Ty Watches "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Series Finale

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" ended the series last night in what I consider to be perfect and glorious fashion. I don't truly know what I was expecting, but this seemed fitting and almost the only way Larry David could close out this classic television comedy. David is a genius. I have sung his praises for so, so many years. The guy gets it when it comes to comedy. He makes fun of others, but more importantly, he makes fun of himself time and time again. That much was on display during the hour long series finale. I think that is what made this such a successful and hilarious show over its long run.

"Curb" started in 2000. The show went for 12 seasons, and it felt like HBO let him put out a new season whenever he was ready. That was the best way to do this show. They had to be hands off for this to work. I have to assume David made it that way as well so he could put out exactly what he wanted in each season. We got 120 episodes of his genius. We had through lines in every season. They brought back classic bits in last nights finale from the earliest seasons. David got incredibly famous people to be on, either as themselves or as totally new characters. He let his stars shine. JB Smoove became a household name. Jeff Garlin and Susie Essman will be remembered forever as their characters. Ted Danson's heightened version of himself was perfect. Cheryl Hines starred as his wife and then ex wife. He got everyone from "Seinfeld" to be on his show. He got Bruce Springsteen to appear. He gave young up and coming improv actors their first chance to be on tv. He made offensive jokes and dealt with the blow back. He made his portrayal of himself as one of the greatest comedic characters to ever be on screen. This was, and always will be for me, a perfect show. This is the greatest comedy to ever be on tv. No one will come close to touching its genius. "30 Rock" is the closest now, and I love that show, but it is not even close to the hilariousness that "Curb" gave us.

And the way they closed it all out last night was a true joy to watch. To take on David's finale of "Seinfeld", the one everyone besides my wife and I seem to despise, and just go with it and do an almost updated version, it was the absolute best move to make. My wife and I kept saying to one another while watching, "this is perfect". To see him in a courtroom, to see the witnesses from seasons past show up, to see him and Jeff get into another messed up situation caused by their own stupidity, it was so perfect. Seeing Jerry Seinfeld show up for him and David to do bits was like watching a reunion I didn't know I needed. And for the the two of them to kind of hash out the "Seinfeld" finale in the most meta way possible, I couldn't be happier with what I saw. I'm glad they didn't do some kind of character change for anyone on the show. They all ended up the same as when they first appeared on the show. They were still griping about menial things. They were still trying to figure out where to eat. Richard Lewis, RIP, was still cracking jokes to David, and he was doing the same to Lewis. It was just a great sendoff to a great, all timer of a show. I loved the series finale. So did my wife. As for what I've seen on the internet today, it got a pretty good ovation from everyone who has watched it.

I want to end this today by thanking everyone involved with the creation and the constant improvement on "Curb Your Enthusiasm". You will all have a special place in my heart. And the biggest thanks goes to Larry David. Your genius knows no bounds. You are the greatest comedy television writer this world has ever been able to witness. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and enjoy your retirement. Now, it is time for me to rewatch this series for the millionth time. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Curb Your Enthusiasm" 14th Season Premiere

The 14th, and final season, of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premiered this past Sunday. My wife and I didn't get to see it until Monday, but all the same, it was awesome.

The thing I like most about this show, what has kept me coming back for each new season, you never really feel like it left. It picks right back up where we left off after last season, and we are in it. That makes me happy to be a fan. They don't have to rehash every storyline from the previous season. They use the main story, add a little detail from other seasons, but all in all, each new season is, and feels, new. Larry David and the writers deduced they were going to keep his new show and Maria Sofia this time around. That is kind of perfect because it helps the viewer understand why David and all his people can continue to live their lavish lives. His show is a hit, he is asked to appear at parties with Maria Sofia and they do, although David is not too thrilled. And then we are thrust into the new season.

This is the last go round, that is what everyone involved with the show keeps telling us, so we are instantly put into uncomfortable situations. Larry goes to Atlanta to appear at a party of a lifelong fan. Before going though they stop off at Auntie Ray's house in Atlanta. Auntie Ray was one of the family members displaced by the hurricane in season five I believe. She and Larry are all lovey dovey with one another until she tries on his glasses. Larry is convinced she bent them and they have a pretty epic screaming match. Leon is there, of course, and he adds his usual hilarity. Maria Sofia and Larry are at it at every step, so all of this just adds to his frustration over the glasses. We then get classic Larry David stuff. He wants to call a party guest by a nickname, but they don't want him to call her that. This irks Larry and he will not rest until he knows why he cannot call her by this name. He won't take pictures with the party guests. Leon eats the birthday cake before it is presented. David feigns interest during conversation. He gets into a fight with the maid at his hotel. He has to wear Auntie Ray's glasses everywhere. Jeff tells him he may not get paid for his appearance because of his attitude at said party. It is all the classic things you have grown to love about the show made better by the three years since it was last on air.

David knows what he is doing because he may be the best writer in comedic television history. He is gruff and mean and angry all the time, but that is what I love about the character. Leon is back and funnier than ever. Jeff and Susie are there to go along with and antagonize. Cheryl and Ted Danson are going to come up most assuredly. I cannot wait to see Vince Vaughn. I have to assume Richard Lewis will make appearances. And now we have Maria Sofia.

I cannot wait to see how they close this all out and I'm going to relish every moment of this final season. If the season premiere is any indication, this is going to be a rock solid season of one of the best comedies of all time on tv. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "The Good Place" Mid Season Finale

Last night was the mid season finale of “The Good Place”, and it was a tremendous episode. The entire 22 minutes were centered around Chidi, who is excellently played by William Jackson Harper. The whole episode was about the people waking him up from his slumber, and it flashed back to all of his crucial memories over his life on and off Earth. It was great.

For those that may not know, Chidi is infamous for being the most indecisive human being ever. He cannot make even the easiest of choices. It was so bad, his lack of urgency caused him to lose his life. I know this sounds dire, but in the context of “The Good Place”, it is put across hilariously. Anyway, when Michael(Ted Danson) goes to snap his fingers, we get to see all these moments. It started for him as a baby, when his parents asked if he liked the name Chidi, and he immediately cried. We then see him struggle to pick a chair in elementary school, breaking up with a girlfriend because he thinks philosophy can keep them together, to his dean at college telling him his thesis is too much, to his friends questioning him, to him being in the good place and struggling there, we see it all. And Harper is so good at portraying this indecisive genius. His quirks and quips she questions are never ending, so much so that it is exhausting.

Near the end of his memories you can see a different Chidi. After finding Eleanor(Kristen Bell), he seems more sure of himself, more confident. Right before he gets his mind wiped, the season 3 finale, he writes a note and gives it to Janet(Darcey Carden), and asks her to hold onto it until they meet again, if ever. When Michael finally finishes the snap, Chidi wakes up and is asked how he feel. He looks relaxed, and he says, “I feel great”, and I totally believed him. He looks, for the first time in his afterlife, like he is calm and confident. He has a look of assurance we’ve never seen from him. He asks all of his friends if he’s been annoying for the last 300 years, and they kind of blow it off to tell him that he needs to save all of humanity and Earth. Just when I thought he would revert to his norm, he says okay, and that he will try. He then asks Janet for the letter, and inside it reads, “there’s no “answer”, but Eleanor is the answer”. It was so sweet and touching and perfect.

“The Good Place” just continues to get better and better, and surprises me with something new almost every episode. This mid season finale sets up the actual finale perfectly, and I’m so stoked to see how they finish it up. In a show with a great cast, great writers and great direction, this episode was an absolute home run. My hat is off to all of the people that work on it.

Ty

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

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.