Seinfeld's New Show Truly About 'Nothing'

(Newser) – Looks like Jerry Seinfeld has trumped himself in his quest to make a show about "nothing." His new Web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, has Seinfeld chatting with comedy buddies (like Larry David and Ricky Gervais) while driving, snacking, and—you guessed it—having coffee. Reviews are mixed after the first episode:

• "If you're a fan of Seinfeld, or its awkward stepchild Curb Your Enthusiasm, you'll be charmed," writes Guy Adams at the Independent. "If not, you may find things meander." Still, "there's at least a whiff of innovation" because the show "can only be watched over the Internet."

• "The whole aesthetic is a little distancing, and it gives the show a feel of watching a 13 1/2-minute long commercial," writes James Poniewozik at TIME. "But for what? Just for how good a time these guys are having, being themselves, being with each other, having coffee and breakfast at God knows what hour in the day."
• Seinfeld and David "occasionally graze past weightier topics—David reveals that his decision to stop drinking coffee helped lead to his divorce—but for the most part, the episode feels like Seinfeld boiled down to its essential spirit: Highly entertaining talk about the trivialities of life, with no silly 'plot' to get in the way," writes Adam Vary at Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch blog.
• "The first episode has enough for car and comedy fans alike to come back for next week," writes Travis Okulski at Jalopnik. "However, will Seinfeld have the same rapport with comics he isn't as close to he does with David? And will the cars be as interesting? I hope."