The Winners & Losers of Curb Your Enthusiasm's Seinfeld Arc

After months of speculating how Larry David would ease us into this season's apocalyptic Seinfeld quasi-reunion arc on Curb Your Enthusiasm, we suddenly got our romance-motivated explanation, as well as a teaser of television's handsomely syndicated foursome, in last night's episode. In a hazy fantasy sequence for Larry and any other Seinfeld fan mourning the series over the last decade, seeing Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer safely inside Jerry's apartment clutching reunion scripts seemed like the universe righting evil finale wrongs. While a clear victory for anyone owning a custom Costanza t-shirt, not every Curb-Seinfeldplayer fared well in the first installment of the mythic Seinfeld arc. Let's take a look at the winners and the losers after the jump.

Winners

Jason Alexander: Arguably the most desperate of the core Seinfeld cast members for work (At least Richards made headlines), Alexander made the jump from pity New Adventures of Old Christine cameos and NBC mini-series roles to cultural relevance in last night's Curb. Not only that, but Alexander distanced himself from George by playing himself, openly criticizing his Seinfeld alter-ego and out-tipping Larry David. Well-played!

Jerry Seinfeld's Apartment: Arguably the second most out of work of the Seinfeld players, Jerry Seinfeld's Upper West Side pad received a face lift (stainless steel refrigerator, refurbed cabinets, new seatwear) and a flattering out of focus filter during last night's fantasy sequence.

Meg Ryan: By appearing at the end of the episode as Jerry's choice for George's ex-wife, the past-her-prime actress proved that she is up for a little premium cable improv fun in spite of her string of dramatic roles and the fact that she hasn't made a good onscreen joke since since French Kiss.

Lyme Disease Awareness: By correctly diagnosing Susie and the NBC executive's mystery illnesses ("Have you walked in any tall grass lately?"), Larry puts a face on Lyme Disease and proves that hypochondria does pay.

Push

Michael Richards: While any line of dialogue delivered without a racial slur is a positive career move for Richards, it's still too early to determine how this arc will affect his career. Most of America isn't familiar with Richards' bizarre character actor work, and seeing a haggard looking Kramer too distracted by nude art to say anything Kramer-like or knock over a flower vase, won't necessarily charm audiences into forgiveness. Larry has hinted that Richards' profanity-laced racist tirade might be addressed in a future episode (possibly with one of the Blacks?), which could give Richards the proper outlet for further public apology and winner-status.

Losers

Curb Your Enthusiasm's Eighth Season: Having already exhausted the Mel Brooks cameo, plotlines about picking up a hooker to drive in the HOV lane and now, the unexpected feat of reuniting the Seinfeld cast, there does not seem like any way Larry David could top this season, if there is a next season, which Larry himself said he is still considering.

NBC: While the network was prominently featured in last night's episode as Larry met with network execs to plan his fictional reunion, it is hard to overlook the fact that HBO was able to pull off the Seinfeld reunion while the program's original network could not even swing a special about HBO's reunion arc.

Richard Lewis and Ted Danson: With this season's focus squarely on the i>Seinfeld arc, there will be little to no room for Larry's merry band of neurotic friends to foil Larry in socially awkward situations. Unless Larry finds a way to bring them onboard for the reunion.