Review: 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' - 'The Bi-Sexual': Juicing the game
Larry and Rosie O'Donnell compete for the same woman
Larry David and Rosie O'Donnell in "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
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A quick review of last night's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" coming up just as soon as I secure the bags...
Because "Curb" is a show so defined by its structure, I sometimes find myself writing that an episode was very funny in spots but didn't work as a whole because the structure wasn't quite right. (Case in point: last week's Larry/Gervais obnoxious-off.) "The Bi-Sexual" was the opposite of that. Aside from weirdly ending with Larry being forced to have lunch with Duckstein rather than the scene before it, this was a very, very well-constructed episode. The competition with Rosie O'Donnell, the baseball metaphor laid on top of that, and then the ongoing argument with the Japanese restaurant manager(**) all came together beautifully in that moment on the steps of the Hall of Fame, where Larry was barred entry because he had cheated the game.
(*) It's so rare to see a character on this show take such an immediate and understandable dislike to Larry the way that guy did. Usually, it takes people a while to recognize just what a boor he can be, and/or the rules of polite society force them to endure it longer. But this guy, while pretending to appease Larry, couldn't have been more blatant in his disdain, even without the "shit bow."
And yet despite that structure, and despite a fine guest cast roster that included O'Donnell, Amy Landecker as Jane, original "SNL" writer Alan Zweibel as Duckstein and Alan Muraoka from "Sesame Street" as the helpful tourist(**), the only parts of the episode where I laughed out loud were the ones involving Leon. Credit to David and the other "Curb" writers for recognizing that they couldn't leave J.B. Smoove behind for an entire half-season, and their conversation about bats, balls and gloves was hysterical (Larry: "Too bad I don't have a daughter; I would like to impart that knowledge to her"), but for whatever reason, the rest of the episode made me appreciate how well it was put together without seeming incredibly funny.
(**) This was an episode loaded with "Louie" touches. Landecker played two memorable roles (Louie's date in "Bully" and his mom in the Jesus flashback) in that show's first season, Muraoka was on the most recent episode, and Larry and Jeff discuss the Cooperstown date while walking along the High Line, which is where Louie despaired about the meaning of life in "Bummer/Blueberries." And, of course, both "Louie" and "Curb" have used Ricky Gervais to great effect. At what point will Louie and Larry share a screen together?
Comedy is, of course, subjective, so what did everybody else think?
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Comments
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupGuyITC
August 22, 2011 at 9:27AM EST Reply to CommentFive words: Tie goes to the hetero.
Razorback
August 22, 2011 at 9:29AM EST Reply to CommentI was so happy to see Leon back... that dude deserves an EMMY!
GarySF
August 22, 2011 at 9:34AM EST Reply to CommentWorst episode of the season, didn't laugh once.
Not Elaine
August 22, 2011 at 9:36AM EST Reply to CommentWhat, no mention of David Canary as the "performance enhancer" pusher?
August 22, 2011 at 10:44AM ESTDezbot So that's what Adam Chandler's been doing all these months!
August 22, 2011 at 11:13AM ESTsepinwall Darnit, I knew he looked familiar, but I'm not a daytime guy. Thanks, Not Elaine.
August 22, 2011 at 11:33AM ESTGob's Frozen Dove I was completely thrown for a loop to see David Canary pushing Viagra! He didn't want to move to LA when All my Children moved, so it makes sense he's still in NYC...pushing Viagra. I rewound that scene to show my H, since he recalls him from Gunsmoke (?)
September 2, 2011 at 10:49PM ESTLaura Victoria
August 22, 2011 at 10:01AM EST Reply to CommentI would have liked a longer review, as I still needed an entertainment fix after watching. Agree, as usual. The writing could have been way funnier. Lots of wasted talent in this episode.
JerseyRudy
August 22, 2011 at 10:28AM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was the 2nd best episode of the season (Palestinian Chicken is the clear #1). Lots of funny lines in addition to the great structure.
The mention of Manny Ramirez right before Larry gets denied addmission to the Hall was a clever little dig from Larry David the Yankees fan!
DeeJay
August 22, 2011 at 10:33AM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was fantastic, but maybe it's more because I'm a big sports fan. The "juicing" stuff had me LMAO. But I also loved the rest of the episode. The shit bow, the bats and balls conversation with Leon, the competition with Rosie O'Donnell.
I agree that it was the second best episode of the season behind Palestinian Chicken.
SnyGuy75
August 22, 2011 at 10:34AM EST Reply to CommentCurb is one of the funniest shows on TV.
I'm never let down by this show! Even the less funny episodes are better than other show's best.
John
August 22, 2011 at 10:49AM EST Reply to Commentrosie o'donnell is such an unlikeable presence, it really ruined the episode. and what is going on with her neck? it was brown/orange in spots and white in others...looks like a really bad self-tanning job. that woman is a total mess.
MJS
August 22, 2011 at 11:03AM EST Reply to CommentI definitely thought the funniest stuff was when Leon was in the scene. The fact that he drove from LA to NY (in the Prius, of course), and that he mentioned that something like '8 MF's can fit up in there' cracked me up. Also him mentioning that he didn't like his new roommate....so he's renting out Larry's house! Too funny.
JerseyRudy paraphrasing Leon on the Prius: that car has some MFing heart!
August 22, 2011 at 11:07AM ESTDezbot
August 22, 2011 at 11:14AM EST Reply to CommentI actually laughed quite a bit during this episode, though I agree with you that it should have ended at Cooperstown. And Leon makes everything funnier. "Where's my room?"
srpad
August 22, 2011 at 11:43AM EST Reply to CommentSeeing Amy Landecker made me also think of a Louie/Curb cross over. I imagine Louie's self loathing would absorb Larry's misanthropy like a black hole.
Nah Mean Reply to comment...
August 22, 2011 at 11:51AM ESTNah Mean Oops. I was just gonna say that she is an absolute fox, with great taste in comedians.
August 22, 2011 at 11:52AM ESTgregel
August 22, 2011 at 1:31PM EST Reply to CommentI dunno, I thought the Rosie/Larry competition stuff was funnier. I laughed out loud during the baseball game. I also don't get the Leon love. I sort of find him annoying.
DougMac I dont get the Leon love either. I like the show better without him. I thought this was a good episode, but not up to the level of the better Curb episodes.
August 23, 2011 at 12:22AM ESTJoe Good God, men! How can you not love Leon? That guy makes the MFing show. The guy is probably in the top-10 all-time 2nd tier comedy characters.
August 23, 2011 at 4:24PM ESTMulderism
August 22, 2011 at 1:46PM EST Reply to CommentProbably the funniest episode of the season. I think they could have dropped one of the plot lines to flesh out the 'shit bow' plot. The bow was pretty funny but it could have been expanded more with the scene of Larry confronting the restaurant owner.
I felt pretty bad for poor Duckstein. Larry really laid into him and he just rolled with it. And then the scene where he was eating lunch alone on a park bench and could even engage a stranger in conversation. That was kind of sad actually.
tossit
August 22, 2011 at 2:07PM EST Reply to CommentLeon!!
EOTW
August 22, 2011 at 3:59PM EST Reply to CommentShame Leon came back in this ep. I love the show but find ROD to be THE single most grating person in the history of anything. SO, I'll pass. Maybe next week.
Joe Oh please - he doesn't hold a candle to Susie or Rosie. Besides isn't this show pretty much all about grating people?
August 23, 2011 at 4:26PM ESTJohn
August 22, 2011 at 6:10PM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was easily the second best episode of the season behind only the legendary Palestinian chicken/social assassin episode. I'd been a little disappointed by the last few ones, but this was great. I can't think of a single Leon scene that hasn't been funny, and the juicing subplot may be the single best plotline of any episode this season. That was the best skewering of the steroids issue I've ever seen. Maybe you have to be a baseball fan to really appreciate it, but Larry was making many of the same excuses (I'm just on a new workout and diet regimen, it's only for recovery and not performance, everyone is doing it, people can't do what I do just by taking a pill, I was just leveling the playing field, etc.) that the baseball players were. He even did the full Rafael Palmeiro indignant denial complete with the finger wag. The only thing missing was him pretending that he suddenly doesn't speak English a la Sammy Sosa or claiming that he never "knowingly" used the juice, a la Barry Bonds. And ending it with him getting shut out of the Baseball Hall of Fame was perfect.
DougMac to be fair though, Palestinian Chicken is an all time great episode. if there is another episode this season that surpasses it I'll be shocked.
August 23, 2011 at 12:24AM ESTI thought some of the baseball stuff felt forced, but it was funny.
Lee
August 22, 2011 at 6:51PM EST Reply to CommentI recognized the High Line setting from the LOUIE "Bummer/Blueberries" episode, and what struck me was how different it looked on both shows. Here it looked bright and full of hope while on LOUIE it looked washed-out and depressing. Interesting how the same locale could appear so different through two different comic visions.
peter_d'alauro
August 22, 2011 at 8:28PM EST Reply to CommentSo Alan's idea of Louie and Larry sharing a screen together begs an obvious question. Would you rather see Larry on "Louie" or Louie on "Curb"?
ArtVandelay Interesting question. I actually find it really hard to imagine either situation just because the shows'tones are so different, it's strange in my mind. I'd love either though.
August 22, 2011 at 9:46PM ESTb carroll it wouldn't quite be what everyone's hoping for, but it would be hilarious to see a known'Louie' scene off in the background of a new 'Curb' scene (or vice versa) as if they inadvertently/unknowingly crossed paths...
August 23, 2011 at 2:31AM ESTStevieG21
August 22, 2011 at 11:58PM EST Reply to CommentIt would be interesting to see them together. I believe that Larry would fit in better on Louie's show. I think "Louie" is the better show, but "Curb" makes me laugh more. The episode could have ended at Cooperstown, but the ending at the hospital tickled me and felt more "Curb" like. That man would not take no for an answer. In their earlier meeting Larry could not have been more clear that he wanted no social interaction with him whatsoever.
jprichard
August 24, 2011 at 12:33AM EST Reply to CommentA moment after Amy Landecker first appeared, both my wife and I couldn't believe how much she resembled Cheryl Hines, especially when Landecker smiled. I actually waited for the credits to role to see whether the two actresses might be related. Are we the only ones to notice this?
jprichard Roll, rather.
August 24, 2011 at 12:34AM ESTTvlover Couldn't agree more...my whole family thought she looked some much like Cheryl..the smile was all Cheryl.
August 27, 2011 at 8:52AM ESTKyle Fitta
August 25, 2011 at 8:21PM EST Reply to CommentI think the Japanese host was impatient and wanted Larry to go away because he was making the business look bad. In that scene, Larry was pretty loud and the Japanese guy looked like he was paranoid that someone would overhear the conversation, especially how he'd try talking softly to Larry or occasionally look around the restaurant.
Roise O'Donald might be the most boring person off this show, but there's something about Curb that fleshes out something he hardly ever see - her comedy side. On top of this episode, she was in another great episode - the one where Larry dates the disable. "Don't worry ladies, I got it from here. Come back here Larry!"