What will television be like without the promise of another season of Curb your enthusiasm lurking in the shadows? It's not an idea we've had to consider for the past 24 years, as creator and star Larry David has been delivering new seasons defying social norms since 2000, albeit on an… irregular schedule. However, with season 12 officially declared the last and the premiere available early to critics, it's time to accept that reality and appreciate what we'll lose with the show's conclusion.
Without going into spoilers, season 12 begins as a direct continuation of season 11; For example, the premiere includes an appearance by Tracey Ullman as Irma Kostroski, Larry's least liked love interest from last year, as well as a reminder. why Larry has to keep dating her. (For the sake of this writer's sanity, any reference to “Larry” is a reference to the character being played on screen, while “David” is a reference to the real-life creator behind the scenes.)
The saga of Larry's new show. young larry It also continues, as we speak with actress María Sofía Estrada (Keyla Monterroso Mejía), who continues to be a thorn in Larry's side. However, even with new elements like María Sofía, the classic Curb Traditions are at play, especially thanks to David's talent for personifying the awkward moments of everyday life: As strange and specific as some of Larry's complaints on the show may be, there are still plenty of universal scenarios that prove to be fruitful sources. in the mood.
In fact, it's honestly fascinating to watch Larry deal with moments of physical comedy that wouldn't have felt out of place in the silent film era. In the premiere, there's an extended sequence in which he trips over a pair of ill-fitting glasses, and no words are needed to deliver a killer punchline.
Larry's words still get him into trouble, repeatedly, unlocking what remains so satisfying about the series: the way Larry, as portrayed on the show, truly represents all of our worst impulses unleashed without the constraints of cues. social. If there's something that doesn't make sense to him, like a strange rule or restriction, it doesn't matter if it's trivial; He won't let it go. It's one of the ways Larry will never change, and in fact hasn't changed since 2000, and it's also one of the reasons why there's something so cathartic about watching him navigate the world in his own peculiar way, and why that we will miss him. .
Curb has never had the most secure future, and there were multiple points during its run where it was supposed to be ending, such as the Seinfeld reunion season, or that six-year gap between seasons 8 and 9. Even the season 5 finale was literally titled “The End”! But then season 6 introduced JB Smooth as Leon Black, a character who probably contributed the most to the subsequent longevity of Curb than anyone else, because as good as David is as a comedian, his best moment is when he bounces off his neuroses on someone like León, Susie (Susie Essman) or, yes, María Sofía.
In fact, the season 12 premiere, “Atlanta,” once again pairs Larry and María Sofía in multiple scenes, which brings us to one specific reason to be disappointed by the show's ending this year: Mejía quickly became into a breakout star thanks to projects like Curb and Abbott Elementaryand his character's very specific brand of youthful anarchy adds a new dynamic to the series, one that almost makes it feel entirely new.
It was a bit surprising that David declared that this would be the last season, because of a storyline. It's always sunny in Philadelphia creator Rob McElhenney he told the press in 2019:
“McElhenney said he recently met [David] at an event and David had some advice for him. “He said, 'uh, don't be an idiot.' He says, “never stop.” He just keeps doing it. One, because it's the best job you could ever ask for, and two, because if you make a final episode, they'll just destroy you for it.'”
David's second point had to do with the harsh reception the Seinfeld series finale, although in the years that have passed, it seems that for him, the benefits of saying goodbye outweigh knowing that the final episode is approaching. Maybe the Curb The series finale will offer David some catharsis. Hopefully it won't make it worse, although at this point what we know is that even the worst series finale can't completely ruin the legacy of a great show. After all, people still come back to watch and enjoy. Seinfeld for this day. It doesn't matter what happens to him Curb In the end, they will undoubtedly do the same.
Curb your enthusiasm premieres Sunday, February 4 on HBO.
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