Larry's relationship with his new girlfriend is threatened when she takes on the ""mermaid"" role in a show skit, and wants to use it as a springboard for her career.
WAR
45.7
Wins Above Replacement
“Larry's New Love” ranks #88 of 90 The Larry Sanders Show episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 79.5 — Elite. The episode packs 55 scored jokes at 2.4 per minute, averaging 7.0 on craft and 6.7 on impact, with Larry Sanders landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Hank: Well, I am the mermaid.
Does Larry come back After this?
Artie · Roger Bingham: Artie confronts Roger at a party or event. Roger: 'Don't speak or your fish will get very cold.' Then leaves. Artie: 'Bye-bye.'
Alex: A man dressing as a woman Is a little...Benny hill. Don't you think?
Larry: That's what we are. We arebenny hill.
Alex · Larry Sanders: Post-reconciliation, while lying in bed, Alex asks: 'So do you think we're going to do that mermaid sketch again?' Long pause. Larry: 'I don't—I don't know.'
Roger: We've got a thing Called must pee tv.
All Jokes — 55 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Hank: Nice rack.
Larry: That's alex.
Hank: Who's alex?
Larry: That's the girl I've been dating.
Hank: Nice rack.
Larry: That's 'cause I'm Not chokin' up as much On my penis.
Larry: I've been Feeling something Lately. I couldn't put my finger On it. Maybe it's that-- What'd you call it? Happy!
Larry: Hey, do you think When I come out To do the monologue, I should just rush To the front of the stage And shake everyone's hand The way Leno does?
Larry: Yeah, he's still Got to take Hank apart And put him back In the box.
Larry: Why, are you quitting?
Alex: I don't usually hear that Until my pants are off.
Alex: A man dressing as a woman Is a little...Benny hill. Don't you think?
Larry: That's what we are. We arebenny hill.
Alex: You know, I could play that part. Of the, uh... I'm sorry. Oh, god. Of the mermaid or-- That was so just... Presumptuous.
Larry: Are you talking To me or my ass?
Artie: No, I mean He stopped drinking Because he fell Into lake michigan and drowned.
Larry: Oh, god. Which of The 12 steps is that?
Artie: The last one.
Alex Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Awkward Silence ★ Rewatch Artie: That would be Her brain, Hank, An organ that you may not Be familiar with.
Hank: Tonight the mermaid Will be played By a lovely and talented Lady instead of me.
Hank: Well, I am the mermaid.
Does Larry come back After this?
Hank: I mean, do you really Buy that she has ever Been underwater? I don't. I'm sorry, I don't.
Artie Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Alex: They're so lucky, And you don't hear People standing around Saying, 'look how fat That whale got.'
Alex: I wanted It tomorrow so I could Give it to my agent.
Larry: That was my idea. It's still good.
Roger: We've got a thing Called must pee tv.
Alex: I guess that means I get my own show.
Larry: She can have mine For 10 bucks.
Artie: Larry and I are very, Very close. Larry. You understand? That's a comfort That comes From years and years Of working together.
Hank Kingsley Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Callback Alex: I was giving him My masseuse's phone number 'Cause he's having some Trouble with his neck.
Artie: How sweet.
Larry: That's because they have A lot of twisters there. You got shit flying around. You're not gonna be watching tv.
Alex Wordplay/Pun Absurdist Artie: Slap on Your shelled bra, Little mermaid. You're back in business.
Alex Wordplay/Pun Absurdist Larry: I happen to be In love with you. And, uh... I'm confused.
Hank Kingsley Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Larry: I happen to be In love with you. And, uh... I'm confused.
Hank Kingsley Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Artie: Network rums: jon stewart To replace Sanders.
Artie: Don't speak or you're fish Will get very cold.
It ended up being The clampetts go to maui. 'Cause you get my family Together, There is an empty k-mart Somewhere.
Skycap: Which one's yours, The samsonite?
TV comedian: No, we got the igloo With the duct tape on it And the 5 piggly-wiggly Bags right there.
TV comedian: You know that ain't Them dogs' real voice. Thanks for spoiling it For everybody else.
Larry Sanders · Alex · Roger Bingham: Roger tells Alex 'you were really funny tonight' and she jokes 'I guess that means I get my own show.' Roger laughs. Larry: 'She can have mine for 10 bucks.'
Larry Sanders · Alex: Alex reveals that Roger Bingham invited her to the San Francisco network affiliate event. Larry processes this. 'Well, that'll be fun.' Alex: 'Larry, it's business, you know. It's a big chance for me, don't you think?'
Larry Sanders: In the affiliate meeting, Larry dismisses concerns about midwest ratings: 'That's because they have a lot of twisters there. You got shit flying around. You're not gonna be watching tv.'
Roger Bingham · Larry Sanders: Roger says he wants to see 'a little more of Alex in the show' because she brings 'a female energy' — and then trails off: '...She's very sexy.' Larry: 'Is that your thought or—'
Roger Bingham: When pressed on whether 'she's very sexy' is his thought, Roger says 'We all kind of came up with it at the same time.' Then immediately: 'If you want me to take credit for it, I'd be happy to.'
Artie: Artie forcibly ends the meeting: 'All right! Wonderful meeting! Yes!' cutting off Larry's interrogation of Roger.
Artie Character Comedy Reaction Beat Roger Bingham · Artie: After the meeting, Roger tells Artie to 'have that suit tested' — apparently Artie's suit is ridiculous enough to warrant market research. 'Ha ha ha!'
Larry Sanders · Artie: Larry tells Artie to call the network and threaten to take the show elsewhere unless Roger is removed. Artie: 'That's a call I should make, man. No, no, no. You'll end up saying something you'll regret. I'll do it.'
Artie: Artie: 'Slap on your shelled bra, little mermaid. You're back in business.'
Artie Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Artie: Artie tells Larry to remember his 'true love': 'Every night, the show is here for you. Everything else is bullshit.'
Artie Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Artie · Larry Sanders: Larry: 'I can't lose this show, Artie.' Artie responds: 'I'm gonna put Jon Stewart in there, if it's the last thing I do.'
Larry Sanders · Alex: After the Alex breakup-adjacent conversation, Larry tells her: 'You know, San Francisco's really, uh, very nice.' Alex: 'Is it?' Larry: 'Yeah. Maybe you'll take me sometime.'
Alex · Larry Sanders: Post-reconciliation, while lying in bed, Alex asks: 'So do you think we're going to do that mermaid sketch again?' Long pause. Larry: 'I don't—I don't know.'
Alex · Larry Sanders: Alex's follow-up: 'How long is that, a while?' Larry: 'I don't know. A couple months maybe.' Alex: 'You don't care about my career at all, do you?'
Larry Sanders: Larry: 'I happen to be in love with you.' Pause. 'And, uh... I'm confused.' Longer pause. 'Shit.'
Larry Sanders Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Awkward Silence ★ Rewatch Larry Sanders: Alex says 'I think I've been really there for you.' Larry's response: 'Huh! Right.' (a bitter, dry snort)
Artie · Larry Sanders: The network-planted 'rumor': 'Network rums: Jon Stewart to replace Sanders.' Artie shows it to Larry as a newspaper or trade item.
Artie · Roger Bingham: Artie confronts Roger at a party or event. Roger: 'Don't speak or your fish will get very cold.' Then leaves. Artie: 'Bye-bye.'
Unnamed bystander: After Artie's confrontation with Roger ends bizarrely, a bystander says 'That was dramatic. [nervous chuckle] Weird.'
Larry Sanders: Larry watches himself on TV doing stand-up about his family going to Hawaii. The bit: 'It ended up being The Clampetts go to Maui. 'Cause you get my family together, there is an empty K-Mart somewhere.'
Larry Sanders: Stand-up: 'They show up at the airport, they're using coolers and grocery bags for luggage... The skycap was like, "Which one's yours, the Samsonite?" And they were like, "No, we got the igloo with the duct tape on it and the 5 Piggly-Wiggly bags right there."'
Larry Sanders: Stand-up: 'My brother leans over and goes, "You know that ain't them dogs' real voice."' — about Homeward Bound playing on the airplane.
Larry Sanders: Stand-up button: 'My sister got mad, you know. "Thanks for spoiling it for everybody else."'
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