‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’: Every Season Ranked
Larry David introduced his comedic interpretation of an exaggerated persona on Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2000, consistently delivering laughter through an improvised structure that thrives on awkward misunderstandings and wild antics for 11 seasons.
Season 12, set to conclude the show’s seven-year consistent run, was officially confirmed as the final season in December 2023, with its premiere scheduled for Sunday, February 4, 2024.
Costars Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, Cheryl Hines, J.B. Smoove, Richard Lewis, Ted Danson, Vince Vaughn, and Tracey Ullman are joining Larry for the last hurrah as teased in the most recent trailer, which also reveals guest roles for Sean Hayes, Dan Levy, and Sharlto Copley.
Upon announcing the show’s conclusion, David expressed, “As Curb comes to an end, I will now have the opportunity to finally shed this ‘Larry David’ persona and become the person God intended me to be.” He humorously bids farewell to his misanthropic character, inviting communication at Doctors Without Borders.
As we approach the final season, TV Insider has undertaken the task of definitively ranking each season of Curb. Explore our ranking and share your thoughts in the comments below!
11. Season 1
It’s common for a show, particularly a comedy, to find its legs or a particular brand of humor sometime after the first season. But Curb Your Enthusiasm defies this trend by finding it in by the premiere season’s sixth episode. While the first season isn’t subpar by any means, it does have a slightly slow start. One of the standout aspects of the series is its exceptional cast and notable guest appearances. Season 1 introduces us to Ted Danson, Richard Lewis, and Susie Essman, who all become significant fixtures as the show progresses. Additionally, we enjoy guest appearances from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who portrayed herself, and Bob Odenkirk, who portrayed the fictional character Gil. However, the format of season-long narratives had yet to be introduced, and the magic of what makes the show great had yet to be captured.
10. Season 11
Season 11 follows Larry as he endeavors to amend a city council ordinance requiring a five-foot fence around backyard swimming pools. Larry also engages with a city council member to influence her decision in his quest for change. Notable celeb appearances include Albert Brooks, Woody Harrelson, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, and whistleblower Alexander Vindman, all portraying themselves. Bill Hader, Marc Menchaca, and Patton Oswalt also make appearances in fictional roles. While the image of an aging Larry David navigating LA as a single man may seem familiar, the series and Larry’s social ineptitude are more refined than ever.
9. Season 5
One of the most delightfully unsettling aspects of Curb is watching Larry confront his issues head-on. A brush with mortality, a revelation about his father, and a sandwich bearing his name compel Larry to embark on an emotional journey in quest of his roots, leaving a trail of offended victims in his wake. Season 5 has two plotlines: Larry’s search for his biological parents and his discovery that he’s a suitable kidney donor for Richard Lewis, who urgently needs a transplant. The latter half of the season boasts notable guest appearances, including Hugh Hefner, George Lopez, and Rosie O’Donnell—additionally, fictional characters played by Rob Corddry, Dustin Hoffman, and Sacha Baron Cohen.
8. Season 2
While season one primarily consists of standalone episodes, Season 2 shifts its approach by introducing a season-long narrative. This storyline revolves around Larry writing a new show featuring Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Season two also introduces the character played by Wanda Sykes and showcases outstanding guest performances from Rob Reiner and Shaquille O’Neal.
7. Season 3
Season 3 is more memorable for its longstanding plot than for its jokes, as it sees Larry and a few of his business buddies invest in starting a restaurant. This season features performances by Paul Reiser, Martin Short, Martin Scorsese, and David Koechner. We also see the introduction of Richard Kind’s character, Cousin Andy, who plays a loud, obtuse, and rambling cousin of Larry’s. Here, the series began to dip and dab into its long-form narrative, fitting one-offs into the season here and there, something that would go on to define Curb’s formula.
6. Season 4
Season 4 of the series solidified that Curb Your Enthusiasm could become one of the great comedies of our time after a rocky start and mixed bag of a Season 3. With legendary episode contenders like “The Car Pool Lane” and “The Surrogate” and the introduction of Ben Stiller (Larry’s costar in a Mel Brooks-directed musical) and Marty Funkhouser, the show from this point began to lock into its formula. It also features a pretty classy and fourth wall breaking finale fitting for a Season 4 closer.
5. Season 9
In season 9, Larry gets into an unfathomable amount of trouble when he faces a fatwa issued by the leader of Iran after promoting his musical “Fatwa!” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The season features an impressive lineup of special guests, including Elizabeth Banks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jim Rash, Damon Wayans Jr., Bryan Cranston, Ed Begley Jr., Lauren Graham, Flula Borg, and Nick Offerman. Both the season and its finale offer a delightfully absurd and pessimistic outlook for a series that adamantly asserts Larry will never learn his lesson.
4. Season 8
In Season 8, Larry finds himself navigating the single life after his marriage with Cheryl. As “Single Larry” explores the dating scene in L.A., a problematic alibi takes him back to his hometown, New York City, offering a refreshing change of setting. However, Larry soon realizes that social blunders and character assassinations are just as prevalent in the Big Apple as in Hollywood. Michael J. Fox appears this season, engaging in an adversarial relationship with Larry as his neighbor. Rosie O’Donnell takes on a more significant role, entering a competition with Larry for the affection of the same romantic interest. Noteworthy guest appearances in this season include Ricky Gervais, Chris Parnell, Gary Cole, and Michael Bloomberg.
3. Season 7
In Season 7, following Larry’s breakup with Cheryl and his new relationship with Loretta (introduced in Season 6), he finds himself contemplating his future. Determined to win back his wife, Larry hatches a plan to reunite the original Seinfeld cast for a special episode. Alongside the familiar Seinfeld faces, the season features guest appearances by David Spade, Christian Slater, Dr. Phil McGraw, Catherine O’Hara, and Philip Baker Hall. While Curb Your Enthusiasm maintains the humor reminiscent of Seinfeld, this season elevates it to new heights. Serving as a vibrant revival of Seinfeld‘s cast and comedic style, Season 7 is widely regarded as one of the show’s finest.
2. Season 6
Now more audacious than ever, Larry extends an unconventional invitation to an unknown family rendered homeless by a hurricane, ushering them into his home. Among the newfound guests is Leon, portrayed by J. B. Smoove, who evolves into a permanent fixture in later seasons. Larry, ever the master of dissection social situations, crafts the perfect reason for skipping parties, engages in a feud with a dry cleaner, and pilfers flowers from a memorial for a car crash victim. Ben Stiller makes a return this season, and notable performances come from professional tennis player John McEnroe and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, as well as Ken Jeong, Tim Meadows, Steve Coogan, and Michael McKean.
1. Season 10
Larry opens a coffee shop to challenge “Mocha Joe’s,” addressing issues with tables, layout, and, notably, scones that he claims are muffin-like. The season, set in liberal Los Angeles, sees Larry navigating Trump‘s America with a stellar cast, including Laverne Cox, Jon Hamm, Jonah Hill, Mila Kunis, Clive Owen, and Sean Penn playing themselves. Fred Armisen, Isla Fisher, Abbi Jacobson, Jane Krakowski, Nick Kroll, Kaitlin Olson, Alan Tudyk, and Vince Vaughn take on fictional roles. With a humorous storyline and a feud reaching its peak, Season 10 stands out for its talented cast, epitomizing Larry David’s distinctive style. The finale encapsulates Larry’s series-long pursuit of misguided righteousness with comedic finesse.
