What is it about watching other people squirm that we all find so appealing? We may never know, but Larry David apparently understands that situation better than most anyone else. The Seinfeld co-creator molded Jason Alexander's George in his image, exposing to the world a potent blend of painful neurosis and sly, self-deprecating humor that would eventually become the David trademark. During the Seinfeld-era it was Alexander who played the ultimate jackass, but with his inspired HBO spin-off Curb Your Enthusiasm, David has proven that there is no substitute for the real thing.
There's something almost sinfully delightful about Curb, something that backs you into a corner with laughter in spite of your most eager attempts at escape. And there are plenty of times where you just want to turn away and run, such as when David mistakenly misplaces the "a" in aunt for a "c" in an obituary. The problem is it's all too funny and outrageous to ignore. You know you shouldn't laugh at the idea of an incest survivor group, but you do anyway, and that only makes you laugh harder.
"Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Third Season" documents one of the funniest shows in recent memory operating at full stride. From the beginning episode up through the finale, season three will likely be regarded as the pinnacle of what is fast becoming a classic series. Using fleet-footed improvisation as its comic armor, the cast, which includes stock players David, his on-screen wife Cheryl Hines, his manager Jeff Garlin and the hysterically obscene Susie Essman, works comic wonders by playing off of one another with such natural chemistry and frenzied realism.
But in the end it's all about David. As the show's producer, writer and central character, David crafts the show around his strengths and those of the cast, and it's easy to see when watching any given episode how much of the show rests on his shoulders. The rest of the cast doesn't act with him, but instead react to him and follow his lead.
As usual, season three finds Larry walking blindly into circumstances of the most awkward and cringe-inducing nature, where one thing leads to another until it all just collapses around him. Whether he's befriending and upsetting rap stars ("Krazee Eyez Killa") or pontificating on how his friend's 4-year-old son is very, uh, mature for his age ("The Nanny"), David takes his ticks and quirks to the point of dementia until hubris finally catches up with him and knocks him down a peg. Yet in spite of his shortcomings and his incomparable ability to piss off everyone he comes within an earshot of, you can't help but pull for him.
The extras enclosed in the DVD provide for a good look into the key ingredient of the show's success: the chemistry between the cast and creators. "A stop and chat with the cast and crew of Curb Your Enthusiasm," shot at the U.S Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colo., showcases the often hilarious interplay between the cast, writers and directors. The DVD also includes favorite moments from past episodes chosen by the cast and crew. Season three is a must for any Curb fan, and for the uninitiated looking to check the show out for the first time, right here is the best place to start.
Grade: A
Special Features: B
This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Feb. 3 2005.