WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
If there was ever an auspicious way to begin a good run on television, Seinfeld might be a prime example. It may be hard to think today it was deemed to fail, but in 1988, test audiences were not impressed with what creators Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld wrote. For NBC, they let it die off in the summer of 1989, airing it in July. It was one that could have been on Fox or a couple of other networks, but it took some convincing to even get a first season. NBC took a shot. They did with Cheers after a dreadful debut in 1982 and it grew into one of the 80's biggest sitcoms.
For the pilot, The Seinfeld Chronicles, it is such a different animal. Outside of its initial broadcast, your only chance of watching the original version is on DVD, which they provide that and the revised broadcast with the familiar sounds you know and love. Some things will be familiar like Jerry's apartment despite looking a little different. Kramer is Kessler, which they would address very late in the show's run. And the local coffee shop, Monk's, is not here.
Getting into the pilot, Jerry and George Costanza are in a talk throughout the episode of a woman Jerry met doing stand up. George doesn't buy into the woman being serious into his friend and Jerry is confused at times during most of it. This is the kind of stuff that would be a staple during the show's run. It's talking about the little things such as signals and even talking other stuff like laundry. One of the bits early on was Jerry's stand up, which they integrated heavily in the first season. They certainly add a bit to how Jerry feels during the episode and adds to the humor of it, which is surprisingly solid for a pilot.
Really, it's mostly a Jerry episode. There isn't much for George, but you can see the chemistry between Seinfeld and Jason Alexander with the scenes they have. They provide strong humor with how they interact in the facets of life. Kramer isn't seen in much of it, but how he is is a start to the wackiness he would add to many episodes. One thing people will find odd is no Elaine. Obviously, they were trying something different before they created her with the waitress Claire. For that character, played by Lee Garlington, her very brief moment in the pilot is somewhat funny, though it is a monotone approach to acting.
It is a little rough around the edges. The original theme is very outdated and cheesy, even for the 80's. Kramer's dog feels out of place. As I said, it's mostly a Jerry episode, but that shouldn't deter anyone from watching it. I expected it to be the norm of most pilots, but I find it to be a surprisingly solid one. The novelty of its initial broadcast makes it a much watch just to see what it was like back in July of 1989.
Score: 7 out of 10
Next week's review involves Jerry trying to end a friendship with an obnoxious guy.
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