8 Reasons It’s Tough to Watch Seinfeld Today

Many consider Seinfeld to be one of the best sitcoms ever made. It was a huge hit in the 1990s, standing out from shows like Friends, though Frasier was also a strong competitor. Ultimately, Seinfeld remains popular because its witty observations about the funny side of everyday life still feel fresh and relevant today.

Despite its popularity, Seinfeld, like many ’90s sitcoms, hasn’t escaped criticism. Certain storylines, scenes, and character interactions wouldn’t be acceptable by today’s standards. While the show was groundbreaking in how it portrayed TV characters, some viewers might find it difficult to watch now.

Seinfeld’s Main Characters are Toxic to Each Other and Themselves

A key part of what made Seinfeld unique was its focus on flawed characters. Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer often acted in ways we’d consider unacceptable today. Unlike most sitcoms at the time, Seinfeld showed that humor could come from everyday, even unpleasant, situations. While this resulted in some incredibly funny moments, some viewers were bothered by the characters’ selfish and often negative behavior.

This group of friends constantly undermines each other’s relationships, controls their friends, takes advantage of family, and even tries to make each other doubt their own sanity over trivial things. Viewers who grew up with sitcoms like The Office, Modern Family, and Ted Lasso – shows that combined humor with character development – would likely find this group deeply unlikeable. There’s a limit to how much negativity an audience will tolerate, and this show risks pushing viewers away. While it’s funny at times, the humor is buried beneath a lot of embarrassment and self-loathing.

NYC Sans Diversity Feels Exclusive and Dangerously Relevant

New York City is known for its incredible diversity, with people from all over the world calling it home. However, the show Seinfeld didn’t often acknowledge this diversity in a meaningful way. Instead, it tended to overlook many communities, using them as the basis for jokes. This felt strange even when the show originally aired, and it’s even more noticeable and problematic now.

As a huge fan of comedy, it pains me to admit that looking back at Seinfeld, some storylines haven’t aged well. The whole arc with Babu, the Pakistani dry cleaner, really bothered me when he was deported, and the show just didn’t seem to care much about how Jerry and Elaine contributed to his situation. Instead, he became this over-the-top, almost comical villain seeking revenge. Episodes like “The Chinese Woman” and “The Cigar Store Indian” felt similarly problematic, relying on stereotypes for laughs. While television has thankfully become much more aware of these issues since then, it unfortunately places Seinfeld among those earlier shows that didn’t quite get it right.

Social Norms of the 1990s Feel Dated in the 21st Century

Though Seinfeld first aired decades ago, the show still feels relevant because it focuses on universal social situations and awkward moments, especially when it comes to relationships and how men and women interact. While Jerry and George often delve into topics like what it means to be a man or how to navigate dating, their conversations rarely resolve anything. A lot has changed since the show was popular, and today’s audiences tend to view these interactions with a greater understanding of mental health, personal boundaries, and the importance of being considerate.

I’ve always loved that Seinfeld doesn’t try to fix anything or take sides. It just shows things as they are, which is really unique. It doesn’t offer sympathy or try to explain why people act the way they do, it just points out the same old patterns we all fall into – and it’s funny while doing it. While it’s still incredibly clever and observant, watching it now is a bit like looking back in time. Some episodes really capture a moment that’s passed, and I think that’s kind of the show’s lasting impact.

The “No Hugging, No Learning” Rule for Seinfeld Aged Poorly

As a huge fan of Seinfeld, I’ve always been fascinated by how it deliberately avoided the usual sitcom tropes. Co-creator Larry David had this brilliant, almost cynical rule: “No hugging, no learning.” What that meant was the show actively resisted any kind of heartwarming moment or character development. Episodes wouldn’t wrap up with anyone having a big realization or changing for the better – and sometimes, that led to hilarious situations, but other times, it just felt…stuck. After nine seasons, it was amazing (and a little frustrating!) to realize that Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer hadn’t really grown at all as people. They hadn’t had any major breakthroughs or emotional releases. While that felt really true to life back then, looking at it now, in the 2020s, it can sometimes come across as a bit…pointless, honestly.

David intentionally kept his characters flawed and unchanging, refusing to let them grow or learn from their mistakes. They weren’t necessarily bad people, but rather indifferent to morality. Despite facing increasingly unbelievable situations, the four main characters in Seinfeld never had the heartfelt moments or lessons you’d find in shows like Friends, Full House, or Family Matters. Most modern sitcoms focus on character growth, which makes Seinfeld stand out – and often seems less conventional when compared to shows like Parks and Recreation and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Seinfeld’s Premises Collapse in the Face of Modern Tech

Just like sitcoms have changed, technology has come a long way since the 1990s. Things that used to be incredibly expensive, like hard drives, are now very affordable, and smartphones and laptops are commonplace. While Jerry on Seinfeld has an old laptop – which was probably the most advanced tech on the show – technology wasn’t a central part of the storylines. This focus on older technology like answering machines and pagers firmly roots Seinfeld in that era and is a key source of the show’s humor.

A lot of the conflicts on Seinfeld happen because of simple miscommunications and delays that wouldn’t be an issue today. While these limitations are a big part of what makes the show funny, some of the jokes might not land with younger viewers in 2025. Smartphones alone would solve the problems in episodes like “The Subway,” “The Betrayal,” “The Parking Garage,” and “The Chinese Restaurant.” Longtime fans will understand the humor, but Gen Z might just be confused by misunderstandings that could easily be avoided now.

So Many Seinfeld Jokes are Still Funny but Also Really Problematic

Even now, the incredibly well-crafted writing in Seinfeld consistently delivers laughs. It’s hard not to find Kramer’s dramatic entrances, George’s embarrassing moments, and Elaine’s explosive anger hilarious. Jerry is funny too, often because he’s the butt of the joke. Like 30 Rock, Seinfeld managed to stay popular without relying on mean-spirited humor.

Early depictions of LGBTQ+ identities on Seinfeld often relied on clichés and superficial understandings, leading to awkward and repetitive explorations of sexuality and gender. The show frequently made questionable jokes about disability, mental health, and body image – sometimes with a dismissive attitude. While some critics didn’t recognize this tendency, and the humor could be funny at times, it didn’t age well as societal awareness grew and these types of jokes lost their impact.

Seinfeld’s Laugh Track Has No Place in the Modern Sitcom Era

For many years, laugh tracks were a common part of American TV comedies, especially in the 80s and 90s. Back then, most sitcoms used canned laughter, almost as if the show needed to tell people when something was funny. While shows like Seinfeld were filmed with a live audience whose laughter usually didn’t interrupt the story, today’s viewers generally find this artificial background laughter distracting and annoying.

The clever writing in Seinfeld actually makes the laugh track feel fake. Each burst of canned laughter reminds you that you’re watching a show, like old vaudeville or slapstick comedy, rather than getting lost in a realistic story. Although the show’s lack of traditional resolution is intentional, this contrast can be jarring for new viewers, especially when the laughter feels unnatural or forced.

“The Puerto Rican Day” Episode Exemplifies Seinfeld’s Unwatchability

I was so anxious as Seinfeld neared its end, hoping the finale would live up to everything we loved about the show. And honestly, I think it really delivered, even addressing some of the things people had been critical of. But looking back, the episode right before the finale, “The Puerto Rican Day,” showed a side of Seinfeld that wasn’t its best. It wasn’t just Kramer’s actions in that episode, either – it felt like the whole thing slightly tarnished the show’s legacy.

New York City’s Puerto Rican Day Parade is often remembered more for the massive traffic jams it causes than for the celebration itself. The short story, “The Puerto Rican Day,” highlights the problems that arise when writers don’t accurately or respectfully portray communities they’re unfamiliar with – from how the parade-goers are depicted to the limited understanding shown by the main characters. The story’s depiction of a Puerto Rican flag being burned is particularly offensive and adds to these issues.

2025-11-25 23:11