Curb Your Enthusiasm - General Discussion

[Winston Wolfe]

23 hours ago, DiabLOL said:

Also, I’m not buying most of the premises. No way would he give in to blackmail in the previous ep and no way would the power dynamic at Netflix be as portrayed here. If he’s desperate enough to borrow a dog in order to woo that actor, then why start telling the dog to shut up in front of the dog lover. He knows that is a huge mistake. He just keeps being horrible to people like he either can’t help himself or hen feels bizarrely entitled to and it’s always a shock to him when they bite back.

It almost seems as if LD's running out of material to mine. Lots of toilet humor over the last two seasons and most of it wasn't funny. I too found the abortion bit very distasteful, particularly given JG's physical similarity to Harvey Weinstein (yes, I know the relationship between Jeff Greene and the Hygienist was consensual, but it still seemed icky to me).

12 hours ago, LoveLeigh said:

I heard Larry David asked on a talk show if he thinks women date him because he is rich and he responded "I don't care." Maybe he does not care because he gets what he wants and the women get what they want and all is good. 

Yeah, it's point he's driven into the ground and it's getting tired. All his gazillions means he gets any woman he wants, ranging from the dry cleaning lady, to Elizabeth Banks, to Lucy Liu, who didn't put up with his shit very long. LD has made it clear how he feels about the opposite sex. He didn't even blink when Jeff said he knocked up the Hygienist. All seems very skeezy and I'm hoping that's not who Larry truly is.

Edited November 2, 2021 by Winston Wolfe

[Cotypubby]

Jeff cheating on Susie, getting the woman pregnant, and then paying for her abortion just seems like a level of sleazy that I haven’t seen before on this show. The characters are always assholes, but in a comedic, over-the-top type way. There’s nothing funny about the Jeff storyline, that’s just regular base level sleaze.

Edited November 2, 2021 by Cotypubby

[aghst]

In season 4, Larry is cast to be in The Producers on Broadway by Mel Brooks because he was impressed with a karaoke song Larry did.

Another arc from that season is that Cheryl is going to permit Larry to have sex with another woman, one time, for their 10th wedding anniversary.  She had told him he could before they were engaged.  She's skeptical that he could get anyone.

Larry learns to dance, practices it and becomes good at it.  He's not doubling down on his wealth and privilege either.  In fact, he befriends a blind guy and cleans up around his house for him, tries to fix him up with a woman.

So this current Larry, who is pushy with his opinions and makes others accommodate him is quite the contrast from Larry of earlier seasons.

He does get into predicaments though, not because he's using his privilege.  For instance, he inadvertently mistakes the golf club attendant as being Swedish but he turned out to be Norwegian and took offense at being mistaken for a Swede.  So he takes one of Larry's favorite golf clubs and puts it in the casket with Marty Funkheiser's  father for the funeral.

Larry notices this and conspires with Jeff to swap out the clubs with one of Jeff's clubs and they get caught and thrown out of the country club.  Cheryl and Susie are both irate.  Cheryl suggests they join a club in Beverly Hills but Susie says no way they'd have them because it's a WASPY Republican club, which wouldn't accept Jews.

Cheryl and Larry try to join anyways, pretending to be Republicans, having met while working on Reagan's campaign, driving a Hummer.

Meanwhile, Larry goes to the bathroom in Jeff and Susie's home and their dog bites him in the penis.  So a dental hygienist who's been coming on to Larry suggests they meet but Larry tells her he can't because a dog bit his penis.  

For whatever reason, Larry has dialed up the cantankerous old man meter way up in the first couple of episodes this season.

[aghst]

20 minutes ago, Cotypubby said:

Jeff cheating on Susie, getting the woman pregnant, and then paying for her abortion just seems like a level of sleazy that I haven’t seen before on this show. The characters are always assholes, but in a comedic, over-the-top type way. There’s nothing funny about the Jeff storyline, that’s just regular base level sleaze.

Maybe it's suppose to be comic because Susie terrified both Jeff and Larry.

So he cheats.  In the early seasons, Jeff has Larry retrieve his porn stash while he's in hospital because he's afraid she might find it.

Then in another episode, Jeff is attracted to one of Larry's ex-girlfriends and hits on her.

They were separated for awhile and then he goes back.  Meanwhile Susie got a big dog as protection but Jeff is allergic and Susie and their daughter refuse to get rid of the dog.

So maybe Jeff cheats to have a little rebellion.  Not justifying it, maybe the joke is that he's married to someone he's not attracted to, but is scared of.  So instead of divorcing her he has to sneak around and Larry gets ensnared in these plots where they have to secretly get into shenanigans.

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

9 hours ago, Winston Wolfe said:

It almost seems as if LD's running out of material to mine. Lots of toilet humor over the last two seasons and most of it wasn't funny. I too found the abortion bit very distasteful, particularly given JG's physical similarity to Harvey Weinstein (yes, I know the relationship between Jeff Greene and the Hygienist was consensual, but it still seemed icky to me).

We don't really know everything about the relationship.  Did Jeff admit to the Hygienist that he's married with a child of his own?  (Or adult child rather?)  It would be interesting to know.

9 hours ago, Winston Wolfe said:

Yeah, it's point he's driven into the ground and it's getting tired. All his gazillions means he gets any woman he wants, ranging from the dry cleaning lady, to Elizabeth Banks, to Lucy Liu, who didn't put up with his shit very long. 

And Lauren Graham!  Nobody near his own age, that's for sure.

Megyn Price is 24 years younger than he is and he's worried that she'll gain some weight?  How can you be so self centered?! 

Edited November 2, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 11/2/2021 at 2:18 AM, aghst said:

So maybe Jeff cheats to have a little rebellion.  Not justifying it, maybe the joke is that he's married to someone he's not attracted to, but is scared of.  So instead of divorcing her he has to sneak around and Larry gets ensnared in these plots where they have to secretly get into shenanigans.

Cheating is already really bad, but now there's impregnating people.  And like people mentioned upthread, Larry treated this as completely unsurprising and casual, like this is just Monday in the life that is Jeff.  And who decided that she would have an abortion?  Did Jeff push her into it because he's married (and like you said, he's "scared" of Susie)?  The whole thing is just gross.  

To add a FOURTH level to this, Jeff "pays" for the abortion, and now he's worried about how she'll spend the money?  THAT'S his concern?!

That's what I mean by convoluted.  It's men looking soooooo hard to find the part where a woman could hypothetically be untrustworthy, when really it's Jeff who is the adulterer and the liar in this situation.

And if the woman spent money on other things - so what?!  Like an abortion is an easy thing to go through, like it's a walk in the park, like it's a trip to Hawaii, like the woman should be on her hands and knees thanking Jeff?

How can Larry treat abortion so casually like this?

Edited November 5, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[DiabLOL]

This is the thing. Remembering past seasons yes Jeff has always been a lost soul and a cheater but things are really dark now. The dynamic of shrieking harpy wife and the husband being all don’t upset Susie always felt retro to me but now it’s really off tone. Larry used to at least judge Jeff before now nothing he has zero opinion.

[LoveLeigh]

12 hours ago, Winston Wolfe said:

It almost seems as if LD's running out of material to mine. Lots of toilet humor over the last two seasons and most of it wasn't funny. I too found the abortion bit very distasteful, particularly given JG's physical similarity to Harvey Weinstein (yes, I know the relationship between Jeff Greene and the Hygienist was consensual, but it still seemed icky to me).

Yeah, it's point he's driven into the ground and it's getting tired. All his gazillions means he gets any woman he wants, ranging from the dry cleaning lady, to Elizabeth Banks, to Lucy Liu, who didn't put up with his shit very long. LD has made it clear how he feels about the opposite sex. He didn't even blink when Jeff said he knocked up the Hygienist. All seems very skeezy and I'm hoping that's not who Larry truly is.

I think LD gives clues to who he is in many of the episodes. I concluded he has contempt for overweight women, for women his own age, and he basically is not a nice guy. 

Why do they keep bringing back Cheryl? She is awful at improv and can never even finish a sentence. 

3 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

How can Larry treat abortion so casually like this?

Because that is who he is....

[Ms Blue Jay]

51 minutes ago, LoveLeigh said:

Because that is who he is....

Well, I think it's okay for some of us to be shocked about this?  Seinfeld did a good episode about abortion back in the 90s where it was treated with more respect.  It wasn't all about how women are liars trying to get pregnant off of rich men so they can have abortions and buy diamonds.  

52 minutes ago, LoveLeigh said:

Why do they keep bringing back Cheryl? She is awful at improv and can never even finish a sentence. 

Cheryl hasn't been very good since Season 1, either.  I wonder if it's contractual or she's some kind of big fan favourite.  

Edited November 2, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[hoodooznoodooz]

5 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Did Jeff admit to the Hygienist that he's married with a child of his own? 

The way Susie chewed out Larry about his behavior at the dentist, I wouldn’t be surprised if Susie was also a patient there.

[DoctorAtomic]

On 10/31/2021 at 11:21 PM, Racj82 said:

Larry has been a very petty man for a very long time. None of this surprises me or angers me any way. If it did, I would have been out a while ago. 

The show is a hyper reality with some situations we can relate - like the toilet lid not staying up. Larry flying off the handle about the towels; he's done that before when there was the fatwa. I don't actually believe Larry-show is Larry-real. The show is always like the contrast is turned up way too much.

I'm more surprised that Jeff wasn't more careful than anything. 

I would be more on the Deuce about feeding your dog people food than yelling about whether I could have some.  And I feel vindicated that the dog got sick. He's too small for steak. I love this whole side plot though. 

I like the actor playing the netflix exec because he was great on Veep. 

'Name one restaurant where you can eat outside with your dog.' 
Burger King. 

I have a very good dentist. They did a crown in one sitting without a temp and wait a week. 

I think Jeff got Larry to break up on the Barnaby Jones joke. 

One thing I like about Larry and Susie is how they tear at each other and then on a dime pivot to a completely different normal conversation. 

Edited November 3, 2021 by DoctorAtomic

[DoctorAtomic]

On 10/31/2021 at 11:05 PM, aghst said:

But since Netflix just canceled the show, does that mean he’s out of the obligation?

Now thinking about it, I'm actually surprised that Larry didn't just sabotage the show deliberately to get out of it. Even before the first netflix meeting, he brought up to the brother in the restaurant that shows get canceled all the time, and he said 'all you have to do is cast her.' 

 

 

[aghst]

Susie's obscenity riffs became popular and they try to feature it every time she appears in an episode.

That is why maybe you can't take CYE characters too seriously.  She's more of a cartoon character, rolled out to do her signature schtik

Larry and Jeff do awful things but the antics they get up to may be no more reflective of LD and Jeff Green than Susie swearing up a storm is indicative of Susie Essman's personality IRL.

In S04E09, Larry's longtime assistant Antoinette is distressed because her bf broke up with her.  She's trying to find a sympathetic shoulder to cry on and Larry can't be more of an asshole, barely listening and then cutting her off, complaining that she forgot to do some tasks and gives her more tasks.

Larry tells Jeff that he had wanted to fire her but is now stuck with her because he'd look bad if he fired her now.  Then she forgets more errands and Larry tells her she's not doing her job and she gets mad and says she's quitting and is going to tell everyone about the things Larry does, the things he says behind other people's backs.

Larry is terrified, says he'll be ruined.  So he goes and talks to Antoinette's bf, to try to get them back together, not because he wants to help them but because he wants to keep his secrets hidden.

So he does a nice thing for the wrong motives and that's suppose to be comic.

In contrast, a show like Schitt's Creek is the opposite of CYE.  There the characters are ultimately nice and sweet to each other, even if they're mocking or sniping at each other. In the end they support each other despite misfortune.

LD would be aghast at doing a show like that, where the people are preternaturally nice, learning life lessons all the time.

Edited November 3, 2021 by aghst

[sugarbaker design]

7 hours ago, aghst said:

So he does a nice thing for the wrong motives and that's suppose to be comic.

It is comic!

7 hours ago, aghst said:

In contrast, a show like Schitt's Creek is the opposite of CYE.  There the characters are ultimately nice and sweet to each other, even if they're mocking or sniping at each other. In the end they support each other despite misfortune.

LD would be aghast at doing a show like that, where the people are preternaturally nice, learning life lessons all the time.

I would be aghast at watching a show where the people are preternaturally nice, learning life lessons all the time!!!

Give me comedies where the people are horrible, like CYE, AbFab, Everybody Loves Raymond, Fawlty Towers, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Thick of It and The Other Two.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Everyone has their own personal limits and misogyny is one of mine.  It's nice that there are people where nothing can possibly offend them but I am not like that.

[Not4Me]

Jeff’s pushing 60 and is able to get a mistress pregnant? Lots of magical reality there considering A)this isn’t 20 years ago and B)the guys are really showing their age now.

[Lone Wolf]

On 11/1/2021 at 5:24 AM, cambridgeguy said:

I think it speaks to the fact that he's filthy rich and that will attract women of all ages.  For example, Patrick Stewart is 81 and his wife is 42, and that's hardly the only example of rich guys who married women young enough to be their daughters (or granddaughters)

Rock stars seem to have this proclivity as well.  Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, and (other than Charlie, God Rest His Soul), I think you can take your pick of Rolling Stones who have married younger than their daughters.

On 11/1/2021 at 9:58 AM, LoveLeigh said:

Howard Stern also married a much younger woman. I heard Larry David asked on a talk show if he thinks women date him because he is rich and he responded "I don't care." Maybe he does not care because he gets what he wants and the women get what they want and all is good. 

 

That's exactly why he doesn't care.  It's a snappy line, but not original.  Hugh Hefner gave the same answer decades ago when he would be asked about his Bunnies.  I have no doubt that LD means it, though.

Did anyone else pick up on how diverse the oh-so-culturally-appropriate Netflix team was? A female in a wheelchair, an African American, and a plus-sized, short-haired female. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I can't decide whether it was intentionally politically correct or whether it was a sly parody of PC.  

[cambridgeguy]

34 minutes ago, Lone Wolf said:

Did anyone else pick up on how diverse the oh-so-culturally-appropriate Netflix team was? A female in a wheelchair, an African American, and a plus-sized, short-haired female. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I can't decide whether it was intentionally politically correct or whether it was a sly parody of PC.  

That was absolutely intentional, as was Don Jr. having a prominent hunting photo in the background.  The short haired female also fits the "lesbian look" a lot of people would probably come up with when asked to think of it, so they were trying to tick as many boxes as possible.

[aghst]

Does anyone remember The Producers season (season 4)?

Larry rehearses all season and the season finale is opening night for the play.

A subplot for the whole season is that Larry gets to have sex one time with another woman but he has to do it before their 10th anniversary, which is also on the opening night of the play.

He's had problems hooking up with women.  For instance, a beautiful young Hasidic woman, played by Gina Gershon, is interested in sleeping with him so Larry shows up at the hotel room with a sheet with a hole in it (legend that the Hasidim have sex through sheets). But then an earthquake happens and that cock blocks LD.

Finally on opening night, a cast member in the play wants to have sex with him in the dressing room and they start making out but Larry sees a George W. Bush framed photo and it turns out she's a supporter of Bush 43.  Larry can't do it so that ends that.

That episode aired in 2004 so clear what LD's politics are.

[PotterOtherP]

16 hours ago, Lone Wolf said:

Did anyone else pick up on how diverse the oh-so-culturally-appropriate Netflix team was? A female in a wheelchair, an African American, and a plus-sized, short-haired female. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I can't decide whether it was intentionally politically correct or whether it was a sly parody of PC.  

Yeah, it's not clear if they are just making fun of diversity or making fun of companies like Netflix paying lip service to diversity but just hired these people to agree with everything the white male producer says.

[PotterOtherP]

Leon continues to be the best part of the show "Even mice don't like feta cheese" and of course is Larry's actual spouse since Cheryl left. By the time you're 80, shouldn't you not be so obsessed with sex with young women anymore? I am 40 and already over it. I don't want to be reminded of Woody Allen so much by this show.

[hoodooznoodooz]

2 hours ago, PotterOtherP said:

By the time you're 80, shouldn't you not be so obsessed with sex with young women anymore? I am 40 and already over it. I don't want to be reminded of Woody Allen so much by this show.

That’s an excellent point. 
I’m old, so I have seen this everywhere for a long time. Will it ever stop? It’s not entertaining.

[Ms Blue Jay]

So far I'm breathing a sigh of relief because this episode is so much better than the last.

I love when Susie and Larry interact no matter what, whether it's hate or love or indifference, and the dinner party is genius.

I hope, no more abortion subplot.

Richard Kind's character Andy and his wife Cassie, LOL.  It's hard to be that boring.  Remember that's improv.  So damn good.

LOL, of course Larry has to sneak the prenup subplot in there.  It's always about women taking someone's money.

When I saw the title "The Mini Bar" I of course assumed Larry would be a hotel arguing with somebody about who's going to pay for a bill.  Glad to see I was wrong.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[Blakeston]

Color me amazed that Larry had an awkward interaction about "they" pronouns without actually offending anyone, or saying anything wildly inappropriate.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I actually laughed quite a bit at this one.  Really glad, hope next week is good too!

[aghst]

Did Larry have a contentious divorce in real life?  I thought his ex wife got a generous settlement.

I think the little sore look about prenups was for comedy and doesn't represent what he feels about his divorce.

But it wasn't even the main point of the episode.

It's surprising Larry didn't press Marco about their deal only being for Netflix.  

Now did they have stunt people for the fight scenes?  Because it seems unlikely that Cheryl Hines would be wrestled to the ground, rather forcefully like that.

I'd also forgotten that Larry kind of fell out with Ted Danson because Ted and Cheryl became a couple in season 9 or 10.  So I was surprised to see Ted jump in there on the fight.

They threw in a lot, had a lot of guest stars in this episode.

[cambridgeguy]

5 hours ago, Blakeston said:

Color me amazed that Larry had an awkward interaction about "they" pronouns without actually offending anyone, or saying anything wildly inappropriate

Way to go Hulu, you also have a diverse trio of executives to sit in on meetings.  That being said, all three looked like they were able-bodied - this is why you're behind Netflix.

[CouchTater]

I am in love with Maria Sofia.  She was so over the top at Cheryl's house and I don't even care.  LOL

When Ted Danson rushed her and she screamed "Get off me Uncle Moe" I cracked up!

I can't wait to see how her story plays out.  I hope we find out a little more about her.  Who is she, really?  And why?

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 11/2/2021 at 8:23 PM, DoctorAtomic said:

One thing I like about Larry and Susie is how they tear at each other and then on a dime pivot to a completely different normal conversation. 

Even more--one minute she was chewing him out about the toast, and then she calls him into the kitchen to ask him to save her dinner party.  And he agrees to do it.  This is a ridiculous, actually unbelievable dynamic.  And I find it hilarious.

And back to the abortion.  When the word was first said, I was taken aback and I was sort of unsettled the whole time because you almost never hear references to abortion on TV, never mind as part of comedy.  But after a week of thinking about it, I applaud them.  It's legal in California, and we have all these calls not to be ashamed about getting an abortion, so maybe it's time that we do hear the word.  We're getting used to hearing about many other things that used to be considered not fit for polite conversation.

On 11/2/2021 at 10:03 AM, Ms Blue Jay said:

And who decided that she would have an abortion?  Did Jeff push her into it because he's married (and like you said, he's "scared" of Susie)?  The whole thing is just gross.  

I watched the episode only once, so I'm working from memory (and flawed memory at that, but was it clear she actually got an abortion?  Maybe she lied to Jeff about getting pregnant to get money from him--money that she spent going on vacation or whatever she did. 

That seems more in line with the tenor of the show.  Jeff set himself up for it by not using a condom, and gets his due.

[Blakeston]

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I watched the episode only once, so I'm working from memory (and flawed memory at that, but was it clear she actually got an abortion?  Maybe she lied to Jeff about getting pregnant to get money from him--money that she spent going on vacation or whatever she did. 

That seems more in line with the tenor of the show.  Jeff set himself up for it by not using a condom, and gets his due.

At the end of the episode, Larry was at the dentist's office, and he couldn't hear the dentist talk because he had plugged up his ears to avoid hearing the music. The dentist said that the woman had an abortion, but Larry never heard it.

So she had the abortion. (They left it unresolved whether she really had complications, or whether she just said that to get more money from Jeff.)

I'm glad that they confirmed it, because depicting a woman as deviously faking a pregnancy and an abortion would be dark even for this show, and reinforce some ugly stereotypes.

[aghst]

Who was it that the executive was talking about when Larry walked out of the office and slammed the door?

He denied he intentionally slammed the door but I think it was meant as a joke, him slamming on whichever name was mentioned.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Now Larry's shopped his new show to Hulu. Can't wait until he gets around to Amazon.

Andy can't handle the middle. He's not a middler!

That conversation about Kelly Lang took a weird turn. Hope she considers Larry a friend.

I guess Larry is making a case for why actors of one race or culture perhaps shouldn't play characters of a different race or culture. He's showing how certain nuances are easily missed or misinterpreted. Or made to look like they're being mocked, whether deliberately or inadvertently. Meanwhile, Maria Sofia is simply terrible as an actress. Plus she's utterly out of touch with reality.

Oh what a tangled web you weave, when you lie about being in a hot dog contest.

Quote

In contrast, a show like Schitt's Creek is the opposite of CYE.

And now I understand why I don't like Schitt's Creek. I get the concept of broad comedy but Dan Levy almost always comes across to me like he's trying too hard to ride his father's coattails.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Joimiaroxeu

[Not4Me]

12 hours ago, aghst said:

Now did they have stunt people for the fight scenes?  Because it seems unlikely that Cheryl Hines would be wrestled to the ground, rather forcefully like that.

Cheryl definitely takes very good care of herself but I was thinking the same thing being she’s now 56, while Ted Danson is 73. Because those were pretty violent falls, either they had stunt doubles or they are that fit enough to handle such a scene.

[LoveLeigh]

6 hours ago, CouchTater said:

I can't wait to see how her story plays out.  

It is so obvious she will become a major star and win an Emmy for Young Larry. 

[hoodooznoodooz]

Cheryl complimented Maria Sofia’s jacket and the flowers off camera?

 

[CouchTater]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

Who was it that the executive was talking about when Larry walked out of the office and slammed the door?

He denied he intentionally slammed the door but I think it was meant as a joke, him slamming on whichever name was mentioned.

The executive called my girl Maria Sofia to compliment her work (after Larry had manipulated the dad into pulling her out of the show), which I guess brought her back to the role.

[hoodooznoodooz]

The door slamming kind of went nowhere.

[aghst]

47 minutes ago, CouchTater said:

The executive called my girl Maria Sofia to compliment her work (after Larry had manipulated the dad into pulling her out of the show), which I guess brought her back to the role.

No it was a political figure or LD slamming the door at the mention of the name could be seen as a political comment.

[Blakeston]

11 minutes ago, aghst said:

No it was a political figure or LD slamming the door at the mention of the name could be seen as a political comment.

After Larry slammed the door, the exec asked if Larry was mad, and Jeff said, "Jets." Is that what you're referring to?

Unless I'm mistaken, it goes back to a running joke about people being devastated by the incompetence of the New York Jets.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

No it was a political figure or LD slamming the door at the mention of the name could be seen as a political comment.

No, it just Larry using a door to channel his anger or frustration at not easily getting his way. First it was because the Hulu guy wouldn't just take Larry's word on Maria Sofia and insisted on seeing an audition tape. Then it was because the Hulu guy went behind Larry's back and hired the girl after Larry gave him that nightmare of an audition tape showing her literally assaulting people. The Hulu executive is being obtuse, to Larry's chagrin.

Quote

Unless I'm mistaken, it goes back to a running joke about people being devastated by the incompetence of the New York Jets.

Yeah, that's a long-time trope even outside of CYE. People who aren't pro football fans might not have automatically gotten the reference though.

[Lone Wolf]

On 11/5/2021 at 5:45 AM, PotterOtherP said:

 By the time you're 80, shouldn't you not be so obsessed with sex with young women anymore? I am 40 and already over it. I don't want to be reminded of Woody Allen so much by this show.

 “I’m 42, and she’s 17. I’m older than her father, can you believe that? I’m dating a girl wherein I can beat up her father.” – Woody Allen in "Manhattan"  

How can you not be, reminded of Woody Allen, though - when he was talking to Cheryl about the audition tape, there were a couple moments when LD looked like he was doing a Woody impression - the eyebrows, the squint, the titled head... 

As the head of Hulu might say, "Maybe it's a Jewish thing?"

[hoodooznoodooz]

“J to J” was funny.

(paraphrasing:)

Are you playing “seductive”? You’re talking to your mom.

But I’m talking about my boyfriend.

[DoctorAtomic]

I guess Netflix dropping the show didn't get Larry out of the casting. It seems a bit much, but actual Larry David wants to roll with the plot, so I'll buy in. 

I do look at the minibar items and sometimes wonder why they are in there. I don't relate to Larry's life at all, but this one, sure. 

On 11/7/2021 at 9:30 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:

I love when Susie and Larry interact no matter what, whether it's hate or love or indifference, and the dinner party is genius.

I like Jeff and Richard Lewis best because they know how to break Larry up, but him and Susie don't lack dialogue. They both snipe well, whether they are agreeing on something or not. Susie looked like she was going to break on the toast because they cut from her fast. 

If they came up with the boring floor conversation without scripting at the start of the dinner party, then that's brilliant. 

On 11/8/2021 at 8:06 AM, StatisticalOutlier said:

Even more--one minute she was chewing him out about the toast, and then she calls him into the kitchen to ask him to save her dinner party.  And he agrees to do it.  This is a ridiculous, actually unbelievable dynamic.  And I find it hilarious.

Stuff like that. Susie has incredible comedic timing. She picked right up on Larry's 'they can't middle' and ran with it. 

I've liked Vince Vaughn since he came on the show; he's got innate chattiness.

I never noticed The Producers poster in Larry's office. 

Cheryl's reaction shots were great in the 'audition'. 

I can see the wasabi peas and crackers, but the rest was kind of eh for a minibar. Leon is right about why people go to hotels. They're not going to eat figs after. 

Was the hot dog eating contest actually thrown together, or was there a real one and they didn't know about it. 

 

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Does anyone think it's ridiculous that Cheryl is an acting teacher?  She is not an experienced actor and she was not great in her audition in Season 7 for the Seinfeld reunion.  Elisabeth Shue's character blew hers away but Larry of course hired Cheryl instead because he wanted her back after the divorce.

Should acting teachers be really good actors?  Or not necessarily?  Those who can't do, teach?

Edited November 10, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[hoodooznoodooz]

1 hour ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Does anyone think it's ridiculous that Cheryl is an acting teacher?  She is not an experienced actor and she was not great in her audition in Season 7 for the Seinfeld reunion.  Elisabeth Shue's character blew hers away but Larry of course hired Cheryl instead because he wanted her back after the divorce.

Should acting teachers be really good actors?  Or not necessarily?  Those who can't do, teach?

I had the same exact thought. Cheryl Hines, who has always been the weakest cast member, is playing someone who supposedly can teach acting?

[Ms Blue Jay]

Right, not only that, but the character of Cheryl is not supposed to be a good actor.  She also could never get roles save for when Larry hired her.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 11/8/2021 at 12:33 PM, Blakeston said:

At the end of the episode, Larry was at the dentist's office, and he couldn't hear the dentist talk because he had plugged up his ears to avoid hearing the music. The dentist said that the woman had an abortion, but Larry never heard it.

Heh.  Apparently I didn't either.  Thanks for the clarification.

And...wow.  Even though I'm on board for not having abortion be a secret to be ashamed of, it would still be jarring to hear it spoken of like that by somebody's boss.

On 11/8/2021 at 12:33 PM, Blakeston said:

I'm glad that they confirmed it, because depicting a woman as deviously faking a pregnancy and an abortion would be dark even for this show, and reinforce some ugly stereotypes.

I would agree, except in the hierarchy of terrible things a person can do, faking a pregnancy and an abortion to fleece Jeff Greene?  Maybe not so bad.  Might even be laudable. 

2 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Right, not only that, but the character of Cheryl is not supposed to be a good actor. 

Those who can't, teach?  Maybe this plotline is a dig at acting coaches?

[Ms Blue Jay]

5 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Those who can't, teach?  Maybe this plotline is a dig at acting coaches?

It reminds me of how they had Jason Alexander make a book ("a pamphlet") about acting, called "Acting without Acting".  LOL.

[aghst]

At the end of the Hulu scene, the exec invites him to Shabbos dinner.

Mentions that Bari Weiss was a guest.

That's what LD slams the door on, so it could be political commentary.

 

 

[sugarbaker design]

I did enjoy the same configuration used for the network guys and their respective posses, one white guy sitting by himself, flanked with three associates all ticking off inclusion boxes.  Of course with awkward Larry asking "Are you a plural?"

10 hours ago, aghst said:

At the end of the Hulu scene, the exec invites him to Shabbos dinner.

Mentions that Bari Weiss was a guest.

That's what LD slams the door on, so it could be political commentary.

 

 

I'd slam the door too.