Parents' Guide to Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America

Viewers already know Larry David's brand of kvetching, persnickety humor from previous shows like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm; now he turns his cranky gaze to history, to amusing effect. If viewers are already a fan of David's comedy brand, they're likely to enjoy Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness; if not, David's polarizing performances will swiftly clue them in as to whether this show is for them. No matter whether David is playing Alexander Graham Bell or a Founding Father, he's always playing himself.

As Robert Livingston, the Founding Father who produced the pre-Thomas Jefferson first draft of America's Declaration of Independence, David uses his moment in history to add to the document's list of grievances, stating that if an American is invited to a dinner party, they have a right to ask who's going to be at the party before accepting, and it should be illegal to stroke one's beard or share an umbrella: "If it's raining, bring your own umbrella!" rants Livingston/David. As telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell, David is at first elated to contact his assistant Watson, and then grows tired with the phone conversation when Watson starts nattering on about his personal life. And so it goes. There are guest stars sprinkled about: Jon Hamm, Samuel L. Jackson, even former President Barack Obama. But as always, the show, and the comedy, is unabashedly a David-centric return to form.