Forgive And Forget: Why Seinfeld Remained Popular Even After Jumping The Shark
Seinfeld lasted nine seasons and almost all that time was the number one NBC show.
But how is that kind of success possible for a "show about nothing"?
The series was created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David and based on a fictionalized version of the former.
And although a lot of fuss took place in almost every episode of the show, still the purpose of it was to deliberately not make an accent on anything.
Instead of that, they focused on daily stuff that we actually pay less attention to than to a stranger in the subway. And some of the storylines were so exaggerated, that it somehow stopped making sense.
Although there were many of such kinds in Seinfeld, one particular plotline is commonly considered the moment when the show "jumped the shark". And yes, it's Susan's death.
That devastating moment happened in the season 7 finale. George's fiancee Susan dies after licking toxic wedding invitation envelopes that he had picked out.
That moment was an unusually dark development for a series that until that point had been more focused on things like answering machine messages, annoying parents, and a very long overdue library book.
Although fans seem to forgive the series even for that…
"I've heard the critique that her death was too harsh, but for me there was a real sense of relief when Susan's character dies. And I mean the cheap envelope glue? It works. She and George brought out the worst in each other and she had to go," Reddit user bltyeg shared.
Despite the fact that it's really the show's lowest moment, there are two successful seasons after that and for both of them Seinfeld still remained the number one show on TV.
And fans say the main reason for that is the change of the show's narrative. The four main characters were finally put through circumstances that seem designed to emphasize that each decision (even a small one) has consequences.
So in the finale, when they are all caught up in jail, fans really feel that was the only way the series could end. And it's no wonder that Seinfeld remains one of the most beloved sitcoms in modern history.