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Seinfeld

Seinfeld

A show about nothing.

1989–1998Ended9 seasons172 episodes~22 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

A stand-up comedian and his three offbeat friends weather the pitfalls and payoffs of life in New York City in the '90s. It's a show about nothing.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Seinfeld?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Seinfeld streaming on Netflix and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Seinfeld?

Seinfeld earns 11 badges, led by Stood the test of time and Top 5% of shows.

Show 3 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Cast

Reception

Is Seinfeld worth watching?

Seinfeld's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all shows, from 393K ratings across 2 sources. 90% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of shows

97th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)98th
Approval (how many liked it)93rd

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

86 /100

98th percentile of all shows

98th percentile among Comedy98th percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

90% liked it

93rd percentile of all shows

92nd percentile among Comedy90th percentile among 1980s
90% rated it 7–1010% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

99th percentile

390K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Comedy99th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • brilliant writing that finds humor in everyday minutiae
  • Kramer's physical comedy and George's neurotic self-deprecation
  • near-perfect cast chemistry and comic timing

Detractors panned

  • Jerry Seinfeld's wooden, untalented acting
  • whiny, selfish, repugnant characters with no likability
  • humor that is unfunny, repetitive, and relies on laugh track

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive95

'Show about nothing' premise called groundbreaking; some detractors see it as gimmicky

DialogueDivisive92

Witty, quotable banter; 'yada yada yada,' 'not that there's anything wrong with that'

CharactersDivisive90

George, Kramer, Elaine as iconic, relatable; detractors call them irredeemably unlikeable

ActingDivisive85

Kramer and George praised as comic legends; Jerry panned as weakest link

HumorDivisive82

Fans call it reliably hilarious; detractors say not a single laugh

Pacing75

Fans find episodes tight and well-structured; some feel later seasons drag

Plot and storyDivisive60

Fans love interwoven mundane storylines; detractors find them pointless and incoherent

Ending40

Finale widely seen as disappointing and anticlimactic

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 20 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US even

Episodes

9 seasons

Season 9 · 1997 · 24 episodes · 7.9 average across 24 rated episodes

  • S9E1

    The Butter Shave

    Sep 25, 199722 minTMDB rating 7.8
  • S9E2

    The Voice

    Oct 2, 199722 minTMDB rating 8.1
  • S9E3

    The Serenity Now

    Oct 9, 199722 minTMDB rating 8.5Season best
  • S9E4

    The Blood

    Oct 16, 199722 minTMDB rating 8.1
  • S9E5

    The Junk Mail

    Oct 30, 199723 minTMDB rating 8.0
  • S9E6

    The Merv Griffin Show

    Nov 6, 199722 minTMDB rating 8.1

Watch experience

What is Seinfeld like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdJoyfulContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Satirical · 5% of showsWry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Resets each episode · 10% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show holds its material at a knowing, ironic distance: the characters' petty concerns are treated as world-ending crises, inviting the audience to laugh at their absurd self-importance.
The rideThe mood is consistently light, absurd, and joyful, with little variation across the series.
StructureEpisodes follow a conventional three-act structure with setup, complication, and resolution.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained comedic story, with the status quo restored by the end.
Season formatSeasons are interchangeable batches; any season is an entry point as the characters and dynamics remain consistent.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunCozy · 5% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves viewers chuckling and comforted, with a sense of having spent time with hilarious, familiar characters.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

12% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTypical episodes revolve around mundane misunderstandings and social faux pas among the four friends, making it a comedy of errors.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% (this title) · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

IdentityFriendshipAmbition · 14% of shows
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeEach character's identity is defined by their neuroses and petty fixations, and the show explores who they are through their reactions to trivial social situations.
StanceThe show satirizes the self-absorption and trivial concerns of urban professionals, using its primary theme of identity to mock the characters' fixations.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
JazzSupportive music · original score · Jonathan Wolff
SettingUpper West Side apartments, Monk's Café coffee shop, and various New York City locations.
MusicThe iconic slap-bass theme music sets the show's playful, energetic tone.

Content guide

Is Seinfeld okay for kids?

TV-PG

Seinfeld is rated TV-PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (13/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at moderate (37/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (34/100) and frightening material at minimal (4/100). Overall it is heavier than 41% of TV-PG shows.

Ratings in 25 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Austria14
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark7
  • FinlandK12
  • Hungary16
  • MexicoB
  • MYP13
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Poland16
  • RO15
  • Russia6+
  • SingaporePG
  • Spain13
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan12+
  • THน 13+
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 16% of all showsHeavier than 41% of TV-PG shows
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a TV-PG show
heavier than 17%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-PG show
heavier than 86%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 73%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 65%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a TV-PG show
heavier than 4%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 86% of TV-PG shows.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Seinfeld have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Seinfeld?

Cast

At least 3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 3 award-winning performances in the cast.

Jerry Seinfeld
as Jerry Seinfeld
Emmy win: Primetime Emmy — Outstanding Comedy SeriesTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Richards
as Cosmo Kramer
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jason Alexander
as George Costanza
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy SeriesTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
as Elaine Benes
Emmy win: Primetime Emmy — Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy SeriesTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Ruth Cohen
as Ruthie Cohen
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Wayne Knight
as Newman
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Norman Brenner
as Man on Sidewalk
Heidi Swedberg
as Susan Ross
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Estelle Harris
as Estelle Costanza
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jerry Stiller
as Frank Costanza

More like this

What are shows like Seinfeld?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Seinfeld include The Jeffersons (1975), Will & Grace (1998) and Archie Bunker's Place (1979).

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