The Larry Sanders Show

Possibly the best show that has ever been broadcast. In Hank Kingsley and Artie we are in the company of two of the finest comedy characters in television history. Coupled with the galaxy of real stars (Bruno Kirby and Elvis Costello the first amongst equals) playing deranged versions of themselves and the excellent, sometimes breathtaking scripts, this transcends the 30 minutes sitcom format to become totally unforgettable entertainment.

**The Larry Sanders Show** is a groundbreaking show that not only holds up incredibly well for a 30-year-old show, but It's also oddly prescient. It's 30 Rock years before 30 Rock and it's Curb Your Enthusiasm long before that OTHER Larry perfected the art form. Larry Sanders walked so these shows could run, as it was the first big show to feature celebrities playing exaggerated or fictionalized versions of themselves. The core trio of Shandling/Torn/Tambor is flawless. Larry Sanders also stands the test of time because it's literally a window to a particular comedy time frame. This show can also be seen as a bit of a Historical Document, as Larry Sanders hit the airwaves literally RIGHT in the midst and fallout of the Late Night Wars of the early 1990s. Even Bill Carter, who wrote The Late Shift said _"Without ever actually being a full-time late-night host, Garry Shandling put an artistic stamp on the genre as indelible as the mark left by any of his contemporaries."_

This was a really great show that in no way overstayed its welcome. Great characters and great acting, tons of funny moments.

Having recently (re)watched The Larry Sanders Show [in 2011]:

I think The Larry Sanders Show is one of the great American television programs and one of the great comedy programs of all time. Though it was certainly not the first TV show to parody TV, nor was it the first show to be about the behind the scenes goings on of talk shows, it was the first laugh-track-less American comedy I know of – setting the stage for the numerous laugh-track-less comedies we have now – and it was about as dark and outrageous as anything then on television at the time. The acting is so good that you sort of forget it’s a comedy at times, and start thinking of these people as real people. I will forever think of Garry Shandling as Larry Sanders. Sorry Garry. It is an incredible thing and, as I mentioned, also very influential. There really isn’t anything else like it in the history of TV comedy.

It belongs with Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Kids In The Hall and select few other shows (perhaps) as one of the greatest TV comedies of all-time.

I watched this show because of its cool premise and because of Jon Stewart (but mainly the latter). It's aged really poorly with one-note characters, offensive humour, and even slurs. The celebrities were pretty funny most of the time, but the main cast was insufferable for about 70% of the time. Jon Stewart was great though