Leon Black, The MVP of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

The final season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premieres this Sunday. Everyone involved has said that this is it, and I fully believe them. I don't think this is one of those situations where people say this is the end but then decide to come back for a movie or reunion. This has a real finale feel. I also tend to believe that Larry David is done with this show too, and he doesn't seem like the type to go back on this. So, with that being said, I want to shout out an actor that turned this show from great to classic.

The first couple seasons of this show were great. They laid the groundwork. We got to know who the main characters are, how they act and live day to day. The show was also hilarious. I loved everything with Larry and Cheryl. The stuff with his dad was phenomenal. The stuff with Cheryl's family was great. Getting to know Susie and Jeff really let us into those characters' lives. Seeing how Larry David interacted with the people he used to work with was pretty excellent. The show worked. But, when they decided to do their thing with Hurricane Katrina, and write it into the show in their own way, this is where the show skyrocketed to being one of the best things in television history.

During the season 6 premiere the audience is introduced to the Black's. They are the family whose house was destroyed from the flood and the David's took them into their home. We get to meet the mom, the aunt and the kids right away. But it wasn't until the next day that we were introduced to Leon Black. Leon might be the greatest side character of all time. JB Smoove absolutely knocks this role out of the goddamn park. It feels like Smoove was destined to play this role. He is too perfect here. The whole idea of the show is, with each storyline, they improvise. There are never any true scripts. They get an idea of what each episode will be about, but there are never any written lines. Or at least that is what I have read. This fits right into Smoove's wheelhouse. He is a true comedian and an excellent comedic actor. He improvises so well with David, Susie Essman and Jeff Garlin. It feels like he makes them go up a level. Everytime he and David get into a shouting match I know it is going to be hilarious. When he starts to talk about Leon's past life experiences, it is so, so funny. When he reminisces I cannot control my laughter. I watched an older episode the other night where Leon and David come up with an idea for Leon to be a "house husband". This means he goes and helps his friends get better deals on home improvement projects. It all blows up in their faces, and Smoove is there to play this all for big time laughs. I also love the episode where we see the Black's leave Larry's house, after he and Cheryl split, and Leon walks up, seeing his family leaving. When Larry asks what he is going to do, Leon tells him he is going to go inside and eat his Chinese food, securing his place in Larry's house. Since that moment they have been roommates and friends. They've gone to Paris together. They have their businesses. Leon played a fake doctor for him. He has been his assistant. He talks to him about his lovelife and Larry's could be better. He despises Irma more than Larry I think. They are inseparable, and we are all reaping the rewards of getting to watch them go on this journey as a team.

I cannot wait to see what they do in this final season, but more so for me, I want to see how they wrap Leon's story. That is what I'm here for. I cannot wait. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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