Who knew that comedian Garry Shandling would be responsible for two of the best half-hour comedies in television history? Though he was always a truly funny and gifted comic, Shandling never quite achieved the mainstream success of his contemporaries -- comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. But rather than sell his soul to be accepted by the public, Shandling developed two television series that allowed him to be funny and innovative on his own terms. His first show, It's Garry Shandling's Show, was a cult hit and critical darling when it ran on both Showtime and FOX in the 1980s; it's DVD release last year proved just how clever and groundbreaking it was. Now, in 2010, we finally get a DVD release of Shandling's second (and even better) series: The Larry Sanders Show.
Originally airing for six seasons on HBO in the 1990s, Larry Sanders focuses on the backstage goings-on at a fictional late-night talk show hosted by Sanders (Shandling). It's at once a terrific character-based comedy and a merciless show business satire, with a who's-who roster of guest stars appearing to willingly skewer their own personas (perhaps none better than David Duchovny, but to say any more would spoil the excellent surprises of his arc). Together with his sidekick Hank (the great Jeffrey Tambor) and his producer Artie (Rip Torn, oozing gruffness), Larry navigates the waters of show business and his own paralyzing neuroses and insecurities.
The Larry Sanders Show is, in a word, brilliant -- a perfect combination of a first-rate ensemble cast and some of the sharpest comic writing ever found on television. Shandling's performance is fearless in the way that it exposes the vanity and insecurity of a celebrity and comic, and it's impossible to ignore the ways in which Shandling and Sanders overlap. The show is more autobiographical than most TV stars would be comfortable with, but Shandling is the kind of comic who is willing to open himself up and expose his own rawness for a laugh -- which is ironic, considering how much of his humor is derived from distance and detachment.
Part of what makes Larry Sanders so good is that even it's talk show segments actually work. It's easy to picture this same show where the interviews and "fake TV" segments are a plot device but not much more, but Shandling (who regularly sat in for Johnny Carson on the actual Tonight Show) is very good behind the desk and smart enough to know that these segments can't just be wasted screen time. They inform everything that happens backstage, and vice versa; it's precisely the way that art reflects life -- both within the series itself and outside of it -- that gives Larry Sanders its power. It's a show that works on almost too many levels to count.
The box set of The Larry Sanders Show: The Complete Series is an incredible -- a must-own for any fan of Shandling and/or TV comedy. Not only do you get all 89 episodes of the series in one collection (no more waiting to see when -- or if -- future seasons will be available), but Shout! Factory has included a boatload of bonus features that not only shed light on the creative process behind the series, but also help place it in context in terms of its place within television and comedy history. As a fan of The Larry Sanders Show, there isn't a single bonus feature you'll want to skip, from the genuinely funny outtakes (once again reminding us that these are only funny when the people making mistakes are actually funny) to the smart and insightful discussion between Shandling and writer/producer Judd Apatow to the star's reflections on the series with a host of guest stars. The extensiveness of the bonus content nearly doubles one's enjoyment of the show in running time alone, not to mention what an interesting and enlightening glimpse it provides into one of television's best shows.
This is one of the best half-hour comedies of all time, and the best comedy DVD releases of 2010. Do not hesitate to pick it up.
DVD Details
- Release Date: 11/2/10
- Running Time: 40 hours
- 17-disc set containing 89 episodes
- Full Frame
- Dolby 2.0 Stereo (English)
- Not Rated
- Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Bonus Features
- Audio Commentaries
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Garry Lectures at USC
- Feature-length Documentary: The Making of The Larry Sanders Show
- Garry Shandling and Judd Apatow on "The Writer's Process"
- "The John Markus Story" Featurette
- Cast Interviews
- Garry Shandling's Personal Visit with Cast and Guest Stars
- 60-page Collectible Book
