Not for nothin’, but THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW was one of the best television series ever to come our way. Let me just start with that, so everyone knows where I stand.

I was thrilled, a couple of years back, when I got word that season one of the show was coming out on DVD. I snapped it up, lickety-split, and was thrilled with every minute of both the first 13 episodes and the extra goodies.

But then, there was nothing, for a good long while. Sure, one could buy every episode of fucking FULL HOUSE and THREE’S COMPANY, but apparently the remaining five seasons of THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW weren’t popular enough to warrant release on DVD. Whatever that means.

Less than one month ago, though, a fellow LARRY fan informed me that a new DVD release called NOT JUST THE BEST OF THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW, a collection of 23 assorted episodes from all six seasons and a ton of extra stuff, was about to hit the streets. This annoyed me at first, since I feel that the show is worthy of complete reproduction – every episode, every season – but I came to accept the fact that I would at least be getting something of my beloved show on DVD, after all these years. And when it came out, I bought it.

I’m not sure what I expected, really…but holy. Fucking. Shit.

Yes, some of my favorite episodes are not included in the collection. But I can live with that because of the extras. Garry Shandling is famous for being withdrawn and private, but here he is, revealing himself in ways I would never have predicted, in intimate chats with damned near every single cast member and most high-profile guest stars. Some of these conversations are so real and personal, I’ve felt a little uncomfortable watching them…which, I think, was Shandling’s point.

It’s such an impressive bundle that I feel it’s inevitable that more is on the way. It better be, whether I’m right or wrong. THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW was absolute gold. The people who missed it the first time around deserve to have a chance to experience it.

Go out and buy NOT JUST THE BEST OF THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW. I promise you won’t be sorry.

And no flipping.

Here's the set that Frank's talking about:

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."

Special Features

• Documentary: The Making Of The Larry Sanders Show
• Featurette: Trio
• Exclusive Interviews: Personal, Intimate, Indulgent Meetings With My Friends That Are Meant Only For Me To See
• Featurette: Interview With Penny Johnson
• Featurette: Interview With Wallace Langham
• Featurette: Interview With Scott Thompson
• Featurette: Interview With Janeane Garofalo
• Featurette: Interview With Mary Lynn Rajskub
• Featurette: Interview With Sarah Silverman
• Featurette: Interview With Jeremy Piven
• Featurette: Interview With Bob Odenkirk
• Featurette: Interview With Linda Doucett
• Deleted And Extended Scenes
• Alternate Takes
• Audio Commentary And Documentary Introduction On "What Have You Done For Me Lately" With Garry Shandling And Peter Tolan
• Audio Commentary And Documentary Introduction On "Hank’s Night In The Sun" With Garry Shandling And Todd Holland
• Audio Commentary And Documentary Introduction On "Putting The ‘Gay’ Back In Litigation" With Garry Shandling And Judd Apatow
• Audio Commentary On "Flip" With Garry Shandling And Peter Tolan
• Digitally Remastered Audio And Video

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MTFDB0/?tag=imwan-20

I plan on getting it soon. Hopefully it will translate into more offerings.

Hey now! We can hope!

Thank you, Linda.

You are magnificent.

Hmm. Doubt we'll get a UK release of this. I need an all-regions DVD player.

That doesn't sound fair to me, Danny Boy.

Aye, the 'Best of' compilation came out here on video and DVD, Frankie baby, but the amount of remaindered copies I've seen on sale here would suggest it didn't sell very well.

Goddamn British assholes!

My thoughts exactly.

Have you bought it, Dan? Have you watched it?

You'll be the better for having done so. I'd love to talk to you about it.

I'm going to endeavour to do so, Frank, but you're in Region 1 and I'm in Region 2, so I'll have to save up for a snazzy new DVD player first.

That is complete and total bullshit.

Tchoh! Capitalism. What're ya gonna do?

I heard Shandling on NPR's Fresh Air last week. He's a really intense guy.

I need to rent this DVD set.

Shandling takes himself a little more seriously than he probably should, but I think that he's at least as smart and talented as his pal Jerry Seinfeld, who's been much more successful.

This new DVD kit has really been a revelation. I'm glad I bought it.