Murphy's Law tells us that anything that be able to go wrong...will go wrong. Unfortunately concerning the protagonist---and fortunately for the viewer---Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000- ) excellently breaks this law. Drawing comparisons to David's concede Seinfeld, this celebration of social foolishness began with a one-hour HBO special in 1999 and was followed ~ means of a regular series the next year. Curb's vital attraction lies in its approach to comedy: al~ the characters themselves are well-defined, the improvised conference and interaction is perhaps the clew element to the show's freshness. Half the time, it seems viewed like if we're watching real-life events disclose: the performances are natural, while the glutinous situations (although usually played for laughs) repeatedly remind us of life's embarrassing moments. Just greater degree of embarrassing.
After the well-received "Seinfeld Season" of Curb a not many years ago, Larry David and his continually-so-patient wife Cheryl were approaching the extremity of their marriage. They'd been a couple since the show's first incidental event and, despite Larry's worst efforts, managed to hold together most of the time. Right fully of the gate, this eighth time puts their long-running relationship to foundation permanently: appropriately titled "The Divorce", Larry and houseguest Leon (JB Smoove) are packing their things in advance of the credits roll. Larry's officer descent into bachelorhood marinates for a not many episodes, picking up steam during a gratify ending four-episode arc in New York that ends things through a bang. Along the way, Larry hooks up by a number of beautiful young women, breaks up with all of them, battles a be filled of Girl Scouts, denies a dog his latest meal, becomes a social assassin and temporarily eschews his cultural estate during the much-heralded episode "Palestinian Chicken". This spice's major arc is undoubtedly Larry's of the present day life as a single man...and at the same time that it ushers in a new course for Curb, fans can still calculate upon business as usual.
Episode Listing: "The Divorce", "The Safe House", "Palestinian Chicken", "The Smiley Face", "Vow of Silence", "The Hero", "The Bi-Sexual", "Car Periscope", "Mister Softee" and "Larry vs. Michael J. Fox".
Guest starts are uniformly of the highest order this time around. Our lineup includes Gary Cole (Office Space), Michael Gross and Michael J. Fox ("Family Ties"), Ricky Gervais ("The Office"), Robert Smigel and Chris Parnell ("Saturday Night Live"), NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Wanda Sykes (Pootie Tang), Samantha Mathis (American Psycho), Michael McKean (This Is Spinal Tap) and added. It's usually bad news whereas a show resorts to stunt casting...moreover within the skewed perspective of Curb's positive-life landscape, seeing so many conversant faces---even as the focal state of certain episodes---isn't distracting in the least. In any case, the stars of our illusion always have enough presence to preserve everything grounded perfectly.
For now, it's near to believe another two years take gone by since the last installment was released up~ the body DVD, but fans can once another time look forward to another satisfying pair-disc package from HBO. Curb in the end switched to a 16:9 widescreen format for the period of the seventh season; as expected, this couple-disc release maintains the new state ratio. A number of thoughtful reward features are also on board, making this one of the most well-rounded Curb DVD releases to be reckoned. Let's take a closer have an air, shall we?
Quality Control Department
Video & Audio Quality
Curb has perpetually aimed for a simple slice-of-life documentary gaze, so it's good to comprehend that everything holds up perfectly. Presented in its ab~ 1.78:1 aspect ratio and enhanced toward 16x9 displays, Curb looks great and there's very little to complain relative to. The natural color palette is conformable, black levels are nicely balanced and ~t one major digital problems---aside from a iota of interlacing during a few rove sequences---could be spotted from sally to finish. While I'm surprise that every optional Blu-Ray edition hasn't been made serviceable, fans shouldn't be disappointed by these standard definition visuals.
In everything respects, the audio presentation aims a in some degree lower but still hits the line. Presented in your choice of English or French Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks, Curb Your Enthusiasm boasts one acceptable, clean presentation that gets the piece of work done without incident. Most dialogue and science of harmonical sounds cues are anchored squarely up van, but the rear channels are used now and then for general ambiance. English, French and Spanish subtitles are included during the main feature...and all of the extras, thankfully sufficiency.
Menu Design, Presentation & Packaging
Seen superior to, the 1.78:1 menu designs are pleasantly courteous, offering episode highlights, summaries and facile navigation. Each episode has been divided into roughly six chapters, however no selection screens are present. Packaging is same to the last season: this sum of ~ units-disc set is housed in a foldout digipak contingency with a matching slipcover, rather than the puerile pull-out design from earlier seasons.
Bonus Features
Two extras are steady board this time around, and they're the couple pretty entertaining. First up is "Leon's Guide to NYC" (9:30, 480p, in the lower regions left), an off-the-cuff guided excursion of Manhattan hosted by everyone's darling uninvited guest. From the pizzeria to the basketball court, Mr. Black foliage no stone unturned.
More substantial is a Roundtable Q&A (88:30, 480p, in the lower regions right) hosted by news anchor Brian Williams and featuring style members Larry David, Susie Essman, Jeff Garlin and surprise visitant Cheryl Hines. Recorded live at Manhattan's renowned 92nd Street Y, this feature-extent Q&A is lively and entertaining from set out to finish. DVD Talk reader Jim Finley (who attended the issue) informed me that audience members were treated to one advance screening of "Palestinian Chicken" and were asked to take the place of most of the questions...and even if his didn't make the divide, he had a great time anyway. Thanks Jim!
As mentioned earlier, whole bonus features include optional English subtitles, what one. is an extremely nice surprise. It's virtue to know that HBO continues to exist more attentive in this department.
Final Thoughts
Whether your follow along on HBO or play seize-up on DVD, new seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm are to the end of time a pleasant surprise. It's by slow degrees become one of TV's in the greatest degree consistently funny shows, thanks to dreadful improvised performances, rock-solid writing...and, of line of progress, the "ten-episodes-every-couple-years" discharge strategy. This eighth season doesn't receive a particularly durable story arc overall, if it were not that it sacrifices a little familiarity to forerun in Larry's new-found bachelorhood. All told, in that place's not a bad episode in the set and HBO's two-disc DVD package is a well-rounded effort that fans should derive pleasure from. And hey, almost two hours of gift features this time around! Very Highly Recommended.
Randy Miller III is each affable office monkey from Harrisburg, PA. He likewise does freelance graphic design projects, teaches art classes and runs a website or two. In his limited free time, Randy in addition enjoys slacking off and writing inanity in third person.
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