Curb Your Enthusiasm

Larry David, king of awkward moments and co-creator of the hit television series Seinfeld, has come back to television at full force. His hit series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, is a further extension of his life. Seinfeld has ended, his co-creator name has earned him about $200 million and growing, and his life is just getting excited. On these thirty minute trips, we follow Larry through moments with his wife Cheryl and manager Jeff. Circumstance continues to happen and Larry somehow always happens to be in the middle.

To say this is exactly like Seinfeld would be like saying chocolate tastes exactly like vanilla. These two shows are night and day, while others will compare the actions of Larry to that of Jerry, there one crucial element that divides them. Larry's show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, seems a bit more realistic. Seinfeld was a great show, don't get me wrong … possibly one of the best live-action series ever, but there was always that question of reality with Seinfeld. Where did Kramer get his money? How was George never put in jail? And so forth. With Larry's new show, he explores those possibilities. We know he is wealthy, he is playing himself and that is why he is able to not work. I would go so far as to say this first season is a dark representation of Seinfeld. Imagine if Seinfeld was released on HBO, how different of a show it would have been. Well, now Larry has that platform to really explore all opportunities … and he does with his hilarious show.

If you are a fan of awkward silences and coincidences with surprising results you will love this show. I am not sure if die-hard Seinfeld fans will love this program, but I sure did and I have seen every episode of Seinfeld at least twenty times. I will have to warn you, this is yet another show about nothing that just works. I just finished watching my favorite episode with the 'elevator courtesy' and his infamous fight with Richard Lewis (who plays his best friend).

Overall, this is a very funny show that I hope remains true to itself and consistent throughout the seasons. I love Larry David's humor, and while it may not be for everyone, I do find that it is very realistic. It will open your eyes to the strange, odd world in which we live.

Grade: ***** out of *****

Curb Your Enthusiasm is easily one of my all-time favorite comedies! It has stayed ridiculously funny throughout its entire run and has been just as funny as Seinfeld (which is saying something because Seinfeld is an all-time great). If you don't find this show funny then something is wrong with you. It's hilarious! Larry David is just a flat out genius, he's responsible for two of the funniest shows ever created in Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld!

Each episode will have you begging for more of Larry David

So what does Larry David do for an encore after the incredibly successful sitcom that detailed his experiences as a stand up in NY, he creates a new sitcom about his experiences as a very succesful creator of said show, post cancellation, living the good life with a ton of dough out in Malibu. Sounds pretty boring, and even snotty right? Its not at all. Like the rest of us, I loved Seinfeld, and still love the reruns. But I gotta say, this show is better. It's the same basic premise, which I guess is to turn a standup monologue into a situation comedy. In other words, instead of having a guy on stage telling jokes about the amusing and annoying happenstances of every day life, you create a format comedy, and use these anecdotes to weave together a plot. What made Seinfeld memorable was the clever way in which everything all in the end tied up in a nice little package. If you notice, that's a common laugh getter for stand-ups, to inject a joke they made earlier in their set and put it into practical anecdotal demonstration. You are right if you are thinking this is complete hogwash and hyper-analyzation of something not meant to be studied as such, but there it is. Having said all of that, I think CYE is the logical next step for fans of the Seinfeld show. It's the advanced course if you will of the more remedial network show. The freedom of HBO allows for obviously more adult material and language, but also for pure artistic expression. A lot of what goes on is definitely not palatable to the mainstream, and I could honestly see people hating it. Not me. I think its a rare chance to see genius, unfettered and uncensored. Yes Larry David was George Costanza or vice versa, but through this series, you also see he was Kramer, Elaine and Jerry. For some reason I totally relate to his inability to relate to everyone else, including his wife. Its often way too contrived, but I love it. If you were a fan of Seinfeld for the reasons I've mentioned, and not just for the run of the mill laugh track jokes, you will be missing something special if you don't give these a shot.

After missing Larry David's much heralded HBO Special which was the pilot for this masterpiece, on premiere night I was treated with a show that seems to be a bit of Seinfield and Larry Sanders, or maybe even more.

While many won't get the premise, being much in-tune with inside Hollywood humor and personalities, Curb Your Enthusiasm takes us inside, past the backstage to the actual lifestyles of an "A-list" celebrity and shows exactly how they tick-Fear, paranoia, and maybe, just maybe the inner-workings of a creative genius like Larry David.

It's clearly evident who the mastermind of Seinfeld was after watching it. Everyone of those Seinfeld characters are parts of Larry David's personality and just like Seinfeld and The Larry Sanders Show, I can hardly wait to see each episode over and over and over.

This show shouldn't be labled a "10" it's much to brilliant for that. Try "A+" with a 210 I.Q.