counting. Many of the most popular and acclaimed comedy series of the twenty-first century are direct descendants of Seinfeld’s style, and the show’s ideas are now woven into the ways people think and behave. The greatest sitcom of the final years of the broadcast era, Seinfeld broke the rules, changed both television and America forever, and remains a living part of American culture.

A Cultural History explores the show’s history with an engaging look at the show’s legendary co-creators, its supporters (and skeptics) at NBC, and its award-winning cast. By all the traditional rules of television, Seinfeld never should have made it to the air. Paul Arras pays close attention to the writers and writing of the show, offering a fresh look at the episodes themselves and assessing its broader cultural impact. Throughout he also dissects the show’s main quartet and the other memorable characters that foursome interacted with over the show’s eight seasons. With deep perception and good humor, this book considers what the adventures of Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine reveal about the nineties and what messages they pass along to twenty-first century viewers.

A Cultural History will lead any fan of the show back to the series to re-watch old episodes with new insights and observations. Readable and illuminating, the book’s well-researched discussion of the show’s background and legacy is an essential guide for Seinfeld viewers and scholars alike. Most of all, A Cultural History is an enjoyable way to engage, or reengage, with one of the funniest shows of all time!

Genres: Nonfiction, Tv, History

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2020

Reviews

[Milan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was re-watching Seinfeld during the covid lockdown and it still felt fresh as it felt years ago - a bunch of friends just sitting and going over their daily lives, a life with 'cable tv', no mobile phones or the internet (these things started becoming popular as the series was winding up). This book presents a short history of Seinfeld and the television programming of that time. Paul Arras looks into the lives of the characters and what made them tick. The book also provides a glimpse into the pivotal moments of the show, how the four main characters were cast, the genius of Larry David and the finale which is always debatable. A lot of people who have not watched the show do not really appreciate the legacy of Seinfeld and how it affected the future of comedy series and television programming in general. I did not like the finale but Seinfeld is one of my favorite shows of all time (I don't watch many). If you have not watched the show, give it a try. It's a show about nothing.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just an unfocused, boring read.

[Alli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Semi-scholarly, thorough analysis of the show that kept us easily distracted throughout the '90s, or as I like to call it, the prequel to Curb. Insights and philosophical musings I didn't know I needed about this pop cultural phenomenon bring a much-needed sense of happier-time nostalgia for a time such at this, where humor has been eradicated.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about Seinfeld, the show about four self-centered friends and what happens in their lives.

The chapters are:

1. Jerry and Larry
2. A Guy Walks into NBC ...
3. Who (Almost) Killed the Pilot?
4. Ensemble Alchemy
5. The Four
6. The People in their Neighbourhood
7. Faith, Race and Place in Seinfeld's New York
8. Jerry and Company in the World and in the Bedroom
9. The Spectacle, the Disappointment and the Brilliance of the Finale
10. Television Legacy
11. Critics and Missteps
12. Seinfeld Today
13. The Rankings: Every Episode from Best to Worst

The book provides the details about how the show came to be ... Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld coming up with a show that the network didn't really believe in and David and Seinfeld themselves didn't think would go anywhere (David hoped it wouldn't). It lasted nine seasons until Seinfeld decided to quit while they were on top. It was interesting to learn more about the writing and how the stories came about.

There is information about the backgrounds of Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards along with what they have been doing post-Seinfeld.

If you are/were a fan of Seinfeld, you'll find this book interesting.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/05...

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a nonfiction work dedicated to the classic sitcom of the 1990s. It is divided into three parts: 1) the origins, including the two co-creators; 2) themes and characters; 3) its legacy. There is also a section where the author ranks all 168 episodes, based on his own personal preferences, which I found fun to read and compare. At the end is an extensive section of notes, chapter by chapter, reflecting the author's research. I have not read a lot of books about Seinfeld, but for me this book offers a unique look into the show. The legacy section goes a little too deeply into the shows that came after and how they were influenced by Seinfeld, but overall, the book is a worthwhile read. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because I found "Seinfeld" an amusing show. Arras, however, is a real fanboy, which fights with his desire to give the television show an academic analysis. He loves the show on a personal level but finds the characters, examined individually, unlikeable, disagreeable, and not really very nice. Well, no argument there, but reconciling these views seems to take a lot of repetition and the publishers did the author--and the public--no favors by stinting on editing. The list in the back--Arras' ranking of the individual programs by their amusement value--would give any watcher lots of room for disagreement and argument.

[Bob O'G · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent study of one of television's G.O.A.T.s. The presentism that existed toward the end of the book seemed a bit unfair, as the concept often is, but it did round out the book's purpose. Maybe I'm just too protective of this masterpiece sitcom that has been my brain companion for over 3 decades now.
A must read for fans.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing

[Connie Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book of you want to analyze every aspect of "Seinfeld". It goes deep into social aspects, culture, etc.

You need to know every episode in order to appreciate this book.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as a arc e book for my i pad from Net Galley. I enjoyed reading it. It is about the history of the seinfeld sitcom. It was a well written book. I still watch some of these episodes on my cable tv every so often. Hard to pick which was my favorite episode of all.