The Larry Sanders Show: The Entire First Season

Hey now! The Cable ACE and Emmy Award-winning The Larry Sanders Show spins its way onto DVD as quintessential late night talk show host Larry Sanders (Garry Shandling) is joined by guests Carol Burnett, Robin Williams, Dana Carvey, Mimi Rogers, Billy Crystal, Catherine O'Hara, Richard Simmons, and Bob Saget for one of the '90s' best and brightest TV series. Before The Sopranos, Sex and the City and Six Feet Under, this was HBO's must-hook-up series. The 13 episodes (on three discs) that comprise the first season brilliantly set the stage for the funniest and savviest backstage show business comedy since The Dick Van Dyke Show (but with way, way more of an edge). Series creator Garry Shandling's Larry (so self-centered and neurotic he makes Alan Brady look like Mister Rogers) is joined by Emmy-winner Rip Torn as Artie (Larry's "always ready to jump in" pit bull of a producer) and Jeffrey Tambor as sidekick Hank Kingsley, former cruise director and "poor, deluded bastard." With its unflinching portrayals of ego clashes, petty jealousies, office politics, and paranoia, this hyper-realistic series added to the fun and verisimilitude with the celebrity guest stars who tweaked their personas, including a less than gracious Burnett in the episode "Spiders," a duplicitous Carvey in "The Guest Host," a flirtatious Rogers in "Flirt," and an insecure Williams in "Hank's Contract." DVD extras include an interview with Shandling conducted by Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic Tom Shales. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (K. Lee Benson)