Seinfeld (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Last updated
"Seinfeld"
Curb Your Enthusiasm episode
Episode no.Season 7
Episode 10
Directed by Jeff Schaffer
Andy Ackerman (Seinfeld segment)
Story by Larry David
Original air dateNovember 22, 2009 (2009-11-22)
Running time41 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"The Table Read"		Next →
"The Divorce"
List of episodes

"Seinfeld" is the tenth and final episode of the seventh season of the American situation comedy television series Curb Your Enthusiasm . The 70th episode overall of the series, it was written by Larry David and directed by Jeff Schaffer and originally aired on HBO on November 22, 2009. [1] The episode revolves around a fictional Seinfeld reunion show featuring the original cast.

Contents

Plot

Larry David is hopeful that his plan is working to win back his ex-wife Cheryl (Cheryl Hines). He previously cast her in the Seinfeld reunion show as Amanda, ex-wife of George, played by Jason Alexander. Meanwhile, Julia Louis-Dreyfus holds a party in honor of Jason's book release, Acting Without Acting, which Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld criticize for being too short. At the party, Julia Louis-Dreyfus accuses Larry of leaving a "ring stain" on an antique table in her house. Larry claims his innocence and refuses to pay for the damages, and thus decides to find the person responsible; the person who does not "respect wood."

While on the set of the show, Cheryl invites Larry to her house to review the script. Larry misses the date when he attempts to repair his friendly relationship with Mocha Joe (the studio lot's coffee guy whom Larry failed to tip), causing Cheryl to turn to Alexander for coaching. The two begin to develop a very friendly relationship, leaving Larry jealous. In retaliation, he rewrites the ending of the show, in which George and Amanda do not end up together. This causes Jason to leave the set; when the rest of the cast wants Jason to return, Larry unsuccessfully tries to play George himself, and quits the show shortly thereafter. In the parking lot, Larry talks to Jeff on the phone and mentions that the only reason he had put the show together to begin with was to have a chance to get back together with Cheryl, which she overhears from her car.

Upon watching the show's premiere, Larry is surprised to see that Virginia is in fact playing Amanda. Cheryl then knocks on his door, stating she quit the show after arguing over the small size of Jason's book, and also because "it wasn't the same" since Larry's resignation. Larry states that he prefers the original ending to the one he had written, which causes Cheryl to say "because [George and Amanda] belong together", much like Larry and Cheryl. The two kiss until Larry notices a ring stain caused by Cheryl's drink, subsequently accusing Cheryl of causing the ring stain on the antique table.

Reunion show

The Seinfeld reunion show centered on George Costanza, who married a woman named Amanda and made a fortune by devising an iPhone application called the iToilet, which directed the user to the nearest decent public toilet anywhere in the world (in "The Busboy", an actual Seinfeld episode, George brags about being able to find "the best public toilet [...] anywhere in the city"). His wife left him before he lost his fortune in the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, and George then moved in with Jerry. In the years since the original finale, Jerry donated sperm to have a daughter with Elaine; the child, unknowingly, calls him "Uncle Jerry", but learns the truth by the end of the episode and eventually calls him "daddy". Most of the reunion show revolves around George attempting to get back with Amanda, who received half of George's money and would want a prenuptial agreement to ensure he did not get together just for the money.

In the episode, Jerry says "we already screwed up one finale", a reference to the fact that "The Finale" was not well received by critics and fans. [2]

Production

David previously refused to make a Seinfeld reunion, but he thought it would be funny to do it on Curb Your Enthusiasm. [3] He stated that it "was a perfect way to do something like that but not to do it. Under the guise of doing the Curb show, it was very relaxed and loose and easy." [4] The original sets were used to reconstruct Jerry's apartment and Monk's Café, with Jerry's apartment updated to reflect the 11 years that had elapsed since "The Finale". [5]

Reception

Eric Goldman of IGN gave the episode a 7.4 saying that "there were quite a few funny moments and scenes" but it "lacked a certain spark and energy and felt fairly low key for a season finale in general". [2] Amelie Gilette of The A.V. Club praised the episode, writing that David "made the Curb universe and the Seinfeld universe merge and then fold in on itself—and it was nothing short of incredible to watch". She graded the episode A+. [6] Jonathan Toomey of TV Squad also gave "Seinfeld" a positive review, saying that "fans finally got the Seinfeld ending they've always been hoping for", though he criticized the subplot with Mocha Joe. [7]

The episode had about 2 million viewers, making it the highest-rated season finale of the show in more than five years. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Seinfeld</i> American television sitcom (1989–1998)

Seinfeld is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of 180 episodes. The show's ensemble cast stars Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself and focuses on his personal life with three of his friends: best friend George Costanza, former girlfriend Elaine Benes, and neighbor from across the hall, Cosmo Kramer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Louis-Dreyfus</span> American actress and comedian (born 1961)

Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedian. Often described as one of the greatest performers in television history, she is widely known for her roles as various characters on Saturday Night Live (1982–1985), Elaine Benes on Seinfeld (1990–1998), Christine Campbell on The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–2010), and Selina Meyer on Veep (2012–2019). Her list of accolades makes her one of the most award-winning actresses in American television history, and she has received more Primetime Emmy Awards and more Screen Actors Guild Awards than any other performer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Seinfeld</span> American comedian and actor (born 1954)

Jerome Allen Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. From 1989 to 1998, he played a semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom Seinfeld, which he created and wrote with Larry David. The show aired on NBC from 1989 until 1998, becoming one of the most acclaimed and popular sitcoms of all time. As a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld specializes in observational comedy. In 2004, Comedy Central named him the 12th-greatest stand-up comedian of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Richards</span> American actor and comedian (born 1949)

Michael Anthony Richards is an American actor and former stand-up comedian. He achieved global recognition for starring as Cosmo Kramer on the NBC television sitcom Seinfeld from 1989 to 1998. He began his career as a stand-up comedian, first entering the national spotlight when he was featured on Billy Crystal's first cable TV special, and went on to become a series regular on ABC's Fridays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry David</span> American comedian, writer and actor (born 1947)

Lawrence Gene David is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He and Jerry Seinfeld created the television sitcom Seinfeld, of which David was head writer and executive producer for the first seven seasons. He gained further recognition for creating and writing the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, in which he starred as a fictionalized version of himself. David's work on Seinfeld won him two Primetime Emmy Awards in 1993, for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series; he was nominated 17 other times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elaine Benes</span> Major character on the TV show Seinfeld

Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend in the sitcom is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld, and she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer. Louis-Dreyfus received critical acclaim for her performance as Elaine, winning an Emmy, a Golden Globe and five SAG Awards. She reprised the role during season 41 of Saturday Night Live in 2016.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American television sitcom created by Larry David that aired on HBO from October 15, 2000, to April 7, 2024. David stars as a fictionalized version of himself and it follows his life as a semi-retired television writer and producer in Los Angeles and, for one season, New York City. Also starring are Cheryl Hines as his wife Cheryl, Jeff Garlin as his manager and best friend Jeff Greene, Susie Essman as Jeff's wife Susie, and J. B. Smoove as Larry's housemate Leon Black. It often features celebrity guest stars, many of them playing fictionalized versions of themselves, including Ted Danson, Richard Lewis, Wanda Sykes, Rosie O'Donnell, and Jon Hamm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Costanza</span> Major character on the TV show Seinfeld

George Louis Costanza is a fictional character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998), played by Jason Alexander. He is a short, stocky, balding man who struggles with numerous insecurities, often dooming his romantic relationships through his own fear of being dumped. He is also remarkably lazy; during periods of unemployment he actively avoids getting a job, and while employed he often finds ingenious ways to conceal idleness from his bosses. He is friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, and Elaine Benes. George and Jerry were junior high school friends and remained friends afterward. George appears in every episode except "The Pen".

Larry Charles is an American comedian, screenwriter, director, actor, and producer. He was a staff writer for the sitcom Seinfeld for its first five seasons. He has also directed the documentary film Religulous and the mockumentary comedy films Borat, Brüno, and The Dictator. His Netflix documentary series Larry Charles' Dangerous World of Comedy premiered in 2019.

"The Contest" is the 51st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The eleventh episode of the fourth season, it aired on November 18, 1992. In the episode, Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer hold a contest to determine who can go for the longest time without masturbating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Seinfeld (character)</span> Main character on the TV show Seinfeld

Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the title character and the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998). The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, and played by Seinfeld himself. The series revolves around Jerry's misadventures with his best friend George Costanza, neighbor Cosmo Kramer, and ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes. He is usually the voice of reason amid his friends' antics and the focal point of the relationship.

"The Invitations" is the 24th and final episode of the seventh season of Seinfeld and the 134th overall episode. It originally aired on May 16, 1996, and was the last episode written by co-creator Larry David before he left the writing staff at the end of this season. This episode was directed by Andy Ackerman.

"The Revenge" is the seventh episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, and the show's 12th episode overall. The story revolves around George Costanza's plot to exact revenge on his boss, with his friend Elaine Benes' help, after he quits his job at Rick Barr Properties and is refused re-employment. Meanwhile, Jerry and his neighbor Kramer get even with a laundromat owner—who they believe has stolen money from Jerry—by pouring cement into one of his washing machines.

"The Deal" is the ninth episode of the second season of NBC's Seinfeld, and the show's 14th episode overall. The episode centers on protagonists Jerry and Elaine Benes who decide to have a sexual relationship, with a set of ground rules. However, as their "relationship" progresses, they experience difficulties maintaining their original friendship.

"The Finale" is the series finale of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. It the 23rd and 24th episodes of the ninth season, and the 179th and the 180th episode overall. The episode, written by series co-creator Larry David and directed by Andy Ackerman, originally aired on NBC on May 14, 1998, to an audience of 76 million viewers. In the preceding hour, a clip show called "The Chronicle" aired. The initial running time for the finale was 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Jeff Schaffer is an American film and television director, writer, and producer.

"No Lessons Learned" is the series finale of the American dark comedy television series Curb Your Enthusiasm. It is the tenth episode of the 12th season and the 120th episode overall of the series. The episode's story was written by series creator and star Larry David and executive producer Jeff Schaffer, and directed by Schaffer. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on April 7, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

References

  1. ↑ "Episode #70 - Seinfeld". HBO. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  2. 1 2 Goldman, Eric (November 23, 2009). "Curb Your Enthusiasm: "Seinfeld" Review". IGN . Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Enthusiasm for Seinfeld reunion". The Sydney Morning Herald . October 20, 2009. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  4. ↑ Levin, Gary (October 4, 2009). "On 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' it's a 'Seinfeld' reunion that's not". USA Today . Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  5. ↑ Murphy, Damien; Dunn, Emily (October 7, 2009). "Seinfeld gang's reunion". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  6. ↑ Gillette, Amelia (November 22, 2009). "Seinfeld". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  7. ↑ Toomey, Jonathan (November 23, 2009). "Review: Curb Your Enthusiasm - Seinfeld (season finale)". TV Squad . Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  8. ↑ Hibberd, James (November 24, 2009). "'Curb' finale most-viewed in five years". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved October 14, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.