Jerry Seinfeld doesn’t really do "normal" goodbyes. When Seinfeld ended in 1998, it was a massive, polarizing event that basically shut down the country for an hour. But when Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Season 9 wrapped up in early 2017, it felt different. It was the end of the show's original home on Crackle, though we didn't quite feel the weight of it yet.
It was a transitional moment. Think about it.
The show started as this weird experiment on a free Sony-owned streaming site that most people only visited by accident. By the time Season 9 rolled around, it was a cultural juggernaut. This specific run of six episodes remains one of the tightest, most eclectic collections of conversations Jerry ever put together.
The Weird Energy of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Season 9
Honestly, if you go back and rewatch it now, the vibe is just... specific. You’ve got Jerry driving a 1964 Volvo 122S Amazon with Kristen Wiig, talking about "the Volvo-ness" of life. It’s not just about the car. It never really is. It’s about the way the door clicks. It’s about the way the seats feel like a Swedish grandmother’s hug.
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Season 9 was the last time the show felt like a "web series." Once it moved to Netflix for Season 10, the production value crept up. The episodes got a bit longer. The "Crackle Era" had this raw, slightly indie feel that peaked right here.
The Guests Who Made Season 9 Iconic
The lineup for this season was a heavy-hitter list, but not in the "A-list movie star" way that later seasons leaned into. These were "comedian's comedians."
- Kristen Wiig: They went to House of Pies in Los Angeles. If you want to see two people genuinely obsess over the architecture of a bookstore (Skylight Books) and the "right" way to sign an autograph, this is the episode.
- Norm Macdonald: This one hits differently today. Jerry picked up Norm in a 1958 Porsche Speedster—a "rusty car in the rain." Seeing Norm in a Jackson Hole Airline Diner, talking about why James Bond never smiles, is pure gold. It’s a reminder of how Norm’s brain worked on a totally different frequency than the rest of humanity.
- Cedric the Entertainer: They cruised in a 1958 Bentley S1. Cedric has this "pre-laugh" that Jerry spent half the episode analyzing. They talked about dictators and preachers. It was high-level shop talk.
- Lewis Black: Jerry put the angriest man in comedy into a 1967 Cadillac Eldorado. Perfect pairing. They went to Junior’s in Brooklyn. Lewis basically admitted he can't drive, which, if you’ve ever seen him on stage, makes total sense.
- Christoph Waltz: The outlier. Waltz isn't a stand-up, but Jerry has a thing for funny actors. They went to IHOP in a 1957 BMW 507. Watching an Oscar winner try to wrap his head around "pancake batter" is the kind of low-stakes drama the show was built for.
- Bob Einstein: The legend. The first-ever repeat guest. He appeared in Season 1 and came back for the Season 9 finale in a modern Acura NSX. Sadly, it was one of his last major appearances before he passed away.
Why the Cars Actually Mattered This Time
A lot of people think the cars are just product placement or eye candy. They’re wrong. Jerry uses them as a psychological probe.
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In Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Season 9, the vehicle selection was particularly intentional. Take the AMC Pacer from the George Costanza special (which technically lives in the digital ether of earlier promos but set the tone for Jerry's love of "bad" cars). For Lewis Black, he chose a car that felt like "Old Florida." For Norm, he chose a car that looked like it had seen some things—just like Norm.
The show proves a theory Jerry has talked about in interviews with outlets like Sprudge: comedians are more comfortable when they're moving. A stationary interview is an interrogation. A car ride is a hang.
The Move to Netflix
Immediately after Season 9 finished its run on Crackle (which started January 5, 2017), the news broke. Jerry signed a massive deal with Netflix.
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This move changed everything. It meant the back catalog—all those years of work on Crackle—would finally be seen by a global audience without a buggy interface. But Season 9 remains that "final season" of the original vision. It was the last time the show felt like a secret club for people who love the minutiae of comedy.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you’re looking to revisit this era, don't just "watch" it. Analyze it.
- Look for the "Comedian's Comedian" markers: Notice how Jerry talks differently to Norm Macdonald than he does to Christoph Waltz. With Norm, it’s a battle of wits. With Waltz, it’s an observation of a different species.
- Study the editing: Season 9 perfected the "jump-cut" style of conversation where blocks of time are compressed into three-minute bursts of insight.
- Check the locations: Most of these episodes were filmed in very specific, non-touristy spots like the Butcher’s Daughter or Junior's. They represent the actual "off-duty" life of a working comic.
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Season 9 wasn't just another set of episodes. It was the peak of the show's original DNA. It’s where Jerry proved that the format—car, coffee, comic—wasn't just a gimmick, but a legitimate way to document the history of funny people.
To get the most out of your rewatch, start with the Norm Macdonald episode. It’s a masterclass in two veterans refusing to do "bits" and instead just being authentically, strangely themselves. After that, hit the Bob Einstein finale. It’s a bittersweet bookend to the show’s first major chapter.