Article URL: https://seinfeld.visualisingdata.com/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49144946 Points: 24 # Comments: 3

Though the first episode was aired in the US in 1989, there would be a four-year delay until it was broadcast in the UK. As a teenager, and with the show lurking in the shadows of BBC's late-night schedules, it passed me by. It wasn't until the 2010s when Seinfeld reappeared on UK TV in a prime-time slot. Fully aware of the show's standing in the canon of popular culture, this was my opportunity to tune in. During the 2010s Seinfeld was also shown on cable networks, like Comedy Central, and then from 2015 became available on-demand in the USA on Hulu. In 2019, Netflix spent over $500 million for the global streaming rights to broadcast Seinfeld from 2021 through to 2026. This propelled the show to a whole new generation of audiences. Seinfeld is considered a unique sitcom in how it deviated from the traditional rules of the time, rejecting the classic three-act story in favour of a faster-paced multi-story structure. It was essentially written in a different key, focusing on - and amplifying - the minutiae of daily life, and earning its reputation as the show about nothing. Seinfeld sidestepped sentimentality as well as the pursuit of resolution. With its mantra of no hugging*, no learning the lead characters were insecure and entertainingly flawed, lacking any desire or capability for personal growth when faced with the slightest adversity or annoyance, and especially in their romantic encounters. Despite their flaws, I loved the irreverent characters, with their absurd obsessions and neurotic tendencies, and the hilariously avoidable situations they found themselves in. As I read more about the show, my fascination with the creative process behind it grew. It was the musicality of the show I found particularly intriguing, orchestrated by the comedic talents of co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.