Seinfeld

Overview

Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, with the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself. Set predominantly in an apartment building in Manhattan's Upper West Side in New York City, the show features a handful of Jerry's friends and acquaintances, particularly best friend George Costanza, former girlfriend Elaine Benes, and neighbor across the hall Cosmo Kramer.

Photograph of the main set of Seinfeld, showing the apartment where much of the action takes place.

Production

Seinfeld was produced by Castle Rock Entertainment and distributed by Columbia TriStar Television and was aired on NBC in the U.S. The executive producers were Larry David, Howard West, and George Shapiro, with Tom Gammill and Max Pross as supervising producers. Bruce Kirschbaum was the executive consultant. This production team was the same throughout the show's run.

Characters

The series revolves around Jerry's misadventures with his best friends George Costanza, a hard-luck member of the New York Yankees organization; Elaine Benes, his ex-girlfriend; and Cosmo Kramer, his offbeat neighbor. These four form the ensemble cast of the show.

Episodes

Seinfeld stands out among sitcoms for its unique "story about nothing" structure, where the plotlines often involve mundane aspects of everyday life, such as waiting for a table at a restaurant, or the search for a lost item.

Reception

Seinfeld started as a slow performer, but its ratings improved significantly after it was moved to Thursdays at 9:30 pm ET (where it was able to follow the hit show Cheers) in its fourth season. It is now regarded as one of the greatest and most influential sitcoms ever made.

Legacy

Seinfeld has left an indelible mark on the landscape of television comedy. Its influence can be seen in many of the sitcoms that have followed it, and its unique approach to comedy has been celebrated by critics and audiences alike.