Neurotic and egocentric late night talk show host Larry Sanders (Garry Shandling, who's pure smug angsty perfection) gets pressured by hard-driving network executive Melanie Parrish (sharply played by Deborah May) to do live commercials for a gardening tool called the Garden Weasel on his show.
Thanks to a caustic script by Peter Tolan and Shandling's first-hand knowledge of the whole talk show scene, this excellent pilot astutely nails the brutal backbiting behind the scenes machinations that happen on a regular basis on Larry's show as well as gives us a strong sense of Larry as an insecure, yet arrogant jerk who's used to getting his way. Rip Torn as Larry's crusty bulldog producer Arthur and Jeffrey Tambor as obsequious sidekick Hank Kingsley positively shine in their vividly drawn roles. Robert Hays pokes good-natured fun of himself, plus Hank gets a marvelous wingman moment in which he does a spot-on pitch for the Garden Weasel. Arthur telling Parrish right to her face that she reminds him of a boy he killed in Korea is absolute hilariously nasty comedy gold. A total hoot.
Thanks to a caustic script by Peter Tolan and Shandling's first-hand knowledge of the whole talk show scene, this excellent pilot astutely nails the brutal backbiting behind the scenes machinations that happen on a regular basis on Larry's show as well as gives us a strong sense of Larry as an insecure, yet arrogant jerk who's used to getting his way. Rip Torn as Larry's crusty bulldog producer Arthur and Jeffrey Tambor as obsequious sidekick Hank Kingsley positively shine in their vividly drawn roles. Robert Hays pokes good-natured fun of himself, plus Hank gets a marvelous wingman moment in which he does a spot-on pitch for the Garden Weasel. Arthur telling Parrish right to her face that she reminds him of a boy he killed in Korea is absolute hilariously nasty comedy gold. A total hoot.
