The iconic show that made Martin Scorsese realise the potential of television
Martin Scorsese is among the most celebrated filmmakers today, revered for his unforgettable creations such as Taxi Driver and Goodfellas. While Scorsese’s contributions to the industry have primarily occurred in the domain of cinema, the director has also made occasional forays into television.
Throughout his career, Scorsese has worked in television on a few projects. In the ’80s, he collaborated with Steven Spielberg and directed an episode of the latter’s anthology series Amazing Stories. In addition, Scorsese has also directed episodes of other bigger shows such as Boardwalk Empire and Vinyl.
In multiple interviews, Scorsese has revealed that it took him a while to realise that film and television are two separate mediums with their own aesthetic and narrative principles. For a long time, the director failed to see the potential of television even though he experienced the magic of critically acclaimed and universally beloved shows.
“I don’t have time to watch any other shows, the famous ones,” Scorsese revealed in an interview while talking about his relationship with television and his experience with one of the greatest shows ever made. “I’ve seen a few episodes of some, in fact. I only watched The Sopranos once or twice. I just couldn’t connect with it.”
Many fans have wondered about a television show directed by Scorsese, but the director has deliberately stayed away from that area. He explained: “People wonder why I can’t do something with that world now, but it was a different situation to when I was growing up 50 years ago, a different world, the intent is the same, but I won’t get the details right.”
However, one iconic show opened Scorsese’s eyes to the potential of television. That show was none other than Larry David’s hilarious magnum opus. The director claimed: “Basically, I started watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, that is the key one, that is when I realised you could do something on television.”
Scorsese loved Curb Your Enthusiasm so much that he even joined the cast of the show in a memorable cameo role where he was tasked with the painful responsibility of directing Larry in a new project. Their interactions are some of the funniest exchanges in the entire history of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
