Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America (PILOT)

HBO and Larry David are back in business with another pursuit of enthusiasm. Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground and co-created by David’s longtime collaborator Jeff Schaffer, Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America is not only a mouthful, but arrives on the precipice of the U.S. 250th anniversary.

On the podcast, we discuss the half-hour pilot, “Livingston,” which stitches together four sketches throughout time, all starring David as he embraces his trademark finicky personality, arguing everything from no sighing in public to the inconveniences of visiting a dead man’s widow. We then run through our comparisons and determine whether this counts as sharp satire deserving of a spot on our best-of-2026 list.

Tune in to hear our full breakdown and rating. Welcome to Today’s Episode!