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Seinfeld and creative choices

Dan Cullum · Apr 28, 2020 ·

When Seinfeld’s pilot episode aired in 1989, a research report said, “No viewer was eager to watch the show again.”

Audiences found the lead character to be wimpy, and they complained nothing happened in the show.

Did the writers, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, change anything, though?

Not a chance.

And fast forwarding to the finale, they clearly did something right: over 76 million people tuned in to watch it, and the series has since grossed over $3 billion in syndication fees.

There are competing hypotheses as to why Seinfeld succeeded despite its rough start. However, many of these end up coming back to David and Seinfeld’s unwavering vision and execution. They didn’t give up control, they micromanaged everything, and they prioritised what was funny. If it got a laugh, it went in; even if that meant “not much happened,” in that episode.

It’s got me thinking about the principles we consciously—or unconsciously—use when we build products, make art, or bring anything new into the world.

What balance do you strike between commitment to a vision, and bringing other people into your creative process?

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