TV Review: CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, 8.7 - "The Bi-Sexual"

rating: 3.5

The eight season of Curb Your Enthusiasm has, so far, dropped the familiarities of an over-arcing storyline. Instead, it's gone down a slightly different route: quite simply, as a showcase for Larry David, bachelor extraordinaire. Either Larry is trying to make his real life ex-wife jealous through the privilege of his medium, or he's attempting to break the record for amount of females kissed by an ageing bald guy in a single season of television. Whatever the reason, it's a definite theme this year, and "The Bi-Sexual" makes no attempt to veer off-course. There are a few cons that go hand in hand with that kind of course, though, especially when we're talking about Curb Your Enthusiasm. Previous story arcs didn't exactly make the comedy, but they did grant subsequent ground for the humour to expand and meander cleverly. It also granted the show relative room to move Larry into new places and deal with the situations that might arise in those places. Not to mention the fact that it kept the episodes together nicely, with in-jokes, character returns, subtle nods, and added a clever bookended feel to the series. Basically, the story arc enriched the show, and it's sorely missed here in season eight. And in New York, especially, where it could have been employed to such creative means. That aside, what's Larry up to this week? Well, after he couldn't secure permanent relations with a handful of beautiful women in Los Angeles (and lost one to Ricky Gervais on a NY subway), Larry meets his next candidate, Jane (Amy Landecker), at an art show: he takes an instant shine to her, they exchange numbers and agree to date. He's particularly thrilled with his achievement afterwards, and why not? Then Larry bumps into old nemesis/friend Rosie O'Donnell, who brags of a similar achievement. They've both met a woman that they really like. Both here at the art show. Both Jewish. Both with the surname Cohen. No points for guessing where this particular plot strand is headed. Each convinced that they're better suited for Jane, Larry and Rosie go head-to-head in an effort to win her affections. She's a bi-sexual, a matter that peeves both parties: the age-old discretion that you really should make your mind up when it comes to your sexuality is a rare point they both agree on. The David/O'Donnell showdown is amusing stuff, but it doesn't quite raise the laughs you'd hope for, and doesn't come anywhere close to previous Curb rivalries. There are a couple of other segments that don't work as well as they might have. "The Bi-Sexual" itself, as an episode, makes use of an extended steriod-use in baseball metaphor when Larry begins to use viagra as a way of improving his sexual prowess with Jane. With knowledge of the standard which Larry is capable of reaching when he uses the show as a political or topical avenue, the whole metaphor comes across as a little easy. Nothing when compared to the likes of "Palestinian Chicken," and somewhat stale. Another plot strand, in which Larry is brutally honest with an acquaintance and refuses a lunch date, doesn't even seem to make sense (or gel with the rest of the episode). Yet there are some great moments to be had here. The best (and most likely to be embraced by fans of the series) is the return of Leon Black (JB Smoove), who looked to be abandoned in Los Angeles. He arrives in true Leon style outside Larry's apartment in Larry's (now-dented) car. "I got eight motherfuckers up in this car," he says, genuinely impressed. The image conjured by those words alone is enough to make this episode watchable - especially when he casually adds that he's let a roommate into Larry's house back home. The other moment, destined to warrant an entry in that ever-expanding Curb lexicon, finds Larry at odds with the custom of the Japanese bow. Convinced that a waiter disrespected him when he elected to say sorry with a slight bow, Larry engages a group of Japanese tourists in Central Park and questions them on the practice. One man obliges passionately, and sheds some light on the matter: the Japanese waiter gave him a "shit bow" - that's enough to send Larry back for a hilarious confrontation. The entire plot-line regarding the bow and its connotations is the episode's all-out funniest. With the "The Bi-Sexual" following in trend, the eight season (so far) has consisted of stand-alone adventures, most of which have settled around dating. Did Larry see the shift from west to east as story arc enough? Doesn't seem likely. The good news is that this season has still been a strong one. But there's an undeniable disappointment for the wasted story arc that could have been. Which brilliant and seemingly ill-suited project could Larry have committed himself to in New York City? As great as dreaming up the possibilities might be, there's a sad truth to be had: now, as episode eight approaches, it seems likely that we'll never know. Curb Your Enthusiasm returns next Sunday on HBO in the US and is coming soon to Sky Atlantic in the UK.