Television series

Seinfeld

Name: Seinfeld
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1989
Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lee Garlington

Seinfeld turned four self-absorbed New Yorkers' petty grievances — parking spots, soup lines, dry-cleaning disputes, disastrous dates — into the most influential sitcom ever made. Famously "a show about nothing," it has no lessons, no growth, and almost no sympathy for its characters, just airtight construction and dialogue so precise it still lands. Essential, quotable, gloriously mean-spirited comfort viewing.

TVMaze rating

8.3

If you liked this

Curb Your Enthusiasm2000

Larry David applying the exact same social-catastrophe engine to his own life, but meaner, slower, and shot like a documentary — the 'no hugging, no learning' philosophy pushed even further.

But Larry is even less likable than George, and the cringe lingers longer without a laugh track to cushion it.

Arrested Development2003

Same structural genius — dense callbacks, running jokes that pay off episodes later, a family even worse than the Seinfeld gang. Rewards rewatching more than almost anything else on this list.

But Denser and faster; you'll miss jokes on a first watch, and later seasons wobble badly.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia2005

Takes Seinfeld's 'no hugging, no learning' ethos and drags it into full sociopathy — the Gang makes George and Kramer look like decent people. Same DNA, cranked past the redline.

But Much darker and cruder; the shock-comedy swings can feel like a completely different show entirely.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia poster

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

My Dinner with Andre1981

Where Seinfeld proved you could build entertainment out of nothing happening, this film goes further — two men, one dinner table, no plot at all, just conversation as the entire event.

A genuine experiment in whether talk alone can carry a film — hypnotic, funny in a completely different register, and stranger than its reputation suggests.

But There is truly no plot, no jokes in the sitcom sense, and the philosophical digressions will test anyone hoping for laughs.

Frasier1993

Same NBC-era wit and precision farce, but wrapped in warmth and wordplay instead of misanthropy — proof that 'nothing' plots can also be genuinely tender.

But Gentler and more sentimental; if you came for the edge, this can feel soft by comparison.

Cheers1982

The hangout sitcom Seinfeld grew out of — a bar instead of a diner, but the same pleasure in watching a small group bicker, flirt, and needle each other week after week.

But Slower pace and a laugh-track sensibility that feels dated next to Seinfeld's snap.

Veep2012

If you love watching horrible people fail upward with zero consequences, this is Seinfeld's cynicism relocated to Washington — faster, filthier, and just as allergic to sentiment.

But The political setting and rapid-fire profanity give it a very different flavor than Seinfeld's mundane New York.

30 Rock2006

Another NBC classic built on absurd logic and rapid-fire non-sequiturs, with a workplace family as dysfunctional as anything on Seinfeld — just with more sight gags per minute.

But The joke density and surrealism can feel exhausting if you prefer Seinfeld's more grounded, observational style.

Community2009

For the structural playfulness — genre parodies, formal experiments, a cast of misfits who never quite grow. Fans of Seinfeld's craftsmanship will appreciate how far it pushes the format.

But More sentimental and meta than Seinfeld ever allowed itself to be; the tone shifts noticeably season to season.

The Office2005

A gentler comfort-watch cousin — awkward social interactions, petty office politics, a mockumentary style that lets small humiliations breathe just like Seinfeld's close-ups on discomfort.

But Warmer and more romantic than Seinfeld ever wanted to be; the will-they-won't-they plots are a different game entirely.

Fleabag2016

Same weapon — a self-aware voice dissecting London's version of Jerry's Manhattan, breaking the fourth wall over petty humiliations — but aimed at real grief instead of dry-cleaning disputes.

Watch what happens when Seinfeld's comic selfishness is given an actual soul underneath it — the funniest thing you'll watch this year that will also genuinely wreck you.

But The tonal whiplash into real sorrow is intentional and considerable — this isn't comfort viewing the way Seinfeld can be.