American Television s highest rated show on Zee English – Mon-Fri at 10:00pm
September 2001: This month Zee English brings the much acclaimed American sitcom, Seinfeld to Indian audiences. The sitcom, written by Jerry Seinfeld, who is heralded as the most popular and imitated comedian in America, is a show about four friends, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and George. The show s catch line is that it is about nothing – irreverent and wacky, the show simply highlights the humour in everyday situations, with the characters adding to the fun with their outgoing and outlandish ways. Seinfeld will air on Zee English from September 24, on weekdays at 10:00 pm.
Seinfeld was one of the most popular shows in the US and was largely responsible for the revival of NBC, as well as spawning various loolalike shows such as FRIENDS. It was also chosen as the Top Comedy Series and the Favourite Comedy Series by the Directors Guild of America and the Peoples Choice Award respectively.
According to Partha Pratim Sinha, Director-Marketing, Zee Telefilms Ltd., Seinfeld is a legend in television, with outstanding achievements. The show s humour has universal appeal and we are that it will hold strong appeal for Indian audiences. Getting Seinfeld on Zee English is part of our commitment to getting the best of international television to India, including some of the most popular and award winning sitcoms and serials in the world today including West Wing, ER, Friends Season 7, and Sopranos.
Seinfeld achieved stupendous success in the USA, outstripping all previous records. It consistently had the highest ratings till its final (9th) season in 1999. The final episode of Seinfeld was a one-hour special which shattered all television ratings records in American television. It was also the most profitable night in the television industry with advertisers paying more than US $ 2 million per 30 second spot.
Seinfeld s quirky and humorous world vision is illustrated in the following quotes from the Seinfeld show:
On cooking shows, I will never understand why they cook on TV. I can t smell it. Can t eat it. Can t taste it. At the end of the show they hold it up to the camera , Well here it is. You can t have any. Thanks for watching. Goodbye
On dating- Dating is pressure and tension. What is a date really, but a job interview that lasts all night? The only difference between a date and a job is that in not many job interviews is there a chance you ll wind up naked at the end of it
On leather: I once had a leather jacket that got ruined in the rain. Now why does moisture ruin leather? Aren t cows outside a lot of the time?
THE CHARACTERS
Jerry Seinfeld
Playing himself, Jerry Seinfeld is a stand up comedian who lives in New York City in an apartment across from his friend Kramer. His apartment is the main setting for the show, since the cast usually meets there. He is the leader of the group. Seinfeld, the actor also serves as an executive producer on the show.
Cosmo Kramer
Played by Michael Richards, is dubbed as the weird one. He seems to have no job, yet finds a way to remain in his apartment with no problem. Kramer comes up with many crazy ideas and loves to pursue them.
George Costanza
Played by Jason Alexander. George is the over dramatic, overzealous loser. He almost always overdramatises a situation to the point where he messes it up completely. His ways are as crazy as any of the other characters, but somehow he always finds himself at the bottom of the pile. Simply put, George is just a loser.
Elaine Benes
Played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine is the sole woman in the group, she is a feisty woman who is an integral part of the show. She holds strong views and always seems to have a story about a guy she has dated. She works for a company called J. Petermen, and is the most cultured of the group and provides a feminist view to the group that adds to the humour.