Larry David’s a pretty guilty lookin’ guy regardless of how he attempts to cover it all up. Whether it was his talking to Cheryl before the two separated or in “The Black Swan,” Larry might be able to fool other folks, but that hang dog look he wears should be readily apparent to viewers.

It would seem that while Larry sat around writing this week’s show he figured that he needed to kill off a character that his on screen personality already had a dicey relationship with. Norm, if viewers recall, worked with Mel Brooks behind the scenes on The Producers when Larry appeared in the production. The two didn’t get along during that third season, partially as a result of Larry being cited by his country club for maintaining a disgraceful locker and blaming the entire scenario on Norm. Subsequent to that ordeal, the character up and disappeared. So as the real life Larry sat around writing, he simply chose a character that he had no other use for.

Of course blaming the untimely death of a 60-something year old man on Larry getting into a screaming match with the guy seems a bit obtuse. But even more troubling is the fact that during and earlier season of Curb Your Enthusiasm Larry’s blamed for the death of an acquaintance’s father. Much like Norm’s death, the would-be philanthropist that croaks dies under odd circumstances, although, no swan is present. And while Curb hasn’t become a spate of regurgitated ideas as of yet, this one throw back doesn’t bode well for the future.

Regardless of that, Norm’s death is just a part of Larry’s trouble at his new country club – and no, it’s not explained how Larry moved through the last club he belonged to where he and Cheryl interviewed and played goyim. After his phone ringing a few times in the club house, the joint’s proprietor warns Larry that if it happens again, he’s out. The threat seems genuine.

Unfortunately, Larry soon after kills the courses lone black swan, the owner’s beloved pet. Everyone’s interrogated and somehow passes muster even though Larry, as figured before, looks as guilty as he actually is.

In an attempt to completely obscure his tracks, even after burying the swan in a shallow grave, Larry pays off a waiter with a five hundred dollar tip. The still suspicious course owner catches wind of this, though, and determines that Larry must be a genuine person if he’s that generous. Right.

There’s some cheap skate sub-plot where Nate, Larry’s father, skimps on his wife’s tombstone which reads “Past” instead of “Passed” in order to save a few bucks. So, Larry, who also tells his cousin that his daughter’s college education is on the house, springs for a stone mason to fix up the grave site. In traditional fashion, though, Larry insults the guy which only yields some nasty language being engraved on Mrs. David’s tomb stone.

It’s a bummer of an ending, but still pretty (pretty, pretty) funny. I just hope we don’t see the same plot elements again. Here’s hoping.