"Curb Your Enthusiasm" The Divorce (TV Episode 2011) Poster

(TV Series)

(2011)

User Reviews

Review this title
1 Review
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
10/10
The Jewish lawyer
jotix1009 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
We get a glimpse of a past chapter of the series as Cheryl and Larry are sitting on their sofa. Cheryl had left a glass that made a water stain on the wooden surface of the table. Larry complains she does not respect wood, which brings back the sad occasion in which Julia Louis-Dreyfus accused him of ruining her antique wood table by leaving his glass on it. Cheryl has had it with Larry and all she wants is out.

That incident triggers Larry's visit to his lawyer, Andrew Berg, the man that promises a satisfactory settlement in is divorce from Cheryl. His client, Berg reassures Larry, will keep his house and a lot of the things he possesses. As Larry is leaving the office he notices Cheryl waiting to go in to see Berg, accompanied by her own attorney. Larry comments the man is bald, as though it would hamper on his capacity to defend Cheryl's interests.

Larry, dining with the Greenes and the Funkhousers, at a restaurant, decides he will go for the buffet, while everyone else orders something from the menu. As Larry comes back to the table, everyone is surprised by the variety in his plate. Larry offers Jeff to get some shrimp, something that triggers the appearance of the manager who tells in no uncertain way they will be charged the price for an extra buffet. They protest, to no avail. A man, claiming to have overheard the incident appears at Larry's side to give the manager a legal interpretation about how he is wrong. No wonder, this man is Hiriam Katz, a lawyer.

Funkhouser announces his going on a business trip to London. Larry asks Nan Funkhouser if she will be accompanying her husband, which she never even thought about. Marty is upset because of Larry's suggestion. Joe O'Donnell, the owner of the L.A. Dodgers arrived accompanied by Anna. In the conversation, Larry recommends his attorney Andrew Berg to Joe. Anna makes a comment of having a friend who went to Saint Christopher's school with him, something that comes as a surprise to Larry.

Larry is home with Leon, when Kyra O'Donnell arrives to take Larry's order for girl scouts cookies. In the middle of taking his request, Kyra proceeds to tell Larry she is getting her first period. Larry does not know what to do, but remembers there are still some tampons left by Cheryl. The girl in the guest bathroom is struggling to make the thing work, but she has no clue as to go about it. Larry finds the right way to use it by reading the instructions.

Larry goes by Joe's house to get the tickets for the game. The housekeeper informs him in no uncertain way he is not welcome. Joe is upset at the way he handled his daughter's problem. Larry has invited Marty Funkhouser to go along to a Dodgers game with him. After all, they will be sitting in the owner's box. As they arrive at the ballpark, two security guards inform him their names are not on the guests' list.

Going to Andrew Berg's office, Larry tells him what he has learned about his lawyer. Berg confesses he is not Jewish, he is in fact of Scandinavian extraction, thus the name. Larry feels deceived by Berg pretending to be something he is not. He fires Andrew on the spot. He then calls Hiriam Katz to represent him in the divorce. Unfortunately, he loses everything as Cheryl's lawyer gets her the house and a lot of things that Larry wanted to keep. At the end, Larry opens the door to find a girl scout troop trying to deliver the order he canceled when Joe O'Donnell did not keep his promise about the seats at the owner's box.

David Steinberg, a frequent contributor to the series, directs the first episode of the 2011 season. The screenplay was a collaboration by Larry David, Alec Berg, David Mandel, and Jeff Shaffer. It points out to another fun fest the creator and his team give their audience. Larry David touches on those things that annoy him, in satiric ways. The girl scout cookies some people have to buy, whether they want them, or not, is one of them. The perception that Jewish lawyers will give the client a good result in legal matters is another myth. Restaurants that offer a buffet table letting anyone to eat to their hearts' content, but not being able to give some of the food from the plate to others. All of the issues are dealt with Larry David's incredible wit in verbalizing what most of us do not.

All the principals were on board for the season's debut doing what they do best.
5 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed