Curb Your Enthusiasm

So what does Larry David do for an encore after the incredibly successful sitcom that detailed his experiences as a stand up in NY, he creates a new sitcom about his experiences as a very succesful creator of said show, post cancellation, living the good life with a ton of dough out in Malibu. Sounds pretty boring, and even snotty right? Its not at all. Like the rest of us, I loved Seinfeld, and still love the reruns. But I gotta say, this show is better. It's the same basic premise, which I guess is to turn a standup monologue into a situation comedy. In other words, instead of having a guy on stage telling jokes about the amusing and annoying happenstances of every day life, you create a format comedy, and use these anecdotes to weave together a plot. What made Seinfeld memorable was the clever way in which everything all in the end tied up in a nice little package. If you notice, that's a common laugh getter for stand-ups, to inject a joke they made earlier in their set and put it into practical anecdotal demonstration. You are right if you are thinking this is complete hogwash and hyper-analyzation of something not meant to be studied as such, but there it is. Having said all of that, I think CYE is the logical next step for fans of the Seinfeld show. It's the advanced course if you will of the more remedial network show. The freedom of HBO allows for obviously more adult material and language, but also for pure artistic expression. A lot of what goes on is definitely not palatable to the mainstream, and I could honestly see people hating it. Not me. I think its a rare chance to see genius, unfettered and uncensored. Yes Larry David was George Costanza or vice versa, but through this series, you also see he was Kramer, Elaine and Jerry. For some reason I totally relate to his inability to relate to everyone else, including his wife. Its often way too contrived, but I love it. If you were a fan of Seinfeld for the reasons I've mentioned, and not just for the run of the mill laugh track jokes, you will be missing something special if you don't give these a shot.

Larry David, king of awkward moments and co-creator of the hit television series Seinfeld, has come back to television at full force. His hit series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, is a further extension of his life. Seinfeld has ended, his co-creator name has earned him about $200 million and growing, and his life is just getting excited. On these thirty minute trips, we follow Larry through moments with his wife Cheryl and manager Jeff. Circumstance continues to happen and Larry somehow always happens to be in the middle.

To say this is exactly like Seinfeld would be like saying chocolate tastes exactly like vanilla. These two shows are night and day, while others will compare the actions of Larry to that of Jerry, there one crucial element that divides them. Larry's show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, seems a bit more realistic. Seinfeld was a great show, don't get me wrong … possibly one of the best live-action series ever, but there was always that question of reality with Seinfeld. Where did Kramer get his money? How was George never put in jail? And so forth. With Larry's new show, he explores those possibilities. We know he is wealthy, he is playing himself and that is why he is able to not work. I would go so far as to say this first season is a dark representation of Seinfeld. Imagine if Seinfeld was released on HBO, how different of a show it would have been. Well, now Larry has that platform to really explore all opportunities … and he does with his hilarious show.

If you are a fan of awkward silences and coincidences with surprising results you will love this show. I am not sure if die-hard Seinfeld fans will love this program, but I sure did and I have seen every episode of Seinfeld at least twenty times. I will have to warn you, this is yet another show about nothing that just works. I just finished watching my favorite episode with the 'elevator courtesy' and his infamous fight with Richard Lewis (who plays his best friend).

Overall, this is a very funny show that I hope remains true to itself and consistent throughout the seasons. I love Larry David's humor, and while it may not be for everyone, I do find that it is very realistic. It will open your eyes to the strange, odd world in which we live.

Grade: ***** out of *****

Curb Your Enthusiasm is easily one of my all-time favorite comedies! It has stayed ridiculously funny throughout its entire run and has been just as funny as Seinfeld (which is saying something because Seinfeld is an all-time great). If you don't find this show funny then something is wrong with you. It's hilarious! Larry David is just a flat out genius, he's responsible for two of the funniest shows ever created in Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld!

Each episode will have you begging for more of Larry David

I can certainly understand why many people don't like this show. The improv style is something of an acquired taste, there isn't much of a storyline at any point and Larry David himself (or at least this exaggerated version of him) is a bit of a polarizing figure. However, I personally consider it one of the best TV comedies ever made. It took me a while to really get a feel for it, and I stopped and restarted more than once, but once you get into it there's really nothing else like it. It's also one of the only shows I have seen that has maintained its standards all the way through. We're talking 90 episodes of consistent brilliance with barely a dip. Most comedies run dry after 2 or 3 seasons so it's a credit to the writing and acting that Curb Your Enthusiasm has stood the test of time so well.

Larry David is one of the best engineers of situational comedy in the business. The way the episodes unfold is brilliant and there are some hilarious high payoff moments. Yes, the punchlines are telegraphed and yes, the episodes do follow a fairly predictable formula but I don't find that to be a problem. Many great comedies are equally unsubtle, but as long as the characters are rich enough to pull it off, it really doesn't detract from the overall quality of the show.

Larry himself is a wonderfully observed character. His dry biting wit coupled with his almost autistic social clumsiness makes him the perfect contrast to the pretentious So-Cal socialites and celebrities. One criticism I have of the show, however, is the string of attractive girlfriends that Larry dates in the later seasons. I can accept him punching above his weight with Cheryl given his wealth and status, but after they separate, he is somehow able to find an endless stream of desirable girlfriends young enough to be his daughter and he does it without flaunting his money or fame.

The supporting cast is a huge success. Cheryl Hines and Jeff Garlin occasionally come unstuck in the more heavily improvised scenes, but both of their characters complement Larry perfectly. The infamous entourage of Ted Danson, Richard Lewis and Bob Einstein are brilliant accessory characters who develop very nicely as the show progresses and have a high level of authenticity. They share some great scenes and successfully help take the comedic load off Larry's shoulders. My personal favourite though has to be the amazing Susie Essman who is absolutely hilarious as Susie Greene. Her undiluted disgust at the mere sight of Larry (or indeed, her own husband) never ceases to amuse me and her heavily accented tirades and outbursts are probably my favourite part of the show.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is one of the finest comedy shows I have ever seen and I would recommend it to anyone. However, I would urge you to watch at least one full season before writing it off as it can take some getting used to. I hope they continue to make this show indefinitely, there's little else that compares.