In the pantheon of “modern-day” television (1999-), the undisputed classics, a shortlist mind you, would include “The Wire,” “The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bad.,” and “Mad Men.” Before these shows, and the introduction of cable TV dramas from HBO and such, risk-taking dramas were far and few in what used to be called the “idiot tube.” Meanwhile, in the comedy department we have at the very top of the heap “The Office,” “Arrested Development” and, of course, “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
‘Curb’ is still active, having entered its 10th season this past Sunday with the premiere of the first episode “Happy New Year.” After a disappointing season 9, the weakest season of the whole series, Creator Larry David clearly wanted to make this new batch of episodes work. And, it shows. “Happy New Year” isn’t only a hilariously topical treat to watch, but it also raises expectations for the remaining 9 episodes of this latest season.
David seems to have found new people to piss off in “Happy New Year,” waging war against Mocha Joe’s, a coffee establishment that doesn’t serve hot enough coffee, according to David. Lest we mention all the politically incorrect behavior that Larry now has to tame down in the #MeToo era. Yeah, good luck with that. In one especially cringe-worthy scene, David is irritated by the fact that a pregnant woman at his gym is running on the treadmill. "You're jostling the fetus," he tells her. Oy, gevalt.
The season premiere also manages to showcase the starking resemblance between David’s personal manager Jeff Garlin and Harvey Weinstein. It amounts to a payoff that’ll have you laughing stitches. Garlin himself inspires Larry to avoid people he hates — Larry hears Garlin’s disgust at seeing a friend wearing a red MAGA hat, which gives Larry the idea of getting out of a forced-upon lunch with a none-too-pleasing friend by wearing the ubiquitous red cap. It soon becomes an easy way for Larry to avoid the people that irritate him.
A big chunk of the regular cast is back. There’s David nemesis, and Garlin’s loudmouthed wife, Susie Greene (Susie Essman) but, more intriguingly, David’s ex-wife Cheryl Hines, who may very well be having feelings again for her ex-husband, is a pleasure to watch when given some much-deserved screentime. in “Happy New Year,” Hines shines by showing us how someone could potentially fall in love with a neurotically eccentric man like David.
However, I have to say, the unequivocal MVP, this side of David, is none other than his walking sidekick Leon (JB Smoove). The banter between Smoove and David is nothing short of hilarious, there seems to be a deep understanding between the two men, but, at the same time, a communicational breakdown. It’s the bromance we never thought TV needed, and, go figure it’s about the whitest of white people and, well, a G straight from the hood. Smoove, both an actor and stand-up comedian, deserves his place among the greatest TV sidekicks of all-time — Gen Z’s version of Kramer, if you will.
When you think about it, all ‘Curb’ amounts to, really, is a post-Seinfeld David still ruminating on his neuroses as an anxiety-ridden middle-aged Jewish man. The irritation he gives off, when done right in the show, can feel not only genuine, but relatable. And that may be the charm of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” one of the all time great TV comedy shows, despite the times changing, Larry David hasn’t conformed to the times one bit, in fact he refuses to adhere to mob rule — he’s still the same neurotically dysfunctional person who will tell it like it is. In the age of groupthink and social media mob rule, the feeling of watching ‘Curb’ in 2020 feels damn-near