Quote: Leevil @ July 9 2009, 10:18 AM BSTI've only seen Seinfeld once over, with a few repeats thrown in. So my memory ain't so good. But I do love the episode where George goes to great effort to avoid the job centre (Social Security?) getting him a job.
Excellent!
Racking my brains trying to remember the exact episode you're talking about, but can't remember off the top of my head. Unsual for me regarding the show. Any idea what season it's from?
I think it's either 3 or 4. It'll be after George loses his job. That's all I can remember.
Sorry the brain isn't yet in full capacity yet this morning (I'm not a morning person one bit). 
I suspected it was from around the mid-period of the show. Ihink I'm with you now, the episode name will come to me.
Anyway a quick 6 faves (probably):
1. The Seven
2. The Opposite
3. The Comeback
4. The Jimmy
5. The Merv Griffin Show
6. The Marine Biologist
Could be different next week.
Quote: Jackson Neil @ July 9 2009, 10:14 AM BSTthe writing is weak and the characters are just unfunny.
Not to me, it's chock full of funny.
Quote: Jackson Neil @ July 9 2009, 10:14 AM BSTIt's comedy for birds who get knocked around by their boyfriends.
If you say so. I don't know what that means. 
Quote: Jackson Neil @ July 9 2009, 10:43 AM BSTSorry the brain isn't yet in full capacity yet this morning (I'm not a morning person one bit).
The Boyfriend 1 & 2.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ July 9 2009, 10:46 AM BSTIf you say so. I don't know what that means.
I just mean it's nothing approaching mentally challenging to watch, perfect show for the stereotypical blonde, bimbo, single mam with no job. Just my opinion.
if I want touching, I'll put on something like the "Jurassic Bark" episode of Futurama. Somthing more thought provoking than another contrived Ross and Rachael bollockery.
Quote: Leevil @ July 9 2009, 10:55 AM BSTThe Boyfriend 1 & 2.
Yes, that's it. Quality episode, definitely my favourite hour long one I'd say.
Quote: Jackson Neil @ July 9 2009, 11:11 AM BSTJust my opinion.
Phew!
The world is safe again. 
I used to love Friends when it was running. The repeats have soured my opinion of it a bit though. But thinking about it now, it's hard for me to think of any great pieces of writing in the show. I know there is some, but I'm surprised I can't come up with an example off the top of my head.
Jackson, if you look past the soap opera parts, underneath is a shallow, yet ultimately funny sitcom.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ July 9 2009, 11:21 AM BSTPhew!
I've learned to tag that phrase on at the end of any extreme statement of mine. Just so not to offend people who like whatever it is too much. 
Quote: Leevil @ July 9 2009, 11:24 AM BSTThe world is safe again.
I used to love Friends when it was running. The repeats have soured my opinion of it a bit though. But thinking about it now, it's hard for me to think of any great pieces of writing in the show. I know there is some, but I'm surprised I can't come up with an example off the top of my head.
For me Friends was always Seinfeld with pretty people. It covered all the same areas eg the episode where Chandler's workmates think he's gay, the episode where everyone thinks Jerry is gay.
As for the writing - it was so well-written that we forget how good the writing was. Who remembers now that phrases which have entered the language - eg 'too much information', 'did I say that out loud' - were first written in 'Friends'?
But no, you're right, Seinfeld is still the best ever.
Quote: Anorak @ July 9 2009, 11:44 AM BSTBut no, you're right, Seinfeld is still the best ever.
I have Seinfeld as the 3rd best of all-time. Adder and Fawlty are my #1 and #2, but overall it's extremely close between 'em - enough to call it a tie, I think.
For the record, I think Fawlty is the quintessential sitcom (the genre in its perfect form, if you like) and possible warrants the title 'best', but for me Adder just edges it as my all-time fave. I love every episode.
Seinfeld meanwhile kept up such an extraordinary level of skyscraping consistency through 6 or 7 of it's 9 seasons, so much so that it's on a par with the other two. The variation, depth, plots and range of minor characters that appeared throughout was extraordinary and of course the main cast was top notch too. Especially George and Kramer. It's Definitely the greatest American comedy show ever too. AD comes closest, but I though it showed signs of running out of creative steam towards the mid-point and backend of season 3.
Seinfeld is unlike most US comedies in that the characters are for the most part, selfish and amoral
Who was to blame for the finale?
Quote: sardines @ July 10 2009, 6:15 PM BSTWho was to blame for the finale?
It was only a couple of episodes out of many, and it wasn't really terrible, just not what people wanted and not up to the standard of the best episodes. Or the average episodes.
Quote: sardines @ July 10 2009, 6:15 PM BSTWho was to blame for the finale?
The great Larry David wrote it.
What do people think a better ending would be?
I'd like to have seen them be successful. After all the whole show was about essentially mean people doing well.