No spoilers, but the first five or so minutes of the show was classic Curb. Starting with singing the JG Wentworth song to the scene where Larry destroys Siri over not understanding him properly all the way up to the scene at the restaurant. After that, while there were funny moments, it just seemed a bit forced and just not what I've come to expect from this show. I haven't watched any other episode yet, so the season can still improve, but it just wasn't great. I still gave this episode a 7 because he hit three home runs right off the bat, but after that, it was a 5 or 6 at best. I'm still hopeful as everyone is allowed a dud once in a while. Let's hope he got his out of the way early.
15 Reviews
Not too bad as far as later season episodes go
Poke598-18 February 2024
I found it fairly refreshing as a season opener with some quality moments here and there. The hotel housekeeper angle was a little cringe. Pachuca the emotional support dog left a lot to be desired. One thing I have found annoying with the most recent seasons is the choppy editing. Not exclusive to Curb, but I find a lot of the continuity gets interrupted during dialogue and there doesn't seem to be much breathing room. Still blown away that Larry can put out entertaining episodes at his age and after all these seasons. I reigned in my expectations and it turned out great. Awesome to have Auntie Rae back.
Side note: I didn't see Cheryl anywhere in the episode, though she does appear in the credits.
Side note: I didn't see Cheryl anywhere in the episode, though she does appear in the credits.
Back, but not at its best
grantss23 March 2024
Young Larry, the story of Larry's childhood, is a success and makes Maria Sofia a star, to Larry's irritation. Larry, Maria Sofia and Leon head off to Atlanta to appear at the birthday party of a wealthy fan. At the hotel the housekeeper takes a dislike to Larry.
After a more than two-year wait, Curb Your Enthusiasm is back. The previous 11 seasons didn't show any sign of losing freshness or zing over time. This would make Season 12 the first time I've felt a bit disappointed with a new season.
One episode in and it's not bad but it does feel a bit stale and unoriginal. Some of the lines feel forced and some punchlines can be seen well in advanced.
This said, there are some really good skits and passages of dialogue, making the episode a bit hit and miss.
Overall it's still reasonably funny, just not quite up to the usual standard.
After a more than two-year wait, Curb Your Enthusiasm is back. The previous 11 seasons didn't show any sign of losing freshness or zing over time. This would make Season 12 the first time I've felt a bit disappointed with a new season.
One episode in and it's not bad but it does feel a bit stale and unoriginal. Some of the lines feel forced and some punchlines can be seen well in advanced.
This said, there are some really good skits and passages of dialogue, making the episode a bit hit and miss.
Overall it's still reasonably funny, just not quite up to the usual standard.
Atlanta
bobcobb30113 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Irma singing the JG Wentworth commercial may have been written as annoying, but I think that is something many of us have done over the years, I know that I have.
Glad to have the show back, glad to have a final year of it, but this was really poor. The Brooke/Brookie thing was odd, the invited guest at the party bit was random and weird, and the continued use of Maria Sofia is terrible. She is so annoying and not in a way where she would become a celebrity/influencer, she is just annoying.
Curb Your Enthusiasm continues to just fall and get worse and worse and I worry how bad this final season might get.
Glad to have the show back, glad to have a final year of it, but this was really poor. The Brooke/Brookie thing was odd, the invited guest at the party bit was random and weird, and the continued use of Maria Sofia is terrible. She is so annoying and not in a way where she would become a celebrity/influencer, she is just annoying.
Curb Your Enthusiasm continues to just fall and get worse and worse and I worry how bad this final season might get.
Larry never disappoints...know what I'm sayin'
CharlieBugby5 February 2024
Like with every new season of Curb, I couldn't wait for the first episode to finally show up on the HBO app.
Larry is at his best again. His proven formula for creating funny situations never fails and never will.
While waiting for the next episode, I will most likely watch this one a few more times. Then I will probably watch the whole previous season, refusing to believe that this is the last season of Curb.
Who knows, this final season might very well be the intro to a new show. Young Larry?
What is Larry trying to tell us with the idea for Young Larry? That he never gets old? Like we didn't already know that!
Larry is at his best again. His proven formula for creating funny situations never fails and never will.
While waiting for the next episode, I will most likely watch this one a few more times. Then I will probably watch the whole previous season, refusing to believe that this is the last season of Curb.
Who knows, this final season might very well be the intro to a new show. Young Larry?
What is Larry trying to tell us with the idea for Young Larry? That he never gets old? Like we didn't already know that!
Larry is just phoning it in
MartyisGreat6 February 2024
Surprisingly, it has gotten worse than last season. Larry's acting is so bad, its like they just do one take of him giggling when saying his lines and then that's it.
Example is his interactions with the housekeeper when in his hotel room...its like he can't even be bothered to act anymore.
The glasses subplot was funny as it aligned with Larry and his predicaments.
The Brooke / Brookie thing just went far too long, that didn't deserve 10 minutes of screen time.
Not to spoil anything but the ending with the housekeeper was slightly over the top and unbelievable.
I'm being generous with the 6 rating. Larry has given up.
Example is his interactions with the housekeeper when in his hotel room...its like he can't even be bothered to act anymore.
The glasses subplot was funny as it aligned with Larry and his predicaments.
The Brooke / Brookie thing just went far too long, that didn't deserve 10 minutes of screen time.
Not to spoil anything but the ending with the housekeeper was slightly over the top and unbelievable.
I'm being generous with the 6 rating. Larry has given up.
It feels like a chore.
mmelchers8 February 2024
Remember the first seasons, where you could see the character that was the origin of George Costanza in Seinfeld? Well, he's gone. He grew into an old man who lost connection with his peers, forgot his natural flow and became insecure. Larry tries to hard to act like the man he was and I just feel sorry for him. Is he doing this because of the obligations/responsibility he feels for the crew? I don't know but I would respect it if he gave up on this, definitely not a career ending he imagined.
Of course it's not nice to judge a season on his first episode but the observation is too blatant to ignore.
Of course it's not nice to judge a season on his first episode but the observation is too blatant to ignore.
S12e1 a miss
silas1237 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
What a disappointment. Season 11 saw a considerable drop off from s10 so I was holding my breathe for s12e1. The episode felt uninspired from beginning to end. The professional critics seem to be fawning over this stuff because no one wants to be the one to get caught out criticizing Larry. I can't see being sentimental with regard to Curb; the show blazed a trail for pull no punches bluntness. The scene that really nailed how bad things have gotten was Larry in his car yelling at Siri. I felt like this was AI generated Curb. Here's to hoping the rest of the season picks up and Larry can go out with a few laughs.
Utter Garbage
carlotothericardo5 February 2024
Last season was starting to show hints of the show's decline but this premiere just re-assured me that it's about time to end it.
Maria Sofia returns this season and she is even more obnoxious than before. I would have preferred if they just pretended that the last two episodes of season 11 never happened and end the show with a fresh storyline.
Larry and Aunty Rae's interactions are great, but Maria is just there and Leon disappears for half the episode.
+ Leon being Leon + Aunty Rae and Larry's interactions
Maria Sofia returns this season and she is even more obnoxious than before. I would have preferred if they just pretended that the last two episodes of season 11 never happened and end the show with a fresh storyline.
Larry and Aunty Rae's interactions are great, but Maria is just there and Leon disappears for half the episode.
+ Leon being Leon + Aunty Rae and Larry's interactions
- Continuing last season's storyline
- Maria Sofia
- The glasses sub-plot
- Housekeeper side-story
- Unfunny and contrived second half.
Pretty, pretty, mediocre
jamesleesrobot7 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I am a huge fan of Curb, and was excited to see the show come back for a final season. But this was a true disappointment.
To me, Larry is the master of having multiple plot lines happening throughout the show, and then having them all converge for a satisfying ending. But the ending of this episode, where he brings water to Auntie Rae while she's waiting in line to vote, and then gets arrested was extremely unsatisfying. Why? The setup was so flimsy. There was one mention of Auntie Rae going to vote earlier in the episode and that was it. There's no stakes at all. We are not at all invested in that story line.
The other big problem: writing 101 tells you that the protagonist has to have a goal. And what makes a show interesting is seeing all the obstacles the protagonist encounters as he/she attempts to reach that goal. Only after confronting all these obstacles do we then feel satisfied with seeing the character achieve or fail to achieve that goal. We are invested. Think about the entire season 10. Larry's goal (which is setup in episode 1 of season 10), is to get revenge against Mocha Joe, and as the season goes on, we get more and more invested in Larry's quest to take down Mocha Joe.
There were some funny jokes and moments, but the show felt like a bunch of separate skits that didn't relate to an overarching plot line.
Small details:
I'm hoping the season gets better, because I know Larry is a great writer, and I would hate to see the show go out on a low note.
To me, Larry is the master of having multiple plot lines happening throughout the show, and then having them all converge for a satisfying ending. But the ending of this episode, where he brings water to Auntie Rae while she's waiting in line to vote, and then gets arrested was extremely unsatisfying. Why? The setup was so flimsy. There was one mention of Auntie Rae going to vote earlier in the episode and that was it. There's no stakes at all. We are not at all invested in that story line.
The other big problem: writing 101 tells you that the protagonist has to have a goal. And what makes a show interesting is seeing all the obstacles the protagonist encounters as he/she attempts to reach that goal. Only after confronting all these obstacles do we then feel satisfied with seeing the character achieve or fail to achieve that goal. We are invested. Think about the entire season 10. Larry's goal (which is setup in episode 1 of season 10), is to get revenge against Mocha Joe, and as the season goes on, we get more and more invested in Larry's quest to take down Mocha Joe.
There were some funny jokes and moments, but the show felt like a bunch of separate skits that didn't relate to an overarching plot line.
Small details:
- Why did Maria Sofia go on the trip to Atlanta? Larry was the one being paid to appear there. And she served no purpose from a plot perspective (except her dog sat on the phone and butt dials Michael at the end). Other than that, she just walks around taking selfies and acting more annoying than in season 11 (I wouldn't have thought that even possible).
- Larry gets mad at the maid when she rolls her eyes after seeing what a mess his room is. He literally follows her through the hotel suite getting angry with her, while she doesn't engage at all. It felt forced and unfunny. You need the other person to engage to make it funny. And it's even funnier when it gets physical (Remember Larry and Lin Manuel-Miranda physically fighting over who gets to sit in the office chair in episode 9 of season 9? Hilarious!)
- When Leon says, "You know what I mean?" And Larry makes a joke, saying, "Why do you keep asking me if I know what you mean? " This exact same joke was used in season 8, episode 2, when Larry and Leon are talking about Richard Lewis' girlfriend getting a breast reduction. Leon says, "You know what I'm saying?" And Larry replies, "Why do you keep asking me that? I know what you're saying?" (Come on, this is just lazy).
I'm hoping the season gets better, because I know Larry is a great writer, and I would hate to see the show go out on a low note.
Was hoping to start fresh...
Dude_Hennick15 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I'm disappointed that David kept the worst parts of Season 11 - Maria Sofia and Irma Kostroski. They are fruit of the poisoned tree that was last season. Even if hiring Maria Sofia for the pilot was a plausible angle, it was game over once Maria Sofia attacked Cheryl and Ted. And if someone dies on your property because you violated an ordinance, getting that ordinance changed doesn't retroactively make you faultless. So Irma has got to go.
Some great bits, otherwise. The cordiality conversation had me on stitches. "I've been expecting more from myself my whole life and it's just not there," is one of the best lines of the series.
Have to love the whole even if I dislike some of the parts.
Some great bits, otherwise. The cordiality conversation had me on stitches. "I've been expecting more from myself my whole life and it's just not there," is one of the best lines of the series.
Have to love the whole even if I dislike some of the parts.
First episode seemed very contrived with forced humor
Swampthing7 February 2024
Been looking forward to this new season for quite some time. And I have to say I have enjoyed most episodes from the past. But it seemed the first episode had Larry going out of his way to be angry. Some of the jokes are really quite a stretch. I felt sorry for the future of season 12 because if it continues as bad as it is, they might as well just close up shop halfway through, even though it's the final season. It's almost like Larry had wanted to finish off the show at the end of last season, but perhaps HBO offered him some decent dollar figure and he felt like he could probably stretch two of the the plot elements from previous seasons. But it just didn't work. I'll continue watching the follow through and see where it goes, but I really hope it gets better than the premiere.
Funny for a few minutes - then irritating....
bluestrat6 February 2024
Way in the beginning ( in earlier seasons) - this was an enjoyable show.
Slowly each season, it has gotten less funny and more annoying.
It's ok, even funy for a few minutes - then annoying and grating.
The prediciments 'larry' finds himself in.....for the most part seem so contrived and ill conceived. In addition - Larry David's acting, while never a real actor - was passable for the material. That is no longer the case.
The constant f-bombs for shock value is tiring ... The writing borders on adolescent outlook and behaviours.
Suprised that the network powers that be, considered to renew this for another season.
This series should have ended years ago on somewhat of a small high note. That time has long passed....
Slowly each season, it has gotten less funny and more annoying.
It's ok, even funy for a few minutes - then annoying and grating.
The prediciments 'larry' finds himself in.....for the most part seem so contrived and ill conceived. In addition - Larry David's acting, while never a real actor - was passable for the material. That is no longer the case.
The constant f-bombs for shock value is tiring ... The writing borders on adolescent outlook and behaviours.
Suprised that the network powers that be, considered to renew this for another season.
This series should have ended years ago on somewhat of a small high note. That time has long passed....
It looks like this season is going to be even more political
bbraat4 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Based on the first two episodes, it looks like this season is going to be even more political which explains why, except for the magazine covers with Maria Sofia, that they are laughless.
Larry does not seem to be making any effort in these episodes. He seems to just be talking without purposes in a 'funny' voice until they cut the scene which is usually too long for the premise. The show has often been lazy but they aren't even getting out of bed with these episodes. We can tell what the joke is going to be from a mile away.
We learn early in the episode that Auntie Rae is voting, in Georgia? We now know how the last 5 minutes of the episode will go. The soup is so thin that it is spread into the second episode and it may last the entire season.
The TDS episode even features the cast of actors of from MSNBC to complain to lie about the Georgia voting law that forbids POLITICAL CANDIDATES from giving water or food to people within 150 feet of a polling place. There is no law against friends of people on line, or poll volunteers, from giving water but don't expect truth from David and MSNBC. This might be forgivable if the gag ended with the episode but they seemed to have based at least the first few episodes of the season on this premise.
Larry does not seem to be making any effort in these episodes. He seems to just be talking without purposes in a 'funny' voice until they cut the scene which is usually too long for the premise. The show has often been lazy but they aren't even getting out of bed with these episodes. We can tell what the joke is going to be from a mile away.
We learn early in the episode that Auntie Rae is voting, in Georgia? We now know how the last 5 minutes of the episode will go. The soup is so thin that it is spread into the second episode and it may last the entire season.
The TDS episode even features the cast of actors of from MSNBC to complain to lie about the Georgia voting law that forbids POLITICAL CANDIDATES from giving water or food to people within 150 feet of a polling place. There is no law against friends of people on line, or poll volunteers, from giving water but don't expect truth from David and MSNBC. This might be forgivable if the gag ended with the episode but they seemed to have based at least the first few episodes of the season on this premise.
Decline continues- the show is so unfunny now
darryl-johnson10 February 2024
Last season was awful... Unfunny and showing its age 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' hit a new low with season's 12 premier show.
I didn't laugh once. I didn't smile or chuckle. None of the premises were clever or inspiring. Bringing in a fresh face hasn't improved the humor or intrigue.
'Curb Your Enthusiasm' reminds me of a once great athlete who hasn't got the courage to stop playing when it is clear he/she no longer can perform at even a mediocre level.
I kept watching last season hoping that the dreck I was watching would somehow be replaced eventually with the clever improvisational humor the show is famous for yet it never happened.
Larry and Jeff- pull the plug already.
I didn't laugh once. I didn't smile or chuckle. None of the premises were clever or inspiring. Bringing in a fresh face hasn't improved the humor or intrigue.
'Curb Your Enthusiasm' reminds me of a once great athlete who hasn't got the courage to stop playing when it is clear he/she no longer can perform at even a mediocre level.
I kept watching last season hoping that the dreck I was watching would somehow be replaced eventually with the clever improvisational humor the show is famous for yet it never happened.
Larry and Jeff- pull the plug already.
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