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The Worst Episodes of The Larry Sanders Show

Every episode of The Larry Sanders Show ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Larry Sanders Show!

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Comic Garry Shandling draws upon his own talk show experiences to create the character of Larry Sanders, a paranoid, insecure host of a late night talk show. Larry, along with his obsequious TV sidekick Hank

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    The Larry Sanders Show Season 6 Episode 10 - Putting the "Gay" Back in Litigation
    3.7/10(3 votes)

    #1 - Putting the "Gay" Back in Litigation

    S6:E10

    Larry begins to date Illeana Douglas, but feels compelled to rehearse her through her segment. Meanwhile, Brian brings a sexual harassment suit against Phil for all his gay jokes.

    Director:Judd Apatow
    Writers:Peter Huyck, Richard Day, Alex Gregory

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  2. The Larry Sanders Show Season 5 Episode 12 - The Roast
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #2 - The Roast

    S5:E12

    Artie works hard to make sure all of Larry's ""friends"" attend a celebrity roast in his honor while Hank tries to learn how to handle hecklers so he can be the roastmaster.

    Director:Michael Lehmann
    Writers:Garry Shandling, Peter Tolan

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  3. The Larry Sanders Show Season 5 Episode 13 - Larry's New Love
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #3 - Larry's New Love

    S5:E13

    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.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:John Riggi

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  4. The Larry Sanders Show Season 6 Episode 2 - The Beginning of the End
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #4 - The Beginning of the End

    S6:E2

    Kenny Mitchell joins the show as creative consultant and makes major changes to the format. Larry battles with the network and his agent over his contract.

    Director:David Mirkin
    Writers:Dennis Klein, Garry Shandling

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  5. The Larry Sanders Show Season 6 Episode 11 - Flip
    6.0/10(6 votes)

    #5 - Flip

    S6:E11

    Larry scrambles to get his last show together, and must confront David Duchovny's affections in order to secure him as a guest. Arthur tries to keep the staff's emotions together as things are packed up and the last show is done.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writers:Dennis Klein, Garry Shandling, Peter Tolan

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  6. The Larry Sanders Show Season 6 Episode 1 - Another List
    6.5/10(2 votes)

    #6 - Another List

    S6:E1

    Larry's ratings are slipping and the suits are looking to replace him with regular guest host Jon Stewart. Hank tries to trade for a fan's ""Hey Now"" license plates.

    Director:Thomas Schlamme
    Writers:Garry Shandling, Adam Resnick

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  7. The Larry Sanders Show Season 1 Episode 1 - The Garden Weasel
    7.5/10(6 votes)

    #7 - The Garden Weasel

    S1:E1

    Over Larry's strong protests, network executives force him to do a live commercial on the show for one of his sponsors.

    Director:Ken Kwapis
    Writer:Peter Tolan

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  8. The Larry Sanders Show Season 1 Episode 2 - The Promise
    8.0/10(4 votes)

    #8 - The Promise

    S1:E2

    Larry is annoyed that David Spade is booked on another show and Hank's fan club visits.

    Director:Ken Kwapis
    Writer:Joe Toplyn

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  9. The Larry Sanders Show Season 1 Episode 7 - Hank's Contract
    8.0/10(3 votes)

    #9 - Hank's Contract

    S1:E7

    It's contract negotiation time for Hank and he's going for a raise ... and a golf cart.

    Director:Ken Kwapis
    Writer:Paul Simms

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  10. The Larry Sanders Show Season 1 Episode 9 - The Talk Show Episode
    8.0/10(3 votes)

    #10 - The Talk Show Episode

    S1:E9

    An argument at home with Jeannie causes Larry to lose his concentration during the show that night.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Larry Sanders Show Season 1 Episode 10 - Party
    8.0/10(3 votes)

    #11 - Party

    S1:E10

    Larry's little dinner at home with Arthur, initiated by Jeannie, escalates into a full-blown party and causes Larry to become extremely paranoid.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Larry Sanders Show Season 2 Episode 1 - The Breakdown (1)
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #12 - The Breakdown (1)

    S2:E1

    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.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writers:Garry Shandling, Paul Simms

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  13. The Larry Sanders Show Season 2 Episode 2 - The Breakdown (2)
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #13 - The Breakdown (2)

    S2:E2

    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.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writers:Garry Shandling, Paul Simms

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  14. The Larry Sanders Show Season 2 Episode 3 - The List
    8.0/10(2 votes)

    #14 - The List

    S2:E3

    A chance remark by Francine leads Larry to ask for a list of all her sexual partners since their divorce.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Larry Sanders Show Season 2 Episode 5 - Larry's Agent
    8.0/10(2 votes)

    #15 - Larry's Agent

    S2:E5

    Larry decides he needs a new high-power agent to negotiate his new deal with the network.

    Directors:Victor Levin, Todd Holland
    Writers:Garry Shandling, Paul Simms, Drake Sather

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  16. The Larry Sanders Show Season 4 Episode 2 - Hank's New Assistant
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #16 - Hank's New Assistant

    S4:E2

    When Darlene quits while on vacation, Hank hires the temp who was filling in for her. Larry's reluctant to tell Dana Carvey he doesn't like Carvey's Larry Sanders impersonation.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:John Riggi

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  17. The Larry Sanders Show Season 4 Episode 8 - Nothing Personal
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #17 - Nothing Personal

    S4:E8

    Paula has trouble booking guests for sweeps week, so she leans on Larry to ask his friend Jeff Goldblum, who in turn offers to help Larry get a date with a network publicist.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writers:Garry Shandling, Steven Levitan

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  18. The Larry Sanders Show Season 4 Episode 10 - Conflict of Interest
    8.0/10(2 votes)

    #18 - Conflict of Interest

    S4:E10

    Paula's dating Larry's agent, but Larry fears he's just using her to book his clients on the show. The network objects to Larry's ethnic guest spots. Hank tries to stiff Phil on a $20 loan.

    Directors:Judd Apatow, Todd Holland
    Writer:Judd Apatow

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  19. The Larry Sanders Show Season 4 Episode 15 - 0.409
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #19 - 0.409

    S4:E15

    Larry begins an affair with a much younger show intern which causes resentment among the staff and places him in the awkward position of meeting her parents. Hank insists on a buying a race horse for himself, Larry and Artie in honor of the show's eighth anniversary.

    Director:Alan Myerson
    Writer:Peter Tolan

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  20. The Larry Sanders Show Season 5 Episode 1 - Everybody Loves Larry
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #20 - Everybody Loves Larry

    S5:E1

    Larry, worried about the implications of a permanent guest host, sabotages temporary host Jon Stewart at every turn. Hank buys a less-than-perfect used car from Elvis Costello. David Duchovny's friendliness makes Larry wonder about his sexual orientation.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Peter Tolan

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  21. The Larry Sanders Show Season 5 Episode 9 - The Prank
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #21 - The Prank

    S5:E9

    Larry becomes convinced that his new paramour Lori Loughlin has taken money from his wallet. Hank tries to impress a woman by putting her precocious son on the show as an expert in geography. Phil arranges for phony auditions so he can meet some beautiful actresses.

    Director:Michael Lange
    Writer:Carol Leifer

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  22. The Larry Sanders Show Season 6 Episode 3 - As My Career Lay Dying
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #22 - As My Career Lay Dying

    S6:E3

    Larry's staff prepares for the end by secretly looking for new jobs.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Peter Tolan

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  23. The Larry Sanders Show Season 6 Episode 4 - Pilots and Pens Lost
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #23 - Pilots and Pens Lost

    S6:E4

    Phil leaves the show to write a pilot. Larry gives Artie a special gift.

    Director:Alan Myerson
    Writer:Peter Tolan

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  24. The Larry Sanders Show Season 6 Episode 5 - The Interview
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - The Interview

    S6:E5

    Mary Lou dents Hank's car but is terrified to tell him. Larry is interviewed for Extra!

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Larry Sanders Show Season 6 Episode 7 - Beverly's Secret
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - Beverly's Secret

    S6:E7

    Hank does a remote from Wisconsin. The staff tries to guess the father of Beverly's baby.

    Director:Alan Myerson
    Writer:Adam Resnick

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Putting the "Gay" Back in Litigation" is the worst rated episode of "The Larry Sanders Show". It scored 3.7/10 based on 3 votes. Directed by Judd Apatow and written by Peter Huyck, Richard Day, Alex Gregory, it aired on 5/17/1998. This episode scored 2.3 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Roast".