Jerry Seinfeld being stuck in the past is what makes his 23 Hours to Kill special so great

The Atlantic

"Viewers should expect no more of Seinfeld," says David Sims says of Seinfeld's new Netflix standup special. "His brand of comedy went somewhat out of style in the 2000s, supplanted by the raw, confessional approach of Louis C.K. and the more challenging and surreal work of the 'alt-comedy' world. Through it all, Seinfeld has remained himself, consistently touring with a mix of new observations and old favorites, resistant to the en vogue concept of having to trot out fresh material on every tour. 23 Hours to Kill is his first completely original special since 1998, but it’s not exactly cutting-edge stuff—it has a whole block of jokes about Pop-Tarts and frozen orange juice. Many viewers will find solace in that sameness. I’ve watched many old episodes of Seinfeld while isolating at home, delighted (as always) by its precise plotting, perfect cast chemistry, and its sense of being frozen in amber, set in a sitcom version of ’90s New York that has otherwise passed into memory. So I certainly got several hearty chuckles out of Seinfeld’s new material as he opined on the horrors of public toilets and how everything in life is either 'great' or it 'sucks.' So much of 23 Hours to Kill could be pulled right out of the interstitial comedy-club scenes on his 30-year-old sitcom, and there’s joy in seeing an older pro still earning big laughs."