Product Details

• Actors: Garry Shandling, Jeffrey Tambor, Rip Torn, Wallace Langham, Mary Lynn Rajskub
• Directors: Todd Holland, John Riggi
• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
  PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click here.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: April 17, 2007
• Run Time: 579 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (115 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000MTFDB0
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,256 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Comedy > Television > The Larry Sanders Show

• For more information about "Not Just the Best of the Larry Sanders Show" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

• This is item 2 in The Larry Sanders Show Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Garry Shandling wraps up the run of his groundbreaking HBO comedy series in definitive yet nostalgic fashion in this boxed set, wryly titled Not Just the Best of The Larry Sanders Show. Now there's truth in advertising. Along with 23 of what Shandling felt were the best episodes of the show's run (89 episodes from 1992-98) comes eight hours of newly produced material, including a feature-length "making of" documentary, cast and star interviews, deleted scenes, commentaries, and footage of Shandling on personal visits with stars like Alec Baldwin, Jon Stewart, and Jerry Seinfeld. The personal visits are some of the most interesting moments (a breakfast with Sharon Stone is so strained and forced it's hard not to laugh) and the new features bring so much of Garry's personal thoughts and feelings into play that maybe this set would have been better named Being Garry Shandling. But it seems only fair to get such a subjective and in-depth personal view on the series from the man who made awkward self-consciousness a comedic art form.

The Larry Sanders Show was at the forefront of changing the genre of TV comedy, and influenced the development of many shows to follow, like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, and both versions of The Office. The source of that inspiration is on full display here, as talk-show host Larry Sanders (Shandling) along with his producer Artie (Rip Torn) and his "poor deluded bastard" sidekick Hank (Jeffrey Tambor), struggles to keep his late-night talk show on the air despite dropping ratings, absurd notes from the network, and a hilarious tendency to self-sabotage his personal life. His guest stars, including some of the biggest names in show business, seem to enjoy lampooning their images and provide some of the sharpest comic moments. It's great stuff, and it's too bad all six seasons are not scheduled to be released on DVD. Shandling reportedly went this route with the release, rather than continuing with complete seasons, because of a desire to wrap it all up at once after a long legal battle with producer Brad Grey. While many fans might bemoan the fact that there will be no complete-season sets of The Larry Sanders Show released after this, there are episodes from all six seasons here to enjoy, including the first and the double-part finale. With a gem like this, it's better to savor what's available than to lament what might have been. --Daniel Vancini

Product Description

Undeniably the hippest show to air on cable in the 1990s, The Larry Sanders Show takes you backstage at a fictional late night talk show with real-life guests from movies, music and television. The Larry Sanders Show was ahead of its time, becoming an immediate critical and audience hit for its satirical, tongue-in-cheek look at Hollywood. The series that combined documentary-like camerawork with a clever blend of fact and fiction set the standard of quality for HBO and influenced the development of shows like Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Office.

Not Just the Best of the Larry Sanders Show features more than 8 hours of newly-produced material including Garry Shandling in personal and intimate visits with friends like Alec Baldwin, Tom Petty, Sharon Stone, Jerry Seinfeld, and Jon Stewart and including the compellingly entertaining, feature-length documentary, "The Making of The Larry Sanders Show."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, original, fascinating, April 24, 2007

By	Wild Bill Jones (Interstate 10) - See all my reviews

Please -- listen -- This is an amazing set. Most of these reviews were written before any of the reviewers had had a chance to see the actual product. I have just gotten the set and have looked at about half of it. If you are a fan you have to have this. I may add to this review later but I feel that it is important to post this now.

If you love the Larry Sanders Show, this set will be a revelation to you. There are something like eight hours of outtakes, interviews, commentary, and a totally interesting documentary about the making of the series. There is fascinating stuff here about how the episodes were conceived, filmed, cast -- original audition footage, interviews with the cast members -- not throwaway stuff but really, really interesting stuff about how the show was assembled. Anyone who really knows why this show was, and is, so special will be bowled over by this.

I, too, am disappointed at not being able to get a complete run of the show. EVEN IF THEY MAKE A COMPLETE RUN AVAILABLE LATER, YOU WILL WANT TO OWN THIS. I am not a flak-in-disguise or a covert operative for Sony. I think Garry Shandling put a lot of creative effort into what he saw as a creative revisioning of the arc of the whole series we all love so much. This is definitely not a cynical best-of set with a few extras thrown in to bilk the unwary. It is a creative efort in its own right. Seriously. Plus you get all these great episodes in quality that, previous post notwithstanding, is as good as you will ever see.

Truly, truly -- I think Garry Shandling was involved on every level here, down to the packaging, and it is NOT A CYNICAL ATTEMPT TO MILK $$ OUT OF FANS. You need to know this. This is totally different from anything else I have seen. You will learn a lot about television from watching this, you will see interviews with Tambor, Rip Torn.... all kinds of minutiae that will knock you out if you dig the Larry Sanders Show. You can learn a lot about directing from watching this, and about acting, and about writing (I am a writer). Listen to me -- if you dig the show, you need this. I hope others who watch this set will post their reactions as well. It is brilliant, risky, brave and exhilarating. Thank you, Garry Shandling.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pretty good selection of episodes, but not enough Hank, April 18, 2007

By	calvinnme "Texan refugee" (Fredericksburg, Va) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

Larry Sanders is classic comedy that is no longer shown on HBO due to the years since the series ended (1998 was its final year), and when it was on Bravo the episodes were never shown uncut due to censorship and time constraint issues. With the likelihood that so much time passes that it is finally decided that, due to its format, this show is so "nineties-centric" with all of its guest stars that it is too dated to be a success on DVD, I shall break down and buy this set and hope that, with my luck, seasons two through six promptly follow.

The selection of episodes is pretty good, although they tend to be more Larry-centric and more focused on telling the story of the show than just the best possible selection of individual episodes. There are three episodes from season one in this set, so along with Season One which is being reissued, these two sets give us 33 of the 89 total episodes on DVD. There are a couple of episodes I consider essential that I was disappointed to see were omitted from the set. The first of these is "The Grand Opening" from season two, where Hank decides to open his "Hank's Look Around Cafe". The tables in the restaurant moved around so you had a different view every few minutes. Everyone knew it was a bad idea, but Hank wanted this so much that there was no dissuading him. When Larry is eating there, the tables creak and wobble, glasses fall over, and rolls fall off the table. It's absolutely hilarious classic Hank. To quote Artie, "That's great television, my friend." The other episode I wished had been included was "Artie and Angie and Hank and Hercules" from Season 5. Besides the other subplots going on in this episode, Hank auditions to be the voice of Hercules in an animated feature. Hank is upset when he learns his voice is to be that of the village fool rather than the title character. Nobody else has actually listed the 23 included episodes, so I do that next:

Season 1:
1. "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" - featuring Robert Hays - The premiere episode that introduces the characters.
Audio Commentary by Garry Shandling and writer Peter Tolan
2. "The Spiders Episode" - featuring Carol Burnett and Jon Lovitz - Larry is afraid of spiders, and his scheduled guest is a naturalist who plans to bring some on the set.
3. "The Hey Now Episode" - featuring Bob Saget, Earl Holliman, T. Bone Burnett, and Ray Combs - Hank faces Gary's ire when he falls asleep on the show.

Season 2:
4. "The List" - featuring Alec Baldwin, Ed Begley, Jr., and Daniel Baldwin - Gary is in the process of rekindling his romance with his ex-wife, but his suspicions about her romances since their break-up cause him to be jealous.
5. "The Hankerciser 200" - Hank endorses an exercise device that has the capacity to injure people.
6. "Life Behind Larry" - featuring Bobcat Goldthwait, David Letterman, Steven Wright, Kevin Nealon, Tom Snyder, and Richard Lewis - While everyone else is concerned about finding a host for a show that will follow Larry's in the late-night line-up, Larry is only interested in the possibility of him once again not winning an award for the show.

Season 3:
7. "Hank's Night in the Sun" - featuring George Wendt and Shadoe Stevens - Classic Hank. Hank fills in for Gary when he is sick. His insecurity makes him a big hit. Not realizing this, he goes on the next night full of confidence and strikes out.
Audio Commentary by Garry Shandling and director Todd Holland
8. "Office Romance" - featuring Bob Saget - Darlene decides to date both Phil and Gary, causing a clash of egos.
9. "The Mr. Sharon Stone Show" - featuring Sharon Stone and Julianne Phillips - Larry's main concern with his dinner date with Sharon Stone is that she is more famous than he is.
10. "Hank's Divorce" - featuring Joan Embery, Wayne Rogers, and Alex Trebek - Hank's wife announces she wants a divorce on their first wedding anniversary.

Season 4:
11. "Hank's Sex Tape" - featuring Henry Winkler, Norm MacDonald, and Jon Favreau - Hank is chosen as spokesperson for Florida Orange Juice partly based on his reputation as a clean-cut guy. However, a revealing videotape discovered by Phil looks set to ruin Hank's image.
12. "I Was a Teenage " - featuring Brett Butler - Brett Butler thinks Paula is behaving strangely towards her because they once had a relationship. In fact, Paula's behavior is due to a serious medical worry.

Season 5:
13. "Everybody Loves Larry" - featuring David Duchovny, Elvis Costello, Jon Stewart, and Charles Nelson Reilly - Larry is concerned the network wants to make Jon Stewart a permanent guest host. Larry is also concerned that David Duchovny is attracted to him.
14. "My Name is Asher Kingsley" - featuring Tom Poston and They Might Be Giants - Hank is intent in bringing his new found faith on the air with him. His religious fervor lessens, though, when he discovers his beautiful rabbi's interest in him is purely spiritual.
15. "Ellen, or Isn't She?" - featuring Ellen DeGeneres (plus a deleted scene with Larry Miller) - Artie encourages Larry to quiz Ellen about her personal life on the air. However, an unplanned fling between Larry and Ellen makes this task an uncomfortable one.
16. "Larry's New Love" - featuring Bruce Greenwood, Jeff Foxworthy, Daisy Fuentes, Warren Littlefield, and Paul Westerberg - Larry's new girlfriend wants to use her spot on Larry's show to launch her own career.

Season 6:
17. "Another List" - featuring Winona Ryder, Jon Stewart, and Smash Mouth - Once again, Larry feels threatened by Jon Stewart. However, this time he is afraid he is actually going to be replaced by Jon.
18. "The Beginning of the End" - featuring Jon Stewart and Colin Hay - A creative consultant joins the show and completely changes the format. Meanwhile, Larry's agent is courting Jon Stewart and insinuating the show would be better off with Stewart as host.
19. "Pilots and Pens Lost" - featuring Dave Chappelle, Bridget Fonda, and Jonathan Katz - Phil decides to write a pilot for another show. Artie loses a pen Larry gave him as a gift.
20. "The Interview" - featuring Vince Vaughn, Jim Belushi, Ben Folds Five, Maureen O'Boyle, and David Spade - Larry does an interview for "Extra" while Mary Lou can't figure out how to tell Hank she has hit his car.
21. "Adolf Hankler" - featuring Jon Stewart, Jason Alexander, Kristen Johnston, and the Wu Tang Clan - John Stewart fills in for Larry. Problems arise when he insists on doing a completely offensive comedy skit.
22. "Back in Litigation" - featuring Illeana Douglas, Bruno Kirby, Ed Begley, Jr., and Drew Barrymore (plus a deleted scene with Michael Richards) - Larry is hesitant to have an actress on his show that he's dating. Brian considers an harassment suit. Hank shoots videos of celebrity guests wishing Larry well as the last show nears.
23. "Flip - Parts I & II" - featuring Warren Beatty, Clint Black, Jim Carrey, David Duchovny, Greg Kinnear, Bruno Kirby, Tom Petty, Jon Stewart, Tim Allen, Carol Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres, Sean Penn, and Jerry Seinfeld (plus a deleted scene with Illeana Douglas) - Larry wants big stars for his final show, and thus decides to visit David Duchovny to solicit his attendance despite his unease over Duchovny's crush on him.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the Best Packaging, May 15, 2007

By	Jerry P. Danzig (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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Will this serve as the definitive Larry Sanders DVD set? It will probably depend on the sales. Much of what is here is wonderful. The show itself is as fascinating and enjoyable as ever. Hank Kingsley is one of the greatest creations ever, and one has to wonder how much someone like Ed McMahon, say, resembled him behind the scenes. But even greater to me is the amazing Rip Torn as Artie, Larry's producer, mentor, protector, and father figure. What a remarkable character! I can count on Artie alone to make me bust out laughing five or six times an episode, and that beats even Homer Simpson! I wish there was more commentary on the episodes in this set -- I find these discussions the most worthwhile. Unfortunately there are also a number of conversations taped recently between Garry Shandling and a number of the shows' guest stars, and these are far less interesting. Shandling himself calls them self-indulgent and not intended for public consumption, and he is right. Still, there are some memorable moments. Like Alex Baldwin demonstrating his anger and bulk in a boxing ring -- one prays for unfortunates who may have been intimately acquainted with either. There is a tremendously tedious sequence with Tom Petty -- apparently both men enjoyed some herbal refreshment before the interlude, and they make our eyes droop as well. Then there is the spectacle of Jerry Seinfeld having a cow because he can't find his favorite leather jacket. Yes, citizens, even gazillionaires can get upset over such mundane matters, except that THEY have assistants they can interrogate to resolve these difficulties over their cell phones. On the up side, Carol Burnett proves herself as sly and adept in her interview as she always was in physical comedy. What a talent! So, I am deducting one star for this potpourri of hit-and-miss extra material -- and the dreadful ultra-slim DVD cases. BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU REMOVE THE DVDS FROM THESE CASES!!! Although I have handled hundreds of DVDs over the last five years, Disc 3 cracked almost in half when I tried to remove it from its case. Fortunately Amazon was good enough to replace the set with a new one, but consider yourself forewarned...