TVSquad

It's so refreshing to be able to review something as funny as Curb (as it's so affectionately known among so many) after just sitting through American Dad. HBO teases us by letting the creative parties have total control of their shows and therefore only presenting them when they're ready. The nerve of them. That's why this is the first episode of Curb since the middle of March 2004. The nerve. I mean, what are they doing letting Larry David run a show?!? On with the show.
Curb Your Enthusiasm follows around Larry David (played by Larry David) in his daily life. For those of you that don't know, Larry, along with Jerry Seinfeld, was the creator of Seinfeld and a head writer on the show for years. This show has a lot of the same dry sarcastic humor that Seinfeld did, but without all of the shackles of a network television show. If you didn't like Seinfeld, chances are you won't like this. If, like me, you can sypathize with a total as***le and find the absurdities of every day life hilarious, this is your show.

The 5th season kicks off with Larry swimming in the ocean, he quickly starts having trouble, and after some struggling is deposited on to the beach. We cut to a party where Larry is retelling the traumatic event to a group of people. He thinks maybe it happened for a reason and decides to try and make it to temple's (that's "church" for all the non-jews) high holy day for the first time in years. His manager and best friend Jeff (played by Larry's real life friend Jeff Garlin) tells him that he thinks that's a good idea but he doesn't think any tickets are still available. Jeff's gonna make some calls, try and scrounge up some tickets, and get back to Larry later that night. Jeff also tells Larry that Leo's, a local deli they go to all the time, has named a new sandwich "The Larry David". Larry's elated until he learns what's in it, and it's a doozey: whitefish, sable, capers, onions and cream cheese. Mmmmm mmmmmm....

Even though Larry himself can't stand his sandwich, his father likes it and is proud not matter what. While the two are in the deli, Larry runs into Leo, the owner who has a crushing handshake, and asks if he could possibly switch sandwiches with someone, and after a little hesitation, Leo says that as long as Larry can get someone else to agree to it, he can go ahead and switch. Before Larry has too much time to think about it though, his dad starts choking and is rushed to the hospital. The head surgeon, a fan of Larry's explains to him that his dad suffered a mild stroke and will need surgery, a surgery that he'll perform as a favor to Larry. As his dad is having another episode, he whispers something to Larry, he's adopted!

Larry and Jeff go to see Ted Danson to see if he'll possibly switch sandwiches with Larry. Inititally he says yes, but once he hears the ingredients he's out as well, and vetos the switch. Larry and his wife make it to temple but end up having to scalp some tickets from someone out front to get in. Larry, obviously regretting his decision to go, is fidgetting during the ceremony when Richard Lewis gets his attention from the row ahead. They get into an argument over the sandwich, Richard is jealous, and cause such a ruckus that Larry and his wife are asked to leave. Larry and Jeff take Larry's dad's surgeon golfing and when he starts to putt they notice he has "the yips". You know, the little old man shakes that elderly people seem to have. Larry is worried for his dad and tries to call the surgeon later that evening but gets no answer.

Larry's father is doing better and tells Larry that he never said he was adopted, but unfortunately for Larry, there's only one person who he thinks might be able to tell him the truth, his long lost nanny. He writes a letter to someone he thinks may be her and awaits her response. Larry is going to meet his dad's doctor at Leo's for lunch and gets there early to pick up a "Larry David" for his dad. Leo's, however, no longer has a "Larry David" but they do have a "Richard Lewis". A furious Larry spots Richard in the deli and has it out with him, before yelling out of the blue at Richard that he's adopted. Leo overhears this and comes running up to Larry saying that he too is adopted and is overjoyed to have a "brother". To show his thanks, Leo tells Larry he can choose whatever sandwich he wants as his own. Larry chooses the "Ted Danson". Larry's dad's doctor shows up and he introduces him to Leo, who crushes his hand with his bear-like shake. As the doctor screams about his hand Larry seems to wonder if maybe God is on his side... At the end of the episode, we see Larry's elderly nanny trying to contact him, saying that she had an answer for him right before she passes away, never getting the message to him.

This is (and Extras after it) are the perfect ways to end the weekend. Just funny as hell. I know Curb, and Larry David in general for that matter, are aither love it or hate it. Well, I'm firmly in the love it category. There's only two shows that I completely own on DVD, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Reno 911. And until my lovable inept deputies from Nevada come back, I'm glad to be sharing my laughs with america's most lovable son of a -.