[This story contains major spoilers from the series finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm, “No Lessons Learned.”]
Curb Your Enthusiasm‘s ending was lengthy within the making.
After 12 seasons and greater than 20 years, Larry David’s HBO comedy gem signed off on Sunday night time with a basic callback to the Seinfeld sequence finale, which aired in 1998. And the general reception up to now calls again a well-known Larry phrase: It was a reasonably, fairly good option to wrap.
Even David — the star and creator of the sequence that sees him taking part in a loosely fictionalized model of himself — was pleased after the display minimize to black, his longtime collaborator, government producer Jeff Schaffer tells The Hollywood Reporter.
Talking the morning after the top-secret sequence finale was unleashed onto the Curb viewers, Schaffer and star Susie Essman (who performs the indefatigable Susie Greene) can lastly converse freely concerning the genesis of Curb‘s ending, how lengthy the idea to rewrite the Seinfeld finale had been within the works and the way this places a “cussed exclamation level” on all of David’s work to lastly inform his naysayers that sure, this present is basically, actually ending.
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You saved the key. How does it really feel? And, do you’re feeling you caught the touchdown?
SUSIE ESSMAN I had not seen it till final night time. I’d seen all of the episodes besides the finale, and I couldn’t be happier. I believed it was such a tremendous ending. Simply good. It wrapped up the entire sequence in an attractive method.
JEFF SCHAFFER I’m so pleased to not need to be evasive about how we’re ending the season and the sequence. I really feel like I’ve had this deep, darkish household secret that I’ve been carrying round for a yr and a half now. However, it feels nice. On the present, half the time persons are watching by way of closed eyes, going like, “Oh my God, Larry goes to interact” or “Larry goes to show again round and reengage.” And you’ll’t imagine he’s doing it. And I really feel like this season was that writ giant.
It was like, “Wait. They’re not likely going to try this, actually? They’re not likely going to do the Seinfeld finale. I can’t imagine they’re doing it!” After which we subvert it in the long run, I believed in an ideal method. I used to be very pleased, as a result of in the long run, it was an ideal Larry David ending.
You weren’t absolutely sincere with me about Seinfeld earlier in the season once we talked concerning the echoes! Larry spoke to Willie Geist (who visitor starred on the ultimate season) this morning about how he was getting too outdated to play this character, which prompted the present ending. How a lot of it was Larry saying it was time, and the way a lot of it was realizing that taking part in this Seinfeld card was the true ending-ending?
SCHAFFER Means again in July of ‘22 we have been writing the season and we have been speaking about this. It was a joke scene with Larry: A child throws a ball or kicks Larry and he has to get entangled on this lesson, and he doesn’t need to be concerned on this lesson: “I don’t have time in your lesson, I don’t want a lesson. I’m 76 years outdated, I’ve by no means realized a lesson in my life.” And when he stated that we have been like, “Hey, maintain on. We at all times joke about you by no means studying a lesson. What if we simply flip that into the meta joke of all the finale?” [The series finale is titled, “No Lessons Learned.”]
As a result of a trial was a doable ending. We weren’t certain what we have been going to do for an ending, however that was a risk. And as soon as we realized we may do that meta joke of Larry by no means studying a lesson — and oh by the way in which, he’s going to steer the Titanic proper again into that [Seinfeld] iceberg — that’s once we knew that was the top of the season and that’s once we knew that was the top of the sequence. From that time on, every part was simply determining tips on how to seed issues in. How a lot and the way little we needed to. However from that second on, we knew that needed to be the top of the sequence, as a result of that was the funniest finish of the sequence.
Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David within the Curb Your Enthusiasm sequence finale
John Johnson/HBO
ESSMAN I’ve a query, Jeff. So you then went again and peppered within the little traces concerning the Seinfeld ending, like Ted [Danson] making that comment to Larry [about him returning to write the series finale and judging him over it]? You went again after which added these in, proper?
SCHAFFER Sure, a few of these hadn’t even been written but. Then we began to slip these issues in and it was like, “Oh, after all, Leon [JB Smoove] by no means would have seen Seinfeld” and we are able to discuss that and get him concerned on this kind of meta navel-gazing.
ESSMAN That’s the genius of those two collectively, Jeff and Larry, and the way they determine these items out. I learn all of the outlines earlier than we start, so I knew what the entire storyline was and what the ending was going to be, and I used to be there as we have been taking pictures it after all. However to see all of it put collectively is an entire different factor.
SCHAFFER I’m proud of the way it occurred and the way it got here out. It was such a foolish factor, but it surely was kind of formidable in its laziness, progressive in its intransigence and distinctive in its repetition. We bought to swing and miss on function, after which hit it out of the park.
Larry has clearly had emotions concerning the Seinfeld ending for years and years, and everybody has made their emotions recognized. However right here it’s circling again in an epic option to provide the ending to this present. So, it was fairly value it?
SCHAFFER Finally, this ending was about greater than the present. It spoke on the contrary DNA of Larry, and it kind of spans his complete profession and makes it a becoming finish to the sequence and places a cussed exclamation level on all of its work. That’s the opposite factor I preferred about it. It spoke about not simply the sequence however concerning the creator of the sequence.
It does really feel like a cussed exclamation level, one you may’t revisit and open again up. Do you’re feeling it’s too good and to ever revisit Curb? How ultimate does this really feel?
ESSMAN I feel it’s ultimate. It feels ultimate to me, however in a constructive method. We’ve carried out 12 seasons, we’ve carried out this for twenty-four years. It’s been wonderful, it’s been the best skilled expertise of my life and I consider everybody who has been the present and, it’s over. And it’s over in an effective way and we are able to rejoice it. I bought so many texts final night time, “This have to be bittersweet.” It’s actually not that bittersweet. It’s over and that’s a constructive factor, to have been a part of this creation for all this time. Nothing can final ceaselessly — we’re all getting outdated!
SCHAFFER We made certain once we have been doing this that it didn’t finish within the jail. It didn’t finish with Larry and Jerry tying up the profession stuff. We needed to finish with all of our solid. We finish with them how we started with them: Just like the alpha and omega of bickering. I beforehand advised you, Jackie, a number of instances — there have been scenes that we’ve shot earlier than that we’re truly utilizing on this season. I couldn’t let you know this on the time, however the ultimate scene of the sequence, we’ve shot twice earlier than. We shot it as soon as in season 9 and once more in season 11 on the way in which to Mexico: Susie opened the shade and bought right into a struggle with Larry on the airplane. And every time it was like an additional joke in a scene that was already jam-packed and, how lengthy can we keep on a airplane? So we minimize the scenes. Now, we’ve this scene that we shot twice, minimize out of the present twice, and it turned the proper option to say goodbye to all of our guys.
Leon Black (JB Smoove), Jeff (Jeff Garlin) and Susie Greene (Susie Essman) and Jerry Seinfeld (taking part in himself) within the entrance row — with Ted Danson (taking part in himself), ex-wife Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) and Richard Lewis (taking part in himself) behind them — displaying their help for Larry throughout his trial within the Curb Your Enthusiasm sequence finale.
John Johnson/HBO
You additionally spoke about scenes you reshot after coming back from the strikes. What have been these scenes?
ESSMAN The scenes within the reshoots have been me within the wheelchair within the courtroom, and a few the courtroom issues.
SCHAFFER It was additionally actually vital that, if we’re going to place everybody in courtroom, we needed it to be a Curb episode with Curb tales. So, wanting to determine what that salad dressing is and Leon speaking about sympathy. And all of it comes collectively in courtroom the place Susie will get to do that wonderful wheelchair efficiency; Larry and Susie get to crew up after which all of it goes to shit, culminating in an Auntie Rae [Ellia English] scream for the ages and a sentence that I don’t suppose has ever been stated on planet Earth.
ESSMAN She’s implausible. And, I don’t know if I’m appropriate about this Jeff, as a result of i by no means requested you or Larry, but it surely felt prefer to me after I learn the ultimate episode, a yr and a half in the past, that you just guys gave every of us one thing particular in that final episode, as a present to every of us.
SCHAFFER We needed to ensure everybody had their story, had their second. It wouldn’t have felt proper to have a ultimate epsidoe the place you didn’t get to see all of our sensible stars shine.
So when Jeff Garlin talked about you, Jeff, calling minimize after the ultimate scene and he started weeping, that was the airplane scene?
ESSMAN Sure, that was the very last thing we shot within the ultimate season.
SCHAFFER I bear in mind when [wife] Jackie [Schaffer] and I have been within the ultimate season of The League, we have been speaking to Matthew Weiner concerning the finale of Mad Males and he stated one in all his massive regrets was that the ultimate taking pictures scene of Mad Males didn’t have all of the solid collectively. Jon [Hamm] was in California and this and that. So we we actually remembered that. It was essential right here that the ultimate day no matter it was had all of our solid collectively to rejoice a tremendous accomplishment.
ESSMAN It’s the household. It’s an ensemble. It’s Larry’s present, however we’re his present household. And particularly if you’re improvising, you actually need to have large belief and respect for one another.
Whenever you took this concept to Jerry Seinfeld, was it a simple sure or did it take convincing?
SCHAFFER Larry referred to as Jerry and he goes, “I’m in.” And by the way in which, Jerry was so excited once we have been doing it. Once we completed taking pictures that jail scene, he was so jazzed about it and he stated, “That is wonderful. This can be a joke that’s 26 years within the making.” He was enthusiastic about what this was doing, too. I’m simply glad all of us stayed in present biz lengthy sufficient to truly pull this off.
Now we perceive that remark Jerry Seinfeld had made within the press — the place he stated he and Larry have been as much as one thing about Seinfeld, and Jason Alexander stated he didn’t have a clue what they have been speaking about. Had been you freaking out when that occurred, or was all of it stirring the pot?
ESSMAN And, he didn’t know!
SCHAFFER I knew the place it was coming from, which was that he was very excited. And that made me pleased, that he was enthusiastic about this. It was nice to see Larry and Jerry in a scene collectively taking pictures the shit, it was like watching Seinfeld Adam and Eve simply fucking round within the Comedy Backyard of Eden. It’s like, “Oh, that is how Seinfeld bought made, you guys chatting about nothing. About bearded women.”
One factor I need to say about our solid is that that is an improv present and it’s so onerous to do tales and be humorous. What they do is a stage of issue that’s simply unbelievable. I’ve the utmost respect for it. With different issues they’re scripted; you say the stuff. The stuff that we bought on this episode alone from this grasp class of comedians, it made it a very actually humorous present. Not only a finale present, however a humorous present.
David and Seinfeld on the finish of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
John Johnson/HBO
You’ve talked concerning the life cycle of Curb, the way you at all times really feel you guys are carried out after a season. However now we all know that the door is extra shut than you let on. Firstly, in Curb world, the place do you see Larry going from right here in his future? And secondly, we’ve Susie and Leon and many folks you would spin off. Is there something being significantly thought-about for branching off and persevering with this universe?
ESSMAN Not that I do know of. I wouldn’t fear about Larry. His creativeness is so fertile. He’s not one to simply sit round and play golf and watch the Yankees. He’ll do this, too, however there’s a mind there that doesn’t cease. And similar with Schaffer. There can be nice issues from this younger man over right here, Jeff Schaffer!
SCHAFFER Once we knew this was going to be the ultimate season and this was going to be the ultimate episode, I stated, “Look, there’s going to be numerous press about this. There’s going to be numerous hoopla. However there’s nothing extra Larry David than taking a ultimate victory lap after which slinking again.”
In order that’s your ultimate reply, Jeff?
SCHAFFER As we speak!
ESSMAN As I’ve stated earlier than, none of us truly die in the long run. (laughs)
SCHAFFER Yeah, that airplane didn’t go down! It landed again in L.A. they usually bought on with their lives. Susie had one other feast and for some unbeknownst purpose, she invited Larry once more.
ESSMAN Once more!
Curb Your Enthusiasm is now streaming on Max.
