In 1998, Seinfeld ended with its season 9 finale, bringing an end to a TV sitcom that dominated popular culture throughout the '90s. Love it or hate it, Seinfeld was undeniably influential, and it remains a popular show in syndication twenty years later.

Even in the final seasons, Seinfeld dominated the ratings, as fans turned up faithfully every week to see the latest antics of Jerry Seinfeld, George Costanza, Elaine Benes, and Cosmo Kramer. So why did the series end?

Despite being such a cultural juggernaut today, Seinfeld initially struggled to get made.

The pilot was poorly reviewed, and series creators Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld weren't initially interested in continuing Seinfeld past the first four episodes they produced; however, the two comedians were eventually convinced otherwise, and Seinfeld went on to make TV history.

The show won numerous awards during its run and remains a common fixture in "Best TV Series of All Time" rankings.

At the same time, however, despite its status as a beloved sitcom, the Seinfeld series finale is hated.

This is largely because it lacked the typical antics fans had come to expect from the core cast, but also because it summarized all the horrible things the characters had done over the years.

Seinfeld still managed to go out on top, though, with its final season being at the top of the Nielsen chart. Seinfeld wasn't canceled — it was far too big of a hit for that — but by 1998, the show had run its course.