The BEST episodes of The Larry Sanders Show

Every episode of The Larry Sanders Show ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Larry Sanders Show!

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 Kingsley and his fiercely protective producer Artie, allows Garry Shandling and his talented writers to look behind the scenes and to show us a convincing slice of behind the camera life.

Last Updated: 11/4/2024Network: HBOStatus: Ended
Flip (2)
star
9.54
81 votes

#1 - Flip (2)

Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 5/31/1998

Part 2 of the final ever show. Larry is in hot water with Carol Burnet when he tells her she was the first person he chose to be on his final show. This doesn't appear to be the case as Ellen confirms. Bruno Kirby is bumped again. Clint Black sings goodbye to Larry.

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Flip (1)
star
9.38
89 votes

#2 - Flip (1)

Season 6 - Episode 11 - Aired 5/31/1998

Larry tapes his last show. Larry is in hot water with Carol Burnet when he tells her she was the first person he chose to be on his final show. This doesn't appear to be the case as Ellen confirms. Bruno Kirby is bumped again. Clint Black sings goodbye to Larry.

Directors: Todd Holland
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Eight
star
9.05
61 votes

#3 - Eight

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 11/15/1995

Chaos reigns as the eighth anniversary show tapes and Larry tries repeatedly to sneak in a bathroom visit during a commercial break.

Directors: Todd Holland
Writer: Peter Tolan
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Like No Business I Know
star
8.89
99 votes

#4 - Like No Business I Know

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/24/1994

Regis Philbin causes some major unrest when he intimates to Hank that there might be place for him on Regis' new show. Larry and Artie worry about what guest Bobcat Goldthwait might do to top his chair-burning incident on The Tonight Show.

Directors: Todd Holland
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Hank's Divorce
star
8.80
69 votes

#5 - Hank's Divorce

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 9/14/1994

It looks like Hank's marriage is over, despite everyone's efforts to patch it up.

Directors: Todd Holland
Writer: Paul Simms
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The Fourteenth Floor
star
8.73
71 votes

#6 - The Fourteenth Floor

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 9/21/1994

Larry gets into a feud with the network when he makes fun of their new fall schedule on the air.

Directors: Todd Holland
Writer: Maya Forbes
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You're Having My Baby
star
8.68
98 votes

#7 - You're Having My Baby

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 6/29/1994

Larry's chances with Mimi Rogers drop dramatically when a woman from Montana turns up with the claim that she's carrying Larry's baby.

Directors: Todd Holland
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Putting the Gay Back in Litigation
star
8.62
87 votes

#8 - Putting the Gay Back in Litigation

Season 6 - Episode 10 - Aired 5/17/1998

Tired of Phil's gay jokes, Brian sues the show for sexual harrassment.

Directors: Judd Apatow
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Just the Perfect Blendship
star
8.50
88 votes

#9 - Just the Perfect Blendship

Season 6 - Episode 9 - Aired 5/10/1998

Larry hits on a guest. Hank hits on his doctor. Mary Lou considers letting her best friend be on the show.

Directors: Melanie Mayron
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Artie's Gone
star
8.48
83 votes

#10 - Artie's Gone

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/14/1993

Artie gets stuck on the highway during torrential rains and mud-slides leaving Paula the booker to function as the producer for the show.

Directors: Todd Holland
Writer: Paul Simms
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Next Stop... Bottom
star
8.41
69 votes

#11 - Next Stop... Bottom

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 9/28/1994

A depressed and unhappy Hank hits on all the female guests before retreating to a hotel room for a boozy marathon with a series of prostitutes.

Writer: Judd Apatow
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Adolf Hankler
star
8.40
62 votes

#12 - Adolf Hankler

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/19/1998

Larry spends his vacation with his brother who has a business proposition. Guest host Jon Stewart tests the network's censors by booking the Wu-Tang Clan.

Directors: Garry Shandling
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Jeannie's Visit
star
8.39
66 votes

#13 - Jeannie's Visit

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/16/1995

A surprise visit by Larry's ex-wife causes an unusual triangle between her, Larry and Hank. Larry offers a cappuccino machine as a substitute for the daily office run to Starbucks.

Directors: Todd Holland
Writer: Jon Vitti
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The Bump
star
8.38
69 votes

#14 - The Bump

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/9/1995

Larry promises not to bump comic Jeff Cesario again, then finds the show overbooked and Hank needing four minutes for a tribute to his late father.

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Off Camera
star
8.33
78 votes

#15 - Off Camera

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 9/15/1993

Artie has a terrible day backstage with an Entertainment Weekly writer prowling around, John Ritter and Gene Siskel nearly coming to blows, and a stray dog nipping at everyone.

Directors: Ken Kwapis
Writer: Peter Tolan
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The Gift
star
8.27
73 votes

#16 - The Gift

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 7/13/1994

Paula worries about her job when Larry gets angry with her over guests canceling, and really goes all out to convince a reluctant Danny DeVito not to cancel too. Larry and Artie try to decide what to choose as the guest gift.

Directors: Todd Holland
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Doubt of the Benefit
star
8.26
70 votes

#17 - Doubt of the Benefit

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 9/7/1994

Larry becomes convinced that Rob Reiner is snubbing him and the show, and retaliates by canceling out of a benefit.

Directors: Todd Holland
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Office Romance
star
8.23
74 votes

#18 - Office Romance

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 8/3/1994

The office suffers when Larry and Darlene tentatively begin a romance, prompting a domino effect of hurt feelings and jealousy.

Directors: Alan Myerson
Writer: Maya Forbes
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I Was a Teenage Lesbian
star
8.23
62 votes

#19 - I Was a Teenage Lesbian

Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 10/11/1995

While awaiting the results of a breast biopsy, a tense Paula angers Brett Butler who offers Larry some tips on his weekly massage. Hank interviews possible new agents while his beloved Sid lies gravely ill in the hospital.

Directors: Michael Lehmann
Writer: Peter Tolan
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The Grand Opening
star
8.22
76 votes

#20 - The Grand Opening

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 9/22/1993

Larry goes on vacation, but the problems follow him as Hank alienates a series of co-hosts as he anxiously awaits the opening night of Hank's Lookaround Restaurant.

Directors: Paul Flaherty
Writer: Paul Simms
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Would You Do Me a Favor?
star
8.21
76 votes

#21 - Would You Do Me a Favor?

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/6/1994

Larry's dad pays a visit to California, but Larry doesn't want to see him, so he adds that little chore to the things an already fed-up Beverly has to cope with.

Directors: Todd Holland
Writer: Maya Forbes
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Montana
star
8.19
74 votes

#22 - Montana

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/22/1994

Larry's going out of his mind with boredom up in Montana when Artie appears with a scheme to resurrect the show.

Directors: Todd Holland
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
New York or L.A.
star
8.16
73 votes

#23 - New York or L.A.

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 9/29/1993

Larry seriously considers either quitting the biz or moving his show to New York after the network's new owner begins to meddle with the format.

Directors: Todd Holland
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Brush with (the Elbow of) Greatness
star
8.14
117 votes

#24 - A Brush with (the Elbow of) Greatness

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 10/31/1992

Larry makes the tabloids when a woman claims he knocked her into a magazine rack and neglected to apologize.

Writer: Peter Tolan
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Larry Loses a Friend
star
8.11
72 votes

#25 - Larry Loses a Friend

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 8/31/1994

Jon Lovitz makes a strong play for a reluctant Darlene.

Directors: Todd Holland
Writer: John Riggi
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