Curb Your Enthusiasm

Guide Note

Curb Your Enthusiasm is an unscripted HBO comedy series in which Seinfeld creator Larry David stars as a fictional version of himself. Since its debut in 2000, Curb has been nominated for 20 Emmy Awards, and received one, for Robert Weide's direction of the episode "Krazee-Eyez Killer." The show's seventh season is currently in production.

Fast Facts

1. New Episodes: Sundays, 10 PM
2. Network: HBO
3. First Aired: October 15, 2000
4. Inspired by a 1999 Larry David HBO comedy special
5. Starring: Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Richard Lewis, Jeff Garlin, and Susie Essman

David conceives of plotlines for every Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, but only writes them in outline form, allowing the cast to improvise their dialogue. This, combined with a single-camera documentary-style, adds a level of realism to the show, as if it were following David's actual exploits.

Larry's wife on the show, Cheryl, is played by actress Cheryl Hines, who share's David's actual ex-wife Laurie's passionate concern for the environment. Many of the cast members go by their real names, including Larry's manager Jeff (Jeff Garlin) and Jeff's wife Susie (Susie Essman). As well, a variety of celebrities play themselves, including Ted Danson and Richard Lewis.

Plotlines, which often find Larry making inappropriate statements or finding himself in awkward situations, tend to carry over from episode to episode throughout the course of a season. In the most recent season to air, the show's sixth, Cheryl invites a family displaced by Hurricane Katrina to come stay with her and Larry.