The iconic sitcom “Seinfeld” earned its reputation as one of the most influential comedies in popular culture, with many beloved episodes across its nine-season run. On top of the instantly classic performances, the show’s writing was a major part of its success. When co-creator Larry David left at the end of the seventh season, the way the show was written changed as well.
Originally, a “Seinfeld” writer would whip up a draft for an episode and then submit it to Larry David and the show’s co-creator and star, Jerry Seinfeld. The duo would then put their own spin on things, completing a second pass that resulted in an episode ready to shoot.
So, when David — who was also the creator of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” one of TVLine’s 12 best HBO comedy shows – departed, the show introduced something most sitcoms already had in place: a writer’s room. This change occurred as the writers’ room took over the second pass previously handled by David and Seinfeld, reflecting Seinfeld’s expanded responsibilities after David’s exit.
Script writing changed when Larry David left
As a result of this changing dynamic, a noticeably different tone emerged in the later seasons, including controversial episodes such as the series finale. “I was part of that second generation of ‘Seinfeld’ writers. The first generation had been there early on, when the show was struggling,” David Mandel said during an oral history chat with Cracked in 2022. “They were there for the journey of what the show would become. Then, as those writers left and Larry left, new writers came in. This group of writers had been watching ‘Seinfeld’ at home and loving it, and we came into the show with a bit of a perspective of the home viewer. “
Mandel explained that in Seasons 7 through 9, the jokes became much more self-aware. “It had been expanding under Larry, but under Jerry, it definitely got less ‘real.’ Some say ‘broader,’ but I prefer to think it got weirder.”
The first episode of the eighth season — which focused on Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) encountering “Bizarro” versions of Jerry, George (Jason Alexander) and Kramer (Michael Richards) — really exemplified that shift. “That happened a lot in those final two seasons,” Mandel added during that interview. “Jerry encouraged the writers to go further.”