The Larry Sanders Show: Season 3

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Universal acclaim based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Ratings

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The Larry Sanders Show

Now Playing: The Larry Sanders Show

Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: June 22, 1994

Starring: Wallace Langham, Garry Shandling, Penny Johnson Jerald

Summary: Comic Garry Shandling draws upon his own talk show experiences to create the character of Larry Sanders, a paranoid, insecure host of a late night talk show. Larry, along with his obsequious TV sidekick Hank Kingsley and his fiercely protective producer Artie, allows Garry Shandling and his talented writers to look behind the scenes and toComic Garry Shandling draws upon his own talk show experiences to create the character of Larry Sanders, a paranoid, insecure host of a late night talk show. Larry, along with his obsequious TV sidekick Hank Kingsley and his fiercely protective producer Artie, allows Garry Shandling and his talented writers to look behind the scenes and to show us a convincing slice of behind the camera life.… Expand

Genre(s): Comedy, Talk & Interview

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Season 3 Episodes

tbd
S3:E17. End of the Season
Air Date: October 12, 1994
tbd
S3:E16. Arthur's Crises (a.k.a. Artie's Crisis)
Air Date: October 5, 1994
tbd
S3:E16. Arthur's Crisis
Air Date: unknown

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Ginny Holbert

Jul 17, 2013

An utterly dry and brilliantly written dissection of life behind the host's desk. And with its unflinching but affectionate inside look at the pettiness, narcissism and deceit that characterize the TV business, it's probably truer than most of the networks' fact-based miniseries. [22 Jun 1994]

100

Matt Roush

Jul 17, 2013

A darkly hilarious look at the neurotic personalities and duplicitous machinations of late-night talk shows, it's the smartest and most ruthless show about TV ever on TV. [22 Jun 1994]

100

Marvin Kitman

Jul 17, 2013

It is even better - if that is possible, and it is. Take my word. We are talking true comedic masterpieces here. [20 Jun 1994]

Tony Scott

Jul 17, 2013

"The Larry Sanders Show" returns for another season with a full barrel, taking exact aim at backstage eccentricities, connivances and weaknesses. [20 Jun 1994]

Howard Rosenberg

Jul 17, 2013

As always, the acting is so artfully straight-faced and the scripts so full of in-the-know nuance that "The Larry Sanders Show" seems to reek of behind-the-scenes television reality. Read full review

John J. O'Connor

Jul 17, 2013

Deadpan lunacy has never worked better for Mr. Shandling and his splendidly merry gang of featured players. [22 Jun 1994]

Ann Hodges

Jul 17, 2013

The humor is meaner and the laughs less free and easy. [22 Jun 1994]

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User Reviews

SeanSmithSounds

Jan 9, 2014

The Larry Sanders Show contains some of the most witty moments in television history. Studded with exceptional cameos and performances, one can find true humor in almost every turn during every episode.

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TNF1343

Apr 4, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You could say that I think The Larry Sanders Show is 'back' in Season 3. Although, as far as I'm concerned, the show didn't need a bounce-back. Make no mistake though: I think this is the best Season since the first, and this is honestly the most consistent the show has ever been. In the first 13 episodes, I saw the potential for this being one of the greatest comedies of all time. This time, we see the same excellence over a longer, 17 episode run.

I reiterate: I don't think this show needed a re-boot at all. But when you end a Season with Larry uprooting his life to Montana, it kind of sucks that everything is back to normal in the following 20 minutes. Hank, Beverly, Darlene and the gang all join back and the 'drama' between Larry and the new network head solves itself very quickly. It IS done in an amusing matter of course but we've seen the show make natural changes with their characters before, so I am a tad disappointed that absolutely nothing changed in the office.

Other than that, I can't really fault this Season (besides the typical some episodes aren't as good as others) and I have to say, it's a minor complaint given the material we're given. It's not entirely true that this show didn't change up this Season. It's just that the changes are less on the cosmetic side. The writers have been taking giant leaps forward in fleshing everyone else besides Larry, Hank, and Artie, who've had enough time in the limelight. Thus far, the supporting cast hasn't been bad, but back in Season 2, I probably would have told you that I wouldn't remember any of them in a few years. However, Season 3 rights this wrong, as the other folks who make The Larry Sanders Show are given their times to shine not only comedically, but as characters as well.

In fact, one of my favourite episodes of this outstanding Season comes early, in the somewhat Beverly focused episode, "Would You Do Me A Favor". Yeah, the biggest laughs come from Larry being so self-absorbed that he can't learn the lesson right under his nose, but we learn more about Beverly's struggles against the world's worst boss which, in turn, affects the main plot of the episode. What's also cool about this episode is that it inspired a running joke in the series about the absurd tasks that Larry makes her do.

Another example comes right after, in "The Gift Episode". People seem to have loved Paula's "Artie's Gone" in Season 2, but I think this episode is by far superior. I loved the office's interpretation of Larry's contradictory language, and Paula's subsequent obsession with booking Danny DeVito. This is the best of Janeane Garofalo I've seen. Plus, it even outdoes Larry's fixation on beating the competition on gifts, which isn't a small feat.

The next of said episodes came in what was, in my opinion, The Larry Sanders Show's best three episode stretch yet. "Office Romance" had Larry on the rebound with Darlene. We're familiar with comedies exploring the office romance and how they always go wrong, but rarely have I seen it done with such mastery. Darlene and Larry deliberately have no chemistry whatsoever, and I was laughing a lot when they somehow ended up making out time after time. We're never privy to the information as to why this keeps happening but it just does. It was also really great hearing the staff's humorous remarks about the uninspired relationship.

There are other instances like these sprinkled about the Hank, Artie, and Larry filled episode. These are just the best episodes that focus on the cast. If I had more room, I'd also discuss "Head Writer" and "Larry Loses a Friend". Though, I feel the episodes I talked the most about above are highlights of the entire series.

Now, back to that mid-Season 3 episode string. The first is, unsurprisingly, "Hank's Night in The Sun". Hank, finally gets to prove his worth, and after settling in with 'relative ease', he becomes more and more like Larry. It's almost sweet, in a way. It perfectly emphasizes what the show is all about. Because you're the one delivering and directly putting smiles on peoples faces, you think that the world revolves around you and that you can get away with anything.

Capping off this spectacular run is my favourite episode of the show yet. "The Mr. Sharon Stone Show" brilliantly shows Larry's inferiority complex that has only been touched upon before. Larry dates Sharon Stone, and he quickly figures out that he isn't nearly as popular as her. It's sort of a right back atcha moment for Larry, who generally treats people like sh*t. Everything about this episode was on and in full throttle too; tell me you weren't laughing when Larry and Hank awkwardly approached Sharon at the beginning of the episode.

If The Larry Sanders Show can keep this pace up, I may have to change my all-time favourite comedy from Arrested Development to this. There's a lot to be said about a show that reaches upwards with its parodies, while keeping great characters and a killer script.… Expand

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Seasons & Episodes

95

Series Overview
Season 6

99
- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: March 15, 1998
Season 5

97
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: November 13, 1996
Season 4

99
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: July 19, 1995
Season 3

93
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: June 22, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E17. End of the Season
  Air Date: October 12, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E16. Arthur's Crises (a.k.a. Artie's Crisis)
  Air Date: October 5, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E16. Arthur's Crisis
  Air Date: unknown
- tbd
  S3:E15. Next Stop Bottom
  Air Date: September 28, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E14. The Fourteenth Floor
  Air Date: September 21, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E13. Hank's Divorce
  Air Date: September 14, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E12. Doubt of the Benefit
  Air Date: September 7, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E11. Larry Loses a Friend
  Air Date: August 31, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E10. Like No Business I Know
  Air Date: August 24, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E9. Headwriter (a.k.a. Headwriter Phil)
  Air Date: August 17, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E8. The Mr. Sharon Stone Show
  Air Date: August 10, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E7. Office Romance
  Air Date: August 3, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E6. Hank's Night in the Sun
  Air Date: July 27, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E5. People's Choice
  Air Date: July 20, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E4. The Gift Episode
  Air Date: July 13, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E3. Would You Do Me a Favor?
  Air Date: July 6, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E2. You're Having My Baby
  Air Date: June 29, 1994
- tbd
  S3:E1. Montana
  Air Date: June 22, 1994
Season 2

91
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: June 2, 1993
Season 1

91
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: August 15, 1992