Concept

Characters

• Larry David (as "himself") – The ultimate passive aggressive, Larry creates awkwardness and discomfort in most social situations. His problems are often caused by his own petty neuroses and obstinacy, which render him incapable of admitting fault, accepting blame and letting matters rest. At the same time, he's often a victim of circumstance and the sensitive, easily-offended natures of those he happens to encounter. Larry vacillates between pleasant and unbearable. He can be a likeable character with good intentions, while those around him are being petty, volatile or annoying. The reverse is also true on many occasions, when Larry is petty, impatient, self-centered and difficult. Whether or not Larry or the other characters on the show are 'likeable,' they generally each believe they're playing by (or only lightly bending) the rules of society. However, they don't always agree on what those rules are.
• Jeff Greene (played by Jeff Garlin) – Larry's friend and manager who doggedly sticks up for him and gets involved in his schemes, no matter how morally dubious they may be. Obsessed with sex, Jeff involves Larry in covering up his marital infidelities and hiding his pornography. Jeff, although loyal to Larry, will comfortably act the innocent in a confrontation.
• Cheryl David (played by Cheryl Hines) – Larry's wife. As the straight man of this comedic duo, she's alternately patient with and exasperated by his behavior.
• Susie Greene (played by Susie Essman) – Jeff's wife. Her relationship with Jeff is mercurial, leading to numerous separations in the course of the show. She often reacts to Jeff and Larry's shenanigans with angry, profane tirades in which she usually refers to Jeff as a "fat piece of shit" and Larry as a "four-eyed fuck." She shows more affection to her dog, Oscar, and her daughter, Sammie, than her husband.
• Richard Lewis (as himself) – A stand-up comedian who is neurotic, self-loathing, and a recovering alcoholic. He is one of Larry's oldest and closest friends, both having moved from New York City to Los Angeles to pursue their comedy careers. Despite this, his relationship with Larry is often volatile and complicated. It was in season 5 that Richard Lewis became a central character due to his need for a new kidney, which apparently only Larry or Jeff could provide.

Plots

Season 6 (2007) – Cheryl and Larry shelter an African-American family named "the Blacks" (headed by Vivica A. Fox and also featuring J.B. Smoove) in their house, after a hurricane destroys the Blacks' home. A distracted phone call between Larry and Cheryl causes her to re-evaluate their marriage and intellectual chemistry. Cheryl soon thereafter separates from him and even finds another man; the season ends with Larry finding a new love interest of his own.

Impact

Critical response

Since its 2000 debut, the show has enjoyed wide critical acclaim and a steadily growing, dedicated audience that has helped it emerge from its early "cult"-only status. Through 2004, it has been nominated for twenty Emmy Awards (winning one), and has received a Golden Globe for best television comedy (2003). It is the fifth-highest rated TV show on metacritic.com. Slate magazine named the characters of Cheryl David and Susie Greene as two of the best on television and as reasons they were looking forward to the return of the show in fall 2007.

The Juan Catalan incident

In 2003, Juan Catalan, a resident of Los Angeles, was cleared of premeditated murder charges against a material witness (a crime eligible for capital punishment) after cut-out footage shot for the "Carpool Lane" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm showed him and his daughter attending the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves baseball game some 20 miles from the scene, resulting in a $320,000 settlement.

Inspired shows