The Fix on ‘Seinfeld’

I happen to like “Seinfeld,” for the most part, because it looks on everyday problems of the so-called “baby boomer” generation based in New York City. But I didn’t expect the show to be dangerous except perhaps to the very young watcher. There is far too much easy promiscuity on every week. There are also strange relationships between the two primary characters and their families.

For example, the relationship between George and his family is funny, except it highlights the complete lack of communication between the “baby boomer” and his family. There is complete deceit in George’s attitude, trying to fool his parents in everything he tries and fails to do. There is complete misunderstanding by George’s parents of George, a loser whom they raised but for whom they have little compassion.

Jerry also can’t relate to his parents. He is generous to them with money, but he spends his time trying to deceive them as to his real-life sexual activity. His parents are pictured as completely unaware of his “bachelor” lifestyle, and the writers seem to think it funny to portray them as stupid. They could be funny without being stupid.

The character Elaine seems to sleep with a new lover almost every week. She has already slept with Jerry, but her happy promiscuity is not a good example for young people. And there are continuous adolescent judgments made by the writers when they attempt to “bravely” open an unorthodox issue. The difficulty may be making it funny.

Finally, there is a Jewish syndrome taking place. The writers ignore the fact that Seinfeld is Jewish. There is the rare joke only by implication and never directly. The Jewish part of his life is deliberately avoided. There could be lots of funny ideas on this aspect of Jerry’s life.

GEOFFREY POST

Santa Maria