‘Hellooo!’: Voices, reversals, and subjectivities in Seinfeld

This article explores the narrative construction of the episode entitled ‘The Voice’ in the context of the show Seinfeld from 1989 to 1998 (NBC), and that of the wider genre of the sitcom, as well as notions of female/male subjectivity. I first argue that the narrative structure of the episode (as well as that of the entire series since several references to other episodes will be made) reverses the classic Hollywood narrative progression. Second, I show that even though Seinfeld maintains many classic conventions, such as suture, and restrictions on the female body and voice, a unique, shifting (female) subjectivity still emerges.