Curb series 8

[The Region Legion]

Yeah, good episode - they managed to play on the Israel vs Palestine thing with a shockingly even hand, it was nice to see Sammi back considering she's not a little girl anymore and could actually play a more significant part in proceedings.. the ending felt a bit laboured like others have said but then Curb has always had forced moments.

Really glad Cheryl is gone, these few episodes have been all the better for it.

[mr. logic]

The funniest bit for me was Larry pompously invoking Jewish academics during sex.

[alan nagsworth]

'Don't bring my father into this!' - Probably one of the biggest laughs I've had from Curb in ages.

I agree it was a great episode, but I do feel like it's a bit self-indulgent now. The scenes at dinner parties are usually straight to the point and they develop well, but now they seem to amble along using a lot more inconsistent chummy chit-chat. The whole social assassin thing played out very well, of course, but again it just felt a bit too self-referential and obvious, whereas in the past seven seasons, it's only slightly alluded to with infrequent observations like Jeff saying, 'He's a victim of circumstance!' and, you know, it's just a given that Larry is outspoken and a major catalyst in all awkward social situations. Drawing on that for one of the core elements of one episode just felt a bit... forced.

Still, I thought the golf scene was great. Of course Larry had to say something to Suzie. Sammi was blackmailing him, and she had previously called him a bald prick! Larry's so easily intimidated, he knew he had to. The reactions to the unfolding chaos were classic Curb disaster material. I loved it!

Whenever the NYC plot kicks in, and Gervais makes an appearance, I hope it doesn't keep on down that back-slapping route though, to be honest. This season still needs a proper direction and I'm hoping that it will pay off. This recent episode was really great but the first two did leave me wanting more. And what about Marty and Jeff and Leon? Leon will probably go with Larry, but Marty, as mentioned above, seemingly just exists as a random character with no real history, so there'd be no reason for him to go along, right? I'd miss him.

[Harold Monk]

Susie Green has become the show's weak link. From series 6 onwards her obscene outbursts have seemed very forced and unfunny.

[alan nagsworth]

I agree and I'd go as far as saying Jeff has weakened too. Sometimes he's great but in the latest episode with the Blofeld reference, where he just pretty much repeats what Larry says, smooshing his line through a mesh screen with that exasperated look on his face... It's not outrage or anything, it's just more chummy nonsense that seemed unnecessary. It still aims to hit those same aesthetics it used to achieve so well, but it falls short. A good example would be from ages ago where Lar and Jeff are drinking coffee and Larry says, 'imagine this is a commercial. <sips coffee> Boy, that's... Rrreally good coffee' and Jeff just looks back in exhausted shock. That's classic Curb (also one of my favourite moments in the whole show) and it works so naturally. That stuff hits the mark increasingly less accurately now.

[spraticus]

disagree about Jeff - thought his "we don't want you in the agency" line was class

[Artemis]

I agree with the comment about Susie; she's become a bit of a one-trick wonder at the moment. The other characters at least have different traits, or can be used to develop the story in difference ways, but the Susie really just has one use right now - her greatest comedy use, the one of lingering threat, has been replaced with immediate outbursts.

[wheatgod]

Jeff's crowning moment was when he and Larry were flying coast to coast, Lar had a pile of magazines but Jeff just planned to sit and stare ahead for the whole flight.

[Gavin]

Jeff's crowning moment was when he and Larry were flying coast to coast, Lar had a pile of magazines but Jeff just planned to sit and stare ahead for the whole flight.

Isn't that Puddy and Elaine?

[wheatgod]

Isn't that Puddy and Elaine?

You had me thinking there! It's definitely Puddy and Elaine, but its also Curb season 4, one of the David Schwimmer episodes. Gag recycling!!

[Nik Drou]

You had me thinking there! It's definitely Puddy and Elaine, but its also Curb season 4, one of the David Schwimmer episodes. Gag recycling!!

The Puddy and Elaine bit is from the first episode of season nine, well after Larry David had left the show.

[mr. logic]

But Jerry and Elaine had discussed people not reading on planes in an earlier episode, which I believe LD wrote. "These are the people that want to talk to you."

I imagine professional pride would dictate he's not lifting from episodes of Seinfeld he had nothing to do with. More likely the season 9 Seinfeld writers were going back through older shows and saw that as an exchange that could be made in to a plot (judiciously, as it turned out).

[evil_lafayette]

there's a few bits of nice little crossovers and call backs.

In season 3 (I think) Larry's having a meal with Cheryl and another couple (possibly the one there's the whole 'going to the toilet when the bill arrives' argument with) and Larry starts making that refreshed sound Susie does in the latest episode of Season 8, making a huge scene of it.

Then there's the line from 'The Bare Midriff' about how he would tell anyone showing that amount of flesh to cover up, when in episode 2 of the latest season he has a conversation with Leon who is sat there in a belly top without even mentioning it.

It's probably co-incidental but it's a nice way of showing how his causes (for want of a better word) are not very consistent.

[mr. logic]

Yeah- also his attitude about sleeping with the Palestian lady and the penis having no conscience was at direct odds with his refusal to sleep with his producers co-star on account of her being a Republican.

[weaseldust]

slightly off topic. there's nothing i hate more than 'that noise' people make after taking a sip of a drink. i don't even know why, i'm such a calm person, nothing annoys me, but it's like my brain isn't even involved, it's just this insane physical reaction which makes my blood BOOOIL. also, chewing noises. i don't mind the crunchy kind, that's okay, it's the gooey wet kind of noises that bother me. AGH!

[wheatgod]

You're just like Larry David!!! Write an HBO comedy about your life!!! Stat!

[Oops! Wrong Planet]

A sketchy episode last night - some funny moments as usual, but leaning towards the cartoonish again.  Susie's brief appearance really confirmed what recent posters have said about her role these days.
Looks like New York starts from the next but one episode - that's the one with Ricky Gervais in it.

I think this is the first time I've heard Americans repeatedly use "shat" instead of "shit" as past tense, which pleased me.  :)
 

[Bennygaylord]

Duff episode. Why did he say he has to masturbate before he cums and it exhausts the area? That made no fucking sense. A lot of it didn't make sense. Jarringly so. Almost right from the outset, why not get a temp in while Anntoinette was out killing her father?

[Bennygaylord]

And the hugging cunt and his stupid mugging cunt of a burd were very, very annoying. Why would she fucking tell Susie Jeff was cheating on her on the basis of Larry's intonation? Terrible stuff.

[Oops! Wrong Planet]

There have always been examples of hard-to-believe and illogical actions employed to nudge the plot along, but they're more annoying in the weaker episodes, especially when the consequences don't seem to amount to very much (eg the kitchen cabinets dispute).  Also, the director needs to tone down Larry's facial mugging, eg when he was torn between the two restaurants in last week's climax, and also his reaction to his dermatologist talking to Lewis at the funeral in this week's. He's funnier when he's slow burning and insouciant than when he's gurning over the top.   (Incidentally, I've only just cottoned on that the dermatologist was future Curb cast member Michael J Fox's dad in Family Ties.)

[mr. logic]

I agree with that- David frequently overacts. I really like the idea of arguing about when the 'sorry' window closes on somebody's death, but his delivery of 'all due respect' kind of ruined it.

[evil_lafayette]

i liked his overly low delivery in his conversation towards the end. and, of course, his head at the funeral.

[Mr Faineant]

Why did he say he has to masturbate before he cums and it exhausts the area? That made no fucking sense.?

I believe he meant that he has to masturbate before he comes to the dermatologist for a full body check, to exhaust the area, the implication being that he is scared that he'll get an erection when the doctor checks him over otherwise. That's what I took it to mean anyway...

[BlodwynPig]

I wonder if the hugging guy took a look behind the diner....

[crossjoint]

Yeah- also his attitude about sleeping with the Palestian lady and the penis having no conscience was at direct odds with his refusal to sleep with his producers co-star on account of her being a Republican.

I get what you're saying, and it is incongruent at times, but we are all like that. What we say doesn't necessarily reflect our true feelings, even when explaining our actions.
I think the main difference with your example is that Larry hates Republicans, but he doesn't actually share the same disdain for Palestinians as the rest of his Jewish friends. He's the only one that doesn't care about them opening a shop.

As for what evil_lafayette said about the bare-midriff - generally speaking, men would find it more comical on a slim guy and much more unsettling/offensive on an overweight woman.

[mr. logic]

Fair point, yeah, just didn't quite seem like him to place sex on that type if pedestal. Indeed in this latest episode he argued with Richard that the sixty dollars was more important than the "intercourse" (love how they both refer to it as that now after Larry's "congratulations on the intercourse by the way" in the very first episode).

Actually, on that: woman borrows sixty dollars promising to pay it back as soon as possible. Woman not only doesn't pay back the money but doesn't even use it. Woman then goes mad when it's hinted she should pay it back.  I don't really see what Larry's done wrong there.  I thought the 'sorry' thing would have been a much funnier reason for the break up.

[crossjoint]

Fair point, yeah, just didn't quite seem like him to place sex on that type if pedestal. Indeed in this latest episode he argued with Richard that the sixty dollars was more important than the "intercourse" (love how they both refer to it as that now after Larry's "congratulations on the intercourse by the way" in the very first episode).

Actually, on that: woman borrows sixty dollars promising to pay it back as soon as possible. Woman not only doesn't pay back the money but doesn't even use it. Woman then goes mad when it's hinted she should pay it back.  I don't really see what Larry's done wrong there.  I thought the 'sorry' thing would have been a much funnier reason for the break up.

From what I gather, Larry's position in that relationship was assumed by Heidi to be the sugar daddy. We saw that she merely tolerated their make-out sessions, rather than actually enjoying them, and given how rich Larry is, probably assumed that they were on the same page when it came to their "arrangement". I think that's also why she'd put up with his insensitive remark when she mentions her dad died.

Breaking up when he asks for the money back makes sense since that was Larry's (in her view) only worthwhile contribution to their relationship.

Also, from their conversation it seemed like they hadn't even slept together yet, or at the very least she's hardly eager to jump into bed with him.

[mr. logic]

I thought the reason they hadn't had sex was so Richard and Larry could have the conversation about what was important. I didn't really get the impression she was using Larry for cash- had that been the case why was she so eager to tell him she would pay him back, and why did she insist that she always intended to give him the money back? I assumed she was more put out at him mentioning the money than put out at having to pay him back.  Also why was she angered at the break up rather than resigned?

Reading your post back, you may well be right, but it seems like they didn't convey it as clearly as they should.

[Artemis]

I enjoyed this new episode but so far still see no reason why this show continues to exist. Larry's almost jovial noises as he's being insensitive makes me think the show should be renamed 'Being Larry David'. Gone is all the struggles Larry always had with balancing his inclinations with the situations he found himself in; now it's all Larry David is challenged and in response, Larry is LARRY!! His character as things stand is in danger of pissing all over his own legacy.

Larry of old would have recognised that a smiley face on his head would have been inappropriate at a funeral and would have attempted some awful cover up - the joke would have been the reveal. It did make me laugh a lot to see his sunburn pattern but season two would have told the joke so much better. Larry and Heidi didn't work at all, but the hug issue was amusing enough.

In summary, better than the first couple of dire episodes, but not as good as the third.

Also, does Curb have some kind of tradition of not starting the story arc on which the entire season was promoted until half way through the fucking thing?

[Little Hoover]

I did read that he'd only move to New York halfway through the season. You can't blame it for not doing what the promotion said it would.