Quick spoilers for tonight's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" coming up just as soon as I reject your hypothesis... The "Seinfeld" gang is here next week, but I have to say, I was a lot more excited by the end of this episode - specifically, that Leon will be sticking around even though Loretta and the rest of the Black family have moved out. Leon has now become such a fundamental part of the show - I'd argue he's currently the funniest character other than Larry himself - that it would have been a huge disappointment to say goodbye to him along with everybody else. And I love that they didn't even bother contriving a reason for Leon to stay while his sister was bailing, but instead had him act like no other option had ever occurred to him. I'm so relieved JB Smoove is around to matter-of-factly deliver lines like "Ass is ass, Larry!"
(One question on the Leon subplot: why wasn't there some kind of joke made about how unusual it is that one of Leon's friends was a big "Seinfeld" fan? Wasn't there always a big deal in the '90s that "Seinfeld" at its peak was the most-watched show in white households and the least-watched in black ones?)
The rest of the episode dealt, hilariously, with rules of etiquette governing oral sex and automobiles, with occasional interludes for Larry to attack a vacuum-sealed package (which led to one of the better "Curb" episode-ending jokes in a while), and guest stars Sharon Lawrence and Lolita Davidovich both fit in well.
What did everybody else think?
Ass is ass, Larry. Ass is ass.
ReplyDeleteI thought Larry already had a GPS, judging by the computer interface in his car. But whatever, could've been for one of the Blacks.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait for the Seinfeld gang to reunite. Like the Producers arc, I'm expecting not to see the whole reunion episode (just snippets and presumably the finale will be "The Taping") but you'd think with all the work of resurrecting the sets and writing scenes that they do in fact release the episode as a completed 22-minute piece.
I thought this was one of the most perfect Curb episodes ever. I like when Larry is being awful at times and right at others (hating that stupid packaging, being anti-vehicular fellatio for safety reasons, being grossed out by contact with Lewis's girlfriend), plus it built up to the ending(s) tremendously.
ReplyDeleteI made the mistake of trying to watch this while exercising on a treadmill, and almost fell off several times. Classic.
ReplyDeleteThis episode was pure joy. Blow job by proxy, LMAO. Agree with your thoughts about Leon. I also liked how childlike and excited Jeff was telling LD about Lewis' BJ. Also, the "job" riff was hysterical.
ReplyDelete"I think you blew him."
ReplyDeleteI liked this ep much more than the premiere. Ass is ass, I reject your hypothesis, the whole "job" discussion--pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good all around.
ReplyDelete(One question on the Leon subplot: why wasn't there some kind of joke made about how unusual it is that one of Leon's friends was a big "Seinfeld" fan? Wasn't there always a big deal in the '90s that "Seinfeld" at its peak was the most-watched show in white households and the least-watched in black ones?)
I think the joke subtle--it was all in Larry's surprise that one of Leon's friends was a huge "Seinfeld" fan. Just knowing about the black/white dichotomy in fanship was enough to send me rolling when Leon told Larry about Alton. I think CYE played this joke right.
Oh, yeah, and I'm extremely happy that Leon is sticking around! Increases the chances he will meet up with Michael Richards, I reckon...
ReplyDeleteWhen Seinfeld was at its peak on Thursday nights back in the 90s, FOX had huge black shows on at the same time like Martin and Living Single. There are a lot of black people who've become fans of Seinfeld in the last 10 years because of syndication/TBS.
ReplyDeleteWell, Leon did say he'd never seen an episode himself, so that covered the black / white Seinfeld demographic bit well enough without making a deal out of it.
ReplyDeleteBesides, Shaquille O'Neal was on a previous episode as a huge fan, so it's not like only white people liked the show.
The whole exchange between Larry and Richard killed me. I laughed so hard at the second hand semen line I had to pause it and rewind it back. The end scene was perfect. And Leon is staying
ReplyDeleteObviously I've only watched it through one time, but this might just be my favorite Curb episode ever. I thought that nothing would ever overthrow "The Anonymous Donor," but this was just about perfect. Funniest half-hour of the new TV season by a mile. Probably in the last year, too.
ReplyDeleteTwo of the biggest Curb fans on the show in its history are African American: Leon's friend and Shaquille O'Neal.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bix - this episode was perfection.
Chris O
too many funny scenes-the scene in the restaurant with the drink was priceless and getting hit by the doctor with the book was just great. love this show.
ReplyDeletewe can only hope this means there will be a Leon-Michael Richards meeting.
Seeing that exacto knife wrapped in plastic at the end there was priceless! A nice reward to a joke I didn't really care for at the beginning and classic tv joke - it's funny because it's true!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Leon is staying, but Leon is only awesome when he comes in small doses, so I hope they don't 'enlarge' his part.
My favorite sequence was Larry with his old neighbor when he told the neighbor he would rip up the invoice into tiny pieces of paper and then "maybe piss on them" - hahaha.
ReplyDeleteGreat episode.
It was a great episode. The comedic timing was excellent. I also liked seeing Sharon Lawrence (beating Larry with her book) and Lolita Davidovich as Lewis'girlfriend.
ReplyDeleteLeon sticking around will definitely be a good thing for the show.
The issues dealt with in this episode were priceless.
Great episode.
ReplyDeleteWith the Seinfeld theme this year, I figured they'd keep Leon around with some contrivance similar to the "Jerry" premise--Leon burns down his room and works as Larry's butler to pay off the debt or something. I'm glad that he stayed without explanation echoing his presence there in the first place--as he lived in L.A. and obviously didn't lose his home to Hurrican Edna.
Also, I'm surprised they didn't bring in frequent guest Mary Steenburgen, as her "Parenthood" character caused Steve Martin to crash his car in the same manner as Susie/Jeff.
I actually though the first episode was a bit funnier and tighter, but I agree that Leon is the bomb, even though his scattershot riffs could use subtitles.
ReplyDelete"One question on the Leon subplot: why wasn't there some kind of joke made about how unusual it is that one of Leon's friends was a big "Seinfeld" fan?"
ReplyDeletethere was -- Leon says he has 'never seen the show'
Lolita Davidovich!!
ReplyDeleteTHANK you! Trying to remember her name was driving me bonkers, and my Tivo cut out before the cast credits.
Also: Larry and Leon, they are Legos. Can't break them apart now.
The opening sequence was not original at all. Still.. I cracked up. My fourteen year old daughter rolled her eyes when I told her what Larry was doing, but she was laughing two seconds later. I guess it's all in the execution.
ReplyDeleteThe entire episode was a beautiful thing to behold... Perfect symmetry.
"I think you confused my hey with a hug...."
ReplyDeleteDoes tv get any funnier? I think we're gonna find out.
"And a happy and healthy new year to you" - LOL!
ReplyDeleteAlso, the little coffee-tawk style exit from the doctors office was hilarious.
Laughed uncontrollably at the delivery of the "eh, you were blowing him" line from Larry which triggered the book attack - love this show so much.
ReplyDeleteAgree that Leon - who lives with Larry and was on track to become his brother in law - not ever watching Seinfeld was the nod to the whole "black people don't watch Seinfeld" meme, I think.
I wonder whether LD thought much about Michael Richards, his incident and the implications or whether it was plainly out of bounds and therefore won't exist as part of the show's universe.
I can't imagine Larry David glossing over the Richards incident in CYE since nothing else seems to be off-limits.
ReplyDeleteOne prop fail I noticed: When Larry was stabbing the GPS package with the large knife, he hit the counter with the knife and the knife "bent" upwards from the hilt. Up until then, the prop knife looked real. Very funny little mistake to leave in.
I gave my girlfriend a season of Seinfeld when she was feeling blue over family problems, and she's pretty black. (In that she is both very pretty and very black.)
ReplyDeleteShe really likes it, so there you go.
one of my favorite episodes ever
ReplyDelete