Jump to content
Jordan Washington chats with Bobby for Burnt Ends ×

do you ever yearn?

Kel Varnsen

By Kel Varnsen
in Movies and TV

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 9.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

Biff Tannen
Biff Tannen
WBT
WBT

They really should be using a medical dictionary

Cheeseweasel
Cheeseweasel

Posted Images

Biff Tannen

Biff Tannen 44959

Posted
Posted

I've really started to try and appreciate the earlier seasons more, as so many people seem to like them, but I realized one of the main things I hate is the writing is actually exceptionally bad in the early seasons.  For example:

Elaine: Y'know, my brother-in-law once left a message on this guy's machine,

and he blurted out some business information he wasn't supposed to, and it would

have cost him $15,000, so he waited outside the guy's house and when the guy

came home he went upstairs with him and he switched the tape.

 

There is WAY too much detail in that.  We don't need to know all of that.  All she had to say was "someone I know left a message they didn't like so he waited outside the guy's house and when the guy came home he went upstairs with him and he switched the tape."

Brother in law, business information, $15k?  Unnecessary. 

It happens quite a bit in the early seasons.  None of that shit adds to the plot or the comedy.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
YGIFS

YGIFS 19445

Posted
Posted

I notice it a lot, too.  I think it literally just came down to filling time.  It was just one scene after another with largely pointless, innocuous conversations and they had to fill up 22-23 minutes, I guess 18 minutes without the standup bits.  The writing got much tighter in seasons 3-8. 

But yeah, they'd just keep adding details and circling around a point for a few lines too many at first.  It wasn't so much that the show was about nothing, it was about everything.  They dissected everything with lots of background and forecasting and the laughs didn't come one after another like we got used to eventually.  

I think that was a big part of the reason the show eventually captured our lexicon with so many great short-hander terms like regifter, close-talker, and shiksappeal.  Instead of two scenes explaining the situation in over-detail, the entire portrait in your mind is created in just 1 or 2 lines total and the foundation is laid for way more humor in the episode.  

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
YGIFS

YGIFS 19445

Posted
Posted (edited)

Jim Fowler, the animal guy from Wild Kingdom is coming to your apartment?  

"Yeah, I practically raised his kids."  

Every other episode, they would have dissected the story behind that comment by Kramer...but I love how George and Jerry are like, "Yeah, that checks out actually."  and just move on.

Edited by YGIFS
Link to comment
Share on other sites
YGIFS

YGIFS 19445

Posted
Posted

Fowler (and the Hawk) are consummate professionals while the rest of the cast is going off the deep end and trying not to be so ridiculous.  

But between Fowler's question about the cameras and the little touch of his girlfriend storming out from "Backstage" which is just Kramer's kitchen is so funny to me.  They appease Kramer's fantasy the entire episode but it takes the actions of Fowler and the girlfriend to make you realize, "Oh shit, I guess this is all really in Kramer's head."  I mean Elaine calls him out at first, "Well, for starters---you're looking at (fucking) note cards."  But within seconds, you're just locked into Kramer's show. 

"again...my dead tooth"    

Link to comment
Share on other sites
YGIFS

YGIFS 19445

Posted
Posted

When he goes from jovial sidekick to the sad story about the generic wax beans back to sassy instigator…it was maybe Newman’s best overall episode in terms of one’s where he had a mini story arc.

year ago, Jerry talked about the show after a comedy set.  He would answer a few token questions and then close with saying Newman.  But he rambled a bit about Newman that I’d never heard before.  He said it finally dawned on him that really the only thread through the seasons was why Jerry and Newman hated each other.  There’s no reason to, they never hash out their past or their issues, and the resentment never goes beyond a certain point.  And it’s never explained.   he’s ambivalent about George, yearns for Elaine; and of course is tight with Kramer.  But why does he have this disdain for Jerry of all people?  And it’s not to make Jerry more relatable, plenty of other characters disliked Jerry.  But not for 8 full seasons like Newman.  Ah well, mystery lost to time.  
 

“Back to base, Joe”

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Biff Tannen

Biff Tannen 44959

Posted
Posted

Ok, I figured out the first time the writers get George's character right.  It's in Season 3, Episode 7.  The Cafe.  

When George has to concoct the lie about how he spilled food on the IQ test by going out the window, that is when George as we know him for the rest of the series was born.  Fantastic.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WBT

WBT 20143

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 11/14/2022 at 8:35 PM, futureman said:

they're not cloning sheep.  it's the same sheep!  I saw harry blackstone do that trick with two goats and handkerchief on the old dean martin show.

Loved Harry Blackstone on Square One TV

 

Edited by WBT
better video
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...