TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. Tomorrow, HBO presents a new seven-part sketch comedy series that's an irreverent look at American history, just in time for the country's 250th anniversary. It's called "Life, Larry And The Pursuit Of Unhappiness," and it stars Larry David and comes from Higher Ground, Barack and Michelle Obama's production company. Our TV critic David Bianculli has this review.
DAVID BIANCULLI, BYLINE: One of the first things the Obamas did for TV after forming their Higher Ground production company was build a series around a singular, American voice. That voice was Studs Terkel, the Chicago writer whose 1974 working-class oral history, "Working," was a major influence on the young Barack Obama. In 2023, Obama saluted and continued Turkel's vision by hosting and narrating "Working: What We Do All Day," a very impressive, very serious four-part Netflix documentary series.
Now, Higher Ground is building another series around a singular, American voice. The results are equally impressive but much less serious because this time, the voice belongs to Larry David, America's unofficial national curmudgeon. He's turned being disgruntled into a massive fortune and into a lengthy, brilliant comedy career that includes "Seinfeld," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and now, "Life, Larry And The Pursuit Of Unhappiness."
This new series is created and written by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. They're also executive producers, as are the Obamas. Schaffer directs and is well-tuned to Larry David's rhythms and sensibilities. Over the decades, Schaffer wrote dozens of episodes of "Seinfeld" and wrote and directed even more installments of "Curb." Their new collaboration is much more heavily scripted than ad-libbed and is expensively mounted. Costumes, sets, even action sequences all look first rate. But even when Larry David is part of a silent tableau recreating the Continental Congress, wearing a powdered wig, while Barack Obama opens the show as the host, Larry can't stay silent for long.
(SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY, "LIFE, LARRY AND THE PURSUIT OF UNHAPPINESS")
BARACK OBAMA: But what truly makes America unique is the fact that we've always been a work in progress. We're not perfect. We can be irascible, petty, selfish, cheap. And let's face it, some of us will always find something to complain about. But as Americans, we have always found a way to overcome these naysayers, these deeply unpleasant people who stood in the way of progress. These miserable, intolerable - did I mention petty? - wretched...
LARRY DAVID: Hey, none of that's in the script.
(SOUNDBITE OF UNITED STATES MARINE BAND'S PERFORMANCE OF JOHN PHILIP SOUSA'S "THE STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER")
BIANCULLI: "Life, Larry And The Pursuit Of Unhappiness" is subtitled "An Almost History Of America" and provides just that. Each sketch, introduced by narrator Samuel L. Jackson, starts with historical fact, then veers wildly and enjoyably off the rails. In every sketch, the guest stars get the vibe David is after and add to it effortlessly. The opening sketch imagines that founding father Robert Livingston, played by Larry David, suggested some rather unusual rules for the Declaration of Independence before Thomas Jefferson took over the job of writing it. Henry Winkler plays John Hancock, and Chris Parnell plays Benjamin Franklin, who's reading some of Livingston's outrageous ideas to the assembled Congress.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LIFE, LARRY AND THE PURSUIT OF UNHAPPINESS")
CHRIS PARNELL: (As Benjamin Franklin) Here's another gem. No sharing desserts. If you want a dessert, order it. None of this pass it around.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) We're not animals, Mr. Franklin, all eating out of a trough.
PARNELL: (As Benjamin Franklin) We can all have our own forks.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) Then we'll all take bites, put the forks in our mouths, put it back in the pie after it's been in our mouths, Mr. Franklin. It's unsanitary.
PARNELL: (As Benjamin Franklin) Sometimes I don't want a whole slice of pie. I just want a taste of pie.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) Get your own damn piece of pie, Franklin.
BIANCULLI: The next sketch jumps forward a full century, from 1776 to 1876, and has Larry David, as Alexander Graham Bell, unveiling his newest invention, the telephone, to a small invited group of guests. The guests, though, are quick to offer suggestions of their own.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LIFE, LARRY AND THE PURSUIT OF UNHAPPINESS")
DAVID: (As Alexander Graham Bell) My assistant Watson is in another building out of sight and sound. But with this device, I will be able to communicate with him as if he was standing right next to me.
(SOUNDBITE OF CROWD GASPING)
DAVID: (As Alexander Graham Bell) I will pick up the phone on my side, and it will ring on his.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) What kind of ring?
DAVID: (As Alexander Graham Bell) Normal ring. It's just a ring. It's a ring. It's a typical ring.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) Maybe there could be a menu of rings that people could choose from.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Oh, yes. I would like mine to sound like a doorbell.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As character) I'd like mine to sound like a clown horn.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #6: (As character) Or perhaps a bicycle ring, you know, (imitating bicycle bell).
DAVID: (As Alexander Graham Bell) Oh, all wonderful ideas, but hardly the point. The point is, I'll be able to communicate with someone who is miles away.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #7: (As character) What if I'm at a piano recital, say, and I don't want it to ring, so it just vibrates like a Jew's harp in your pocket.
(CROSSTALK)
DAVID: (As Alexander Graham Bell) Oh, that's just a fascinating idea.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #8: (As character) Oh, what if you could send short little messages...
DAVID: (As Alexander Graham Bell) What if you invent your own? Go off and invent your own. That's not this. You want something that vibrates? Go. Go invent it. This is all nonsense.
BIANCULLI: Yes, it is all nonsense. Even with some punch lines that are sharp and pointed, it's all so whimsical it's wonderful. Other sketches in the first show include trench warfare during World War I and Rosa Parks on a Birmingham bus ride predating her famous bus boycott.
HBO wants a lot of the sketch details kept secret, and I'm fine with that. But every sequence brings its own unexpected joys. Hey, isn't that Richard Kind and Michael Chiklis and Sean Hayes, Kathryn Hahn, Bill Hader and Jon Hamm and Jerry Seinfeld from "Seinfeld" and Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman and J. B. Smoove from "Curb" all joining in? Yes, it is. And there are others aboard, too, as unpublicized special surprises.
Upcoming sketches are based on everything from the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Army-McCarthy hearings and the Moon Landing and are equally hilarious. I've seen enough to say that Larry David isn't just having great fun with history. He's adding to his own with yet another high concept comedy series home run.
MOSLEY: David Bianculli reviewed "Life, Larry And The Pursuit Of Unhappiness." The series premieres on HBO tomorrow.
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(SOUNDBITE OF OLIVER NELSON'S "BUTCH AND BUTCH")
MOSLEY: FRESH AIR's executive producer is Sam Briger. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham. Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Phyllis Myers, Roberta Shorrock, Ann Marie Baldonado, Lauren Krenzel, Monique Nazareth, Thea Chaloner, Susan Nyakundi, Anna Bauman and Nico Gonzalez-Wisler. Our digital media producer is Molly Seavy-Nesper. Therese Madden directed today's show. With Terry Gross, I'm Tonya Mosley.
(SOUNDBITE OF OLIVER NELSON'S "BUTCH AND BUTCH") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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