The Rat Dog (14 Oct. 2007)

A faulty toaster makes life difficult for Loretta and Leon. Larry repeatedly offends a hearing impaired girl about the small dog she keeps with her. Larry and Leon get their phones mixed up... See full summary »

Director:

David Steinberg

Writer:

Larry David (story)

Stars:

Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Larry David	...	Larry David
Jeff Garlin	...	Jeff Greene
Cheryl Hines	...	Cheryl David
Susie Essman	...	Susie Greene
Shelley Berman	...	Nat David
Vivica A. Fox	...	Loretta Black
J.B. Smoove	...	Leon Black
Tim Meadows	...	Hal
Deanne Bray	...	Jean
Dorian Frankel	...	Lisa the Masseuse
Kevin P. Farley	...	Mike the Exterminator (as Kevin Farley)
Adam Gary	...	Kid #1
Ashly Holloway	...	Sammi Greene
Bailey Hughes	...	Kid #2 (as Bailey Hughs)
Carla Jeffery	...	Keysha Black

Storyline

A faulty toaster makes life difficult for Loretta and Leon. Larry repeatedly offends a hearing impaired girl about the small dog she keeps with her. Larry and Leon get their phones mixed up, and Larry traumatizes the entire audience at Sammy's middle school production of Grease when he invites Jeff's exterminator to watch the show.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 2007 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

References Heart of Darkness (1993)

User Reviews

"It's a rat.. it's a rat !!"

I'm not a fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm or, of course, Larry David as an actor. So when I love this episode, then it's an "event" !

This is meaty as a comedy. It has so many wonderful story-lines : flirting with the wife; since she's sick (meaning : vulnerable). Larry and Leon get their phones mixed up, which leads to more mixed up matters for both of them. Larry's faulty toaster makes it hard for Loretta to get a job. Larry jokes about the dog of his friend's deaf girlfriend. And Larry had to befriend with an exterminator to find someone, instead of his sick wife, to take to a middle school production of Grease. In fact with all of this stuff, the line of Larry's father and his girl seemed eventually extra, and in comparison; lame !

As Larry David's profession since Seinfeld, the lines are brilliant. The lying, through the phones' problem, is a must. Being embarrassed turns an exterminator into a date ! The world is full of cold people (Loretta and Leon want to live in Larry's home, being indifferent towards his references about getting a flat), impudent (Larry's talk about the "deaf" people in the bathroom), and extremely sensitive ones (the woman who hates Larry for running over a spider!). And, sure, the huge misunderstanding that "kills" !

I got the biggest laugh when that mistaken-for-a-rat dog got exterminated. It's, on one side, the misunderstanding with a funny side. And, on the other, it's a relief; since that was the ugliest, creepiest, dog ever been on screen (It's politeness to call it a rat; rats are more beautiful than this !). Sorry to all who own, love or even like such similar dogs ! While everyone in this show is in question, it's the only place to say offensive remarks, the whole book, and get away with it. Look at the things said about "deaf, black, sensitive people" throughout the episode. And they were all punished one way or another at the end, including (it's : as long as) the lead as well; being rejected from the play and at least 3 friends, not to mention getting sick / a target of coming on to !

It's Seinfeld all over again. The middle-class is accused and condemned. However, this time it's written by Larry David AND starring Larry David. That's one huge misunderstanding that I won't get over it at all !