=$title?>
Notes about nothing . . .
When the first three seasons of Seinfeld were released in November of 2004, it was quite possibly one of the most anticipated television on DVD releases ever. The four stars had all come to terms to be a part of the DVD production and fans were excited about seeing one of the funniest sitcoms of all time on DVD after a long wait.
I for one, was not at all disappointed.
I wasn't quite old enough to appreciate Seinfeld in the first few years but grew to love the show as I went off to college and beyond. The normal everyday life that these people lived showed just how funny things can be, even what seem to be mundane things.
I found the first two seasons (five episodes in season one, 13 in season two) to be quite entertaining. The four characters were just beginning to find their chemistry, but you could tell it would be something that would come together relatively quickly.
I found it interesting that the pilot episode was so much different than the rest of the show. To start with, there was no Elaine. The female character was a waitress named Claire, played by Lee Garlington, who has had small roles in many different shows including Everwood and Friends. In addition, Kramer wasn't Kramer, but was Kessler. And he had a dog, which was never seen again. In the 'Inside Look' section, it is mentioned why the dog appeared. The story is kind of interesting.
Probably my favorite episode of the first two seasons was 'The Chinese Restaurant.' I don't think a show had ever done anything like that, with three characters just standing around waiting for a table. It was unique, but certainly something that almost everybody does and can relate to. The only bad part about the episode was that Kramer wasn't a part of it.
While the episodes enough would have been plenty of incentive for me to purchase the DVD set, the extras on this set are fantastic. The bonus features include 'notes about nothing' which are production notes and behind the scenes notes, the aforementioned 'Inside Look' where viewers can take a look inside many of the episodes through the characters, creator, writers or others involved in the production. There are also commentaries from Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, creator Larry David and even from one of the writers. These provide a lot of great information. There are also deleted scenes and a piece on the creation of the show.
It is hard to believe that this show, which went on to be one of the top-rated shows on television, almost didn't survive the first year. Low ratings were to blame, but NBC held on and gave it another shot and reaped the benefits for years to come. Now only if networks could do that these days with fine shows that don't get immediate ratings and get axed.
This set is a well-done piece and is worth purchasing for anyone who is a fan of the show or even just a fan of good sitcoms. This one was certainly one of the best. A great ensemble cast, good writing and good producing all add up to a great show.
|