They are really turning Jeff into a jerk. In the season premiere, Jeff slept with a mental patient named Bam Bam, played by Catherine O’Hara. Jeff has also alluded to other instances of cheating, indicating that he has probably been unhappy in his marriage with Susie for quite some time. “Officer Krupke” begins with Susie finding another woman’s panties in Jeff’s glove compartment. Understandably, she freaks out. “Curb” has toyed with this divorce angle for all of Season 7. I’m not sure whether Larry David is just using Jeff’s infidelity to create one-off story lines or if he plans to take his marital problems to a different level. I could see Jeff, Larry, and Leon all living together in Season 8 (if we even get another season). Also, this scene with Susie is one of the rare occasions when Larry isn’t on camera. As I’ve stated before, he is typically in every scene from an episode.
Larry is pants shopping at Banana Republic. Sounds boring, but these are the types of situations that Larry David weaves into comedy gold. While he’s trying on a new pair of slacks, the fire alarm goes off and everybody has to exit the building. Outside, he strikes up a conversation with a police officer with the last name of Krupke. Larry asks him if he’s ever seen “West Side Story,” as there’s a character with the same name. Larry sings a snippet from one of the songs: “Oh, Officer Krupke/What are we to do?/Gee, Officer Krupke/Krup you.” This Officer Krupke isn’t familiar.
Larry doesn’t want to wait two hours until the building is safe, so he makes his way to Jeff’s place. He’s still wearing the new slacks — which he never bought — and the tags dangling from the sides. Jeff runs out to stop Larry and inform him about the panties situation. Jeff has a completely ridiculous plan. He’s told Susie that those were Larry panties, saying that Larry finds them very comfortable. Larry is obviously stunned, but he’s willing to help out his idiotic manager and friend.
Inside the house, Larry greets Virginia and Dennis, some mutual friends. As they chat, Susie eyes Larry’s backside, trying to spot any peculiar movements. Larry doesn’t want to listen to the story of how Virginia and Dennis met, so he takes a walk down the block. He stops at a children’s lemonade stand a buys a glass. After reprimanding the children for the awful-tasting beverage, the kids yell at him to leave. He returns to the Greenes’ house where Susie blatantly inspects his crotch region. The mother of one of the children shows up and scolds Larry.
We cut to Cheryl waiting to audition for the role of George’s ex-wife in the “Seinfeld” reunion. Virginia enters the room and Cheryl is surprised to see one of her friends. Virginia is auditioning for the part as well. Despite the awkwardness, they agree to meet for lunch after they both have read for the part.
Turns out, Cheryl David is a pretty good actress. Jerry Seinfeld, Mark the casting director, and Larry (obviously) are all impressed. Unfortunately, Virginia is even better. After some dissent from Larry, they agree to give Virginia the part.
Larry returns to Banana Republic to both retrieve his pants that he left in store during the fire and pay for ones that he’s currently wearing. The salesman that helped Larry earlier informs Larry that the pants are missing. Larry thinks that, since the store lost his pants, he should be able to keep the pair for free that he was going to buy. I think that’s a fair exchange. The salesman doesn’t. Larry has had enough. He trudges through the exit as his pants beep loudly.
Cheryl is conveniently sitting outside of Banana Republic. Larry lets her know that the show is going with Virginia. Cheryl is disheartened, but happy for her friend. She tells Larry about her lunch with Virginia and Dennis. After a few glasses of wine, Dennis asked Cheryl if she would like to participate in a threesome with him and Virginia. We never find out her answer, but Larry still takes offense at the mere proposal. He marches down to Dennis’ office and accomplishes nothing.
Back at the Greenes’ place, Jeff and Larry discuss the panties situation. Jeff wants Larry to stop making so many effeminate movements because it’s just making Susie even more suspicious. He also tells Larry that Virginia hurt her neck and can’t do the part. Therefore, Cheryl has it. Larry is excited, but wants to find out how Virginia was injured. Was she in a car accident or did she go down on Cheryl in a threesome? Larry and Jeff go to check Virginia’s car. It’s undamaged.
Larry meets Cheryl for lunch to deliver the news. Obviously, she wants to know why Virginia backed out. Larry poses the idea to Cheryl that Virginia hurt her neck while going down on her. Repulsed, she leaves. Larry then gets a frantic call from Jeff. Susie is going to divorce him and he needs Larry’s help.
On his way over to rescue his friend, Larry drives by the the lemonade stand. He’s signing that song from “West Side Story.” Right when he passes by the kids and their mother he belts, “Gee, Officer Krupke, Krup you!”
At the Greenes’ house, Susie confirms that Virginia hurt neck in a car accident — she was driving Dennis’ car. Officer Krupke shows up, responding to a call from the mother by the lemonade stand. She said Larry cursed at them. While Larry is defending himself, Officer Krupke notices the security tag on Larry’s pants. (Apparently, he’s been wearing the same pants the entire episode.) Krupke doesn’t buy into Larry’s idea of a fair exchange, so he wants the pants. Larry, sensing an opportunity to get Jeff out of deep water, removes his pants in front of everyone. Guess what he has on underneath?
Susie: Oh my God. Jesus Christ. Who are you?
Larry: I’m Larry David. I happen to enjoy wearing women’s panties.
Ha! Perfect!
But why, oh why, did they include that final scene? Jeff is at Larry’s door and he’s in a neck brace. He needs Larry to tell Susie he was in a car accident. Too much?
I hope this evolves into a bigger story arc for Jeff and Susie. If not, all this time focusing on Jeff’s infidelity was kind of a waste.
