Students always ask me what movies or TV shows they should use to study English. I usually suggest a comedy or drama that is about a family or that deals with everyday life situations because there are not so many technical or specialist words and expressions.
So which TV program do I always highly recommend?
What TV show should I use to study English?
One show I always suggest to students is called “Seinfeld.” Now if you’re not familiar with this program, it is a “sitcom” (situation comedy) like “Friends” or “Full House.” Each episode is 30 minutes; actually about 25 or so without the commercials.
Story: “Seinfeld” is the real name of the lead actor and also the name of his character on the show. The story is loosely based on his real life in which he is a stand-up comedian. There are four major characters, including (Jerry) Seinfeld, his ex-girlfriend Elaine, his best friend George, and his next door neighbor Kramer. The show basically shows how they live their everyday lives and their interactions with various people in New York City.
Is this a popular TV show?
“Seinfeld” lasted 9 seasons in America and is considered one of the best sitcoms of all time. It does have a lot of jokes and dialogue related to American culture, but the conversations between the characters is very well-written and funny.
Why do you recommend this series to students who want to study English?
I recommend this series to students because the dialogue is quite natural and the story is based in a real-world situation. It is a little outdated by today’s standards (it was on air 1990-1998) so you have to remember that there were no cell phones and no internet for much of that period. If you use “Seinfeld” to study English, I’m sure you will learn a lot of natural expressions and idioms as well as enjoy a wonderful show!
(Note: Only Seasons 1-4 are available on DVD in the Japanese version, Region Code 2. All Seasons 1-9 are available on DVD in the English version, Region Code 1 at Amazon.co.jp)
Vocabulary for Study:
- TV show
- technical
- sitcom
- to be loosely based on
- a stand-up comedian
- ex-girlfriend
- next door neighbor
- dialogue
- well-written
- real-world situation
- outdated
- cell phones
Study English with “Seinfeld” on DVD today!
