Response to "A Post About Nothing"

I found Jake's perspective on the humor of "Seinfeld" to be quite interesting. I can see his point of view, and can understand why, if one only desires to view comedy, one might be interested in a show which presents only that. However, my personal preference is to watch shows in which the characters are developed: their backstories, flaws, personality traits, and most important aspects are explored, and I can experience somewhat of an emotional investment in the way their lives play out. In reference to Jake's statement regarding the secondary characters in "Seinfeld" (or lack thereof), I would like to assert that the incorporation of recurring supporting roles can benefit a show and increase its comedic effect, rather than be detrimental. I believe this is particularly true for those characters which give further insight into the aspects of one or more of the main characters' lives. For example, Janice from "Friends" is a character who shows up many times throughout the show as the girlfriend of the reluctant Chandler. Janice's obnoxious personality and catch phrases paint her as a shallow and quite annoying character, but her reappearance almost always symbolizes Chandler's past mistakes rearing their ugly heads at him once again, in some form or another. Janice often represents a backslide for Chandler when he's hit a rough patch, or she serves as a warning of potential bad decisions to be made ahead. Her cringe-worthy, nasally cackle and often-quoted "OH MY GOD" are easily recognizable tropes of the show, and her recurring appearance on the show definitely increases its awkward humor. Although I haven't watched "Seinfeld", Jake makes a strong case for this sitcom about nothing, and I can definitely appreciate the occasional appeal of the somewhat mindless humor present therein. However, as a general rule, I tend to favor shows that feature comedy integrated with a bit of drama, romance, tragedy, mystery, action, or all of the above. I think this sort of well-roundedness helps the viewer better relate to the characters - rather than take an objective viewpoint on the subjects discussed, they can laugh more heartily as they engage with the characters' embodiment of their own experiences and struggles.

View a compilation of Janice's obnoxiousness here.