“Curb Your Enthusiasm” — The N Word
Curb has always had an interesting relationship with reality. Most of its funniest moments are derived from Larry David’s specific view of how the world should operate. It is because of this that most of the show would be classified as “realistic” (quotes included). The series is rarely cartoony, doesn’t rely on parody or out-there premises (except for a few episodes this season) and is comprised of characters that one could expect to find (if they looked hard enough) in the real world. That Sunday’s episode was “unrealistic” (with quotes) is perhaps one of the reasons why I thought it worked so well. More after the jump…
Really, I’m only talking about the stuff involving the doctor that Larry was dating. From the way she booked her date to her waiting-room inspired foyer and sister-as-receptionist to her directions for Larry to go into her room and take his clothes off (complete with full-service scale waiting off in the background) the character seemed absolutely Seinfeldian. This then raises an interesting comparison between what Curb does and what Seinfeld did, as both shows, created by Larry David, certainly share similar themes and styles of comedy but go about doing them in completely different ways. The characters on Seinfeld were always much more exaggerated than anything on Curb and rightfully so. A three camera sitcom needs big presences to sell the material, where the laughs on Curb tend come from the silences. Seinfeld also liked to take human behaviors and place them in odd contexts, which is exactly what we got this week on HBO.
Larry David is a funny guy, brilliantly funny at times, though he isn’t one to paint with the widest of brushes. In a way I’m surprised there haven’t been more similarities (aside from the obvious ones like the presence of Julia Louis) between Curb and Seinfeld over the years. Perhaps those paying closer attention will be able to point out those plotlines that easily could have been transfered between the two.
Elsewhere in the episode there were some great moments including the pharmacist reading the love letter, the five-second hug, the bald-brotherhood, and maybe even the N-word bit which provided the necessary plot movement despite not being as funny as it initially seemed (or making much sense).
Still, I’m glad I didn’t abandon the show.
Tags: Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO
October 30th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
[...] The Boondocks — …though not as many as Monday’s episode of The Boondocks which has become so outrageously funny it is now the Monday night show I look forward to the most (yes, even more than HIMYM). I would attempt to explain what the episode was about, but doing so would result in a Larry David-esque retelling of a racially-charged story that I fear would result in my friends heads being shaved by angry doctors. Suffice to say it involved an exorcist parody, perhaps the coolest kung-fu fight on television since Caine walked the earth and a ghost-Ghostface Killah. So good. [...]