zwolanerd

There are very few shows where I like every character. The show that comes closest is Scrubs, and if it weren’t for the ninth season I think it would actually do it (Cole ruins the streak). There are shows where I like most characters but don’t like a couple here and there (Seinfeld, Arrested Development) and there are shows that I like most characters but really actively dislike one or more characters (The Michael J. Fox Show’s Harris and Cheers’ Diane, for instance). Since making a “characters I strongly dislike” list wouldn’t really fit with what we’re trying to do here, I thought I’d go with secondary Seinfeld characters I really like.

15. Bob and Cedric/Ray – “Or maybe joo were talking to me?” Kramer is cowed by these guys and I probably would be, too.

14. Raquel Welch – I have a soft spot for celebrities playing versions of themselves in shows, especially not-especially-flattering versions (also not James Van Der Beek in Don’t Trust the B).

13. Bookman – You’ll generally find this character higher up in most people’s lists. I like him and think it would’ve been fun to see him at least once more (finale notwithstanding), I just like other characters more.

12. Uncle Leo – “Jerry, hello!”

11. Tim Whatley – Before there was Walter White or Malcom’s Dad, there was Tim Whatley, who converted to Judaism for the jokes.

10. Bania – “That’s gold, Jerry! Gold!” The beauty of Bania is his relative inoffensiveness. He’s just a guy trying to do something he loves, even if he’s not very good at it.

9. Kruger – George’s boss at Kruger Industrial Smoothing is even worse at having a job than George is, and it is great to see. “Watch how many times I can spin around in this chair!”

8. Izzy Mandelbaum – “It’s go time!” I don’t know why there’s so much humor to be mined from an old guy who used to be a fitness guru (note also: Uncle Jack in Arrested Development), but there is.

7. George Steinbrenner – They shot a scene once with the real George Steinbrenner, but they never used it and I’m glad. The Larry David-voiced version is the only version I want to know.

6. Jackie Chiles – “It’s outrageous, egregious, preposterous.” Kramer’s fast-talking lawyer was often mentioned as a possible spinoff show, and I would have watched every episode. Heck, they could make this show now and I’d watch it.

5. J. Peterman – “George, you’re obviously lying, anyone can see that!” – The real Peterman company loved this guy so much they hired the actor to be their spokesperson for a while.

4. Art Vandelay – Not the judge in the finale, the fake person George kept creating and modifying.  Sure, he wasn’t real, but his is a long and storied history.

3. The Soup Nazi – “No soup for you! Come back, one year!” – Honestly, I felt bad for the guy. Elaine made the wrong call here.

2. Puddy – “Yeah, that’s right.” – He was only in eight episodes but it felt like more – in a good way.

1. Newman – “Yes, and a more offensive spectacle I cannot recall.” – I’m not sure I ever completely understood why Newman was Jerry’s nemesis, but it never mattered.

Tags: Seinfeld, Tuesday10

Written by: Mark