After over two decades of comedy, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” aired its last episode this past Sunday. It was the end of a very important era for many. “Curb” was an identity-defining show, one that so many found comfort in (and that some, like me, really couldn’t stand it).
While there’s nobody quite like Larry David, in an attempt to give you some form of comfort in these post-“Curb” days, here is a list of Jewish and Jew-ish shows to watch (or rewatch) to fill that “Curb”-shaped hole in your heart:
“Hapless” (Peacock)
Looking for irreverent Jewish humor? Look no further than this series about a Jewish journalist working for a Jewish publication in London that just premiered on Peacock. There is nary a flavor of Jew (or non-Jew, really) that it won’t joke about, and its protagonist, Paul Green, played by Tim Downie, is as self-interested as Larry (though his rapport with his sister, Naomie, played by Jeany Spark, and his best fried, Simon, played by Josh Howie, does soften him a little). I don’t know what it is about this show but it managed to unwittingly charm me. I think it’s because Green asking his kvetchy questions does feel right when in the service of journalism, even if it is for a dying Jewish newspaper.
“Dinner With the Parents” (Amazon Freevee)
This show will be premiering later this month and I’m already obsessed with it! It follows a very quirky Jewish family’s Friday night dinners, and, if the British show it is based on is anything to judge on, is full of the kind of cringe comedy we all love from “Curb.” It stars Michaela Watkins, who I think is one of the most underrated and excellent Jewish actors and comics around, as a Jewish mom and Carol Kane as a Jewish grandmother who is reminiscent of her wonderful character from “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” but with more Yiddishkeit.
“Difficult People” (Hulu)
Here at Kveller, we just like telling people to watch “Difficult People.” It’s one of the best Jewish sitcoms ever made, one that we’re still mourning the ending of, to be honest. It follows two best friends, Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner, who, like Larry in “Curb,” play versions of themselves as aspiring comedians in New York. There is a little fabulous flare to the show, with lots of sass, queer representation, Jewish holidays, Jewish funerals and Yiddishkeit. And just like “Curb,” it’s full of guest appearances from some of your favorite comedians, though not as themselves, but rather as comedic characters delightfully drawn by these two Jewish masterminds. Justice for “Difficult People!”
“Dave” (Hulu)
Like “Curb,” “Dave” is a show created by and starring its Jewish star, Dave Burd, also known by his rapper name, Lil’ Dicky, and is about a fictionalized, exaggerated (maybe?) version of his life. The show also features Dave’s famous friends and collaborators, though in this case, they’re mostly rappers and musicians. There’s a bar mitzvah episode and lots of Jewish details, including Dave’s bickering Jewish parents. The show’s third season aired last year, and it’s currently on hold as Burd pursues other opportunities.
“Girls” (Max)
Is “Girls” the millennial female-centric version of “Curb?” Or maybe “Sex and the City” meets “Curb” but for millennials? It certainly is about a lot of unlikable, privileged characters. It certainly has the cringe factor of “Curb.” And it is really a show that changed the world of television in the way it addressed female sexuality. Lena Dunham’s hit HBO show about a group of recent college graduates trying to make their way in New York City has recently been revisited by many. If you’ve never immersed yourself into the world of Hannah (Dunham), Marnie (Allison Williams), Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Shoshana (Zosia Mamet), it is worth giving this paradigm-shifting show a try. It’s also quite enchanting to watch Adam Driver and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in early roles, who have since become iconic for their roles in other famous franchises and award-winning TV.
“The Larry Sanders Show” (Max)
Was Larry Sanders just a softer Larry David? I’m not sure, but starring Gary Shandling, this show is still a funny, addictive watch and underrated “old” TV. The fake talk show had a lot of Jewish guests, and even a controversial Jewish subplot in which Hank, played by Jeffrey Tambor, decides to reclaim his Jewish roots (Tambor has stepped back from the spotlight after sexual harassment allegations made against him by people on the set of “Transparent,” which may impact your decision to re-watch a show with him in a main role).
“You’re the Worst” (Hulu)
This show isn’t particularly Jewish, but it does feature Aya Cash and Zosia Mamet. If you ever thought to yourself, I wish “Curb” had two Larry Davids in it and they fell in love with each other, well, this show is for you (though I don’t know why you’d wish that). It tells the story of Jimmy, a self-centered writer, and Gretchen, a destructive PR executive played by Cash, as they attempt to be in a relationship. It’s delightful, distracting TV at its best.
“Bored to Death” (Max)
This short-lived show is based on a comic of the same name by Jewish author Jonathan Ames. In it, Jason Schwartzman plays a neurotic alterego of the author, who manages to supplement his income as a failing writer by working as a private detective. Ames is kind of a more intellectual, sophisticated Larry David type, or at least, that’s what he’d like people to think. Aside from Schwartzman, who is about to play a cantor in an upcoming film, the show also features Ted Danson as a womanizing editor and Zach Galifianakis as Jonathan’s friend.
“Broad City” (Hulu, Paramount+ and more)
Abbi and Ilana are just more beautiful and queer Larry Davids, maybe? It’s hard to deny the influence “Curb” has had on this excellent Jewish comedy (Abbi did say she would have Larry David on her baseball team) and there is something so comforting and haimish about a “Broad City” rewatch, in the same way that one periodically rewatches shows like “Seinfeld” and “Curb.”
“Hacks” (Max)
No, no, there’s really nothing super Jewish about “Hacks,” the show about Deborah Vance, an old-school comedian attempting to make a comeback. But it’s very funny and talented star, Hannah Einbinder, is part of a Jewish comedic legacy as the daughter of original SNL cast member Laraine Newman. And Jean Smart’s character is actually based on an amalgam of incredible comedians, many of them Jewish, including Joan Rivers, Elayne Boosler, Rita Rudner and Elaine May. This show is just truly excellent comedy, and it has a new season premiering in May.
“I Think You Should Leave” (Netflix)
If you’re a “Curb” fan and you haven’t watched “I Think You Should Leave” yet, one has to wonder, why? Again, there’s nothing much that’s Jewish about this Netflix hit sketch comedy show, except for its co-creator Zach Kanin, who is also the writer behind some of your favorite “Jacob the bar mitzvah boy” SNL sketches. I do think that it has that “Curb”-like quality in that people who watch it can’t stop referencing it in their day-to-day lives. Or maybe that’s just my Jewish husband.
“Seinfeld” (Netflix)
I think it’s pretty, pretty, pretty clear why “Seinfeld” is on this list, and yes, it’s all streaming on Netflix. We all know you were going to rewatch it sometime soon anyway, so why not now?
