One of the longest-running and highly acclaimed sitcoms of all time, Curb Your Enthusiasm dominated cable television for 24 years that were–as creator and star Larry David might say–“pretty, prettyyyy good.” Over the course of its 12 hilarious seasons, David managed to conjure up a riotous sitcom on par with his earlier work on Seinfeld, right down to a similarly in-depth study of the social conventions that make up everyday society. Breaking these norms on a week-in, week-out basis, David provided an austere dark comedy mainstream viewers simply couldn’t get enough of, holding audiences’ attention for just over two decades.
The Doll (Season 2, Episode 7)
Few lines are as universally funny as an irate Susie Greene screaming at Jeff and Larry to “Get me the head!” Leaving audiences breathless with laughter the moment the credits have started to roll, every scene of season 2’s “The Doll” comes equipped with some of the series’ smartest, darkest jokes. From an unfortunate misunderstanding over a doll’s haircut to an even more disturbing incident in a movie theater bathroom, “The Doll” deserves to be at the very top of every viewers’ watch-list when it comes to essential Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes.
No Lessons Learned (Season 12, Episode 10)
The series finale to Curb Your Enthusiasm, David and company return to the polarizing premise behind Seinfeld’s controversial final episode. Like Seinfeld’s finale, “No Lessons Learned” finds Larry on the witness stand in a hotly-contested court case that sees many of his most notorious rivals make their long-awaited return to Curb here. Referencing Seinfeld’s disappointing last episode throughout, “No Lessons Learned” sees David bid goodbye to his 20+ year tenure on Curb Your Enthusiasm, drawing the series to a close on a blessedly satisfying final note.
Palestinian Chicken (Season 8, Episode 3)
Only Larry David would choose chicken over some of his closest friends. Dubbing himself a “social assassin” able to broach topics too difficult for people to openly discuss, Larry finds himself in the middle of a deep-cut religious schism owing to his love of a Palestinian restaurant in season 8’s “Palestinian Chicken.” As laugh-out-loud funny as the episode’s main plot is, though, it’s most worth watching “Palestinian Chicken” for its B-storyline, which involves multiple people asking Larry to confront their loved ones about their most annoying habits (over-using “LOL” in a text, smacking their lips after they drink, etc.). In oh so many ways, it’s pure Curb Your Enthusiasm humor at its finest.
Denise Handicap (Season 7, Episode 6)
How many sitcoms do you know of that sees the main character get beaten up not once, but twice by none other than Rosie O’Donnell? Such is the appeal of season 7’s “Denise Handicap,” the premise of which involves Larry dating a wheelchair-using significant other. Using his newfound partner as a personal way to skip ahead of restaurant lines and garner respect from his friends and colleagues, “Denise Handicap” underscores just how low Larry might sink for own convenience and self-gain.
The Freak Book (Season 6, Episode 5)
Curb Your Enthusiasm has included many, many different cameos over the years, but without a doubt one of the finest celebrity appearances in the show comes with John McEnroe in season 6’s “The Freak Book.” Ejected from Ted Danson’s birthday party and forced to fill in for his drunken driver as a limo chauffeur, Larry soon runs afoul the fiery-tempered former tennis pro, infuriating Johnny Mac with his unending series of questions. Yes, seeing Larry and Jeff cackle on the couch is always great, but there’s just something about Larry asking John McEnroe absurdly childish questions that makes this episode stand out.
The Car Pool Lane (Season 4, Episode 6)
Baseball, street-smart prostitutes, police sniffer dogs, and hallucinogenic drug trips–these are just some of the things viewers can look forward to when it comes to season 4’s “The Car Pool Lane.” Never wasting a moment to deliver some kind of joke, David and company spend every second of “The Car Pool Lane” providing original and provocative material. Whether feigning racist views to get out of jury duty or framing Marty for bringing drugs to an airport, “The Car Pool Lane” leaves viewers in stitches from the opening credits onward.
Trick or Treat (Season 2, Episode 3)
It’s Halloween in California, and in true Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion, Larry David decides to celebrate it the only way he knows how (IE, denying candy to uncostumed teens he deems too old to trick or treat). Like all the best Curb episodes, “Trick or Treat” sees David step in as a miscast enforcer of societal rules, taking it upon himself to defend Halloween from teenage ne’er-do-wells. One of the few episodes where Larry gets the last laugh, it also somehow manages to flawlessly weave in a subplot involving the music of Wagner and the supposed origins of the Cobb salad (trust us, it’s better than it sounds).
