It’s been a whopping fourteen years since Seinfeld ended its run on NBC, but you might not even have noticed since the show currently runs all over the world in syndication and has become a television staple for many. One of my best friends introduced me to the show and since then I have not stopped laughing! Everything about the show is great—from the script to the characters and though the show was notably known for being a show about ‘nothing’; it really means ‘something’ to a lot of people at any time in their lives.
Image Credit: Jerry Seinfeld/Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
In the styling of a cinéma vérité, Jerry Seinfeld is back with a new show developed for the web called, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The premise of the show really needs no further explanation as the title is self-explanatory. Seinfeld drives out in a gorgeous car, picks up his funny friends as they head out together for coffee and just chit-chat. While the setting is very intimate and personal, it’s nice to see Seinfeld giving audiences a glimpse of the relationships he has with his friends off-screen. Watching an episode is kind of like being invited into a conversation and being the quiet ones in the group who kind of just sit back and listen keenly.
The first episode, “Larry Eats A Pancake” premiered July 19 on Crackle and featured Seinfeld driving his 1952 Volkswagen Bug and meeting with long-time friend, Larry David for pancakes at John O’Groats in Los Angeles. David isn’t just a friend, but the co-creator of their hit sitcom Seinfeld and creator behind HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. The two have great chemistry and you can see it in the way they converse with one another and about the most random things. It’s really awesome to watch and effortless, which comes off very charming. As Seinfeld puts it, “It’s a miracle we ever got any work done, because nobody can waste time like you and me.”
As Seinfeld’s first guest, David tells him, “You have finally done a show about nothing.” Is it about nothing though? It sort of is, but that shouldn’t be regarded as a negative or deemed as a waste of time. It’s something worth watching and is hilarious to say the least, especially if you’re a smart talker and can bring up engaging and random conversations the way these two can. They chat about things like driving a stick shift, the topic of free range chickens and how ‘free-range’ they really are; traffic signals which are also known as ‘semaphores’ (can’t say you didn’t learn something from them!); the pensive disposition cigar smoking holds, and the age old question of boxers or briefs—the answer is a hilarious one. All-in-all, it’s a very thoughtful discussion and of course brings around quite the laughs in its overall ingenuity and observational comedic stance. With their conversation being totally improvised, it’s a revealing glimpse into how Seinfeld and David come up with their comic material.
David prefers herbal tea over society’s norm of coffee and runs into problems with that preference so often that he tells Seinfeld, “But there’s something in my cup—you can’t see into my cup! I’m still sipping, there’s still steam coming out of it! What’s the difference?” At one point, you even feel that Seinfeld and David’s friendship is a lot like one you would have with a close friend, where you find yourself laughing at the silliest things and blame it on tone. David laughs so hard at Seinfeld during a point in their conversation, that he spits out his tea after Seinfeld uses the word “debauchery”.
Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld in a still from Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Photo Credit Crackle.com
One of my favorite parts was the exchange between the two about pancakes. While watching it, I suddenly grew curious at the random thought Seinfeld had brought up and it reminded me of when you watch an episode of Seinfeld. Though it may have been a show about nothing, a lot of interesting ‘somethings’ were brought up through dialogue between Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer.
At one point in Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Seinfeld asks David if he thinks a pancake loses its allure after it cools off. “Don’t you think the heat is like, a big part of it? I’m kinda intrigued by that. Heat doesn’t have any flavor,” he says.
Good point, right? David goes onto saying that it’s inviting, peaking Seinfeld’s curiosity further and asking simply, “Why?” and What does it do?” to which David replies, “It warms you. That’s very Kramer-ish — It’s good, Jerry. Eat. It warms you.” Seinfeld fans will get a kick of that part, as David does his best Kramer impression.
Overall the ambiance is very retro and feels comfortable, especially with the soundtrack feeling almost like something out of the 1960s while being very laid back and jazzy-cool. The sights Seinfeld takes us around in Los Angeles are appealing and show off the exact tone he’s setting for the web series. In some sense, he brings us into his world and sees the city through his eyes and vintage car. For thirteen minutes we’re taken on a ride with Jerry Seinfeld, which is fun, captivating and very friendly. The show is as funny as you expect from a Seinfeld venture and personally I’m very excited to see who else will be chatting away with him at a cafe!
You can check out the first episode on their official website, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and Crackle.com. Episode two premieres tonight, August 2 and will air every Thursday. Future episodes will feature Michael Richards, Ricky Gervais, Alec Baldwin and many others!
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