A Controversial Seinfeld Episode Ruined The Sitcom For Bill Murray

Throughout the years, “Seinfeld” treated fans to an array of great episodes, but “The Finale” isn’t one of them. The episode infamously ends with Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Kramer (Michael Richards) in jail for being awful people. While it’s a fun idea in theory, the swan song was largely panned by fans. Even Jerry Seinfeld is bothered by “The Finale,” but Bill Murray arguably hates it more.

In a 2010 interview with GQ, Murray admitted that he wasn’t too familiar with “Seinfeld” before the maligned final episode — and it sounds like he has no interest in watching the show after seeing the closing chapter. “I never saw ‘Seinfeld’ until the final episode, and that’s the only one I saw,” Murray explained. “And it was terrible. I’m watching, thinking, ‘This isn’t funny at all. It’s terrible!'”

Murray’s comments echo the thoughts of many fans, so his opinion isn’t exactly controversial — unlike “The Finale” itself. Not only is it viewed as an underwhelming send-off to a once-great show, but the naysayers argue that it undermines the sitcom’s entire history — no wonder it’s considered one of the worst TV series finales of all time.

“Seinfeld” is essentially a sitcom about nothing. Most episodes typically observe the main characters acting selfishly in mundane situations and failing to learn from their mistakes afterward. However, that doesn’t mean they get away with their poor behavior. The gang experiences minor repercussions, but not because the show pushes a moralistic agenda — it simply mines humor from awful people getting into unfortunate situations and moving on with their lives.

“The Finale,” meanwhile, is all about making them pay, once and for all. As characters from the past show up to testify against Jerry, Kramer, Elaine, and George, their reflections are enough to convince the judge to put them behind bars for a while. However, critics of the episode argue that this outcome goes against the usual mundane punishments that befall the group in most episodes — you know, the type that made so many viewers fall in love with “Seinfeld” in the first place.

At the same time, defenders of “The Finale” argue that it’s great for ripping up the rulebook and going against the preconceived notions of what “Seinfeld” should be. Regardless of which side of the fence one sits on, one thing is certain: Bill Murray doesn’t care about “Seinfeld.”