Curb your enthusiasm - Have I missed the point?

[neilalford]

After the rave reviews on here and Alison Graham in the Radio Times giving every episode a choice of the day, I decided to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm, think maybe I missed the point somewhere as I just didn't find it funny.

The episode I saw all the way through was the one with the guy in the wheelchair who claimed to have invented the Cobb salad, the only bit that raised a slight smile was the jewish guy outside the theatre telling him off for humming Wagner.

Other than that there didn't seem to be anything particularly funny, a couple of misunderstandings, but none of them played for laughs and that was about it.

The reviews in the Radio Times made me expect a character somewhere between David Brent and Basil Fawlty, a bit of a disaster who manages to get himself deeper and deeper into trouble in his attempts to get out of it, but this doesn't seem to be the case.

Did I just see a bad episode, I did try watching the first episode of the last series as well (when he decides to become a car salesman) but gave up part way through on that one.

However I notice it's often referred to as a "reality-sitcom" and AG compared it to channel 4's BedSitCom, so is there a little more to it than a normal sitcom that I missed, other than the main character having the same name as the actor?

Hopefully, this hasn't come of as too trolly or anything but normally when things are so highly recommended on the forums I tend to enjoy them, but in this case I just didn't and it's bugging me, feel like I'm missing out!

[jonathan.e]

If you didn’t find it funny then you didn’t find it funny. Diff‘rent strokes etc.

Personally I nearly coughed up a lung laughing at the "Doll’s Head" episode.

[hermand]

First time I saw it I hated it.

I perservered though, and by the end of the third episode I saw I loved it, and still do.

Fantastic show, I think it just takes a little while to 'get it'

[DavidMcGowan]

It's a weird one... it seems most people hate it when first watching it, then it somehow grows on you during subsequent episodes.
I do have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the show - it does seem to require a few episodes before you can get into the style of the show, particularly in terms of accepting the non-PC bits as part of the comedy :) Similarly, and this is a problem I've always had with Seinfeld too, if I see too many episodes in a short period of time the formula just becomes too apparent, and you can start double-guessing the little snippets of dialogue that are peppered in towards the beginning of the episode to have much larger circumstances later on.
It's worth giving it another chance, though, but it certainly seems like the sort of show that's not meant for everyone.

[Yetiboy]

I too disliked it upon first viewing (although this was perhaps because I watched a below average episode).

I suggest you check out 'Interior Decorator' - a beautifully crafted piece of television. If you still don't enjoy it then perhaps just accept that it isn't for you.

edit : The 'car salesman' episode is actually 2x01 whilst there have been four seasons. Not a bad episode, especially the actual car-selling part 'Big..nutty pistons' :)

[neilalford]

Hmm, maybe I'll have to give it another try, see if it grows on me, as it sounds like it definitely takes a little while to get in to.

[Bapapapa]

Not havign seen it before (in fact, I'd never heard of it before..) I'm halfway through the first season and I love it.. :D

Best one for me so far is <i>Porno Gil</i>..

"Yeah, and maybe we can stop off and buy some tabasco...?"

:notworthy

:lol:

[JayX]

i still haven't been able to get into it, but i probably will be able to :)

i think the "reality-sitcom" half comes from the filming style, which if i remember is.. the cast know the "situation" but the dialog isn't set in stone, and they pretty much adlib it... am i right here?

[chillster76]

Originally posted by JayX
i think the "reality-sitcom" half comes from the filming style, which if i remember is.. the cast know the "situation" but the dialog isn't set in stone, and they pretty much adlib it... am i right here?

Well yes, but the reality aspect mainly comes from the fact that it is set in the real world - Larry David is the multi millionaire "never has to work again" creator of Seinfeld in both the real world and within this sitcom. With the exception of a few characters, everyone that appears in it is playing themselves - Ted Danson, Mel Brookes, David Schwimmer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Ben Stiller etc, they are all playing caricatures of themselves.

[Niceguygeoff]

I can't stand Seinfeld (the man or the show), but Curb Your Enthusiam is pretty funny. Even after a few episodes the formula (Larry inadvertently does/says something offensive to someone and keeps bumping into those folks) wears thin, but it feels so naturally performed that it's a perfect antidote to the 'rehearsed to death' timing of most American sitcoms. But there are always folk who dislike this skittish, improvisational style of comedy, which I can understand.

[utero]

You either get it or you don't. Personally my favourite episode 1.8-Beloved Aunt :lol:

[budfox]

Originally posted by utero
You either get it or you don't. Personally my favourite episode 1.8-Beloved Aunt :lol:

"It's a typo" :lol:

Great show although not for everyone.

[Radiohead]

Sheer genius IMO. Stick with it.

[Nosh]

definately an acquired taste. I happened upon the season2 marathon on bbc4 and watched all 10 eps back-to-back and was still laughing at the end, albeit less heartily than in the first couple of hours.

[fattyboombatty]

i approached it the same way i did seinfeld i.e, it's a show about nothing. it's just a show about larry's life. i love it:notworthy

[MetalGearAl]

Watched all four seasons and loved every one. Many people have watched it over my shoulder and have just scracthed their head in wonder, it's definately a show that requires a level of commitment! :)

[Bapapapa]

Originally posted by utero
You either get it or you don't. Personally my favourite episode 1.8-Beloved Aunt :lol: OMG!! :lol:

Just watched this ep...

Funniest piece of TV ever.. :lol: :clap: