Larry David’s upcoming twelfth season ofCurb Your Enthusiasmjust might be his last, but after twelve years of the hit HBO series there’s no shortage of highlights. From its earliest episodes,Curbwas clearly not afraid to push boundaries in its search for laughs.
Exactly what makesCurbso special is perhaps hard to define for some, however a major part of its appeal for so many is Larry’s uncanny ability to find serious conflict wherever he goes. These conflicts have varied over the years in terms of how justified Larry may or may not have been, but right or wrong, no one finds trouble quite like Larry David does.
Season 10, Episode 4
The episodes thatCurbhas in which Larry and the others travel to a different destination are few and far between. This episode marks the biggest journey of the series, as a wedding in Mexico offers a whole new degree of chaos for Larry – who doesn’t particularly care for Mickey, the groom.
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This might not be the bestCurbepisode of all time, but it does a great job of bringing all the bestCurbcharacters together in one exotic location. Larry has certainly got his hands full throughout the entire episode and seeing how badly he can annoy all his friends in one place is a lot of fun.
9"The Hero"
Season 8, Episode 6
Curbrelocates to New York City for roughly half of the eighth season and ‘The Hero’ finds Larry dealing with a brand new nemesis inRicky Gervais. The two get off to a rough start at Susie and Jeff’s dinner party, and things just go from bad to worse for Larry from there.
At the time of ‘The Hero’s’ release in 2011, Gervais’ career had gained severe momentum, particularly in the United States. Seeing Gervais and David face off against one another is a highlight for comedy fans, but forCurbfans, this episode marks one of the best andfunniest rivalries in the entire series.
8"The Ski Lift"
Season 5, Episode 8
After Larry learns that his good friendRichard Lewisis far down on the waiting list for a new kidney, he begins to explore the shady notion that the head of the kidney consortium can be “got to”. This leads to a ski trip involving the head of the consortium, his daughter, Larry, Cheryl, Susie and Jeff, the likes of which is filled with cringe-inducing laughs.
Throughout all of his cowardice, callousness, pettiness and outright argumentative behaviour, it’s important to remember that deep down Larry can be a pretty nice guy. His reasoning may be dubious, but Larry’s devotion to Richard Lewis’ kidney is arguably the most selfless act that he performs in the entire series, and observing these efforts are priceless fun.
7"Ted & Mary"
Season 1, Episode 2
One of the series’ earliest episodes, ‘Ted & Mary’ introduces Larry and Cheryl’s friendsTed DansonandMary Steenburgeninto theCurbuniverse. Throughout the episode Larry develops a crush on Mary, reveals some vital aspects about himself and provides big laughs.
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From lying about liking shopping to spend time with Mary to accidentally taking a sip from Mary’s mother’s water glass and reacting with disgust, this episode is a crash course in all things Larry David. Fortunately it arrives early on in the series, allowing viewers to immediately learn just what kind of person Larry can be.
6"Beloved Aunt"
Season 1, Episode 8
Larry really can’t do anything right in this classic episode fromCurb’sfirst season. After being thrown out of the house for a terrible typo in Cheryl’s aunt’s newspaper obituary, Larry finds himself in a disastrous situation with the mother of his manager and good friend, Jeff.
Some might argue that this episode shows Larry David at his darkest and most amusing. There’s something aboutthe early episodes ofCurbthat seems so effortlessly done at times. This episode, despite its subject matter, made the entire ridiculous scenario of Larry’s bad day work with hilarious results.
5"Opening Night"
Season 4, Episode 10
There’s no better way to conclude a strongCurbseason and a season long story arc than with this episode. ‘Opening Night’ literally refers to the opening night of the Larry-led stage production ofMel Brooks’The Producers. The episode marks the first time the series travels to New York, and the new setting is a welcome highlight.
There are two great celebrity rivalries in earlyCurbseasons, and they both occur in the fourth season.Ben StillerandJason Schwimmerare equally tested by Larry, but Schwimmer takes things to a new level in ‘Opening Night’, and the episode offers a real treat in what is one of the series’ earliest celebrity falling outs that Larry experiences.
4"Krazee-Eyez Killa"
Season 3, Episode 8
Curb’s’Krazee-Eyez Killa' episode finds Larry terrified thatWanda Sykes’fiancé, the fictional gangsta rapper Krazee-Eyez Killa, is going to murder him. As it turns out, Krazee-Eyez shared some revealing information with Larry, the likes of which Larry did not keep to himself. When K.E. Killa finds out, there’s seriously funny trouble.
Face it - Larry is a coward. As beloved as he may be, his behaviour can often be very cowardly. It’s just one layer of the character that is Larry David, but this episode perfectly illustrates just how Larry’s own cowardice only results in things being even more difficult for him. Watching his fear build is so much fun, and the laughs keep coming the entire time.
Season 7, Episode 9
Larry’s efforts to reunite the Seinfeld cast one last time for a special episode finally produce results, but of course it’s not all that simple. Between typicalCurbissues, viewers get their first look at what a Seinfeld reunion episode could be like. It’s not entirely satisfying for fans, but it is a nice taste of what’s never likely to occur in real life.
Many fans came toCurbearly on, knowing that it wasLarry David’s next step after Seinfeld. While ‘The Table Read’ is satisfying for these fans, it provides insight for new fans as well, highlighting some of the people Larry should logically be close to. But of course, this isCurb, and viewers quickly discover that Larry is even capable of falling out with his closest friends.
2"The TiVo Guy"
Season 6, Episode 7
Larry’s marriage to Cheryl officially falls apart in this pivotalCurbepisode, after Larry prioritises his TiVo repair guy over Cheryl calling from an airplane that she believed might crash. Their split up fractures their friend group too, much to Larry’s disdain.
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This episode undoubtedly marks a permanent shift inCurbas well as within Larry’s character and the increasing pettiness of his conflicts. SomeCurbfans even argue that the series hasn’t been as strong since Cheryl left Larry. While that’s a debatable point, this episode remains vital to even the most casual viewership of the series.
1"The Car Pool Lane"
Season 4, Episode 6
Yes, this is the episode where Larry hires a sex worker just so he can use the car pool lane. And yes, this is the episode where Larry smokes weed. These two aspects alone should pique enough interest to watch ‘The Car Pool Lane’, because it is certainly classicCurb.
Watching Larry source and buy weed on the street (the episode took place well before legalisation was as common as it is now), is brilliant. This plus seeing Larry actually get high and berate himself in a bathroom mirror is a level of comedy thatCurbhas arguably never surpassed.
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