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While you will often see the word polarizing being thrown out a lot in regard to a number of series finales, the finale of Seinfeld really doesn’t fall under that purview as it was pretty much universally hated (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fMTf7-5I5A) by both fans and critics. But that leaves the question… why?

Originally this video was simply going to be a breakdown of the final episode, but I’d argue the finale is perfectly consistent with the tone of and a thematically fitting conclusion to the series. So, why did fans react in such a hostile manner?

Well, if you will indulge me in a drawn out, pretentious video essay that touches upon an array of topics from the audience’s deeper relationship with mass media entertainment to Sigmund Freud’s theory of the unconscious, I would be happy to present a theory.


[00:00] - Intro
[03:15] - Part 1: The 4th Wall Barrier
[06:27] - Part 2: A Lot of Your Favorite Sitcom Characters Are Terrible, Inconsiderate, Socially Inept, Narcissistic, And In Some Cases Possibly Sociopathic Individuals
[13:53] - Part 3: Grime Time
[16:32] - Part 4: What Is "The Show About Nothing" Actually About?
[19:54] - Part 5: The Ego, The Id, & Vicarious Wish Fulfillment
[25:22] - Part 6: A Double-Edged Sword
[37:53] - Part 7: A Gag Gone Too Far
[45:45] - Part 8: A Fitting Finale