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Hey now! Now that even
Green Acres has its own box set, it's time for the
The Larry Sanders Show to hit DVD! Join Larry and his guests Carol Burnett, Robin Williams, Dana Carvey, Peter Falk, Mimi Rogers, Billy Crystal, Catherine O'Hara, Richard Simmons, and Bob Saget for one of the '90s best and brightest comedies. Before
The Sopranos and
Sex and the City, this was HBO's must-hook-up series. The 13 episodes (on three discs) that comprise the first season brilliantly set the stage for what was the funniest and savviest show business comedy since
The Dick Van Dyke Show (but with way, way more of an edge). Go backstage and meet the people who toil on "The Larry Sanders Show," the quintessential late-night talk show. Series creator Garry Shandling's Larry is so self-centered and neurotic, he makes Alan Brady look like Mister Rogers. Emmy winner Rip Torn is Artie, Larry's "always ready to jump in" pit bull of a producer, with Jeffrey Tambor as sidekick Hank Kingsley, former cruise director and "poor deluded bastard." The flawless ensemble also includes Penny Johnson as Larry's indispensable secretary Beverly, Janeane Garofalo at her deadpan best as talent booker Paula, and Jeremy Piven as cocksure head writer Jerry. With its unflinching portrayals of ego clashes, petty jealousies, and office politics and paranoia, this hyper-realistic series produced more hilariously awkward and squirm-inducing moments than
The King of Comedy. But the boundless pleasures of
The Larry Sanders Show make each episode ripe for repeat viewings (in which you can catch and savor the nuances of the performances or the throw-away brilliance of the dialogue). Adding to the fun and verisimilitude are the celebrity guest stars who tweak their personas. There's a less-than-gracious Burnett in the episode "Spiders," a duplicitous Carvey in "The Guest Host," and an insecure Williams in "Hank's Contract." The first disc contains an interview of Shandling conducted by Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic Tom Shales. No flipping, lest you miss the great "Rip Torn story" on how the formidable actor was cast.
--Donald Liebenson
