TV Recap: Louie - "Elevator: Part 5"

Left to right: Louis C.K. and Eszter Balint

Welcome to the return of TV Recap on the FX comedy series Louie. After over a year off, Louis C.K. returns to TV with one of the most innovative, funny, and disturbing shows on TV. Join me as I chronicle season four's highs and lows and see just where he winds up next. His irreverent take is sure to keep you laughing and with back-to-back episodes, double your pleasure on a weekly basis with recaps every Tuesday and Wednesday unless specified. So join the fun, watch some of the most innovative TV out there and bring your own thoughts into the discussion.

In the penultimate chapter to the "Elevator" episodes, things get a little bit harrier and raises more questions than answers. What do all of these moments have to do with a unifying theme that will presumably come next week? While we have had a central cast of characters develop in specific ways, there are entire moments in Part 5 that don't feel all that congruent, almost as if it was filler. Then again, C.K. has always been about subversion and finds beauty where you least suspect it. However, what does listening to Todd Barry describe his day have to do with anything? 

The episode begins with a newsman talking about this storm that killed LeBron James, a bunch of basketball players, and millions of people. This is followed by C.K. telling a stand-up routine in which he debunks the "chicken or the egg" question. Things then dive into the episode where it is revealed that he is actually performing it at a show where Amia (Eszter Balint) is watching. Jim Norton tries to hit on her but is quickly brushed off when he comes across too crass. Following the show, C.K. and Amia sit around with a bunch of comics, including Barry as he goes over the course of his day. He sounds well adjusted and in control of his life to the point that he can fix small details that he finds demeaning at a comedy show. Everybody cheers.

Upon arriving back at the apartment, C.K. decides to take the elevator. He finds Evanka (Ellen Burstyn) passed out on the floor. He panics and turns to Dr. Bigelow (Charles Grodin) for some help for the woman that he believes is incapacitated. With some guidance, they resuscitate her by dislodging the Mentos from her throat. Upon helping her to the apartment, Evanka tells him to be wary of Amia and not to get too involved. After one last moment with Amia, C.K. tries to say goodbye but ends up getting into gratuitous sex with her. She doesn't like it and decides to leave.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Left to right: Charles Grodin and C.K.

After Part 3 and Part 4 had a lot of propulsion, this one felt like it was stalling with everything. Speaking as there's one more piece to the puzzle, that doesn't sound like the greatest thing to be doing. True, C.K. has managed to pull surprises out in every season, but when dissecting these as singular narratives, there isn't a whole lot of interesting stuff that goes on. If anything, "Elevator" gives an ideal alteration of Louie that I wouldn't mind seeing in which a central cast lives this strange apartment life and C.K. has children issues. It kind of is that now, but with Dr. Bigelow and the Hungarian immigrants, it does feel more specific than the past three seasons. What we got here is probably some of the most endearing characters because Louie has allowed us to meet them and grow with them for more than a segment or even an episode. That alone gives this extra points, even if it does feel meandering.

But of course there is one parallel that makes the pairing of Part 4 and Part 5 this week a little curious. Recall to Part 4 that there was a flashback in which a young C.K. impregnated a young Janet. It is approached with this carefree attitude that seems slight in execution. C.K. is left pondering this moment at the end. Cut to Part 5 and you get some trace of what's to come. Is the brief fling with Amia going to lead to pregnancy and her inevitable return sometime this season? Also, it feels like any chances of a baby will likely leave the good feeling towards Jane a little hostile. Even then, Evanka seems a little weary of Amia being at all romantically entangled with C.K., so maybe this is just the start of a new family.

Then there is another question that is only slight at the moment. Is the storm that is consistently referenced going to play an effect in the final piece? It is true that some storms come and go and with them living in New York, it is likely that it will disappear in time. However, it keeps building. LeBron James and Cuba are gone now. What cataclysmic event is to follow? Maybe they will be stuck together with infinite delays and things will get unfortunate. That is if the storm plays any affect.

Of course, it does feel like if everything moves forward, Jane is going to suffer. She has found Amia as a positive role model. In fact, there's a sense of focus when she's around. If there is another family started up, chances are that she'll feel ignored and neglected. There isn't much really to decode other than the next episode has a lot of unanswered questions to resolve in a short amount of time. However, provided that the pregnancy does happen, I expect Dr. Bigelow to somehow be involved, it just makes sense.

But then again, the part of the show that is normally great doesn't make much sense here. Why do we need to know how perfect Todd Barry's life is? His story is great and captures the voyeurism that makes Louie fun, but is there a bigger metaphor that I missed here? Is it essentially just an excuse for Barry to rub it in C.K.'s face that his life is so perfect without all of these hang-ups? Speaking as it took up a significant portion of the episode, I would say it has to have a deeper meaning. Not that everything Louie does is profound, but "Elevator" felt like it was building to something and each piece was another clue. I am not getting the Barry clue. Hopefully next week will deliver.