Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours To Kill Review - 6 Ups & 3 Downs
The 66-year-old comedian is still kicking to mostly funny results.
Jerry Seinfeld. A man whose first name is virtually irrelevant because his last name is Seinfeld.
The comedian is worth nearly a billion dollars, yet he continues to perform stand-up and shoot the occasional special. Financially speaking, he has no need to work. But he has expressed how he still need to work because it's his job, his career, his livelihood. And from a psychological perspective, repetition is key to sustained success. He continues to perform sets because that's the only way (don't that to Dave Chapelle) to stay sharp and on top of your game.
Even after the most successful sitcom ever, Seinfeld continues to perform for the world. 23 Hours To Kill isn't his first special to be released on Netflix, but it is his latest.
Is this a case of classic Seinfeld, or has Jerry officially become outdated? Through an hour Seinfeld takes the audience through his signature relatable bits that are well-crafted. That's not to say this special is perfect, though. Brief moments feel a little dated, and the belly laughs that others like Chapelle or Kevin Hart can get from their storytelling ability isn't Jerry's forte.
Comedy will forever be subjective. What isn't subjective is how this review has 6 ups and 3 downs. First, for the ups...
9. Up - A Quick Start
The special doesn't start with Seinfeld appearing on stage. And that's completely fine because the intro is quick and sets the tone for his easygoing nature.
Seinfeld has previously released a special on YouTube with an obnoxiously long intro that was strange and completely out of place. Luckily, this introduction where he jumps out of a helicopter into a lake with diving gear on and running to the theatre is brief, on point, and even elicits a chuckle.
Once he does make his appearance into the theatre, the jokes come in fast. It's not a killer opening by any means, but there's enough chuckles to ease the crowd into knowing that Seinfeld is prepared and ready to put his best foot forward.
He leans into his relatable style - maybe too hard. The bit centres around the hassle it is to go out with friends or a significant other. The dialogue hits the mark even if the jokes aren't always laugh-out-loud funny.
It's a good tone setter for what's to come. The audience will be clapping and laughing all the way through, but part of that will be from the fact that they paid money to see Jerry Seinfeld and are fully aware of his brand and want to laugh at his jokes. It won't be ground-breaking, but the audience will ultimately leave satisfied with their experience.