Diary of a Curb Your Enthusiasm virgin – Do you really want your dinner party going shoe-less?

(Season 1, Episodes 3-4)

In the end I decided to give Curb Your Enthusiasm a little more time to get me adequately enthused. The third and fourth episodes in season one were somewhat uneven, but I really enjoyed the way episode four, “The Bracelet,” played out in typical Larry form. The progression was brilliant, even if I still fail to understand how this man, worth north of $200 million, chooses to live his life. And no, that’s not a typo.

1.3 “Porno Gil”

Cheryl is the weak link on this show (if you exclude Richard Lewis). She oftentimes seems lost, and is inexplicably over-dramatic (although, who knows what life with Larry would do to you). And more often than not she sounds more like Larry’s therapist than his wife. I didn’t know it at the time, but my viewing experience in season seven benefited from the fact that Larry and Cheryl were separated … unfortunately, that’s still eons away.

What were the odds that driving range guy would be at the same party that Larry inadvertently ended up getting invited to after dialing a wrong number? I loved the former porno actor twist, with all the bad jokes and porn stories at the dinner table. Who knew Tabasco sauce was a good stimulant?

I really liked Larry’s awkwardness at dinner, first by not taking off his shoes, and then when he broke the lamp. And the wife’s line about how the broken glass wouldn’t bother Larry because he still had his shoes on was great. That Larry then had to go back in to get his watch, taking his shoes off to do so … that was all really funny.

But then you have the great porn cleanup at Jeff’s house. Gil (Bob Odenkirk), Larry’s host, being in the porno? Good. Jeff’s parents walking into the room? Dumb.

But I was laughing.

1.4 “The Bracelet”

I have to side with Larry on this one. Although he certainly could have handled it better, Cheryl should be able to accept that two minutes left in the football game (but the Jets?) come before tales from her trip; with no DVR back in 2000, you either watched live TV or you missed it.

However, had she not flown off the handle we wouldn’t have gotten the whole bracelet incident. Larry talking to the bum as he’s walking into the jewelry store was great, and I loved how his “no wife at home” attire caused the clerks to forbid him entrance to the store.

I didn’t really understand the whole blind man (Patrick Kerr) interlude, which is where the episode sagged for me. But what is a restaurant “Captain?” And why in the world should he get a tip?

Of course, that paired perfectly with Larry leaving his credit card at the restaurant, and having to go back to pick it up before being able to buy the bracelet the next day. Perry Anzilotti was great as the angry little man who wouldn’t unblock Larry’s car.

All in all some solid humor. Looking past the rough spots (Cheryl, Richard, male genitalia conversations over lunch) definitely helped me catch a glimpse of the exceptional social commentary that is at the heart of this show. I’m not sold just yet, but I will be coming back next week.

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jun 25, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT