On 'Seinfeld' anniversary, you must read highlights from a review gone bad
Give The Hollywood Reporter credit. The publication is mocking itself today after looking back at its original review of a little show called, Seinfeld.
On May 31, 1990, NBC began airing most of what would be Seinfeld's first season. The show debuted with one episode in July of 1989 called The Seinfeld Chronicles. It returned nearly a year later as Seinfeld and had a four-episode run, starting with "The Stake Out."
That episode did not hit a home run with one Hollywood Reporter reviewer, Richard Hack offered plenty of compliments to the individual members of the cast and the portions of the show that featured Jerry doing stand-up. However, Hack wasn't a fan of the chemistry.
"What remains is a group of terrifically talented people (with Alexander and Louis-Dreyfus stand-outs) who mix but never really mesh."
In fairness to Hack, the tone, pacing and overall feel of that first season of Seinfeld was very different from future seasons. However, that statement his highly amusing today.
Hack also was not looking forward to future Seinfeld episodes.
The Seinfeld Chronicles
Fortunately for us, NBC didn't pay attention to Hack and the show went on for nine season and 180 episodes before Jerry pulled the plugged and turned down $100 million to do a 10th season.
No, Larry, the show was not canceled.
