In today's column, I review the start to the new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," including the "Seinfeld" reunion storyline that begins with the third episode. So, so glad to have both "Curb" and "Seinfeld" back in my life, to varying degrees.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
'Curb Your Enthusiasm' preps for a 'Seinfeld' reunion - Sepinwall on TV
In today's column, I review the start to the new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," including the "Seinfeld" reunion storyline that begins with the third episode. So, so glad to have both "Curb" and "Seinfeld" back in my life, to varying degrees.
I'd kind of lost interest in Curb, but the Seinfeld plot has suddenly gotten me really excited.
ReplyDeletePlus, I'm so happy that the Blacks will still be around, at least initially, although what made their addition so delightful was how well (and unexpectedly) they meshed with Larry. I'll hate to see their relationships break down (if they do).
I rather like the long hiatuses. I've been so tired of "Curb" by the end of the last 2 or 3 seasons, but I'm always glad when it comes back on. It never loses good will with me.
ReplyDeleteAlan, how many episodes of the new season have you seen?
I've seen three episodes, up through the first episode with the Seinfeld people.
ReplyDeleteI've never watched Curb regularly, so it always cracks me up when I see it. I caught last season's finale kind of by chance. I liked the way they brought Larry and Loretta together--stopping just short of Very Special, and then to see Loretta square off against Susie Greene was fantastic. That I'd like to see more of. I think one of the strengths of this show is that they would never over-do something like that.
ReplyDeleteCurb is one of those shows that I can watch in spurts -- Larry's character just makes me cringe -- not in a bad way, but the situations he gets himself into b/c of his big mouth are simultaneously hilarious and almost unwatchable...LOL. I can't wait for the Seinfeld episodes!!
ReplyDeleteHopefully this will breathe some much-needed life into a tired show.
ReplyDeleteI am curious, is any reference made to Michael Richards's infamous comedy club meltdown ? I would assume not, but that event certainly ups the cringe factor, particularly because of Larry's new family.
ReplyDeleteI like the hiatus as well, it gives me a chance to miss curb. I'm not so sure about the Seinfeld plot tho, am I the only one that hated Seinfeld. I even found a list of the worst episodes...so indicative of every episode to me.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ranker.com/list/worst-episodes-of-tv-shows-i-love/analise.dubner
And if not? Well at least, as Alexander puts it, "It could make up for the finale."
ReplyDeleteAlan - This prompts me to wonder what you thought of the finale.
Personally, I loved the finale, and am confused by the widespread hate - I've heard a lot of people say they felt the episode was too meanspirited, which has never made sense to me, since the whole show was meanspirited. All I can think of is that perhaps people had so much affection for the characters that they just never registered how bad the characters were, and they were offended when the finale made it clear.
I had the finale spoiled for me the day before it aired (in an incident that led to a screaming match with an editor that could have easily ended my career before it really had a chance to start), so I don't feel like I can judge it the way someone who watched it live and unspoiled did.
ReplyDeleteThat said, my problems with it are less with the idea than the execution. It's like the gang's reaction when Susan died from the toxic envelopes. I don't have a hard time believing that these four would behave so awfully after so many seasons of supporting evidence. But both the Susan episode and the finale closed on a very flat, empty note, as if Larry had this idea of an extreme black comic note he could play, but no idea what to play on top of it.
But I was glad to see Babu return to scold the "very very bad man" one last time. Of all the characters they brought back for the finale, he was the one I was most psyched to see again.
I loved Seinfeld in the 90's and I loved the finale. I loved watching it in reruns for a long, long, long time. But lately when I catch a rerun the show justs seem dated and unfunny. Things that seemed shocking or fresh at the time just fall flat now. All those quirky references just don't seem to hold up over time. Maybe I watched those reruns just once too often.
ReplyDeleteTwo things. First, I can't wait to see Catherin O'Hara on this show. She's so great; I laugh out loud just from thinking about her singing "Whip It" as Brook Shields on SCTV.
ReplyDeleteSecond . . . wow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus looks good.