(Season 4, Episodes 1-2)
Talk about a story blindsiding the viewer … was there something going on in 2004 to substantiate a plot that involved Larry starring in a Broadway musical? First a Martin Scorsese film, and now this. Who’d have thought Larry had any more talent than the ability to write comedy, and the quasi-ability to play himself on a TV show? Oh, and of course doing the voice of George Steinbrenner. But that one’s a given … wait … where was I?
4.1 “Mel’s Offer”
Even if I’d been prepared with the details in advance, I still would have been shocked at the plot revealed in the season four premiere of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry to star in Mel Brooks’ The Producers with Ben Stiller? No way.
I was also kind of blown away by the notion that Larry and Cheryl have been married for ten years. For some reason I always thought it was a relatively new thing. I loved that Cheryl wanted to renew their vows, while Larry wanted to cash in a promised freebie. Of course Cheryl would okay the idea … have you met Larry?
But it was really The Producers that threw me for a loop. Whether or not Larry can carry a tune, casting him as Max Bialystock seems kind of insane. Well, maybe it makes sense when he’s up there next to Derek Zoolander. Who knows. Larry refusing to shake Ben’s hand after he sneezed is definitely going to have ramifications.
Rachael Harris was great as Joanne the secretary who Larry insulted in oh so many ways. The guy in the wheelchair that Larry almost ran into was totally in the wrong on that whole “right of way” thing, but I can’t fault Rachael Harris for telling him she found his wallet. Larry totally doesn’t deserve the credit.
His story was dumb, but how about Lt. Bookman (Philip Baker Hall) as the doctor Larry went to see about his head? I’ll remember him more fondly for his great speech to Jerry about overdue library books (or even for his priest on Worst Week), but I loved seeing him again.
“If you think you can have sex with somebody else, then you should do that.” – Cheryl to Larry, agreeing to let Larry have his freebie for their anniversary
4.2 “Ben’s Birthday Party”
Welcome to yet another Seinfeld alum: Patrick Bristow played Susan’s friend Ethan the Wig Master on Seinfeld, and here he appeared as Larry’s choreographer for The Producers. Plus the blind guy that Larry helped move in season one (Patrick Kerr) was back as the practice pianist — small world!
Ben Stiller’s whole birthday party thing was weird; do he and his wife Christine Taylor (I still find it wild that they’re married every time I watch Dodgeball) really have to be friends with Cheryl and Larry? It’s totally not worth it for Ben and Christine, although Cheryl will unfairly lose out there. But it’s great having Ben Stiller around for a multi-episode arc. I love that guy. Are we going to get the chance to hear him sing and see him dance?
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Oct 08, 2010 @ 14:00 EST5EDT
