- 1 day ago
From prison sentences to mistrial redemptions! Join us as we examine the controversial Seinfeld finale that divided fans and explore the alternative endings that followed. We'll analyze the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" reunion, the DVD alternate cut, and how Larry David finally redeemed himself with Curb's perfect finale 25 years later.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Well, it's only a year. That's not so bad. We'll be out in a year, and then we'll be back.
00:07Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the controversial ending to Seinfeld
00:11and the handful of alternatives that have since been created.
00:14Larry, we already screwed up one finale. We can't do another.
00:17We didn't screw up a finale. That was a good finale.
00:20Few sitcoms are as influential as Seinfeld. It was monumental for having a no-hugging,
00:26no-learning rule, where characters would never once grow or learn lessons.
00:31It wasn't the first to do so. They'd been around for years, with Fawlty Towers being an early example.
00:47Few will refute the claim that Seinfeld was the most culturally seismic of this genre.
00:51Since its conclusion in 1998, there have been tons of sitcoms heavily inspired by it.
00:57This includes titles like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Arrested Development, and of course, Curb Your Enthusiasm.
01:03And he takes his dogs with him everywhere, so it probably gets hot in there.
01:06Boy, you know a lot about this guy.
01:08We spent a lot of time together just talking about nothing, you know.
01:11Despite its influence, the show was far from perfect.
01:14Larry David was the showrunner for the first seven seasons, which many fans consider the peak.
01:19Then he left for the final two seasons, but came back just for the finale.
01:23The episode brought in over 76 million viewers, a mind-blowing figure.
01:28When do I get my 15 minutes? I want my 15 minutes!
01:31Oh, quit complaining. At least you have your health.
01:33Ah, health's not good enough. I want more than health.
01:36Health's not doing it for me anymore. I'm sick of health!
01:38Unfortunately, a lot of people hated it.
01:41This led to quite a few jokes about their blender in Curb Your Enthusiasm, alongside a reunion episode.
01:46Now Curb has ended, and pokes a lot of fun at Seinfeld's hated ending,
01:50but did it finally fix the issues fans had?
01:53Or was it just another failed attempt to satisfyingly conclude a show?
01:56So George, are you marrying her for your money?
02:00None of your business, Elaine!
02:04No!
02:05So what was the issue people had with the ending?
02:08One main criticism is that it felt like a clip show.
02:11The gang was put on trial for not helping prevent a crime.
02:14There, a whole bunch of characters from throughout the series make witness statements.
02:18How long was this book overdue?
02:2125 years.
02:24We don't call them delinquent after that long.
02:27What do you call them?
02:28Criminals.
02:28Alongside them were tons of clips and flashbacks to previous episodes.
02:32This upset a lot of viewers, as it was so syndicated that they'd seen these clips to death.
02:37They end up being sentenced to a year in prison.
02:40And how do you find, with respect to the charge of criminal indifference?
02:45We find the defendants guilty.
02:49One of the core themes of Seinfeld is that it's a show about nothing.
02:52This means characters never learn, evolve, or have meaningful arcs.
02:57So their going to jail feels contradictory to this theme.
03:00Additionally, their episode arcs, like Kramer having water in his ears, have satisfying conclusions.
03:05It's out!
03:06In other episodes, these tend to go nowhere.
03:14A lot of fans enjoyed this development, but were irritated at it being a clip show.
03:19Also, many were just sad to see it go.
03:21This stung harder because of the episode's lack of sentimentality.
03:24Hey, I don't come down to where you work and knock the license plate out of your hand.
03:27All right, Seinfeld, that's it.
03:28Let's go.
03:29Come on.
03:29All right.
03:30Hey, you've been great.
03:31See you in the cafeteria.
03:33This led fans to hope that someday there would be a better ending.
03:36Maybe eventually they would realize their error, have a reunion, and create a finale that they
03:40were truly satisfied with.
03:42Relationship humor is what this show's all about.
03:45Or we could not do the show all together.
03:47How about that?
03:48Or we could get them together.
03:49Some even expressed their wishes to end on another episode.
03:56For instance, many wished Season 3's episode, The Parking Garage, had been saved for the
04:00last episode.
04:01A lot of fans would have preferred this instead of an impressive sentimental send-off.
04:05What is it?
04:07The car!
04:08The car!
04:09The car!
04:11The car!
04:13Oh my god!
04:15Or instead, they should have made a show about themselves called The Jerry Show,
04:18which would have added a meta-spin on the series.
04:21They could have taken this even further, having the first episode of Jerry being the
04:25first episode of Seinfeld, therefore creating an infinite loop.
04:28Wow, that was great!
04:30That show was so funny!
04:31It was really funny!
04:33I'm not just saying that because I know you, honestly.
04:35So there have been quite a few fanfictions describing alternate endings or epilogues over
04:39the years, but none has become real, and it's unlikely they ever will.
04:44We would be lying if we said there was never an alternate ending.
04:47They actually filmed one and included it as an extra on the DVDs.
04:51It's almost identical, but the jury finds them not guilty at the last moment.
04:55The judge looks shocked, then it ends.
04:58We find the defendants not guilty.
05:03This means there's no credit scene of Jerry doing stand-up in jail.
05:07Despite this, a few fans believe it should have ended this way.
05:10Others opposed it, believing the characters to be too despicable to get away with years of
05:14immorality.
05:15It literally makes or breaks the shirt.
05:17Look at it, it's too high.
05:19It's in no man's land.
05:22Haven't we had this conversation before?
05:24The lack of an acclaimed ending has led to decades of clickbait articles claiming it's
05:29about to get rebooted.
05:30We can write off such a scenario as impossible.
05:33Not only has Jerry Seinfeld said it will never happen, but they moved on years ago.
05:37Do you think we would ever see a reboot of the show come back?
05:40I really don't imagine that.
05:41I cannot imagine that.
05:43Really?
05:44No.
05:44Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus have all had no issue finding work.
05:49Louis-Dreyfus was even the main character of Veep, a critically acclaimed political comedy
05:54show.
05:54Your generosity is overwhelming.
05:56And this is...
05:58Oh, seriously?
05:59This is beyond what we imagined or prepared for.
06:03Of course, Larry David, the inspiration behind George Costanza, has put out 12 seasons of
06:09Curb Your Enthusiasm.
06:10For those unfamiliar with Curb's premise, it's a fictionalized version of Larry David's
06:15daily life.
06:16It's similar to Seinfeld in its tone, with David often handling situations in the worst
06:21way possible.
06:21If I get this favor...
06:22No, no, no, no.
06:23I'll tip you.
06:23I'll give you a tip.
06:24You said you would do me the favor.
06:26I know, but...
06:26Now you're going back and you want to pay me off?
06:28I want to go back in time, okay?
06:30Go back in time.
06:31Give you the tip that you should have, that you deserve.
06:33It ran for almost 25 years and 12 seasons, finally ending in 2024.
06:39Season 7 quickly became a fan favorite, as its plot was centered on David creating a Seinfeld
06:44reunion so he could shallowly get back with his wife.
06:47It featured constant quips about how poorly they handled the Seinfeld finale.
06:51There was also a comical arc about Jason Alexander and David falling out with one another, which
06:56led to David doing a pathetic job at playing George Costanza.
06:59George, wouldn't it be easier just to talk to Amanda?
07:03No!
07:04No!
07:05No!
07:06Oh!
07:08George is getting upset!
07:09The reunion's plot centers around George struggling with trying to get back with Amanda.
07:13Also, Jerry donated to Elaine, letting her have a daughter.
07:17Didn't say a word except tell Daddy thank you.
07:23Daddy!
07:23It was an amazing episode, which required the reconstruction of the original sets.
07:29It wasn't quite the reunion fans had hoped for, but it was hilarious and tough not to
07:33love.
07:33There was also no concrete second ending, focusing on the plotline with David and his wife instead.
07:38Look at that stain you made.
07:40It's a new table.
07:41Well, we'll just sand it off or something.
07:46Do you respect what...
07:48Along the way, David had a lot of fear about ending Curb.
07:51He seemed slightly traumatized by the reception to Seinfeld's finale.
07:55In 2014, he said,
07:57If I ever did another show, I wasn't going to wrap it up.
07:59Well, a decade later, Curb finally ended.
08:02Unlike Seinfeld, it was almost universally adored, showing he does have what it takes to nail
08:08an ending.
08:08I'm 76 years old, and I have never learned a lesson in my entire life.
08:16Oh!
08:17Do you think that's helping?
08:18I do.
08:19It was called No Lessons Learned, which reflected the series' core principle.
08:23It focuses on yet another trial, this time because David gave a voter water in a queue,
08:28which is illegal in Georgia.
08:29Larry, I wouldn't worry about the jury.
08:31You're the defendant, and if you get convicted, you'll be a felon.
08:38Much like the Seinfeld finale, characters whom he slighted keep appearing at his trial,
08:43leading to wacky flashbacks.
08:45In the end, David is found guilty and sentenced to jail.
08:48At the last moment, Seinfeld saves the day, realizing that one of the jurors broke their
08:53sequestration.
08:54Therefore, it's a mistrial, and David walks away a free man.
08:57This is how we should have ended the finale.
08:59Oh my god, you're right.
09:02How did we not think of that?
09:04Then it ends with the characters arguing on a plane, showing no lessons were learned.
09:09Except, of course, how to finish a series.
09:11Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
09:16about our latest videos.
09:17You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
09:21If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
09:25Many fans consider this to be the finale they always wanted, with many calling it a perfect
09:32ending.
09:32It only attracted half a million viewers, but the majority of viewers agreed he blew it
09:37out of the water.
09:38Ruining my potential wives.
09:39Ruining my chance to have children.
09:41Yeah.
09:42What?
09:42I want family.
09:43How are you gonna do that?
09:44Well, adopt.
09:45What are you gonna adopt, a 40-year-old?
09:47It's one of the highest rated episodes, and we can't help but admire David for his confidence.
09:51After over 20 years of people complaining about how Seinfeld ended, he goes ahead and
09:56repeats it, coming full circle.
09:57Seems you have a history doing the same things wrong, over and over.
10:03And I truly hope this time you finally learned your lesson.
10:06It shows that after over three decades in the business, he and Jerry have hardly changed.
10:11We also have to praise it for being the peak of David poking fun at himself, hilariously
10:15ridiculing his most controversial decision.
10:17Is there a store, or is it like a hotel where they just leave it out for you?
10:21And can I bring my own toilet paper?
10:23Oh, and my phone charger.
10:24Leon, Leon, you need my phone charger.
10:26You don't gotta charge it.
10:27I loaned it to you.
10:28I give it back.
10:28The biggest complaint we have is that there'll never be new Curb episodes.
10:33Many fans wonder if they'll release a series about young Larry, which has a lot of potential.
10:37Unfortunately, David is pretty old, so he probably isn't interested in making even
10:42more shows.
10:44Thank you, Ms. Sanders.
10:45Hey.
10:47We got him.
10:47Good job.
10:48Did you think the Seinfeld ending was pretty, pretty good, or was the Curb ending better
10:53or worse?
10:53Let us know in the comments below.
10:55Oh my god, look at this!
10:56She came!
10:57She came!
10:58Oh, yeah, yeah!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:00Good job!
11:01Good job!
11:01Good job!
11:01Good job!
11:01Good job!
11:01Good job!
11:02Good job!
11:02Good job!
11:02Good job!
11:02Good job!
11:02Good job!
11:03Good job!
11:03Good job!
11:03Good job!
11:04Good job!
11:04Good job!
11:05Good job!
11:05Good job!
11:06Good job!
11:06Good job!
11:07Good job!
11:07Good job!
11:08Good job!
11:08Good job!
11:09Good job!
11:09Good job!
11:10Good job!
11:11Good job!
11:11Good job!
11:12Good job!
11:12Good job!
11:13Good job!
11:13Good job!
11:14Good job!
Recommended
20:09
|
Up next
17:05
1:14
1:24
0:36
0:49
1:33
1:57
1:22
1:03
0:59
0:56
0:33
1:41
1:22
1:51
1:07
2:04
1:16
1:27
1:36
1:56
1:41
Be the first to comment