1992: The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show was a satirical sitcom that aired on HBO from 1992 to 1998. The series revolved a fictional late-night talk show, named The Larry Sanders Show. It chronicled the daily life of the host, Larry, as well as his producer Artie and sidekick Hank. The show mixed fact and fiction and featured real-life celebrities as guests on the show, including Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Alec Baldwin, Sean, Penn, and many more, who usually played exaggerated versions of themselves.
The show is often seen as a landmark hit for HBO. Even though it wasn’t a ratings darling, it helped establish HBO’s quality reputation and helped them produce more hit shows, like Sex and the City and The Wire. Critics loved the show, and its influence can be seen on other hit comedies like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office.
The Larry Sanders Show has been ranked as one of TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, which made it the only HBO comedy to make the cut. During its six seasons, The Larry Sanders Show was nominated for 56 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations — winning three — and three Golden Globe nominations, among plenty of other nominations and honors.