Larry is a wreck as he faces sinking ratings, no Emmy nominations, and a divorce suit from Jeannie. So Hank and Artie try to fix him up with attractive women. But the only one he really connects with is Francine, his first wife.
WAR
19.4
Wins Above Replacement
“The Breakdown (1)” ranks #79 of 90 The Larry Sanders Show episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 70.0 — Solid. The episode packs 54 scored jokes at 2.1 per minute, averaging 6.5 on craft and 6.2 on impact, with Larry landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Hank: I first met Larry in the spring of 1985. My cruise liner was moored off the coast of portugal. Amen.
Hank Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Larry: Hank? Ge the fuck off the bed.
Larry Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Announcer: and now, because it's a condition of his probation, Larry Sanders!
Announcer Dark/Subversive Observational ★ Rewatch Larry: Until we get this show on track, I have no dick.
Artie: No dick? Check.
Larry: What kind of bit? Two guys with patches on. Take it off.
All Jokes — 54 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Hank: That sign says 'Applesauce.' No, no, no. I'm kidding. It says 'applause.'
Hank Misdirection Wordplay/Pun Announcer: and now, because it's a condition of his probation, Larry Sanders!
Announcer Dark/Subversive Observational ★ Rewatch Larry: He said for a million dollars, he'd let Robert Redford sleep with Hillary.
Larry Observational Dark/Subversive Larry: If Robert Redford has to pay a million dollars to get laid... Do I need to finish this thought? Imagine what Hank must have to pay.
Larry Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Larry: I am not watching my show right now. I'm watching Bonanza. That is not Hank. That is Hoss.
Larry Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Beverly: Why do you put her through?
Larry: Larry, you called her.
Beverly: Oh, that's right.
Larry: Do I have trouble prioritizing emotional commitments?
Beverly: Oh, please, don't ask me. I haven't had a healthy relationship since junior high.
Larry: Well, let's stick to me today.
Larry Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Artie: Jesus! Are you laying in your own puke?
Artie Physical/Slapstick Cringe/Discomfort Artie: Who are they? It's a mystery.
Larry: They don't need to be a mystery to me, Artie. I'm the host.
Artie: I'll tell you who got nominated. Letterman, Saturday Night Live, and I'll bet you Billy Crystal hosting the Academy Awards. Am I right? What's the other one? A Jackie Mason Hanukkah, Artie?
Artie Observational Character Comedy Artie: Walk it off?
Larry: Cancel. Move on. Why don't I just put ice on it? It's a marriage, for god's sakes!
Larry: They're out there. You don't need to check. Artie was selling them like there's no tomorrow. They must be there, or he wouldn't be in here saying there's hot towels. They must be out there very close by. There's hot towels out there. I could tell.
Larry Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Hank: I thought you were talking about the Emmy nominations. Oh, screw her! She was always trying to drive a wedge between Larry and me.
Hank Character Comedy Misdirection Hank: We'd hit the bar at the Bel Air hotel, work a little skirt.
Hank Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Larry: Jerry van dyke. Fuck him.
Larry Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Larry: This towel isn't even hot!
Larry Character Comedy Escalation Callback Phoenix?
They're dropping you for Chevy Chase.
You're kidding.
Hard to believe, isn't it?
Kathy Ireland: They're great. Open-toed.
Larry: Mine are closed-toed-- I like all your shoes.
Larry Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Larry: Until we get this show on track, I have no dick.
Artie: No dick? Check.
Larry: Jesus, he's dipping into the toilet. I agree. Why didn't we get the Buttafuocos on? They turned us down. Good. They're not right for the show anyway. I agree. Fucking Koppel blurs the line. My god, no, it's not right.
Larry: Who can afford a hair weave or a transplant? And for that matter, who knows a baboon who wants to give you his hair?
Larry Absurdist Observational Larry: If it's Hank, why isn't Hank here? Hank has one line, and it's his name. You think he can do that without a rehearsal?
Artie: Isn't 'cap in a can' funnier?
Larry: Cap in a can. Ha! You're right! That's funnier. Cap in a can!
Larry: This doesn't look like it comes from a can. I understand how this part could come from a can, but how would the brim know to come out of the can before the rest of the hat?
Larry Observational Character Comedy Artie: I'm pissing in my pants, conceptual flaw and all!
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Writer: I'm sure that the writers can cook up something funny about your marital disorders.
Writer Dark/Subversive Observational Beverly: He's been working on them since 1989.
Beverly Deadpan/Understatement Observational Artie: No, no. Lee Marvin lost everything but the dog.
Artie Observational Callback Artie: It should with that hippie in the white house.
Artie Observational Character Comedy Larry: What kind of bit? Two guys with patches on. Take it off.
Hank: Uh, she's almost housebroken.
Hank Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Larry: It says, 'Have fun in Vegas.' I'm not going to Vegas.
Hank: Yes, you are.
Hank: I've seen men try to lose themselves in their work like this before-- Redd Foxx and Dick Shawn and Regis Philbin. Capisce?
Hank Observational Absurdist ★ Rewatch Hank: But the best cure for stress is... Blow jobs. Bingo.
Larry: What a little kiss-ass.
Larry Character Comedy Observational Hank: Bob Stevens. Who's Bob Stevens? Bob Stevens is an ordinary, everyday guy.
Larry Hank Character Comedy Reaction Beat Callback Larry: Well... This is really going to sell.
Larry Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm Larry: Bob, I guess you're pretty sold on this product. Aren't you, Bob? Bob? Hank? Yeah.
Larry Hank Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Callback Artie: You can't buy those kind of fuck-ups, Larry.
Artie Observational Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Larry: Let's book Boy George. His smack problems are behind him.
Larry Dark/Subversive Observational Larry: You ever feel like somebody grabbed you, when they weren't there?
Artie: No.
Larry: That was weird.
Artie: That's a heart attack.
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive Hank: I first met Larry in the spring of 1985. My cruise liner was moored off the coast of portugal. Amen.
Hank Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Larry: Hank? Ge the fuck off the bed.
Larry Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Beverly: You're 42. Don't push so hard.
Beverly Character Comedy Observational Larry: This heart attack is a warning. It was a heart episode.
Beverly: You know what I mean.
Beverly: And she took the dog.
Beverly Character Comedy Escalation Callback Hank: Before you know it, your head turns sideways, you're coughing.
Larry: I'm just gonna go fuck myself.
Hank: Stress kills, you know? And-- and we all know, the best relief in the world for stress is--
Larry: Don't say it, Hank.
Hank: Blowjobs.
Writer: Is that anything like a designing women episode?
Larry: Yes, in that they both make you sick?
Writer: Yes, and involve fatty build-up.
Larry Sanders: Most people are mad at me.
Larry: Wow, if your back end gets too big, you gotta get a Stairmaster.
Larry Wordplay/Pun Cringe/Discomfort Hank: This is 8 ball in the corner pocket. This is game over. All we need are our cue sticks, it sounds like to me. Hey, now. You bring the chalk.
Hank Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Top Episodes — The Larry Sanders Show
