It isn’t uncommon for sitcoms to get off on the wrong foot and eventually find their footing along the line, and similar was the case for Larry David’s Seinfeld. Often regarded as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, during its original run on NBC, the sitcom didn’t begin on a high note, as its pilot was completely different from what the show would become later on.
Similar to some of NBC’s other hit shows, which were too off to a rough start, the reception to Seinfeld‘s pilot was brutal, but the network decided to stick with it nevertheless.
Seinfeld Was off to a Bad Start but NBC Stuck With Jerry Seinfeld’s Vision
NBC is no stranger to greenlighting shows that initially fumbled their beginning, with major examples being The Office and Cheers. However, things were even rougher in Sienfield‘s case, as the pilot was far from what the sitcom would eventually become, and the reviews from fans were mostly negative. While it’d have been optimal to cancel the show altogether, NBC stuck with it and would eventually secure funds to secure four more episodes by ditching one two-hour Bob Hope special.
While after that Larry David stressed that there were no more stories to tell, co-creator Jerry Seinfeld was hellbent on moving it forward, and 13 more episodes were ordered. Unfortunately, the show would get obliterated after going against Tim Allen’s Home Improvement.
Former NBC exec Warren Littlefield recalled (via Fox News):
“Larry David of course said, ‘I don’t have any more stories to tell, Jerry turn the order down,’ and Jerry said, ‘No we’ll do 13 more episodes’ and we put it up against ‘Home Improvement’ and it got slaughtered,”
But despite the less-than-stellar results, the creators weren’t deterred as they loved what they were doing, and the network too would continue to back them.
Jerry Seinfeld Was Offered Over $100M to Return for Another Season
Despite initial hurdles, Seinfeld would eventually find its footing and go on to enjoy nine seasons, which fans keep on revisiting to this day. However, the execs at NBC wanted the series to continue past season 9 and offered Jerry Seinfeld over $100M to return for another season.
He explained:
“Over $100 million. We offered him $5 million an episode. We didn’t mess around. What we put on the table was unheard of. We went in there with a staggering sum and there was tremendous confidence that no one could walk away from it.”
But Littlefield recounted that the creator was initially tempted to accept the offer, but eventually walked away in order to focus on other aspects of life.
Seinfeld is available to stream on Netflix.
