Larry David's latest HBO Max series, Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: an Almost History of America, is a total television shambles. The seven half-hour episodes struggle to find punchlines, with most sketches falling flat despite the presence of the Curb Your Enthusiasm star. The series is primarily worth watching for the immaculate introduction by former US President Barack Obama, whose comic timing provides a masterclass that the rest of the show fails to match.
Obama's Opening Steals the Show
Barack Obama appears at the beginning of the series, walking through the Barack Obama Presidential Center, delivering a perfectly modulated performance that highlights his impeccable comic timing. This segment, produced by Higher Ground Productions (Obama and Michelle's TV company), sets a high bar that the subsequent sketches cannot reach. The contrast between Obama's polished delivery and the show's chaotic execution is stark.
Familiar Sketches, Weak Punchlines
Each half-hour episode consists of three or four sketches starring Larry David as himself, reprising his Curb Your Enthusiasm shtick in period costumes. The material feels recycled and less effective. In the opening episode, David plays a member of the Continental Congress in a powdered wig, proposing absurd grievances for the Declaration of Independence, such as banning shared umbrellas and desserts, and limiting New Year's wishes to before 7 January. These sketches drag on, lacking the razor-sharp wit of David's best work.
Subsequent episodes feature David as a soldier in the first world war trenches, the third Wright brother complaining about middle seats, and Alexander Graham Bell's awkward first phone call. The sketches are tedious and familiar, relying on nostalgia rather than fresh comedy.
Missed Opportunities on Racism
The series attempts to tackle racism but falls short. One sketch features David as a talkative bore sitting next to Rosa Parks on a bus, boring her to the point of moving to the back. Another portrays him as a host on the Underground Railroad whose guests refuse to help with chores, calling it "slave stuff." These sketches manage to both pull punches and punch down, resulting in a poor comedic experience. However, one line—when David's character asks Rosa Parks if she would rather be robbed by a black or a white man—briefly recalls his ability to distill complex human complications into a single, uncomfortable observation.
Familiarity as the Main Flaw
The most striking flaw is the familiarity of the material. The sketches feel like leftovers from David's previous work, akin to H.L. Mencken's definition of a hotdog as "the sweepings of the abattoir." A sketch with Jerry Seinfeld as Lewis and Clark, who embark on their expedition to escape their wives, epitomizes the tired humor. The series relies heavily on faith and nostalgia, almost indistinguishable from charity, to generate any success.
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is now streaming on HBO Max. The Obama introduction is worth watching, but the rest is a disappointment.
