No matter how many years go by, I’ll likely always have Seinfeld on my list of desert-island shows, given how funny and easily rewatchable nearly all of the episodes are. (I mean, it’s also one of the best sitcoms of all time, so I’m not exactly preaching heresy here.) One of the show’s most endearing qualities, at least to me, is how often character details and past situations are suggested by Jerry & Co. without being explained, allowing viewers to fill in the blanks however we so choose.
But as any TV fanatic knows, when a TV show utilizes lore in such a half-explained way, endless rewatches tend to drive up one’s curiosity to the point where it’s like, “WHY DIDN’T THEY JUST TELL US THE THING WITH THEIR WORDS?!?” You know? Ahem. Case in point: a Reddit thread asked for Seinfeld fans’ unanswered questions from the sitcom, and the list of inquiries and comments (both legitimate and joking) is pretty massive. And entirely relatable for someone like me who would much rather needlessly theorize about sitcom plot mechanics than provide sustenance for family members. (Sorry, guys.)
The OP asking the question offered up what may actually be the best question of the entire thread, since it directly plays into Seinfeld keeping certain serialized details — jobs, relationships, etc. — while eschewing others. (Note that for the suggestion below and others, I've also added the episode titles.)
For me I always wondered why George stopped doing the opposite. ("The Opposite")
Honestly, this question should be put on the same pedestal as Friends' "Were Ross and Rachel on a break?" since it actually defies logic in such a frustrating way for anyone watching the show who actually wanted George to win. As much as I can understand that a successful George is not a funny ideal, it has long vexed me why he didn't make "do the opposite" an annual ploy, if not just outright adopting it for life.
Beyond the over-arching questions like how Kramer pays for his apartment despite starting laundry list of failed money-making schemes and companies, or why Jerry just can't find the right woman, here's are some other fan questions that had me yelling "Same!" at my laptop, followed by my own comments underneath each.
- What was Uncle Leo’s crime of passion? ("The Bookstore")
- We knew Uncle Leo for years before finding out he went to jail for a crime of passion, so how are we not gonna spend the next few decades wondering what he did?
- Why did Christie wear the same black and white dress over and over? ("The Seven")
- A classic case of "Is this just a bizarre coincidence or is one character a total lunatic?" And I have to assume it's the latter.
- What happened at Bob Sacamano’s party? ("The Fatigues")
- What DIDN'T happen at that party, amirite? But no, really, what wasn't it?
- Did Elaine ever find the grape that fell on the floor? ("The Stock Tip")
- I'd love a flash-forward to after the finale and everyone gets out of jail, and Elaine goes back to her apartment and sees the grape is just right there in plain sight.
- How old would Aunt Baby be now? ("The Money")
- On second thought, learning anything new about Aunt Baby sounds terrifying.
- How much did the jacket cost? ("The Jacket")
- Would it have been enough for Jerry to put a down payment on a new Cadillac for his dad?
- What was George’s project for Wilhelm?? ("The Bottle Deposit")
- Somebody downtown had to know, but are they telling?
- Why Audrey refused the pie. ("The Pie")
- There are those who defend Audrey by saying she either really was full, or that she had issues with employee cleanliness, but I'm not sure either hits the nail on the head.
- What was wrong with Ellen (Jerry’s GF in the van buren boys) - everyone thought she was a loser ("The Van Buren Boys")
- Christine Taylor is a queen, which made this whole plotline even funnier. Jerry's parents are both the best and worst barometer for someone's relationship value.
- What happened to Jerry at tim whatley's dentist office ("The Jimmy")
- I've always half-assumed that Jerry accused Whatley just to add more fuel to the feud, but it does seem like a heavy thing to be so flippant about and then never bring up again.
- Why couldn’t she spare a square? ("The Stall")
- Because she's a monster.
- What was Jerry’s (and Puddy’s) move? ("The Fusilli Jerry")
- Sure, it ENDED with the swirl, but what about everything leading up to that?
I dunno about you, but I'm thinking about making myself a big salad (from someone else's fridge) and plopping down to watch at least one of the episodes referenced above. Probably "Fusilly Jerry," since he's just so silly. (It's currently streaming via Netflix subscription if you want to join me in spirit.)
