There's No Flipping Reason Why We Can't Stream 'Larry Sanders'

We live in a magical time, when thousands of new and old TV shows are available at the click of a button, thanks to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. But not every show has made the transition. In Stream This! we highlight a deserving series that’s not yet available on streaming… but should be.

You see that sign? It says, “Applesauce.” No, no, it actually says, “The Larry Sanders Show isn’t available in full on any streaming service.” And that’s a damn shame.

Premiering way back in the olden days of 1992, this trailblazing HBO comedy — a behind-the-scenes look at a fictional late-night talk show — didn’t look like any other comedy on TV at the time. It was shot with a single camera. There was no laugh track (apart from Larry’s studio audience). And the characters were seriously flawed, often unlikable a-holes.

Garry Shandling starred as talk show host Larry Sanders, an insecure narcissist who cared more about how he looked on-camera than how he did in the ratings. Rip Torn played foul-mouthed producer Artie, who wouldn’t hesitate to step on someone’s neck to keep the show running smoothly. And Jeffrey Tambor gave us one of TV’s best characters ever in Larry’s sidekick Hank Kingsley, who was a hilariously toxic mix of pompous misogyny, fake cheerfulness (“Hey now!”), and bone-deep self-loathing.

The supporting cast was spiked with future stars like Jeremy Piven, Bob Odenkirk, Janeane Garofalo, and Mary Lynn Rajskub. (A pre-Daily Show Jon Stewart had a great arc, too, as Larry’s possible replacement.) And the talk-show setting allowed for dozens of cameos from big-name stars, often putting a darker spin on their real-life personas; we’ll never forget David Duchovny, in particular, as Larry’s obsessive, love-crazed stalker.

Combining acid-tongued satire and cringe comedy with a bleak view of Hollywood (and humanity in general), Larry Sanders paved the way for nearly every acclaimed TV comedy of the 21st century, from Curb Your Enthusiasm to 30 Rock. (Ricky Gervais cites it specifically as a major influence on The Office.) And it also established HBO as a destination for quality original programming, racking up dozens of Emmy nominations and setting the stage for Sex and the City and The Sopranos.

So if it’s such an influential (and just damn great) series, why is it impossible to stream Larry Sanders in its entirety? Netflix had it a while back, but removed it from its streaming catalog in 2013. You’d think HBO Go would have it, since the show aired on HBO, but nope. Crackle actually offers the first three seasons — which is a decent start, but nowhere near complete (the show ran for a total of six seasons, wrapping up in 1998).

Yahoo TV reached out to Mill Creek Entertainment, who owns the home-video rights to Larry Sanders, to see if any streaming plans are in the works; they couldn’t be reached for comment. So will HBO Go step up? Or maybe Amazon, who already offers a bunch of HBO library titles for streaming? We can only hope, because we want to be able to enjoy every episode of this essential comedy… with no flipping.