Splash No. 190 - A Newsletter About Nothing
A Newsletter About Nothing
I have many qualms about the Netflix streaming corporation, namely the creation of terrible programming, like the mini-series Clickbait, but they absolved themselves of all sin when they brought the hit sitcom, Seinfeld, to the streaming world. In the last few weeks at my parents’ house, we’ve taken to watching one or two episodes of the show each night, a comedic dessert to cap off whatever British murder mystery we watch. After harrowing explorations of gruesome murders, it’s always welcome to see the shenanigans of some goofy New Yorkers in the 90s.
Seinfeld has often been described as a “show about nothing,” mostly focusing on stupid details of life and a group of characters who love to get bothered by those details. Seinfeld would be nothing without its quirky characters — there’s Jerry Seinfeld, the conceited comedian; Elaine who is quirky and doesn’t take shit from anyone; Kramer, the nutty neighbor; and of course, George, the miserly loser who compulsively lies for no reason. To make things even better, each character is extremely neurotic — from the main cast to the barber who refuses to let anyone else cut Jerry’s hair or the doorman with an inferiority complex.
But one of the most endearing parts of the whole show is how 90s everything is. Beyond the fashion and the hair, it’s fascinating to see life without the sheer amount of information that we have, with constant arguments about the stupidest possible things. Movie timings come from the newspaper and phone lines, many plotlines focus on phone etiquette, or not knowing who’s calling. For my parents, Seinfeld is nostalgic, their favorite show from when they weren’t much older than I am now. For me, it’s a faint picture of how some parts of their lives might’ve been. No, they didn’t live in New York City or have issues running into low-talkers or fake fat-free yogurt shops, but Seinfeld was their favorite show, and I grew up hearing them quote the show, crack jokes in the same way that George or Kramer would. I watch the show and realize how their humor has been shaped by it, just like mine was shaped by Spongebob.
At the end of the day, I’m watching a sitcom from 30 years ago and it’s hilarious. I laugh more than I do at any other show. I see myself in George and Jerry, I wonder if there are really people like Kramer out there. I mention different episodes in every conversation I have and quote the show constantly to my parents, terrible New York accents and all. I remember that life is filled with stupid things. I laugh at the show about nothing that’s about a little of everything, the stuff that happens every day. I laugh because life is about nothing, too.
Drops of the Week
PLAYLIST - Covers that have no reason being this good - I love a good cover of a song
ARTICLE - "Please make a dumb car" by Devin Coldeway - cars are too complicated, let's make em simpler
POEM - "There is no word" by Tony Hoagland - "There is no single, unimpeachable word/for that vague sensation of something/moving away from you"
With each day, we can move closer to a more equitable world. Reminders:
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*improvised bass sounds*,
Nikhil