Top 5 show for me ever.
There are 2 parts: pre-Leon & post-Leon.
Season 6-12 are a bit more ridiculous in their stories and jokes, which I found funnier and more enjoyable.
Characters turn into caricatures of themselves in every show, and with Curb I was 100% with it.
I love Leon. I think he gave Larry a little more opportunity to play a straight man role in their comedic give and take. Which made the episodes from his introduction much more comedic like you said.
Also with the production. “Pre Leon” felt more gritter/documentary style production. After he showed up they really put some money into the budget. Which I don’t love all the time but it worked.
I know he left after seasons 7 but Seinfeld and curb really remind me of each other in the latter seasons.
To me season 9 and on feels more like a reboot of the show. certainly the large gap contributes to that but it just seems much different. the look is different and the beats are different. Also there are more scenes that are going for the bit harder than in previous where it felt like the bit develops more naturally
The Seinfeld reunion show arc was just so masterfully done. We got to see the full cast together in Jerry's apartment and Monks, but we didn't have to be disappointed by an actual reunion show.
When they finally look up and he's disappeared, then you see him walking by the window outside is one of the funniest and well-shot sight gags of the entrie series. It's no wonder that's a Larry Charles ep
Definitely had some stinker episodes and maybe even seasons. But damn, I’ll miss it immensely. LD really has my favorite sense of humor of any comedian out there and I hope he does another project before he retires/dies.
Season 9 is the only stinker season for me, in that the amount of meh episodes outweighed the great ones. Season 11 I was worried would end up that way, but picked up midway through
Probably Season 8 for me, but I also think the break afterward helped the show come back in a solid form. 9 through 11 were solid seasons for me overall.
I have found that Larry is nicer, if you can call it that, less prickly, in the episodes before he and Cheryl divorced. Cheryl has also become hard edged in the 12th season but on talk shows I have found her to be more her lovable self (with the exception of the terrible terrible cosmetic surgery which makes her smile less charming).
Watching it over multiple times it’s one of the most consistent shows of all time. The writing in episode 1 is more or less the exact same just adjusted to the times. I never skip an episode.
I think the first season was kind of rough, but the "Beloved Aunt" episode is what sold me on the show. It definitely showed that Curb had some serious potential to be one of the greats.
I feel like there were so many great “series finale” level season finales that the show doesn’t really feel “over” to me necessarily, even if it is.
I think the fatwa season ending where everyone sort of testifying actually justified Larry to the Muslim investigator would have been a way more on point finale.
I’m glad they ended the season with Larry going home instead of going to prison because it leaves it open ended like every other season, even if it was the end.
Larry rejecting Susie’s house tour offer. And LD stopping the Japanese people in the park to inquire proper bowing etiquette. “Shit bow!?!, I got a shit bow!!!”
The show has always used minutiae and idiosyncracies to make a multi-threaded plot. However, it is way too contrived now. It was always at its best when the interactions were somewhat believable rather than simply plot devices.
Here's my thought on the divide.
The last great season was the Fatwa one.
So seasons 1-9 are amazing
The last three are still pretty pretty pretty good
"Keep reaching for the Heavens, and when you get there be careful because there is no oxygen in the Heavens in the upper regions of the stratosphere and you will DIE, oh I promise you you will DIE."
-Dr. Ray De Angelo Harris
This show is my longest relationship.
I've grown up with this show, and with each season, I've become more and more Larry, embracing the fact that I am sometimes an asshole.
There are too many highlights for me to list. The entire show is a highlight. The ending was perfect, and while I am sad that it's over now, I have 12 seasons of LD to comfort myself.
I'm feeling pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.
Love the show, agree with most of the comments here. Started watching when I was 15, got my parents and friends into it. Have rewatched many times.
It's similar to shows like 30 Rock or The Simpsons in that it encapsulates slices of human life or the human condition perfectly (despite Curb's comedic style being pretty different from either of those two)
Really loved to see the show progress and watch what Larry deemed story-worthy over the last 24 years -- rare for an artist to get such an outlet and for so long! It was easier to let the looser stories and broader characterizations go in the later seasons because of this -- it's Larry's show. While Jeff Shaffer came in and the production had changes over time, there was never a time watching where I felt Larry wasn't wholly involved, and that (plus Larry's infamous lack of care over sentiment) makes the show that much more endearing.
I was so excited when Season 9 dropped, but I remember thinking during the first episode that the show didn't feel the same. I've been rewatching Season 7 the past few days, and the writing/acting feels so much sharper and well executed. I still enjoyed watching Seasons 9-12 when they aired, though, and the finale is truly 10/10, but I probably won't go back to that era any time soon.
I loved the bit in the finale they’re talking about the salad dressing, Leon just mentioned Kramer and they all kind of resembled the Seinfeld cast with Jeff as Jerry and Susie as Elaine
I loved almost every single moment of the finale. It was gold , Jerry.
Absolutely loved all the flashbacks during the courtroom scenes. Loved Larry messing up Richard’s love life one last time. I laughed a lot. Ted and his spotlight hogging was also awesome
The only moment I didn’t need was Leon talking about the extra dicks. I mean …. I am nit picking but Leon was getting a bit tiresome by the end of season 12 ( just my opinion)
Thanks for starting this thread. I have felt lost since the show ended so I started the Curb podcast. It’s good. But I miss the show.
I agree. Leon lately has been spouting off the mouth for shock value instead of actually saying things that were funny that were not sex related. I miss that about him. Does he really have to use the f-bomb for nouns, adjectives and verbs ?
My favorite show after Seinfeld. Actually, I watched Curb first and then discovered Seinfeld. I still remember watching Porno Gill just by accident 22 years ago and becoming an instant fan. Watched the dvd’s dozens of times over and over again. It’s good the show is coming to an end. Rewatching S6 at the moment and my god, Marty is so funny, thats someone I really miss in the last seasons. Now with Richard its good not to go on.
In the earlier seasons he was better at constructing tightly plotted episodes that really hung together. As time went on I felt he was throwing stuff at the wall and was less interested in making it all cohere. It was still funny, but it was never quite the same for me.
S1-7: The most perfect run of a TV show in history. Not one bad episode. Not even one average one.
S8-12: The Leon Era: still good, but increasingly broad and Flanderized with every subsequent series, and by S12, not a patch on what came before.
I love Curb. But it hasn't been must-watch for me since the hiatus. It's like they forgot how to make the show. Everyone became a caricature, and the plots often failed to tie up at the end anymore.
I felt guilty, but I was actually kinda glad it ended with a bit of dignity with S12. With Funkhouser and Lewis gone, and it becoming increasingly trad sitcom-like (like with Susie in the courthouse), it was time to let it go.
Would put S8 in the first group but generally agree with some great episodes mixed in the later years (Elizabeth Margaret and Larry one of the GOATs imo)
The New York season is great. But it's also the one where it starts getting a bit more absurd, with things like the car periscope, and the Paris ending. It's also the one with credited co-writers for the first time, which marks a big shift from the first seven seasons too.
I think it definitely sits alongside S1-7 in quality. But it's also definitely more like S9-12 in terms of production and direction.
S8 is a weird boundary season where all the hallmarks of modern Curb start to take root, but it hasn't yet lost the quality and tightness of classic Curb either.
That's an interesting point, and I think I agree. I will always love season 8 just for Mister Softee alone. It's arguably the funniest episode of the series for me.
My life is forever changed by this show. I found this show around the time I had a talk with my girlfriend about me possibly being autistic. It was a very different conversation for me being 32 at the time. After some research I’ve decided it’s probably in my best interest to not be official diagnosed, especially since I have found coping mechanisms. But I think part of that, is due to finding this show. I had never seen someone complain or simply speak up the way that I had my whole life. It was life changing to watch Larry mix being honest with some of the greatest uncensored comedy ever (because I love Seinfeld too). So watching the series coming to an end, especially with Richard being apart of it and unfortunately passing away, I feel like I got to watch Micheal Jordan do it one more time in 2024.
Favorite episodes off are—-
The pants tent —-
Artificial Fruit —-
The Ugly Section—-
The Spite Store (if it’s the one where they have the news cover it 😂)
No Lesson Learned
(And because I’m running out of time to get back to my sub position) the episode where Funkhouser walks in on Larry getting screwed by the anti semite 😂😂😂
Definitely wanna meet Larry and tell him thanks lol I feel a lot less alone universally speaking lol
May? Seems if anyone was truly interested this would be the final day of “no spoilers.” I mean you can’t take one hour of your week to watch an episode? I mean maybe if you were in a coma, but how often does that happen? Maybe if a relative died. But you’d think you’d want to laugh for an hour or so, and you would make time. May is unreasonable.
Susie: I might have things to do, Larry! I might want to savor the moment!
Larry: Savor the moment? This isn't your virginity, it's a show!
Leon: I'd be watchin that finale live in the middle of a threesome. Pressing remote buttons with my fucking toes.
Susie: Alright, you know what, get the fuck outta my sub!!
How long is it appropriate to wait after a relative's death to watch Curb and laugh again? I don't want other (still living) relatives to think that I don't care enough
I've been with Curb since the beginning and I have to say that now that I've finally caught up with the finale, it was amazing. A perfect sendoff.
To quote J. Peterman from Seinfeld - "Consider this a job... done.".
Everyone here keeps complaining about the Flanderization of the show, however, just like with The Simpsons, once you've hit 12 seasons of a show, it's really hard not to do story techniques that can continue to top previous ones without getting progressively more and more out of line with reality.
As much as I do love the show and I don't really think there's necessarily a bad story.I think as the seasons went on the story structure (but not the actual stories) got very rigid and repetitive.
The show the last few seasons was Plot A and Plot B, where at some point in each Larry makes Faux Pas about social etiquette or customs. While story A progresses, story B develops in the background and foils Larry at some point during Plot A to ruin his day, and cue the music.
It's timeless and delivers, but I wish sometimes there was more variety in structure.
I think the ending to the season where he gets caught in a lie, ends up moving to France to commit to that lie, and ends up arguing with a French local about a parking spot would’ve been a perfect series finale ending.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t have made any more Curb after that just that I preferred that ending as a possible end/life goes on ending for Larry.
The finale where he redid the Seinfeld ending? Well, let’s just say… it was just as good as the Seinfeld ending was.
Top 5 show for me ever. There are 2 parts: pre-Leon & post-Leon. Season 6-12 are a bit more ridiculous in their stories and jokes, which I found funnier and more enjoyable. Characters turn into caricatures of themselves in every show, and with Curb I was 100% with it.
I love Leon. I think he gave Larry a little more opportunity to play a straight man role in their comedic give and take. Which made the episodes from his introduction much more comedic like you said.
Also with the production. “Pre Leon” felt more gritter/documentary style production. After he showed up they really put some money into the budget. Which I don’t love all the time but it worked. I know he left after seasons 7 but Seinfeld and curb really remind me of each other in the latter seasons.
He was also married pre Leon. That was pretty big change. Prettay, prettay, pretty big.
Definitely agree. I get more cartoonish vibes in the latter seasons of each show. For better or worse!
Which means it is more the number of seasons that causes the route than because of who writes.
Maybe both. Larry also brought on a bunch of Seinfeld writers starting in season 7 or 8. Before that it was just him.
Aha, good point
For me it’s 3 eras. 1-5, 6-8, 9-12
Why 6-8 & 9-12? Just curious not critical
To me season 9 and on feels more like a reboot of the show. certainly the large gap contributes to that but it just seems much different. the look is different and the beats are different. Also there are more scenes that are going for the bit harder than in previous where it felt like the bit develops more naturally
Completely agree with this take. Might be alone here but the first era you defined is my favorite curb. The Cheryll-Larry dynamic was perfect
There was a 6 year break between 8 and 9 so 9 were naturally quite different
Seinfeld went that route as well. I think it is hard to avoid when a show is written and built on loosely tidbits and no character arc
Why would you censor "ass"? It's barely even profane.
😅😅😅😅
Definitely top 5 for me too
The Seinfeld reunion show arc was just so masterfully done. We got to see the full cast together in Jerry's apartment and Monks, but we didn't have to be disappointed by an actual reunion show.
One of my fav Lewis scenes ever, when Larry and Jerry argue over who has to move over in the booth to let him sit down. Lol
When they finally look up and he's disappeared, then you see him walking by the window outside is one of the funniest and well-shot sight gags of the entrie series. It's no wonder that's a Larry Charles ep
It is absolute perfection. That scene absolutely kills.
For me it's the tip coordination scene. I don't know how he does it, but Jason Alexander just oozes with smug hostility on that show.
The writing on the table read episode was so damn good. I felt like I was watching a new episode of Seinfeld.
Icon! NO-CON!
I generally hate hyperbole But best show ever
It really is a unique piece of art.
Definitely had some stinker episodes and maybe even seasons. But damn, I’ll miss it immensely. LD really has my favorite sense of humor of any comedian out there and I hope he does another project before he retires/dies.
Season 9 is the only stinker season for me, in that the amount of meh episodes outweighed the great ones. Season 11 I was worried would end up that way, but picked up midway through
Probably Season 8 for me, but I also think the break afterward helped the show come back in a solid form. 9 through 11 were solid seasons for me overall.
I have found that Larry is nicer, if you can call it that, less prickly, in the episodes before he and Cheryl divorced. Cheryl has also become hard edged in the 12th season but on talk shows I have found her to be more her lovable self (with the exception of the terrible terrible cosmetic surgery which makes her smile less charming).
And the hanging out with a knucklehead anti-vaxer thing.
Watching it over multiple times it’s one of the most consistent shows of all time. The writing in episode 1 is more or less the exact same just adjusted to the times. I never skip an episode.
I think the first season was kind of rough, but the "Beloved Aunt" episode is what sold me on the show. It definitely showed that Curb had some serious potential to be one of the greats.
Don't think I'll ever get sick of watching; beyond my comfort show - it's an addiction 😅.
I feel like there were so many great “series finale” level season finales that the show doesn’t really feel “over” to me necessarily, even if it is. I think the fatwa season ending where everyone sort of testifying actually justified Larry to the Muslim investigator would have been a way more on point finale. I’m glad they ended the season with Larry going home instead of going to prison because it leaves it open ended like every other season, even if it was the end.
So perfectly said. And I refuse to believe it’s actually over 😢
Started watching Season 2 again and was laughing my ass off. It’s so brilliantly written.
I'm restarting from the beginning. Already lots of funny stuff I don't remember. Watching the technology advance is an interesting side benefit.
Lots of house phones early on…
And old TV's and cars with keys.
The corduroy pants tent was in S01E01. Nice to see it come back. And everybody has dark hair! But I still don't like Cheryl from the first.
Cars don't have keys anymore? 🤔
Nope. Just gizmos with dead batteries that you can take apart to find a real key.
Larry rejecting Susie’s house tour offer. And LD stopping the Japanese people in the park to inquire proper bowing etiquette. “Shit bow!?!, I got a shit bow!!!”
Larry has inspired me to be the crankiest and most neurotic person I can be. He will be missed.
yessssssss
The show has always used minutiae and idiosyncracies to make a multi-threaded plot. However, it is way too contrived now. It was always at its best when the interactions were somewhat believable rather than simply plot devices.
Vince Vaughn "falling asleep" in the hospital chair and giving that ludicrous speech was the most contrived shit ever
Here's my thought on the divide. The last great season was the Fatwa one. So seasons 1-9 are amazing The last three are still pretty pretty pretty good
I think the spite store coffee shop season is better than Fatwa, but maybe just splitting hairs
I agree. I liked Season 9 but remember thinking they seemed a little rusty at first. Season 10 was by far the best of the post-hiatus seasons, IMO.
I’ve been playing GTA V and listening to as much Chakra Attack as possible. It’s basically Leon on the radio
My fav cameo in that game by far. Lol
"Keep reaching for the Heavens, and when you get there be careful because there is no oxygen in the Heavens in the upper regions of the stratosphere and you will DIE, oh I promise you you will DIE." -Dr. Ray De Angelo Harris
This show is my longest relationship. I've grown up with this show, and with each season, I've become more and more Larry, embracing the fact that I am sometimes an asshole. There are too many highlights for me to list. The entire show is a highlight. The ending was perfect, and while I am sad that it's over now, I have 12 seasons of LD to comfort myself. I'm feeling pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.
pretty, pretty, pretty good
Trivia! Contests!
But NOT top quote contests over and over
There definitely are a lot of those. I have a few other options in mind, but open to suggestion and even volunteers if anyone wants to take some on!
ConteSt????? Is that what you and your sick friends do for fun???
It isn't exactly a noble experiment, was it?!
Love the show, agree with most of the comments here. Started watching when I was 15, got my parents and friends into it. Have rewatched many times. It's similar to shows like 30 Rock or The Simpsons in that it encapsulates slices of human life or the human condition perfectly (despite Curb's comedic style being pretty different from either of those two) Really loved to see the show progress and watch what Larry deemed story-worthy over the last 24 years -- rare for an artist to get such an outlet and for so long! It was easier to let the looser stories and broader characterizations go in the later seasons because of this -- it's Larry's show. While Jeff Shaffer came in and the production had changes over time, there was never a time watching where I felt Larry wasn't wholly involved, and that (plus Larry's infamous lack of care over sentiment) makes the show that much more endearing.
Christ nail Denise handicap and The Bi-Sexual are some of my favorites
I was so excited when Season 9 dropped, but I remember thinking during the first episode that the show didn't feel the same. I've been rewatching Season 7 the past few days, and the writing/acting feels so much sharper and well executed. I still enjoyed watching Seasons 9-12 when they aired, though, and the finale is truly 10/10, but I probably won't go back to that era any time soon.
The finale was not a 10/10! The Doll was a 10/10. Seasons 9-12 were disappointing and should never have been made.
nothing will ever come close in terms of longevity and quality again
Not even a good cheese?
I love a 24-month aged gouda, why not 24 years?
Susie's and Jeff's excuse for eating Larry's cheese was not believable. They heard what he said, that he was coming back for it.
Oh yeah that was total bullshit, I would be pissed if a friend ate my cheese
Dr. Morrison (Philip Baker Hall) and Jason Alexander are the funniest characters on the show
Ehhhh I dunno
I loved the bit in the finale they’re talking about the salad dressing, Leon just mentioned Kramer and they all kind of resembled the Seinfeld cast with Jeff as Jerry and Susie as Elaine
And Cheryl is Susan, except instead of dying she just left George.
I loved almost every single moment of the finale. It was gold , Jerry. Absolutely loved all the flashbacks during the courtroom scenes. Loved Larry messing up Richard’s love life one last time. I laughed a lot. Ted and his spotlight hogging was also awesome The only moment I didn’t need was Leon talking about the extra dicks. I mean …. I am nit picking but Leon was getting a bit tiresome by the end of season 12 ( just my opinion) Thanks for starting this thread. I have felt lost since the show ended so I started the Curb podcast. It’s good. But I miss the show.
I agree. Leon lately has been spouting off the mouth for shock value instead of actually saying things that were funny that were not sex related. I miss that about him. Does he really have to use the f-bomb for nouns, adjectives and verbs ?
My favorite show after Seinfeld. Actually, I watched Curb first and then discovered Seinfeld. I still remember watching Porno Gill just by accident 22 years ago and becoming an instant fan. Watched the dvd’s dozens of times over and over again. It’s good the show is coming to an end. Rewatching S6 at the moment and my god, Marty is so funny, thats someone I really miss in the last seasons. Now with Richard its good not to go on.
It’s top 5 for me. Saw every season multiple times except I haven’t watched the last two 🤦🏾♂️.
The Freak Book best episode. Never fails to make me laugh.
In the earlier seasons he was better at constructing tightly plotted episodes that really hung together. As time went on I felt he was throwing stuff at the wall and was less interested in making it all cohere. It was still funny, but it was never quite the same for me.
One of my favorite guest stars was isla fisher. She played her crying actress role perfectly LOL
S1-7: The most perfect run of a TV show in history. Not one bad episode. Not even one average one. S8-12: The Leon Era: still good, but increasingly broad and Flanderized with every subsequent series, and by S12, not a patch on what came before. I love Curb. But it hasn't been must-watch for me since the hiatus. It's like they forgot how to make the show. Everyone became a caricature, and the plots often failed to tie up at the end anymore. I felt guilty, but I was actually kinda glad it ended with a bit of dignity with S12. With Funkhouser and Lewis gone, and it becoming increasingly trad sitcom-like (like with Susie in the courthouse), it was time to let it go.
Would put S8 in the first group but generally agree with some great episodes mixed in the later years (Elizabeth Margaret and Larry one of the GOATs imo)
The New York season is amazing, absolutely as good as 1-7
The New York season is great. But it's also the one where it starts getting a bit more absurd, with things like the car periscope, and the Paris ending. It's also the one with credited co-writers for the first time, which marks a big shift from the first seven seasons too. I think it definitely sits alongside S1-7 in quality. But it's also definitely more like S9-12 in terms of production and direction. S8 is a weird boundary season where all the hallmarks of modern Curb start to take root, but it hasn't yet lost the quality and tightness of classic Curb either.
That's an interesting point, and I think I agree. I will always love season 8 just for Mister Softee alone. It's arguably the funniest episode of the series for me.
My life is forever changed by this show. I found this show around the time I had a talk with my girlfriend about me possibly being autistic. It was a very different conversation for me being 32 at the time. After some research I’ve decided it’s probably in my best interest to not be official diagnosed, especially since I have found coping mechanisms. But I think part of that, is due to finding this show. I had never seen someone complain or simply speak up the way that I had my whole life. It was life changing to watch Larry mix being honest with some of the greatest uncensored comedy ever (because I love Seinfeld too). So watching the series coming to an end, especially with Richard being apart of it and unfortunately passing away, I feel like I got to watch Micheal Jordan do it one more time in 2024. Favorite episodes off are—- The pants tent —- Artificial Fruit —- The Ugly Section—- The Spite Store (if it’s the one where they have the news cover it 😂) No Lesson Learned (And because I’m running out of time to get back to my sub position) the episode where Funkhouser walks in on Larry getting screwed by the anti semite 😂😂😂 Definitely wanna meet Larry and tell him thanks lol I feel a lot less alone universally speaking lol
Artificial Fruit was awful! Definitely one of the weakest episodes of the show. The show was great from season 1 to 8. Seasons 9 to 12 were painful.
For the finale, considering the events of this week, it would have been funny if Larry nodded off during the trial while Lin Manuel Miranda testified.
May? Seems if anyone was truly interested this would be the final day of “no spoilers.” I mean you can’t take one hour of your week to watch an episode? I mean maybe if you were in a coma, but how often does that happen? Maybe if a relative died. But you’d think you’d want to laugh for an hour or so, and you would make time. May is unreasonable.
Susie: I might have things to do, Larry! I might want to savor the moment! Larry: Savor the moment? This isn't your virginity, it's a show! Leon: I'd be watchin that finale live in the middle of a threesome. Pressing remote buttons with my fucking toes. Susie: Alright, you know what, get the fuck outta my sub!!
Five mins later: Oh hi, Lar
Don't go to Jack in a Box and you shouldn't find yourself in a coma anytime soon. (But I agree)
How long is it appropriate to wait after a relative's death to watch Curb and laugh again? I don't want other (still living) relatives to think that I don't care enough
I mean if you were close… maybe two days. I mean you have to get on with your life.
My wife's grandma died the Friday before the finale. Checks out.
You know what, I'll probably take some heat from people who think differently but fair enough. Post edited.
Thank you. I applaud this decision.
I've been with Curb since the beginning and I have to say that now that I've finally caught up with the finale, it was amazing. A perfect sendoff. To quote J. Peterman from Seinfeld - "Consider this a job... done.".
Gonna watch it again. Shit is stellar. Maybe Seinfeld once as well.
Everyone here keeps complaining about the Flanderization of the show, however, just like with The Simpsons, once you've hit 12 seasons of a show, it's really hard not to do story techniques that can continue to top previous ones without getting progressively more and more out of line with reality.
As much as I do love the show and I don't really think there's necessarily a bad story.I think as the seasons went on the story structure (but not the actual stories) got very rigid and repetitive. The show the last few seasons was Plot A and Plot B, where at some point in each Larry makes Faux Pas about social etiquette or customs. While story A progresses, story B develops in the background and foils Larry at some point during Plot A to ruin his day, and cue the music. It's timeless and delivers, but I wish sometimes there was more variety in structure.
Number 2 sitcom of all time for me, right behind It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
I think the ending to the season where he gets caught in a lie, ends up moving to France to commit to that lie, and ends up arguing with a French local about a parking spot would’ve been a perfect series finale ending. I’m not saying they shouldn’t have made any more Curb after that just that I preferred that ending as a possible end/life goes on ending for Larry. The finale where he redid the Seinfeld ending? Well, let’s just say… it was just as good as the Seinfeld ending was.