SPOILER ALERT: This story comprises particulars from the collection finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is over, for now, at the least.
The truth that the ultimate scene was on an airplane, with Susie Greene, performed by Susie Essman, shouting at Larry, as at all times, felt symbolic, on condition that touchdown the airplane for a collection finale will be considerably turbulent.
However Sunday’s finale got here full circle from one other main finale that Larry David was concerned in. “That is how we should always have ended the [Seinfeld] finale,” David tells Jerry Seinfeld after he obtained him out of jail.
Govt producer Jeff Schaffer and Essman spoke with Deadline the morning after the evening earlier than, discussing how they wrapped it up, how they really feel about wrapping it up, being lastly capable of discuss it, how usually JB Smoove is pitching his personal Leon spinoff and whether or not it truly is the final episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
“Endings are actually exhausting,” admits Essman. “I like that we steered the Titanic again on the iceberg,” jokes Schaffer. “It was probably the most Curb approach to finish Curb.”
DEADLINE: It’s the morning after the collection finale aired. How are you each feeling now?
SUSIE ESSMAN: I’m feeling nice. The primary time I noticed it was final evening. I see all of the episodes forward of time besides this one. I didn’t. A few weeks in the past, Larry stated, “Do you need to see it?” I used to be like, “I need to see when all people else sees it.” I would like that have. I knew what it was, I used to be there the place we have been capturing it. I knew the story. However I couldn’t have been happier with the way it all got here collectively. I simply thought it was simply completely excellent.
JEFF SCHAFFER: It’s not a tragic event. Susie, do you’re feeling prefer it’s a tragic event?
ESSMAN: No, it feels joyous to me. It doesn’t really feel unhappy to me in any respect. What felt unhappy was the final day of capturing. That that was when it felt unhappy. However that was over a 12 months in the past. Simply seeing the end result of all these years, I simply cherished it, I couldn’t have been happier.
SCHAFFER: I really feel relieved to not need to dissemble how the present is ending. We’ve been carrying this deep darkish household secret for a 12 months and a half. That’s all anybody needs to know. It’s like, how’s it gonna finish? Don’t fear about the way it’s going to finish, watch the primary 9 exhibits, they’re fairly good. What I’m happy with is that it’s a humorous episode of Curb, which is crucial half.
I like that we steered the Titanic again on the iceberg. And like, and, and simply the concept we’re what I like about it. What I like about it’s that it’s an incredible Curb episode with humorous Curb stuff, however it additionally speaks to one thing greater. It actually speaks to Larry’s opposite DNA. This finale was about extra than simply the present, and that made it a becoming finish to the collection, to tie in kind of all of Larry’s work in a single fell swoop after which nonetheless get to say goodbye to all of our solid, doing what they do greatest, which is screaming at one another. I really feel like we balanced the legacy half and the comedy half in equal measure.
ESSMAN: That’s not simple to do. Endings are actually exhausting. Actually, actually exhausting. I feel these guys simply nailed it.
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DEADLINE: The critiques are fairly optimistic. Jeff, is there a bit of a part of you that hates the truth that folks loved the finale?
SCHAFFER: [Laughs]. No, we have been taking an enormous swing after we have been going to do that, however it felt prefer it was the suitable swing. I used to be by no means nervous about it. Larry was getting was a bit of apprehensive. I watched it with him final evening and he obtained all this optimistic suggestions and he felt actually content material. I felt nice too that he felt good about it.
It was probably the most Curb approach to finish Curb. There’s so many scenes the place you’re watching by means of lined eyes, like ‘Oh, my God is Larry going to really do this. He’s not going to return in there. He’s not going to ask that homosexual couple whose semen it’s. He’s not going to ask Allison Janney how she dedicated suicide. Oh my God, he’s doing it.’ We need to take that, which is the essence of a Curb scene, and stretch it out throughout a season and we truly did that. Individuals have been saying they’re not likely going to try this after which we did that.
ESSMAN: Might you think about if it ended with Cheryl going again to Larry and leaving Ted, they stroll out into the sundown fortunately ever. No, no.
DEADLINE: After we spoke earlier than this season premiered, you stated it could be “funniest if that is the ultimate one.” Was that in reference to the road “That is how we should always have ended the finale.”
SCHAFFER: Sure. After we realized that we have been going to redo the Seinfeld finale as a part of a meta joke and inform all people Larry’s by no means realized his lesson. You didn’t prefer it earlier than? Right here’s an enormous center finger, we’re doing it once more. It solely works if it’s the finale. Redoing the Seinfeld finale solely works if it’s the Curb finale. If this was only a center episode, or the top of Season 9 or one thing, it could really feel like a gimmick. That’s why that story ended the collection.
DEADLINE: Susie says earlier within the season she’s all about loving and heat. Regardless of that, how a lot are you going to overlook shouting at Larry?
ESSMAN: I’ll positively miss shouting at Larry. Completely. However I can at all times name him up. I’ll positively miss it. I feel that I’ve achieved each doable configuration, discovering each alliteration I may do and I really feel glad that I’ve achieved it for lengthy sufficient.
SCHAFFER: You ended episode 9 calling him a Covid-carrying c*cksucker.
ESSMAN: Now certainly one of my favorites.
SCHAFFER: I’m so glad you introduced up that line from remedy as a result of I’ve referenced that earlier than as one of many biggest examples of lack of self-awareness within the historical past of the planet. However the reality is, it’s enjoyable for Susie, it’s definitely enjoyable for us. You already know who it’s simply catnip for? One Larry David. He giggles like a schoolgirl. He breaks each time. Susie yelling at Larry is Larry David’s kryptonite.
ESSMAN: I’m considering ‘Isn’t he used to this by now?’ He can’t get sufficient of it.
DEADLINE: There’s a scene within the resort when Larry says to the little boy that he’s by no means realized a lesson in his life. That feels prefer it sums up Larry David the TV character greater than something.
SCHAFFER: We have been speaking about that scene, not as a scene that will be within the finale, simply as a humorous little story. That was actually the lightbulb second for this collection finish. Maintain on. We’ve been speaking about going to trial. Let’s simply personal this. Let’s simply inform everybody you’ve by no means realized a lesson and let’s re-create the Seinfeld finale and simply go for it.
DEADLINE: The journey down reminiscence lane with all the previous characters was nice to see. I used to be on the Greek Theater when Bailey Thompson (who performed a baby that had a run-in with Larry in Season 2) launched herself over 20 years later.
SCHAFFER: Larry was speaking about that Greek Theater occasion and we have been like, ‘We have now to carry her again.’ Let’s get somebody who was a baby and is now an grownup and has gone by means of 22 years of remedy. It was so fortuitous that she was at that Greek occasion. It actually helped; we knew that was certainly one of our linchpins for trial witnesses.
DEADLINE: Was there anyone who you wished to carry again for that however you weren’t capable of?
ESSMAN: I can’t consider anyone, apart from clearly, , Bob Einstein and Shelley Berman and people who are now not able to being with us.
SCHAFFER: Bruce Springsteen and Tracy Ullman, we obtained means earlier within the season. We just about have been capable of get and collect who we wished to assemble. It was nearly ensuring that we had the correct quantity. You’ll be able to’t do too many since you don’t need Larry to be to inactive.
ESSMAN: There are lots to go round, the checklist will need to have been lengthy.
DEADLINE: Larry remains to be respecting wooden, proper there on the finish.
SCHAFFER: Larry’s a rule follower. They’re his personal guidelines, and so they appear arbitrary and generally insane. However he follows them.
DEADLINE: Utilizing JB Smoove as the best way into Seinfeld was beautiful. His quote “You didn’t inform me Seinfeld was a present about weekly ass” was fairly a line.
SCHAFFER: That was me. After we have been speaking about what have been going to do with Leon, we realized, he’s going to assume it was only a present about f*cking. The remainder of it was all JB, however that was within the script. It was the right approach to discuss Seinfeld. A man who’s by no means seen it. Him commenting on how he doesn’t actually take care of Kramer. There’s a very enjoyable scene of Leon and Jerry collectively.
DEADLINE: How usually is JB pitching you his Leon spinoff?
SCHAFFER: Leon has a wholesome life when he’s not with Larry. He leads a really adventurous life.
DEADLINE: I noticed clip after the ultimate scene was shot. These have been some very candy phrases from Richard Lewis.
ESSMAN: That was March 24, 2023, the day we wrapped and all of us knew it was the final day, all of us knew it was the final scene of the final season. It was emotional. Larry was very quiet. He’s not Mr. Sentimental, he was very quiet that day. I used to be gonna say one thing. Then I knew that I’d begin crying and I didn’t need to do this, as a result of that doesn’t really feel proper. However Richard obtained up first and stated one thing. Richard was at all times sappy. Richard was at all times a really sentimental man. What he principally stated was thanking Larry, his greatest pal for all these years of what he’s achieved. Then Cheryl stated how a lot Larry modified her life after which Jeff wept.
DEADLINE: After we final spoke, Jeff, you stated, “There’s nothing extra Larry David than saying it’s the ultimate season, having all this hoopla after which slinking again.” When do you assume he’ll change his thoughts?
ESSMAN: I don’t. Jeff, do you?
SCHAFFER: I’ll say this for context. Susie has at all times been probably the most optimistic after each season, we’re kind of achieved. Then Susie would speak to me and say he’s coming again. Susie has at all times been the optimistic canary within the coal mine.
ESSMAN: I used to be at all times proper.
SCHAFFER: I feel she’s proper this time, too. I’ll simply say, Larry hasn’t stopped having spirited discussions with the populace of the west facet of Los Angeles. He didn’t hastily overlook tips on how to be irritated. One thing’s gonna occur. That stuff’s gotta go someplace.
