‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Season 9, Episode 4 Recap: Larry Seeks Therapy, Jeff Buys A House

Larry David’s fatwa continues to loom over him, spurring him to start seeking help. Larry made a new friend last week, and now he’s started seeing a therapist. What effect will this have on this week’s episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm?

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM SEASON 9, EPISODE 4 RECAP

We begin with Larry already seated with his therapist, Dr. Templeton, who’s portrayed by Bryan Cranston. They converse over an issue Larry has become very invested in, Dr. Templeton’s chairs. They close their session by making small talk, with Larry asking what Templeton has planned for the weekend. His doctor mentions how he and his wife will be dining out a lot this week, as it’s currently truffle season.

We then cut to an exhibition, which Larry’s longtime friend Richard Lewis contributed a few of his paintings to. Jeff briefly mentions how he introduced himself to a shapely real estate agent, admitting he isn’t planning on seeing her because he’s interested in buying a new house. Richard comes over to greet his friends, though he isn’t enthused when they joke about his outfit, nor is he pleased when they admit they don’t understand the meaning behind his art. Moreover, he showcases a self-portrait that had been purchased by a restaurant, stimulating them both to claim Richard’s piece unrealistically depicts him. They both quip how they should get Richard to paint portraits of them, Larry noting how he’d be rendered with hair!

Ted Danson and Cheryl walk over, and ask Larry and Jeff if they’re aware of how Marty Funkhouser’s nephew Kenny died in the running of the bulls, continuing a prominent plot line from the season’s second episode. Larry proceeds to give an inexplicitly detailed assessment of Kenny’s fixation on the prostitute, causing his peers to wonder where this information was being pulled from. Larry also concisely remarks to Cheryl how their mutual therapist and his wife appreciate truffles.

A melancholy Marty arrives, with Cheryl and Ted assuring him that they will attend Kenny’s memorial service. They also ask how Marty’s daughter was doing, and Marty explains that his transitioning is going well. Larry asks inappropriate questions regarding the transgender process and walks away before affirming his friend that he’ll attend Kenny’s service.

Before Larry leaves the gallery, he heads to the bathroom, struggling to free his penis from his pants. We then cut to Larry’s house, as Larry tells his eccentric housemate Leon about how his pants’ fly was too small. Jeff enters, briefly mentioning Larry’s impending lunch arrangement with Richard before divulging the real reason he’s there: he scored with the real estate agent after an open house, adding how pleased he was with the free cookies that were there. Evidentially, they had sex on the staged furniture.

We shift to Larry’s weekly session with Dr. Templeton, the latter expressing how disappointed he was in Larry for breaching the patient-doctor confidentiality with Cheryl. Our protagonist apologizes, which is categorized as a “breakthrough.” Larry’s next social appointment is lunch with Richard. However, whereas Larry arrived 22 minutes early, Richard arrived ten minutes before him, meaning he procured the better seat. They argue over it, with Richard winning since his self-portrait sat above him, giving him authority. Afterwards, Larry’s chatting with Jeff over his affair when Susie barges in, demanding to know what Jeff’s hiding. Her associate informed her that she saw Jeff in a car with another woman. Jeff responds with the fractional truth that he was looking at houses with a real estate agent. He embellishes his tale by saying how he wanted to surprise Susie with a new house, which Larry corroborates.

Everyone gathers at the funeral home. Larry approaches Cheryl outside, as the two discuss Dr. Templeton’s distinctive privacy guidelines. Cheryl concludes it’s perhaps “getting complicated having the same therapist.” This is debatably proven correct moments later, as Larry’s unable to answer a question when confronted by a still suspicious Susie, owing to the patient-doctor contract.

Finally, the service begins, with Marty thanking his formerly “beautiful daughter” who’s now a “handsome man.” Marty proceeds to speak about Kenny. Larry’s meanwhile infuriated when Richard stole the seat he reserved earlier, with the usher Larry bribed doing little to placate our hero. Ultimately, Richard’s urinary issues win over Larry’s fatwa, forcing him to locate another seat. (He eventually finds one behind a frantically crying woman. Larry asks her to be quieter in her mourning.) However, an Islamic man with his right arm hidden in his coat sneaks into the room, seemingly nodding at Larry. Larry erupts, “He’s got a gun!” Everyone panics and stampedes out, with one of the few remaining people berating Larry, saying, “That’s my friend!” A blank Marty gazes at Larry, discernibly unpleased.

Our episode ends with Susie buying the house and its staged furniture from Jeff’s realtor while Larry and his therapist are shopping for chairs. Dr. Templeton thanks Larry for paying and ends their session.

All in all, this was another solid entry in Curb’s ninth season. This episode sadly didn’t have as satisfying of an ending as usual, but that’s the nature of an improvised program. Seeing the second episode’s plot continue indirectly was pleasant, however, and it will be fun to see how this week’s events carry on into the rest of the season.