Interesting. I'll have to read more.
Actually, I have thought that a show like Seinfeld - "the show about nothing" - seemed to fit in well with the general post-cold war/pre-September 11 mood. Nothing ominous hanging overhead. I wonder if such a show would be as likely to be a hit in the present atmosphere.
I dunno. I always liked Seinfeld. Maybe my post is too touchy-feels. The "thesis" has the smell of a graduate-school dissertation . . .
feels = feely
Absolutely, and a pretty weak one at that. Seinfeld is as apolitical a show as I've seen. Rural America, religion, and family life were mined for humor because... the show was a comedy! Urban America, secularism, and single life were mined for humor much more often and at least as scathingly. The series itself depicts all of the main characters unsympathetically and ends by putting them in jail, yet the author tries to use the characters and the creators interchangeably to represent the same political views.
Post-moern cynicism died on 9/11 which is why some people returned to living in a 9/10 world. Dan Rather and David Letterman wanted to know if it was "okay" to laugh again.
This thesis is poorly researched:
"Jerry was the only character who ever disclosed his religion: Jewish, revealed obliquely and late in the series."
George was also Jewish (although he tried to convert to an Orthadox faith for a woman).
Elaine's faith was disclosed, wasn't she brought up Catholic? Later her boyfriend (who was born again Christian) told her she was going to Hell because she didn't believe in God. He listened to a Christian music station and had a fish on the back of his car.
George's parents were also Jewish (and they threw a fit when they heard he was converting). Jerry's parents were also Jewish (although there were two actors who played his dad during the series). They got upset when they learned that Jerry made out with a girl during Schindler's List.
The cast even went to a circumcision.