Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm share many things in common. Both shows are hilarious, co-created by Larry David, and more interesting than your average sitcom. But each series does certain things their own way, and it’s easy to see how they stack up against one another. For one thing, the former premiered in 1989 and the latter premiered in 2000, so they each exist in very different worlds and time periods.
Read on to find out five things that Seinfeld does better than Curb Your Enthusiasm, along with five things that Curb does better.
Seinfeld: A Show About Nothing… And Everything
It’s well known by now that Seinfeld is “a show about nothing” and yet, at the same time, it feels like it’s about everything. While each episode focuses on a petty issue such as ordering “The Big Salad” or dealing with someone who talks super close to people’s faces, the show does touch on issues like relationships, the question of settling down, friendship, family, and career.
It’s not like Seinfeld is a totally silly and goofy sitcom that doesn’t have any depth to it. It’s actually quite the opposite.
Curb: Bold Storylines That Really Go For It
On the other hand, while Seinfeld does talk about the big things in life, Curb Your Enthusiasm focuses on bold storylines that don’t pull any punches. Curb can often be a surprising show to watch because Larry David and the writers really don’t hold back and they talk about whatever they want to.
Sure, some people might be offended by certain things, but that’s kind of the point of the show. It talks about subjects that society deems not to be politically correct and looks at them in an intelligent way. It’s hard to imagine many of the storylines taking place on Seinfeld (like when Larry eats at a Palestinian restaurant). It would be too much for that show.
Seinfeld: Likeable Characters
On the one hand, people say that the characters on Seinfeld are pretty mean and not very compassionate. Jerry gets grossed out sometimes, George is neurotic and particular, Elaine judges friends and dates and co-workers, and Kramer is off in his own world.
But on the other hand, people truly love the gang on this show. They simply say what everyone else is thinking and act in a way that the audience wishes that they could act. Take George, for instance. Sure, he might get nervous on a first date or feel that he can’t talk to a woman at a party… but he’s charming and loveable in his own way.
Curb: It’s Smarter
When it comes to something that Curb Your Enthusiasm does better than Seinfeld (or other shows in its genre), it feels like a smarter show.
Yes, Seinfeld takes aim at behavior and why people do things that they do, but there are many episodes, particularly in the final two seasons, that feel like slapstick humor and not quite as intelligent. Every episode of Curb has an intellectual tone.
Seinfeld: Arguably A Funnier Show
You do laugh when you watch an episode of Curb, but it seems like many people would agree that Seinfeld is, arguably, a funnier show. It’s just impossible not to laugh at least a few times during every single episode.
From Jerry’s stand-up to the characters’ antics to the silly situations that the gang find themselves in, Seinfeld is one of the most hilarious series.
Curb: It Keeps Fans Guessing
Curb Your Enthusiasm definitely keeps fans guessing. When you sit down to watch an episode, you truly have no clue what you’re going to see. You might be offended, you might wonder where the storyline came from, but you’ll always laugh and be entertained.
Even Larry David keeps loyal fans guessing since, for example, they had to wait a really long time for season nine to start airing.
Seinfeld: The Iconic Lines And Storylines
From “No soup for you” to “Yada Yada Yada” to any number of clever comments that Jerry Seinfeld has made, there are many iconic and well-known lines from Seinfeld that fans still reference today. Along with these solid pieces of dialogue, there are also iconic storylines such as when the gang gets lost in the parking lot, when George finds the best parking spot ever, when Jerry dates a massage therapist, when Elaine dances… and on and on.
While Curb definitely has some amazing and stand-out episodes, it’s fair to say that these are only obvious to someone who is a massive fan of the show and has watched each episode carefully. These lines and storylines simply aren’t part of the culture.
Curb: It’s Honest About Human Nature
It’s fair to say that Curb feels like Seinfeld’s older sibling who is wiser and has been around longer so they can tell it like they see it. While Seinfeld is honest about human nature and suggests the idea that many people just don’t behave in a correct way, Curb takes this idea one step further.
Whether Larry is annoyed that a woman is crying in front of ice cream at the grocery store or he’s wondering if people really need to e-mail to confirm lunch a million times, he’s observing human nature. And he’s admitting that not everyone is all that easy to like.
Seinfeld: It Stands The Test Of Time
Will Curb go down in history as one of the greatest shows ever? Many of its fans would say yes, it definitely should.
But it might not be put in the same category as classic sitcoms like Friends which are talked about all the time. It’s fair to say that Seinfeld will stand the test of the time and will always be considered a truly great show. The series created a group of characters and situations that spoke to the audience and still, to this day, are considered to be relevant and relatable. That’s a really big deal.
Curb: The Season Finales
Many fans agree that the series finale of Seinfeld was poorly done. It didn’t seem like part of the rest of the show, and watching the characters go on trial was just plain weird.
No one knows if the season 9 finale of Curb was the last episode of the show ever, or if it will return (there’s Larry keeping fans guessing again). That being said, every season finale of Curb is a great episode since the show isn’t concerned with what a season finale needs to feel like. It just feels like the series has given fans more good episodes.
