Seinfeld FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Show About Nothing

by Nicholas Nigro

Overview

(FAQ). Is it a show about nothing or one of the greatest TV series of all time? It's both, of course! Seinfeld 's impact on popular culture was so profound that it continues to this day-years after it left prime time-thanks to its inimitable characters (Newman! Bubble Boy!), its wacky, memorable plots (who can forget "The Contest" or "The Puffy Shirt"?), and the many catchphrases we use regularly (not that there's anything wrong with that). Seinfeld FAQ is the first-ever comprehensive guide to the sitcom, tracing its path from modest beginnings to water-cooler-show status and to its infamous, love-it-or-hate-it finale. This humor-filled reference tells all about Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer, as well as the other unforgettable characters in their world. It features season-by-season episode reviews and a wealth of fun facts about everything from the characters' inevitably doomed relationships to their food obsessions and fashion sense (or lack thereof) as well as profiles of actors and other notables. Broad in scope and yet obsessed with detail (like the show itself), this FAQ is essential reading for anyone who wants to be master of the Seinfeld domain.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781557838575
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	06/01/2015
Series:	FAQ
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Nicholas Nigro (New York, NY) is a freelance writer and the author of many books on a variety of subjects. From spirituality to science and medicine, from popular culture to pets and animals, his publishing credits span a wide range of topics and appeal to an eclectic group of readers. Some of his works include The Everything Coaching and Mentoring Book, 101 Best Businesses for Pet Lovers, and The Everything Success Book.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Part I In the Beginning

1 And Now for Something Completely Different: Postmodern Television 3

2 Birth of a Notion: "The Show About Nothing" 12

3 Characters with Character: An Ensemble Is Born 18

4 Seinfeld Before It Was Seinfeld: The "Seinfeld Chronicles" Pilot 24

Part II The Core Four

5 Jerry Seinfeld: Master of His Domain 31

6 George Costanza: Lord of the Idiots 48

7 Elaine Benes: Queen of the Castle 64

8 Cosmo Kramer: Hipster Doofus 78

Part III Supporting Characters and Actors

9 Newman: Gone Postal 97

10 The Costanza Family: They Really Are a Scream 104

11 Morty and Helen Seinfeld: Meet the Parents 113

12 More Inhabitants of Seinfeld Land: Susan Ross, J. Peterman, and Uncle Leo 119

13 And the Rest: Friends, Enemies, and More 127

Part IV A World of Its Own

14 The Seinfeld Team Effort: Poetry in Motion 139

15 The World of Seinfeld: Offbeat, Idiosyncratic, and Pathos-Free 146

16 Seinfeld Controversies: No-Holds-Barred Comedy 154

17 Seinfeld Land: The Uncanny New York Experience 162

18 The Mornings After: The Seinfeld Phenomenon and Its Cultural Impact 178

Part V The Episodes

19 Season One: Taking Flight 189

20 Season Two: Rough Waters 193

21 Season Three: The Turning Point 200

22 Season Four: Notice and Accolades 217

23 Season Five: Almost Number One 236

24 Season Six: Number One 256

25 Season Seven: Goodbye, Larry 275

26 Season Eight: The Post-Larry David Difference 294

27 Season Nine: Going Out on Top 312

28 The Finale A Vociferous Last Shout 330

Part VI The Legacy

29 A Tough Act to Follow: Life After Seinfeld 339

30 The Post-Seinfeld World: An Altered Sitcom Landscape 348

Appendix A Episode Chronology 355

Appendix B Characters in Seinfeld Land 361

Appendix C Awards 365

Appendix D The Seinfeld Production Team 369

Selected Bibliography 371

Index 377