More regularly, they introduced four seemingly unrelated storylines at the start of each episode, only to tie them all together in the end (вЂњIs that a Titleist?вЂќ вЂ¦ вЂњAnd you want to be my latex salesmanвЂќ). Occasionally, this would come in bold narrative choices (a backward episode, an opposite episode). All four protagonists are inextricable: Jerry Seinfeld as himself (вЂњI donвЂ™t wanna be a pirate!вЂќ), Jason Alexander as George Costanza (вЂњA George divided against itself cannot stand!вЂќ), Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes (вЂњGet out!вЂќ) and Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer (вЂњSerenity now!вЂќ).ДЄs for writing structure,В Larry David and team routinely took chances. ItвЂ™s impossible to pick one as more important than the others. The biggest joke, of course, was always on our main characters, who had their own lovably neurotic issues. More than catchphrases, itВ changed our vernacular, altering the wayВ we describe people as high talkers, low talkers, close talkers, two faces, sidlers, mimbos, re-gifters, bad breaker-uppers, those with man hands or jimmy legs, and those who eat their peas one at a time. Others unwittingly reference it without even knowing theyвЂ™re doing so (вЂњNo soup for you,вЂќ вЂњYada, yada, yada,вЂќ вЂњBizarro World,вЂќ вЂњHellooo Newman,вЂќ вЂњThatвЂ™s gold!вЂќ). Die-hard fans lovingly quote the show on a daily basis around the office to keep the legacy alive (вЂњHellooo! La la laвЂќ). Today, two decades after it left the air, вЂњSeinfeldвЂќ remains ubiquitous in our pop culture. Jerry once said there was something overstated about double digits, so he wanted to leave after nine years, just like The Beatles. вЂњThe OfficeвЂќ), вЂњSeinfeldвЂќ left at the absolute peak of its popularity.

вЂњFriendsвЂќ) or hang around after their star steps away (i.e. вЂњHappy DaysвЂќ), play the dating game with their various characters (i.e. While other sitcoms often вЂњjump the sharkвЂќ (i.e. He wanted it to go out on top, and I feel like it did.вЂќ вЂњJerry always said the show treated him so well that he wanted to treat the show well. вЂњIt was really more of a reunion show than anything else,вЂќ Steve Hytner aka Kenny Bania told WTOP over a glass of Roundtine at MendyвЂ™s. Not only did its highlight reel provide misty-eyed glimpses of empty apartments set to the worldвЂ™s first taste of Green DayвЂ™s вЂњTime of Your Life,вЂќ it also found a creative way to bring back all of its famous characters to return for one last hurrah - testifying against our beloved foursome. Reaction to the finale was mixed at the time, but in hindsight, it holds up quite well. ByВ 1998, 76.3 million people tuned in to watch the finale as Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer were convicted by a court of their peers and locked in a jail cell to repeat the same shirt-button discussion that had opened the pilot. WASHINGTON - Thirty years to the day after the вЂњSeinfeldвЂќ pilot вЂњThe Seinfeld ChroniclesвЂќ debuted on NBC on July 5, 1989, the situation comedy remains the Master of its Domain, recently voted by the Writers Guild of America as the best-written sitcom in television history.Дespite critical acclaim, its popularity built slowly over the first few seasons, until it became a ratings juggernaut and pop culture sensation. See our WTOP staff picks of their favorite вЂњSeinfeldвЂ™ memories at the bottom of the article.

WTOP's Jason Fraley salutes 30 years of 'Seinfeld' ( Jason Fraley)

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