Retro TV

Seinfeld’s Jerry Seinfeld lives in NYC, yeah, yeah, we know and we get it. But let’s look some of the details around the apartment to see what else his Manhattan bachelor pad says about the central character of the “show about nothing.” Will his one-bedroom prove to be equally vacuous?

Those damn cupboard doors

I hate the glass cupboards unless you are an 80-year-old lady with antique store quality stuff to show off, and even then it can be a bit much. Surprisingly, these glass cupboard doors tell us that Jerry is quite open and honest about what he keeps around the kitchen and perhaps that carries over into his real life…except it doesn’t. It is more than Jerry feels superior to those who come to his apartment and wants them to see the superior choices he makes when it comes to food, and the cereal shelf is more vanity on Jerry’s part — trying to show everyone he is young and will never grow old — a Peter Pan complex, if ever there were one.

The refrigerator

I don’t think the fridge is entirely character-driven when it comes to set design on Seinfeld. There are pictures of somebody’s kids on the refrigerator. Jerry Seinfeld would never have kids pix on his fridge. I am thinking the pictures are the designer’s or someone on the design staff’s kids. There is a large Superman magnet — read Peter Pan complex above — which obviously shows that Jerry is a Superman fan.

The kitchen overall

Obviously, Jerry does not cook. Typical bachelor, 90’s style. Now a sitcom like Seinfeld would have to have Jerry be a total foodie that can wow the chicks with his hot chef-i-ness. Also, there is no hood in the kitchen so that apartment would fill up with smoke if Jerry did decide to cook, maybe it’s best that he orders take-out or eats at that little diner. I guess that is why he never has dishes to wash.

Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld, sitcom, television, bachelor pad, apartment

As I mentioned before, I discovered the joys of Bob Newhart on WGN. I mean, sure, I remember it from when I was a kid, but I never really watched a lot of network sitcoms growing up. So, it was a nice surprise to find WGN playing Newhart (the one with Bob as an innkeeper in Vermont).

I decided to find out what other gems WGN’s weekend line up was offering.

The whole time zone thing can be tricky, as I am looking at listings for the Pacific Time Zone, but since WGN is out of Chicago, it would make more sense to list all shows in Central Time. But instead, I am going to list things EST/PST. If you live in the Central Time Zone, subtract an hour from EST, and if you live in the Mountain Time Zone, add an hour to PST.

Coach 5pm/2 pm and 5:30/2:30 pm

On Sundays. after all the quasi-religious programming that WGN offers the Craig T. Nelson sitcom, Coach, from the 90’s. Great show except for the love interest, Shelley Fabares, who was originally Donna Reed’s daughter in the 50’s. I kinda wish she had retired back then, but then again, I am a b*tch. Otherwise, I liked Coach, a workplace-situation comedy in a University’s football department. It helps if you like sports a little…

ALF 6 pm/3pm and 6:30/3:30 pm

After a full hour of Coach (two episodes), you can catch a true gem of 80’s programming, ALF. I was never really sure why this show lasted four season and not a gazillion, because it had a muppet in it. Muppets were pretty big during the 80’s. Make that muppet an alien that crashlands on Earth, and you’ve got your self a furry-lovable-fish-out-of-water comedy. Liz Sheridan, who played Jerry Seinfeld’s mom on Seinfeld, played a nosy neighbor. I thought she was the best part of the show, other than Max Wright as the hapless dad that harbors ALF (Alien Life Form, get it?). The wife was lame, and the kids were equally lame, as far as I remember.

WGN, Bob Newhart, Craig T Nelson, Shelley Fabares, Coach, Alf, Seinfeld, Liz Sheridan, muppet