View Full Version : Nick at Nite Request: "Seinfeld"


stevearino
12-23-2018, 02:36 PM
Dear Nick at Nite Viewer Services,

I have a proposal for Nick at Nite: to make a deal with Sony Pictures Domestic Television Distribution for Nick at Nite to become the shared cable home (with TBS) of the hit 1990's sitcom classic "Seinfeld," showcasing all 180 half-hour episodes of the hit 1990-1998 sitcom "Seinfeld" 100% Complete, 100% Uncut, AND 100% Unedited, as originally aired on NBC.

Created by Larry David, "Seinfeld" served as a sitcom vehicle for successful stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who starred on the show as (appropriately) Jerry Seinfeld, a marginally successful stand-up comedian living in New York City, New York, where he hung out with his 3 best friends: Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Jerry's ex-girlfriend and platonic pal; George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Jerry's worrywart best friend; and Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), Jerry's neighbor in the Apartment building in which both men lived.

The original Pilot Script for "Seinfeld" was titled "Stand Up," and was conceived as a Sitcom about where a Stand-Up Comedian gets his material; in Spring 1989, the Pilot (by this time known as "The Seinfeld Chronicles") was Filmed at Desilu Studios in Los Angeles, California (by this time re-named Ren-Mar Studios and today known as The Culver Studios).

The Pilot Episode, "The Seinfeld Chronicles," was originally pitched to the FOX

Television Network, only for FOX to Pass Over on the Pilot Script, after which NBC picked up the Script to Series; after its original airing on July 5, 1989 at 9 P.M. ET on NBC after a "Night Court" rerun, NBC picked up the series (shortened by this time to "Seinfeld") as a Short-Order Summer Replacement Series to air regularly on NBC on May 31, 1990 at 9 P.M. ET after "Cheers" on Thursday Nights.

Despite Marginal Success, NBC picked up "Seinfeld" as a Regular Series beginning to air on January 23, 1991 at 9 P.M. ET after "Night Court" for an additional 13 episodes to finish up the 18-episode First Season (one episode of which, "The Stranded," would later be telecast in November 1991, midway through Season 2). In spite of continued Marginal Success, NBC picked up "Seinfeld" for a 2nd season, again airing after "Night Court" Wednesday nights at 9 P.M. ET

Midway through the Season, in an effort for Ratings Improvement, "Night Court" and "Seinfeld" switched timeslots in December 1991; though "Night Court" would voluntarily call it quits in Spring 1992, "Seinfeld" was picked up for a 3rd season. However, pitted up against the Disney sitcom "Home Improvement" on ABC starring Tim Allen, ratings for "Seinfeld" continued to be Marginal, but rather than Cancel the series, NBC moved "Seinfeld" to Thursday nights at 9 P.M. ET just to be given a chance, a move making "Seinfeld" the Classic it is now and forever.

In September 1995, Columbia TriStar Television (known since 2002 as Sony Pictures Television) began Syndicating "Seinfeld" to local TV stations across America, with new episodes continuing to air on NBC; at the end of Season 6, in May 1996, Larry David left "Seinfeld" for Greener Pastures, leading Jerry Seinfeld to become Showrunner.

As a result of Jerry's new Responsibilities behind the scenes, "Seinfeld" voluntarily retired the Stand-Up Comedian bits at the Start and Close of each episode, making the show feel like a more traditional Sitcom as opposed to a Sitcom featuring Stand-Up Comedy bits.

In December 1997, Jerry Seinfeld decided to retire "Seinfeld" after 8 seasons on NBC.

NBC subsequently celebrated "Seinfeld's" success with a 2-Hour Series Finale telecast on May 14, 1998 at 8 P.M. ET on NBC, with the first Hour featuring a Retrospective of the show followed by the hour-long Finale itself (appropriately enough titled "The Finale"), one of Network TV's most memorable Series Finales of All Time; at the start of the Series Finale, Jerry and George learned that their joint fictional Sitcom Creation, "Jerry," was picked up by NBC for a 13-Episode Series Commitment, causing the two to leave New York for California--as well as for NBC's Private Plane to take him anywhere he wanted to go for Free; after much discussion, George, Jerry, Elaine and Kramer settled on a trip to Paris, France for one last Hurrah together.

However, due to an Emergency on Kramer's part, the Plane made an Emergency landing to Latham, Massachusetts, where the "Sein" gang witnessed a Robbery, with Kramer filming the Event--after which the gang was subsequently Arrested by local Officer Matt Vogel (Scott Jaeck) for Violating the State's Good Samaritan Law--doing Nothing to Stop a Crime.

The 2nd half of the "Seinfeld" finale featured Geraldo Rivera and Jane Wells (both appearing as Themselves) covering the subsequent Trial of "The New York Four," a Trial which Culminated in the Gang being found Guilty of the Criminal Charges against them and Sentenced to a Full Year of Incarceration in Prison--after which Jerry did one final Stand-Up bit in front of his new Inmates in the Prison.

From 2004-2007, the Complete Series of "Seinfeld" was released on DVD by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in Season Packages, newly Remastered from the Original Prints.

Tentatively, Nick at Nite shall add "Seinfeld" to its Regular Lineup on June 3, 2019 with a week-long 30th-Anniversary "Sein-a-Thon," during which from 9 P.M. to 2 A.M. ET each night (encoring 2 A.M. to 7 A.M. ET each night) over the course of 4 nights Jerry Seinfeld hosts his 40 Favorite "Seinfeld" episodes Complete, Uncut, and Unedited, as originally aired on NBC.

After the marathon, with TBS airing the series weekday afternoons, Nick at Nite shall air "Seinfeld" weeknights at 9 P.M. ET replacing "Spongebob SquarePants" on Nick at Nite.

Sincerely,
Steve Arino

KRW
01-05-2019, 01:37 AM
As well argued as it may be. I do applaud your efforts to get Seinfeld on N@N and all. The problem is being that it's also in local syndication at night in certain markets. Like in my local syndication packages I have Seinfeld on Fox and CW. I know of a few other places that has it airing on local stations.

Greenbeans
01-05-2019, 03:49 PM
As well argued as it may be. I do applaud your efforts to get Seinfeld on N@N and all. The problem is being that it's also in local syndication at night in certain markets. Like in my local syndication packages I have Seinfeld on Fox and CW. I know of a few other places that has it airing on local stations.

Hulu has it as well.

stevearino
07-02-2019, 10:14 PM
Dear Nick at Nite Viewer Services,

I have a proposal for Nick at Nite: to make a deal with Sony Pictures Domestic Television Distribution for Nick at Nite to become the shared cable home (with TBS) of the hit 1990s sitcom classic "Seinfeld," starting in September 2020.

Created by Larry David, "Seinfeld" was conceived as a sitcom vehicle for stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld under the working title of "Stand Up."

Originally pitched to execs at the then-infant FOX Television Network in November 1988, after FOX passed over on "Stand Up," NBC, in early 1989, picked up the broadcast network rights to the series under the new title of "The Seinfeld Chronicles," with the Pilot taped in Spring 1989 at Desilu Studios in Los Angeles, California, where Jerry Seinfeld (playing a fictional Jerry Seinfeld) was joined in the cast by Lee Garlington as waitress Claire, Jason Alexander as George Costanza, and Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer.

Respectively, the characters of George and Kramer were based on Larry David and Kenny Kramer, the latter a neighbor of Larry's in New York.

"The Seinfeld Chronicles" pilot was telecast on July 5, 1989 at 9 P.M. ET on NBC after a "Night Court" rerun; despite marginal success, NBC picked up the series for an additional 4-week Summer Replacement series beginning on May 31, 1990, airing Thursday nights at 9 P.M. ET after summer "Cheers" reruns.

Shortened to "Seinfeld," the Summer 1990 episodes were filmed once again at Desilu Studios, after which filming moved permanently to CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles, California after it was picked up for an additional 13 episodes starting on January 23, 1991 at 9 P.M. ET after "Night Court," with the total 1st-season "Seinfeld" episodes (including Pilot) totaling 18 half-hour episodes.

Once again despite marginal success, NBC picked up "Seinfeld" for a 2nd season in September 1991, once again airing Wednesday nights at 9 P.M. ET after "Night Court" (with both shows switching timeslots mid-season); while "Night Court" ended its 8-season run on NBC in May 1992, "Seinfeld" was picked up for a 3rd season despite marginal ratings in the 2nd season.

During the Fall 1992 TV season, "Seinfeld" was telecast on Wednesday nights at 9 P.M. ET opposite Tim Allen's hit 1990s Disney sitcom "Home Improvement" on the ABC Television Network (owned by Disney since 1995).

Rather than cancelling the series outright, midway through the season, NBC moved "Seinfeld" from Wednesday nights at 9 P.M. ET to Thursday nights at 9 P.M. ET just to give it a chance, ratings-wise, to improve--a move making "Seinfeld" the TV classic that it is now and forevermore in rerun Syndication.

In September 1995, "Seinfeld" began airing weekdays on local independent Syndicated TV stations across America (as it still does today in addition to airing on TBS on cable), Syndicated by Columbia-Tristar Television (now Sony Pictures Domestic Television Distribution since around November of 2002).

In May 1996, after 6 seasons as showrunner, Larry David quit "Seinfeld," passing the reigns to Jerry Seinfeld for the remainder of the series' run.

In December 1997, after 8 seasons, Jerry Seinfeld decided to retire "Seinfeld," turning down a $110 million offer for a 9th season; NBC celebrated the series' success with a 2-hour Series Finale telecast on May 14, 1998.

Among other notable events: 5 years after making a fictional "Jerry" pilot, George and Jerry learned that NBC had picked up "Jerry" to series for a 13-episode commitment; to celebrate, before moving to California, George, Jerry, Elaine and Kramer decide to go on a Paris vacation on a private jet NBC lent to Jerry--only for the plane to land an emergency landing in fictional Latham, Massachusetts, where after witnessing a carjacking and doing NOTHING to stop the crime from happening, George, Jerry, Elaine and Kramer were all placed under Arrest by Officer Matt Vogel (Scott Jaeck) for doing nothing to stop a Crime, violating the Latham County Penal Code in Massachusetts.

The 2nd half of the "Seinfeld" finale dealt with the trial of the New York Four with coverage led by Geraldo Rivera and Jane Wells (both playing themselves).

The Prosecution (led by character actor Jim Rebhorn playing the Prosecuting Attorney) called many a "Character Witness" at the trial presided over by Judge Arthur Vandelay (Stanley Anderson), with Defense provided by Johnnie Cochran (Phil Morris), renamed Jackie Chiles for "Seinfeld" purposes (a character introduced in 1995); among the "Character Witnesses" at the trial included Mabel Choate (Frances Bay), the "Marble Rye" lady; Donald Sanger (Jon Hayman), the infamous "Bubble Boy"; and Sidra Holland (Teri Hatcher), the woman whose Breasts Elaine thought were "Implants." (They're NOT).

Also testifying as "Character Witnesses" included Babu Bhat (Brian George), the Pakistani Restauranteur whom Seinfeld had Deported; Audrey (Jane Leeves), "The Virgin"; and "The Soup Nazi," Yves Kassem (Larry Thomas).

At trial's end, George, Jerry, Elaine and Kramer are all found Guilty of Criminal Indifference and sentenced, at the end of the Finale, to a year in Prison.

Tentatively, Nick at Nite shall add "Seinfeld" to its regular schedule on Monday, September 7, 2020 with a week-long "Sein-a-Thon" from 9 P.M. to 2 A.M. ET each night (repeating from 2 A.M. to 7 A.M. ET each night), with Jerry Seinfeld hosting his 40 favorite "Seinfeld" episodes (10 per night) over the course of the week-long "Sein-a-Thon"; after the "Sein-a-Thon," Nick at Nite shall add "Seinfeld" to its regular schedule with the following Nick at Nite schedule looking like this:

Weeknights (Monday-Saturday)
9 P.M. Seinfeld
9:30 P.M. Seinfeld
10 P.M. Friends
10:30 P.M. Friends
11 P.M. The Office
11:30 P.M. The Office
12 A.M. Married With Children
12:30 A.M. Married With Children
1 A.M. George Lopez
1:30 A.M. George Lopez
2 A.M. The King of Queens
2:30 A.M. The King of Queens
3 A.M. Friends
3:30 A.M. Friends
4 A.M. The Office
4:30 A.M. The Office
5 A.M. Married With Children
5:30 A.M. Married With Children
6 A.M. Seinfeld
6:30 A.M. Seinfeld

Sunday Nights (Sundays)
8 P.M. Nick at Nite At The Movies (A different 2-Hour Movie every week)
10 P.M. Seinfeld
10:30 P.M. Seinfeld
11 P.M. The King of Queens
11:30 P.M. The King of Queens
12 A.M. The Office
12:30 A.M. The Office
1 A.M. Married With Children
1:30 A.M. Married With Children
2 A.M. Friends
2:30 A.M. Friends
3 A.M. Married With Children
3:30 A.M. Married With Children
4 A.M. Seinfeld
4:30 A.M. Seinfeld
5 A.M. Friends
5:30 A.M. Friends
6 A.M. George Lopez
6:30 A.M. George Lopez

New: Seinfeld

Gone: Full House & Spongebob Squarepants

Returning Shows: George Lopez, The Office & Married With Children

Likewise, while TBS and Nick at Nite shall share cable rights to "Seinfeld," "Seinfeld" shall make its Digital OTA debut on Laff on September 7, 2020, airing weekday afternoons from 1 P.M. to 3 P.M. ET.

Sincerely,
Steve Arino

icecream
07-02-2019, 10:31 PM
Seinfeld will never come to LAFF or other diginets, it is too popular still in broadcast syndication. And while I would like Seinfeld in the 9PM hour, I don't want Nick at Nite getting their paws on it unless they totally dump off the clock programming.