On May 14 1998 76 million people had something to say about the show about nothing. The Seinfeld series finale titled The Finale was widely viewed as a disappointment as one critic wrote the divisive episode was like a middle finger to viewers who wanted confirmation that the characters had grown or at least seen the error of their ways. But the sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld had long had an unofficial rule of no learning no hugging. After nine seasons the two part series finale was essentially a 56 minute finger wagging from Babu Bhatt Brian George who famously chastised the fictional Jerry as a very very bad man.
The episode sees Jerry Jerry Seinfeld George Jason Alexander Elaine Julia Louis Dreyfus and Kramer Michael Richards arrested in Latham Massachusetts, for violating the Good Samaritan Law. Yada yada yada the Good Samaritan trial turns into a media circus with the prosecution trotting out a parade of guest star character witnesses Babu library cop Joe Bookman Philip Baker Hall the Soup Nazi Larry Thomas and many more testifying against the four defendants.
In the end Judge Vandelay Stanley Anderson sentences Jerry George Elaine and Kramer to a year in prison Removed from society so that you can contemplate the manner in which you have conducted yourselves. For many viewers including co star Wayne Knight who played Jerrys long running nemesis Newman the verdict on the Seinfeld finale was not quite sponge worthy.
In between the clips and the cameos David wanted to show that these people are not deserving of any glory Knight added about the self centered and cynical group of friends who wind up behind bars in the shows final scene. He wanted them to have the worst time possible. And as a concept that works but I do not know if it works as a finale.
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