Netflix has a new announcement to make, and yada, yada, yada, Seinfeld is on its way.
On Wednesday, Sept. 1, the streaming service revealed that all 180 episodes of the Emmy-winning sitcom from co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David will be available for viewing on Oct. 1. Back in 2015, Hulu had acquired the streaming rights to the seminal 1990s show's nine seasons before Netflix purchased them in 2019, and the series left Hulu in June 2021—not that there's anything wrong with that.
Netflix issued a humorous press release written as though the comedy, which was the most popular TV series when it signed off in May 1998 and has since been named by TV Guide as the greatest show of all time, was a fledging project that had yet to make its mark.
"This is the first time we've taken a risk of this nature, going all in on nine seasons at the jump," Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a statement. "But Jerry has created something special with this sitcom that nobody has ever done. I truly think he and Mr. David have enormous futures ahead of them, and I'm thrilled Netflix could be the home for them to grow their fanbases."
Jerry played along as well, thanking Netflix for "taking this chance" on the series. "It takes a lot of guts to trust two schmucks who literally had zero experience in television when we made this thing," Jerry quipped in the statement. "We really got carried away, I guess. I didn't realize we made so many of them. Hope to recoup god knows how many millions it must have taken to do. But worth all the work if people like it. Crazy project."
The series featured Jerry playing a fictionalized version of himself as an on-the-rise comedian of the same name. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine), Michael Richards (Kramer) and Jason Alexander (George) rounded out the core cast.
The show was famous for helping to launch the careers of myriad stars, including Lauren Graham, Kristin Davis, Mariska Hargitay and Denise Richards, among many others.
Now, if you don't mind, we need a drink, since this announcement is making us thirsty. Keep scrolling to see who else got their start on Seinfeld.
Six years before Daniel Dae Kim broke through as castaway Jin Kwon on ABC's hit Lost, he appeared in the 1998 episode "The Burning" as Student #1.
Five years before she became an NBC star in her own right on Will & Grace, Megan Mullally (who was considered for the role of Elaine before Julia Louis-Dreyfus was cast) played George's girlfriend Betsy in the 1993 episode "The Implant."
Six years before she began kicking ass as Det. Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU, Mariska Hargitay (another contender for the role of Elaine) appeared in the 1993 episode "The Pilot," playing Melissa, an actress auditioning for the role of Elaine in Jerry and George's pilot.
Kathy Griffin appeared on Seinfeld twice, first in 1996 and then again in 1998, as Sally Weaver, an old acquaintance of Jerry's.
OK, this one is admittedly a bit of a stretch, as Molly Shannon had already been a Saturday Night Live cast member for two years when she played Elaine's hostile new co-worker Sam in the 1997 episode "The Summer of George," but we love the appearance so much we had to include it.
Years before she was taking Steve Carrell's virginity in The 40 Year Old Virgin, Catherine Keener popped up as Jerry's jealous artist girlfriend Nina in the 1992 episode "The Letter."
The Six Feet Under and Parenthood star played white supremacist Tim in the 1992 episode "The Limo."
Before breaking big as Entourage's Ari Gold, Jeremy Piven appeared in the 1993 episode "The Pilot" as Michael Barth, the actor who landed the role of George in Jerry's NBC pilot.
Before she was Lorelai Gilmore, Lauren Graham guest-starred in the 1997 episode "The Millennium" as Valerie, Jerry's speed dial-obsessed girlfriend.
In one of his earliest on-screen credits, the stand-up comedian appeared in the 1994 episode "The Couch" as a video store clerk.
Months before he got his big break as Robert Barone in CBS' Everybody Loves Raymond, Brad Garrett appeared in the 1996 episode "The Bottle Deposit" as Tony, the psychotic auto mechanic who steals Jerry's car.
Before he landed his starring roles in The Commish and The Shield, Michael Chiklis appeared in the 1991 episode "The Stranded" as Steve Pocatello, George's co-worker throwing a party out on Long Island.
A year before she landed the role of Daphne in NBC's Frasier, Jane Leeves appeared in a handful of Seinfeld episodes as the virginal Marla, beginning with 1992's "The Virgin."
Years before he entered the MCU as Happy Hogan and began directing hits like The Jungle Book, Jon Favreau appeared in the 1994 episode "The Fire" as Eric the Clown.
Two years before she became one-half of NBC's hit series Will & Grace, Debra Messing appeared in a pair of Seinfeld episodes as Beth, beginning with 1996's "The Wait Out."
The future (and then former) Mrs. Ben Stiller appeared in the 1997 episode "The Van Buren Boys" as Ellen.
In March of 1994, Courteney Cox appeared in the episode "The Wife" as Meryl, Jerry's girlfriend who posed as his wife to get a discount at the local dry cleaners. That fall, she would land her own NBC hit with the premiere of Friends.
Before she was Lois Lane or one of the Desperate Housewives, Teri Hatcher appeared in the 1993 episode "The Implant" as Sidra, Jerry's new girlfriend whom he suspects has breast implants. Say it with us now: "They're real and they're spectacular!" She would return for the series finale in 1998.
Before he was one half of Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh, Drake Bell was Kenny in the 1998 episode "The Frogger."
She'd already been stealing scenes on Melrose Place for a couple of years, but a pre-Desperate Housewives Marcia Cross popped up in a 1997 episode entitled "The Slicer" as Dr. Sara Sitarides, Jerry's dermatologist date.
Before she was Stifler's mom or learning the art of the bend and snap, Jennifer Coolidge earned her first on-screen credit in the 1993 episode "The Masseuse" as George's new girlfriend Jodi.
The stand-up comedienne appeared in the 1997 episode "The Money" as Emily, Kramer's girlfriend who he has trouble sleeping with in the same bed.
Before she was either a Bond girl or a Real Housewife, Denise Richards appeared in the 1993 episode "The Shoes" as Molly, the daughter of NBC's president.
A year before Sex and the City made her a household name, Kristin Davis appeared in a pair of 1997 episodes as Jenna, Jerry's girlfriend who unwittingly uses her toothbrush after Jerry knocks it in the toilet.
OK, another stretch considering he'd already spent four years on Saturday Night Live, but who can forget Rob Schneider's appearance in the 1996 episode "The Friars Club" as Bob, Elaine's new co-worker whom she suspects is faking a hearing impairment to avoid having to do work?
The Brockmire actress appeared in a 1997 episode entitled "The Summer of George" as Lanette, Jerry's girlfriend.
A year before he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, Chris Parnell played an NBC exec in the 1997 episode "The Butter Shave."
In one of her earliest credits, the Breaking Bad star appeared in the 1993 episode "The Glasses" as Amy, Jerry's girlfriend.
Years before he would become Saul Goodman, Bob Odenkirk appeared in the 1996 episode "The Abstinence" as Ben.
Years before he broke bad as Walter White in AMC's meth-fueled tragedy, Bryan Cranston recurred as the gang's dentist friend Tim Whatley. After his debut in the 1994 episode "The Mom and Pop Store," the actor returned for four more episodes, with his last being 1997's "The Strike."