Lucky Louie tackles some fairly dark subjects in its first season. Racism, misogyny, and homophobia are just a few topics the show uses as sources of humor (and for which I’ve called it out in this space for handling poorly). That being said, it’s at least had the decency to avoid rape, which it was hard to imagine the series being any more deft at handling.
If nothing else, “Control” makes for a very focused episode of Lucky Louie. In a series crammed full of B plots and skits which feel forced in only because Louis C.K. didn’t know where else to put them (i.e. the “Why” sketch from the cold open in “Pilot”), it’s refreshing to see an episode which clearly develops a single idea.
Throughout Louis C.K.’s career, although he often bears a strong resemblance to the characters he plays (I count his stand-up persona among these), he almost never seems to intend for the audience to wholly identify with them.
Whereas “Pilot” suffered for being too focused on the boorishness of Louie and his friends (even if it mocked their perspective), “Kim’s O” succeeds by making her unhappiness the episode’s focal point rather than depicting her as unfortunate (but comical) collateral damage.
Louis C.K.’s current series, Louie, is unlike anything on T.V. The show’s cinematic style, unpredictability, and difficulty to define make it a unique outlier in the T.V. landscape, even in a world with shows as idiosyncratic as Transparent and Girls.
A shaggy, loose season comes to an appropriately low-key, ramshackle conclusion.
Throughout this Louis golden age, SNL has been an integral part creative space, because the show is practically the only place where he is able to satisfy his sketch comedy itch, whether that be a shoemaker who is doing all he can to resist dominating his worker elves or a Lumberjack with a Glory tear because people no longer by wood products. Louis’ energy permeates SNL whenever he hosts the show, giving the writers and performers implicit permission to go all out resulting in the hands down best episode, soup to nuts, of the season. And there is no better way for the show to end its 40th season than with a real barn-burner of an episode.
An episode that might reasonably be defined as “cute” finds room for hints of darkness and pathos on the periphery.
Real comedy still happens on late night, we can prove it. If you like Conan comedy gold, Fallon friendliness, cutesy Corden, list-making Letterman, kneedy Kimmel, and all the rest, I hope you’ll enjoy this column too. Last night on late night, Don Rickles and Howard Stern were on Late Show, Louis CK spoke with Seth Meyers about working …
A less-than-satisfying episode gives itself over completely to the show’s surreal side.
A delightfully thorny episode probes gender roles, sexual intimacy, and what lies beyond emasculation.
A familiar but engaging episode features a perfectly-cast Michael Rapaport as an overbearing, insecure cop from Louie’s past.
Louie’s fifth season stumbles out of the gate with a been-there, done-that premiere.
Louie returns Thursday for a fifth season of life lessons and awkward experiences. The loosely structured yet acclaimed FX comedy, given free reign by the network, comes back true to form while still finding the ability to surprise its audience anew. After a Season Four filled with some mini-arcs that missed the mark Season Five returns to the episode model of earlier years, deploying episodes and through lines in a seemingly random order that still finds a way to make perfect sense. The show doesn’t go as far as completely abandoning the abbreviated story arcs CK has come to rely on, but after a stretch of almost looking like a more traditional half hour cringe comedy Louie is back to its old ways.
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn Written by Daniel Taplitz Directed by Phil Alden Robinson USA, 2014 When one thinks of comedy, one name always comes to mind. He is a man of supreme funny-man power, impeccable timing, and an almost unlimited supply of improvised genius: Robin Williams. Over the course of four decades, Williams has delighted …
American Hustle Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell Directed by David O. Russell USA, 2013 Watching American Hustle puts one in mind of the old anecdote relayed by the late Roger Ebert. He wrote of a child prodigy, invited to play an impossibly difficult piece of music on piano for one of …
Louie, Season 3, Episode 13: “New Year’s Eve” Written by Louis C.K. Directed by Louis C.K. Airs Thursdays at 10:30pm ET on FX The last time Louie ended a season, we said goodbye to Pamela, the one who quite literally got away. This time around, it’s Liz (Parker Posey), who finally reunites with Louie thanks …
The 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held on September 23rd in Los Angeles to honour the best of primetime television shows, movies, and miniseries that aired over the last year. With first-time host Jimmy Kimmel, many were interested to see how their favourite shows, actors, and actresses would fare in the most prestigious awards …
Louie, Season 3, Episodes 10-12: “Late Show” Written by Louis C.K. Directed by Louis C.K. Airs Thursdays at 10:30pm ET on FX For all of its open disregard for TV norms, Louie hasn’t often strayed from its pattern of getting the job done, story-wise, in 22 minutes or less. Even when the show attempted a …
Louie, Season 3, Episode 9: “Looking for Liz / Lilly Changes” Written by Louis CK Directed by Louis CK Airs Thursdays at 10:30pm ET on FX If you keep up with Louie timeslot neighbor Wilfred, you’ll know that it tends to stick to one-word descriptors for its episodes, like “Control,” “Avoidance,” and “Guilt.” It’s too …
Louie, Season 3, Episode 8: “Dad” Written by Louis CK Directed by Louis CK Airs Thursdays at 10:30pm ET on FX After last week’s mostly “off” outing, Louie comes back swinging with one of its most brazenly cinematic episodes, a 22-minute whip-pan through a wide variety of topics and moods that feels very much like …
Louie, Season 3, Episode 7: “IKEA/Piano Lesson” Written by Louis C.K. Directed by Louis C.K. Airs Thursdays at 10:30pm ET on FX Well, this is an odd one. “IKEA/Piano Lesson” continues Louie‘s recent experimentation with continuity – including a flashback to a previous point in the series! – as well as its exploitation of real-life …
Louie, Season 3, Episode 6: “Barney/Never” Written by Louis C.K. Directed by Louis C.K. Airs hursdays at 10:30pm ET After a few especially sober, dry outings, Louie dips back into ouright comedic territory with “Berney/Never,” a bipartite episode with a pretty clear theme: shitty people, and the people who love and hate them unconditionally. In …