Curb Your Enthusiasm Review: "The Reunion" (that's the "Seinfeld" reunion)

      Worth the wait?  Be sure to sound off below, my gentle Examiner readers.  We loved it.

This is the 7th season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm", and after two episodes we've arrived at what fans of the show have been waiting for: the "Seinfeld" reunion.  The cast tells us this is as close to a real reunion as we're ever gonna get, so was it worth the wait?  The Comedy Examiner reviews tonight's "Curb" right here.  Read on, gentle Examiner readers...

Tonight's episode of "Curb", titled "The Reunion", is the one that fans of "Seinfeld" and "Curb" have been waiting for ever since the overall plot to the seventh season of "Curb" was announced.  Tonight, after over a decade without the stars all in the same place, we began the long-awaited "Seinfeld" reunion.  So, how was it?

To begin with, this was an excellent episode of the show.  They did alot with the episode's structure and direction that you don't normally get out of a "Curb" episode; all the principles were in place; and they managed to move the plot along and really open up the overall story arch for the season while still maintaining some standard "Curb"-style moments.  I was deeply impressed by what was on display here (plus, as frequent readers of my "Curb" reviews know, I've been missing Cheryl, and we got multiple scenes with her tonight).

The episode opens with Jeff grilling Larry for what we gather is the hundredth time about a "Seinfeld" reunion.  Larry agrees to meet with the head of NBC, if only to tell him there's no way in hell that they'll be doing the episode.  During this scene, we also note that Suzy-- Jeff's wife-- is sick, and Larry theorizes that it may be Lyme Disease (or is that "Lime"?  Meh.) before the scene ends.

Larry then bumps into Cheryl, who mentions that she's been trying to get back into acting and is very excited about Larry mentioning that a "Seinfeld" reunion is in the works.  This, of course, gets Larry's brain going on overdrive, and during the meeting with NBC he announces that, yes, he'll finally put together the reunion that the network's been desperate for for so long. 

The rest of the episode basically followed Larry around while he tried to talk all the main cast members-- Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer (you know the actors' names; do I really need to list 'em all out?)-- into the idea, with varying degrees of success.  It was during these scenes that Larry manages to get into the usual kind of trouble that he does, p-ssing off people without really trying and then having to squirm his way out.  Precisely what happens during these encounters, I'll leave for you to discover.

I'd like to point out how much I liked the "dream sequences" during the episode.  We got a look at the refurbished "Seinfeld" set in most of these, and besides being a welcome departure creatively from how the show is normally presented, they were hilarious.  In particular, the pair that cap off the episode-- the two that end with Larry tossing a coin in order to make a decision about something-- were outstanding.

Let's go to the show highlights:

• More Cheryl!
• Larry sputtering with rage when he discovered what Jason Alexander had done while tipping the waiter.
• Suzie going into full "Loud Shrieking" mode while defending the fact that she hadn't thanked Larry for "saving her life".
• The coin-flip.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus: still looking hot.
• The setup at the end of the episode, where we realize that Larry's plan has not gone accordingly.  How he decides to worm his way out of that particular situation will be very fun to watch.

This much-publicized "Reunion" episode is a great kick-off to the remainder of the season.  I was thoroughly entertained at every plot point, scene, and twist.  It's gonna be something if "Curb" and its cast members-- including the whole "Seinfeld" cast-- can pull this thing off, and will certainly make for a memorable season of one of HBO's best comedies.  If you didn't see this episode yet, you need to get caught up: I imagine alot of people are gonna be talking about this tomorrow.

Be sure to hit the "Subscribe" button up top so that you can get all the Comedy Examiner's reviews of the remaining episodes of this season of "Curb", along with every other article that comes outta the Comedy Examiner's Office.  They'll go straight to your email, free of charge and as soon as they're published.  It's gonna be a good season, you don't wanna miss out on all the news and recaps.

And, while you're here, check out these other recent articles from the Comedy Examiner:

"See some clips from the "Seinfeld" reunion here!"-- didja miss this episode of "Curb"?  Don't have HBO?  Check out this page for a few clips from tonight's episode...and order HBO from your cable provider!

"Did they film "Zombieland" in Garland?" and other trivia about this weekend's smash hit"-- where we look at some of the behind the scenes trivia from this weekend's blockbuster "Zombieland".

"Comedy Examiner Review: Jon and Kate + 8" hot sauce?"-- that's right.  Click the link.  You know you want to.

"What do we know about Jon Gosselin's "Divorced Dad's Club?"-- in which we get to the bottom of Jon's potentially-maybe-gonna-get-made show with Lindsay Lohan's dad.

"More cast changes to SNL"-- plus, find out who's hosting this week!

"The Jay Leno Show" drops off by 39% in Dallas"-- in which Leno's ratings plummet in the Dallas area.

"What are other talkshow hosts saying about Letterman?"-- find out by clicking the link!

"Comedy Review: ZOMBIELAND is one of the best comedies of the year!"-- in which the Comedy Examiner reviews this "Zombedy".

"Are "The Jay Leno Show" and "Parks and Rec" getting canceled?"-- check out their ratings here!

"Brutal Legend"-- a video game for those that love comedy, Jack Black, and Metal"-- in which the Comedy Examiner looks at the upcoming video game that's funny AND fun to play

 (photo: brandnewcool.com)