157,000 viewers can't be wrong
It is one of the greatest comedies on television, featuring one of the co-creators of one of the other greatest comedies on television, and the first episode in its sixth series is watched in the UK by 157,000 people. What's wrong with us? I know it's on More4, but I think I'm right in saying that over 50% of all television sets in the UK are now able to pick up at least the Freeview channels. Which means that millions of people are choosing not to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm. An extra-long opening episode, Meet The Blacks was everything that I demand from Curb: social embarrassment, shouting, juvenile behaviour by people in their fifties, domestic niggles, the subtlest kind of racial politics, repetition of an earlier gag, and at least one mention of a sports jacket. Meet The Blacks, whose plot I won't give away in case the 157,001st person forgot to tune in, involves Hurricane Edna, a delicious cake, Ted and Mary, a mysterious beeping, and the word "Schmohawk". It's not as if you spend the entire running time laughing like an idiot - in fact, most of the time, you're doubled up with the pain of expectation - and there was only only actual verbal joke (an improvised comeback from Jeff: "I'm going as a little Dutch girl"), but Curb mines such a rich seam of urban farce. A minor domestic mishap. A conversation after golf, at which a plan is hatched. A news report on TV. An idea from Cheryl, based on the news report. Larry's reaction. The plan is tried out. The plan backfires. It backfires again. A social faux pas from Larry. Cheryl's idea is surrendered to. The plan is tried again. It backfires. It backfires again (funny, because it's already happened once). Domestic equilibrium is shattered. Domestic equilibrium is regained. Domestic equilibrium is shattered once again, this time calling back to a seemingly minor detail from an earlier scene. The minor domestic mishap from the beginning of the show, which we'd all forgotten about, creates the final insult. The plan resurfaces. Larry ends the programme with less than he began it with. And that's it. All comedy writers should aspire to this level of invention and structural simplicity. The rest are schmohawks.
posted by Andrew Collins @ 12:31 PM
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27 Comments:
The point where he gave the finger to a passing driver with such intense aggression saw me double over with laughter.
I am naughty and downloaded all of this new series - the final episode of the season is truly the stuff of legend.
I managed to get my Dad addicted to Curb, and now he's quoting it constantly. It's actually a bit annoying. The boxset is the perfect gift for any grumpy man in his autumn or winter years. Or any man, full stop, now I think of it.
I didn't even know this was on this week. Ridiculous.
I didn't watch it because I haven't yet watched all the previous episodes and am a bit OCD about seeing things out of order. I am also naughty and download most of my tv viewing - I don't think I watch anything at the official time (except maybe lunchtime Diagnosis Murder). How can viewing figures be relevant in a world of downloads / watch again / channel x +1 / dvds etc? This isn't a rhetorical question, I genuinely wonder.
It's the 'social embarrassment' bit that stops me tuning in. The only time I saw Curb I spent the whole ten minutes before I turned off cringing. Just not for me, I'm afraid.
I was listening to Gideon - I know, there's "listen again". Next week.
And unusually it's not repeated.
So you've all missed your chance.
It was as Andrew says prettay prettay good.
I caught one or two adverts for it so I knew it was on but still forgot about it. I can't believe that it isn't being repeated at any point either. Now I'll have to seek some other way of watching the first episode.
Has he sued Jack Dee for plagiarism yet?
If I had to give up my favourite CYE line I think it has to be when Wanda shrieked at Larry
'What're you doin'? Scrabblin' round in the mud lookin for ass?'.
After playing football on Monday evening at least 3 of us rushed home to watch Curb. It is "event TV".I wonder who the other 149,996 were (3 footballers + A.C. excluded)?
"..millions of people are choosing not to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm"
They're all watching Chris Moyles and Denise Van Outen humilating housemates on Celebrity BB Highjack or X-Factor or the truly awful The One and Only
Their brains have become Botoxed.
It's awaiting my viewing pleasure on Sky+ as I write, so I'm glad to hear it's still as great as ever.
But as for why don't more people watch it? Well, it's on More4... they're crap at plugging their own programmes, basically.
I'd have thought that 157k viewers for a satellite channel at 10pm was pretty good, actually.
And anyway, Andrew, don't you secretly love the fact that most people don't watch it? C'mon we all feel a little smug when we're in on something, don't we?
There is some truth in what you say, Robram. I accept that Curb is not for everyone. I didn't even like it when I first saw it, and had to be guided into its genius by my friend (also called Rob), who selected key episodes from Season One and lent me the DVDs. I remain eternally grateful for that. And yes, 157,000 isn't bad for a smaller channel. It's just bad compared to, say, the 1.5 million that Lead Balloon got at its lowest point in the second series. The West Wing bowed out with 263,000 viewers on More4.
There's a broader truth here. Even with hundreds of channels, we do still gravitate to the big five, don't we? (Alright, the big four.) I know I do. It took me a while to include BBC3, BBC4, More4 and the other ITVs as part of my initial sweep of the Radio Times.
I'm watching Wire screeners of season 5, so that takes up most of my time at present.
I've always been a fleeting observer of Curb - don't know why it's never presuaded to indulge religiously, it just hasn't.
machine levine, forgot his password again.
There's always a problem with promoting American programmes on British television - the publicists of American stars think the British media is generally pish, and consequently reply to any interview requests with an immediate 'no'. Hence the British Comedy Awards dropped their Best US Comedy award - no bugger ever turned up to recieve it. I think the only reason Gunther was in Friends was because he would come to the UK to do some publicity.
CYE is in my top 5 currently-being-made comedies, I watch More 4 almost every night (Daily Show and the occasional documentary) and I actively search out forthcoming broadcasts of my favourite shows (Entourage s3 returning to ITV2 next Thursday after unexplained gap). And yet the first I knew of this being on was on reading this blog. So: "Well, it's on More4... they're crap at plugging their own programmes, basically." seems to have some truth behind it, yeah.
Interesting that you took some persuasion in accepting Curb, Andrew. Have you seen the light with Arrested Development yet? Get your mate Recommender-Rob on the case without delay! (key episodes-all of them. More than once)
The winning line for me last week was Larry on discovering the refugee family surname was 'Black' was to claim that was like him being called Mr. Jew.
Unsurpassed by just about everything.
I never really check ITV. Unless Harry Hill's on. Other than that - no point.
I haven't watched Curb on TV since it left BBC4. E4, where it initially went to, wasn't free on DTT in those days (it might not even have been on DTT) so I resorted to the DVDs and I haven't gone back.
The problem with channels that show virtually nothing but repeats outside certain designated slots is that it becomes at best a chore and at worst impossible (depending on your listings/EPG) to spot new episodes of programmes you like. Also you're less inclined to consider anything to be "appointment TV" on a channel that generally repeats things endlessly. And on top of that BBC Three seem to be incapable of keeping the first showing of a new series of anything on at the same time on the same night for the duration of its run. When channels have that little respect for what they're broadcasting they can hardly expect the viewers to think differently.
I didn't even like it when I first saw it, and had to be guided into its genius by my friend (also called Rob), who selected key episodes from Season One and lent me the DVDs.
Were 'Beloved Aunt' and 'The Group' on the list?
Loved the earlier season one episodes, but once I came to 'Beloved Aunt' I knew it was just genius.
Anyway... "The party was last night? What are the odds?!"
I find it a bit baffling that Curb isn't more popular but then Seinfeld was never big here either which was also a mystery to me. From what I can gather both seem to be victims of the channel they're on. I have Digiguide installed on my PC and it helps me treat all channels equally (well at least the "top twenty" or so that I've set to see when I switch it on). There was no chance of missing the first of a new series of Curb because I set it as a favourite about 5 years ago and digiguide simply told me to program the PVR.
Personally I was a little disappointed by the new episode but I think all the series have started slowly so far. The arc technique they employ for the each series means that they always seem to spend some time scene building that would normally be reserved for series one episode one of most sitcoms. Actually, is it really a sitcom?
One more thing... Robram, More4 is no more a satellite channel than BBC1.
Just echoing Gazebos comment re Arrested Development, I would implore you to watch it if you haven't already done so.
Can't help thinking 10/15 years ago (pre Big Brother) C4 would have scheduled Curb, Fridays 10pm and it would have attracted a significant audience. How times change. My Name Is Earl-come on!
Anyone else salivating at the prospect of Mad Men next month?
I absolutely adore Curb, as do my friends, but none of us have More4! NTL used to give it to us but since it's changed to Virgin Media we don't get More4 any more. We'll have to just wait for the DVD to come out (the older boxsets are a tenner in Tesco, by the way). That way we at least get to make a whole day of Curb!
Zoe
Re: 'The big 5'
Perhaps our poor brains can only cope with thinking about 5 channels at a time. Although in our house, rather than the old terrestial channels, it's Channel 4, BBC3, BBC4, More4 and BBC2(sometimes). I didn't know ITV was still going - can't remember the last time I watched it anyway.
Zoe, More4 is definitely on my Virgin Media (I'm hooked on the Sopranos reruns), but we did lose More4+1 to make way for C4+1. I'd check again, and give them a call if you can't find it.
Box sets are still the best way to watch these longer US series. It means a wait, certainly, but when they arrive: woo hoo! Back to back Curbs, back to back Wire, back to back Seinfeld (I'm still making my way through those - and they have so many extras which are actually worth watching!)
Incidentally, Good Dog, Beloved Aunt was definitely in the sample my friend Rob implored me to watch.
I think I saw an Arrested Development once, but it was mid-series and I felt becalmed. Perhaps I should try a box set and start from the beginning?
"I think I saw an Arrested Development once, but it was mid-series and I felt becalmed. Perhaps I should try a box set and start from the beginning?"
I would definitely recommend that you do. I brought it up on this topic because so many people I've discussed this with seem to agree that they thought Curb was the best US sitcom of the last 10 years... until they saw Arrested Development. It's brilliant, and proof that networks other than HBO can still make truly great shows. Then cancel them.
(sorry if this double-posts)
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