(Season 1, Episodes 9-10)
Crude? Yes. Uncalled for? Often. But funny? Without fail, things that were mentioned without any significance at the beginning of an episode keep on jumping out to surprise me by the end. And more often than not I don’t see them coming. I may never pay to see him perform stand-up, but Larry David knows how to write good comedy.
1.9 “Affirmative Action”
I’m not sure what to make of Richard Lewis. I mean, I guess I can see him as the type of person — on the show — who’d call Larry up so that they could talk about the nature of their friendship. But there was something really needy and pathetic about the whole thing, something I was surprised to hear from a guy who’s meant to come across as a mover and a shaker.
On the other hand, it was the set-up for Larry to meet and insult Richard’s black dermatologist, so I suppose they had to come up with something. Did you get the joke that Larry made about affirmative action? I know it was supposed to be dumb, but I don’t even understand what he was trying to say.
I loved seeing the maitre di bribe work … the myth had to be rooted in some truth. But it was oh so much better when Larry realized that he’d bribed the guy with Cheryl’s prescription … which the maitre di found and threw away. Hilarious.
How do you leave the restaurant you’re eating in to use the restroom in another one? I know that Larry’s crazy, but I can’t believe they even let him in. Have you ever tried to use the bathroom at an establishment you’re not paying for a meal? Ever see Big Daddy?
But it was funny to see Larry getting accosted over his record of casting African Americans in his TV and movie projects. And then having that come back around to bite him in the butt when he went to Richard’s friend to get a new prescription for Cheryl … perfect.
I loved that throwaway conversation about the navigation system and Larry’s father. I suppose it’s just the beginning of the series, but I feel as if I’ve “known” Larry for a long time (Seinfeld included) and yet can’t recall having ever heard him mention his parents. Are there Estelle and Frank Costanzas out there? Can we meet them?
Larry trying to bribe the pharmacist for faster service at the end was priceless. I hope that store banning comes back around again. I couldn’t believe he tried that!
1.10 “The Group”
Never would I invite Larry to a party with me, let alone an incest survivor support meeting. Even if one feels differently, what should have been a flashing warning sign was when he asked his ex, “Are you sure that you qualify?” because she’d been molested by her stepbrother.
Apparently she didn’t get the message, because somehow there was Larry, making up his own molestation story when it was his turn to share. And then, of all people to be directing Cheryl in the role she landed in “The Vagina Monologues,” it just had to be someone from the group. Really? There was a beautiful symmetry to that, capped off perfectly by Larry’s uncle showing up backstage and being run off by the director. It might be wrong to say given the subject matter, but this episode was hilarious.
Not crazy about the beginning of Jeff’s cheating on the show — I saw the season seven episode, “Funkhouser’s Crazy Sister,” but then I guess I know why I was caught off guard at the time. I imagine there’s more of it to come … personally, I’d just leave Susie.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jul 16, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
