Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (also known as Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America) is a 2026 American sketch comedy miniseries created by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions, the series premiered on HBO on June 26, 2026, and concluded on August 7, 2026. The series takes an improvised, comedic approach to major events in American history in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The show consists of seven episodes, each containing approximately four historical sketches. Much like David and Schaffer's previous HBO series, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024), the dialogue is largely unscripted and heavily improvised based on structural outlines.
Premise Created as a comedic tribute to the United States Semiquincentennial, the series explores major events in American history through the lens of Larry David's signature observational humor.
Cast Main Larry David as Robert R. Livingston, Alexander Graham Bell, Meriwether Lewis, Samuel J. Tilden, Joseph McCarthy, Deep Throat, James Buchanan, Buzz Aldrin, George Donner and various other characters
Recurring Samuel L. Jackson as Narrator (voiceover)
Guest
Barack Obama as himself Adam Lustick as Jonas Salk Alan Blumenfeld as Stuart Symington Alan Tudyk as Thomas Jefferson Andrea Savage as Cordelia Beck Bennett as Bob Woodward Bill Hader as Abraham Lincoln Brad Morris as Joseph Warren Chris Parnell as Benjamin Franklin Colton Dunn as Dominic - Soup Server Diallo Riddle as John Appleton Don Johnson as Doc Holliday Essence Atkins as Clara Fred Melamed as William Henry Harrison Greg Kinnear as Donner Party rescuer Henry Winkler as John Hancock Ike Barinholtz as Henry Ford Isla Fisher as Elsbeth J. B. Smoove as Jonesey Jane Krakowski as Edith Jeff Garlin as Benjamin Donner Jerry Seinfeld as William Clark Jimmy Kimmel as Crowd Member 1 Joe Manganiello as Johnny, a V-J day marine Joe Regalbuto as Dr. Carlton Jon Hamm as Orville Wright Jordan Black as Samuel Cooper Jordana Brewster as Beatrice Judy Gold as Evelyn June Diane Raphael as Eliza Donner Jurnee Smollett as Rosa Parks Kaley Cuoco as Gloria - Widow Kathryn Hahn as Mary Todd Lincoln Katie Aselton as Sylvia Keegan-Michael Key as Davy Crockett Kyle Mooney as Paul Revere Larry Wilmore as Barney Lennon Parham as Laura Keene Lin-Manuel Miranda as Michael Finney Lisa Arch as Anna Harrison Marc Menchaca as Joseph Clanton Merle Dandridge as Clementine Michael Chiklis as Sarge Michael McKean as Joseph Welch Mo Gaffney as Mabel Neil Casey as Dr. Harrington Oscar Nunez as Antonio López de Santa Anna Paul Rudd as Neil Armstrong Rich Fulcher as Tilden's Aide Richard Kind as Thomas A. Watson Rita Wilson as Mavis Lewis, wife of Meriwether Lewis Rob Huebel as Karl Mundt Rob Reiner as George Washington Rory Scovel as Jefferson Davis Sean Hayes as Wilbur Wright Seth Morris as Andrew Johnson Susie Essman as Susan B. Anthony Timothy Olyphant as Wyatt Earp Toby Huss as Herbert Tru Valentino as Ottoman Vince Vaughn as Jacob Donner Wayne Federman as Alfred Andrew Clubok as Charles E. Potter
Episodes
Production In July 2025, HBO announced that it had ordered an untitled half-hour sketch comedy series developed by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. The project was revealed to be a collaboration with Higher Ground Productions, the production company founded by former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Both Obamas, Ethan Lewis, and Vinnie Malhotra serve as executive producers alongside David and Schaffer.
The series title and the first teaser trailer were released in May 2026, with the first full trailer released the following month.
Release Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness premiered on HBO on June 26, 2026. The seven-episode limited series aired weekly through its finale on August 7, 2026.
Reception On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the show holds an approval rating of 58% with an average rating of 5.9/10, based on 38 reviews. The website's critics consensus is, "Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness offers flashes of Larry David's trademark caustic wit but its repetitive sketches and inconsistent satire make for a surprisingly lightweight, intermittently funny take on American history." Metacritic assigned it a weighted average score of 58 out of 100, based on 25 reviews, signifying "mixed or average" reviews.
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