‘Seinfeld’ Finale Keeps Them Buzzing

I think it was very considerate of Jerry Seinfeld to save his two worst episodes for last. It makes it much easier for his fans to deal with their sense of abandonment.

There is something, after all, to be said for leaving ‘em wanting less.BURT PRELUTSKY

North Hills

There was no better tribute to the impact of “Seinfeld” than what Brian Lowry reported (“Across U.S. and Beyond, Fans Bid ‘Seinfeld’ Farewell,” May 15): The L.A. Department of Water and Power conducted a spot check during commercials and found that water usage increased by 10% as the huge viewing audience went to the bathroom simultaneously.

I can only imagine what Seinfeld & Co. would do with that.

ELLIE BERNER

San Diego

*

If the finale was any indication of what might have been had they stayed, I’m glad they went.

ED ZINN

Encino

*

I think it was fitting that Geraldo Rivera, he of the great Al Capone hidden-vault hoax, was involved in reporting on the last episode. The hissing of the deflated lead balloon can still be heard.

CARY GINELL

Thousand Oaks

*

“Seinfeld” was the P.G. Wodehouse of the ‘90s. Think of it: stories about single people who are either frivolously employed, or not employed at all, gadding about town and country seeking nothing but their own pleasure and pursuing the particular member of the opposite sex who happens to be desirable at the moment, but never getting trapped into marriage. The only sin was to be unamusing.

However, in Wodehouse’s day, these stories were considered charming, lighthearted, playful, whimsical. . . . Today, the “Seinfeld” characters are criticized by grim-minded Puritans as shallow, selfish, frivolous and not good role models. What does this say about us?

GWEN FREEMAN

Los Angeles

*

The fact that such shallow, selfish, empty characters were embraced and celebrated by so many is a sad commentary on our debased popular culture.

DAN O’NEILL

Los Angeles

*

For anybody who cares, here is why I disliked the “Seinfeld” finale:

The show got a lot of comedic mileage out of underscoring and poking fun at minutiae with which we’re all concerned, albeit with the exaggeration that makes for comedy. To pillory the four characters for such concern undermines the very premise of the show. Additionally, they were condemned for things beyond their fault, including altruism gone awry (e.g., the Pakistani deportee). Finally, while the morally vapid Costanza might ignore the plight of a carjack victim, the principled Kramer never would.

That, in a nutshell, is my take on the show. Now, it’s on to important things, like the NBA Western Conference finals.

JACK KLEIN

Tarzana