Larry David's New TV Series Is a Sketch Comedy You Will Either Love or Hate

HBO continues to air its sketch comedy series in which Larry David travels through American history alongside a cast of regulars and guest stars.

David, the creator of the cult series Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, remains true to himself – his character is still the same petty, vain, and terribly annoying man who gets irritated by everything.

Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is an experiment that, as with everything David does, will be met with either admiration or complete rejection.

What Is 'Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness' About?

Larry David puts his alter ego in significant moments in American history. The Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence, for example – Larry demands that a ban on loud sighs in public be added to the list.

Is Rosa Parks about to perform an act of civil disobedience? Larry, playing the role of the annoying old man Murray, tires her out with his endless complaints.

The show is built on sketches in which David mocks historical events and figures, stripping them of their sacred aura. However, unlike Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, there is no overarching storyline – only isolated vignettes that don't always add up to a coherent picture.

'Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness' Is an Uneven Project, Veering From Witty Satire to Flaccid Sketches

The main problem with Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is that its sketches are uneven – for every successful episode, there are several weak ones. Examples of funny but sluggish scenes include Bell's first phone call, the Wright brothers' first flight, and the preparations for the Lewis and Clark expedition.

The writers lack cohesion: instead of tracing a single historical trend through a series of sketches, they opt for a relaxed, disjointed flow.

However, there are exceptions. The scene in which George Washington refuses to run for a third presidential term because doing so would contradict the spirit of democracy contains a barely veiled critique of the current administration. It is one of the few moments when the satire is truly sharp and precise.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness'?

• Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness has 60% from critics and 46% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 6.5/10.

Where to Watch 'Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness'?

Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is available to stream on HBO Max.