Ten Years Later: Still Bitter About 'Seinfeld' Finale, Reunion Needed

Ten Years Later: Still Bitter About 'Seinfeld' Finale, Reunion Needed

September 18th, 2008 11:05am EDT

If a tree falls in the woods and 76.3 million people are there to watch it, will it make a noise? Yes! It will! It will make the most horrendous thud that can possibly be imagined. This is what happened in May of 1998-- yes, over ten years ago-- when the series finale of "Seinfeld" aired.

Jerry Seinfeld, over the years, has dropped coy hints that there is a possibility that the Seinfeld cast may reunite for a one off movie or reunion special. This needs to happen. The final episode of "Seinfeld"-- what many would agree is a landmark series in the history of television-- is, in a word, terrible. That final hour-long episode casts a stench so foul the aroma of failure can still be smelled ten years later. This needs to be corrected.

"Seinfeld" was the "show about nothing." But really, was it? Not really. It was usually about something, albeit usually not much of something though; considering one episode focused on the death of the fiancé of a main character, sometimes it could be a show very much about something. The problem with the final episode: it was about everything!

SeinfeldThroughout its run, "Seinfeld" relied on the simple nuances of everyday life to point out the absurd and, at times, even become part of societal lexicon itself by creating catchphrases that are still used, without hesitation, ten years later. "Not that there is anything wrong with that," when discussing the gay community; "master of my domain," for taking pride in denying oneself the act of self pleasure; even an occasional "The jerk store called and they're running out of you," when not sure how to respond to an insult. Are we still quoting "M*A*S*H*" and "Cheers"-- both fantastic shows-- today?

The final episode of any long running series should be the proverbial exclamation point. Take what the series has always done successfully, do it one last time only better since the character arcs are all coming to an end. The aforementioned "M*A*S*H*" and "Cheers" both had outstanding final episodes. ""Seinfeld" went away from their basic formula and, instead, paraded a herd of every guest star that ever appeared on the series through a convoluted trial accusing the main characters of "doing nothing." Instead of having the main characters actually doing nothing-- or, as pointed out earlier, at least, very little-- they were just accused of doing nothing while a dog and pony show went on behind them.

Certain franchises have been "rebooted." Take Batman for example: when "Batman Begins" was released in 2005 it just pretended the other films never existed. Next year, "Star Trek" is rebooting with an entire new cast playing the roles of the original characters. Mr. Seinfeld (and Mr. Larry David, because you did come back to help write that infamous final episode), nothing this drastic needs to be implemented with your fine series... just the final episode! Just pretend the final episode never happened. In fact, a lot of "Seinfeld" fans already have!

Often a series that had a perfect ending are brought back for the wrong reasons. "After M*A*S*H*" or even the successful "Sex and the City" movie are good examples. Let these characters go out on top. "Seinfeld," on the other hand, went out on a low point. It would not be trying to capitalize on the success of characters that are still beloved today, it would be essentially be righting a wrong.

The mild teasers at the prospect of a reunion need to end. It is time for action. It is time to right the one blemish (perhaps two if you count the two-part episode that took place in Los Angeles) on this series' great history! Film a reunion. Please make the thought of Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer sitting in a jail cell disappear forever. A series this good, and this important should have, no-- deserves, a better ending.

What were your thoughts on the "Seinfeld" ending? Do you want to see a reunion?

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