Larry David, the king of grievance, hangs up his crown with “No Lessons Learned.”
Warning: This article contains spoilers aboutCurb Your Enthusiasm’sseries finale,“No Lessons Learned.”
Im 76 years old, and I have never learned a lesson in my entire life!
Larry David.John Johnson/HBO
So boastedLarry David,Seinfeldco-creator and celebrity curmudgeon, in the series finale ofCurb Your Enthusiasm.
But that was TV Larry talking.
But at their worst, Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer never reached the anti-social heights depths?
J.B. Smoove, Richard Lewis, and Susie Essman in the ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ series finale.John Johnson/HBO
of their miserable maker.
Everything in his environment and his context of his life has been changed, notedJerry Seinfeldin the special.
And he is absolutely the same.
Larry David, Sanaa Lathan, Cheryl Hines, and Ted Danson in the ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ series finale.John Johnson/HBO
That disconnect served as the foundation of Larrys farcicalCurbfollies over the next 24 years.
The affronts took many forms (a bathroom door with no lock!
), and the payoff for his pettiness was often humiliation, condemnation, or reluctant remuneration.
Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David in the ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ series finale.John Johnson/HBO
“I can get into arguments that I wouldn’t get into.
and for themany celebrity guest stars,Curboffered them a chance to indulge the worst versions of themselves.
Was there anything as sublimely sinister asMichael J.
(Pete Davidsonto play himself inCurb Your Enthusiasm-like comedy.)
Smooveor the lateRichard Lewis, elicit a genuine laugh from Larry.
In our rational minds, we knew it wasnt real.
Eleven seasons, 120 episodes, so many of which are now consideredclassics in the annals of cringe comedy.
but most of us can agree on the all-time greats.
“Palestinian Chicken.”
“Trick or Treat.”
“The Doll.”
“Krazee-Eyez Killa.”
“Lewis Needs a Kidney.
“Curbtook asix-year break after season 8,and anotherthree-year break after season nine.
Each time, no one,not even the suits at HBO, knew if Larry would be back.
Still, back he came for three more seasons, and each one delivered diminishing comedic returns.
(This seasons seventh episode, The Dream Scheme, might be the series nadir.)
Despite the lack of laughs, at least season 12 had a clear purpose: Redemption.
Larry is pathologically incapable of taking the proceedings seriously.
Larry David doesnt respect the law, prosecutor Earl Mack (guest starGreg Kinnear) warns the jury.
He lives outside, unrestrained by the guardrails of human decency.
A slender, seemingly irrelevant string of connective plot tissue that loops back to save the day.
Jerry himself delivers the news Mistrial declared!
and as he and Larry stroll out of the jail, Larry has a revelation.
Oh, my God.Thisis how we should have ended the finale!
My sense is the latter, but Im not sure it really matters.
