Curb Your Enthusiasm: The End (S5 E10)

‘The End’ is the final episode of the fifth season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, shown just last night (Sunday 4^th Dec).

Just to recap, this season has had two main consecutive story arcs, the first concerning Larry’s investigations into whether or not he was adopted, in which he hires a private detective to try and suss things out. The second relates to Richard Lewis, who requires a kidney transplant, and Larry, who is a blood match, doesn’t want to donate his kidney, and does everything he possibly can to get out of the bind this friendship has trapped him in.

The finale begins by Larry being informed that yes he is indeed adopted, and he flies out to visit his newly acquired parents. Hilariously they turn out to be ardent Christians from the mid-west, contrariwise to Larry’s New York Jew persona. Although, being as happy as he is that he is adopted, he takes to his new lifestyle, going to church, fishing, having a few beers. It’s so farcical to watch Larry walking down the street of small town USA with these two old people, wearing a T.G.I.F turquoise t-shirt, long shorts, bum bag/fanny pack, and straw hat, and being polite to people no less too.

But the old Larry’s still there, the old heartless obnoxious rogue we all love, like when his mother informs him of forgiveness being the best thing to do as that’s what Jesus would do, the look of disdainful acceptance on his face is priceless.

Other highlights of the episode include Larry’s elucidation of his DVD-watching system. It goes something like this, however I doubt I can fully put this across minus the use of at least seven scatter graphs and pie charts, but what he does is leave the DVD box on top of the DVD player, then once watching is completed he’ll take out the DVD, put it back in the box, and subsequently return it to its rightful shelf space. A proper and scientific protocol, not unlike my very procedures.

Also if there’s one thing I want to tell someone when I’m on my deathbed, on the very cusp of death, staring right into the abyss, I’ll make sure for it to be a critique about how that person uses way too much mayo.

Larry also has a great altercation on a plane when he doesn’t want the responsibility of sitting at the emergency exit, just look at this comedic brilliance:

STEWARDESS: All we need to know is that you are willing to assist passengers in the event of a non-traditional landing.

LARRY: I cannot be of any help whatsoever in any kind of non-traditional landing or any traditional landing.

Oh Larry, if only we could all be as gut-wrenchingly honest as you good sir. He even goes through a small guessing game at the exact oriental-origin of a lady sitting near him: Chinese, Thai? I heard recently of a Blog where you can test how well you can decipher the specific race of individual examples of our friends from the East.

A great end to another great season. May Larry David live on forever to continuously tickle our misanthropic funny bones.