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| Left to right: Yvonne Strahovski and Louis C.K. |
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.
From the return of Jerry Seinfeld cameo to "Martin Luther Chicken," the second episode in Louie's fourth season continues to push boundaries by looking at misconceived notions. This time, a gig in the Hamptons quickly goes south and Louis C.K. owes a model some money... just a couple grand. It is a miserable time, but one that makes for one of the most compelling, confusing moments in the show's history. Also, does this affect continuity at all going forward in the show?
The episode opens with C.K. going to the bar after a stand-up set. He is hanging around hitting on women with no success. Suddenly Seinfeld comes up and asks if he wants to open for him in the Hamptons for a charity event. C.K. agrees and gets on providing his own transportation and getting up there. He also demands that he performs clean material.
Once he does, he discovers that he is under dressed in a black t-shirt while everyone is in suits. Seinfeld finds him standing around and berates him for being late and not being aware of the dress code. After taking the security man's jacket, he throws C.K. out onto the stage. It doesn't go well and save for a single person laughing, he bombs. Seinfeld immediately comes on and begins insulting him. C.K. had no idea who the crowd was or what he could or couldn't say. This leaves him defeated as he heads outside for fresh air.
Outside, he runs into Blake (Yvonne Strahovski), who was the only person to enjoy his set. Feeling grateful, C.K. humors her. She eventually decides to give him a ride to her house because she finds comedians so attractive. One thing leads to another and soon she is running around on the beach at night, admiring the beauty. Once in the actual house, she is in her underwear with no desire to dry off despite C.K. offering her his jacket. They begin to become intimate and things fall apart when she starts tickling him. Despite forewarning her, he punches her when the tickling becomes too much for him.
She lands in the hospital and he ends up having to deal with her astronaut father. It is also learned that she is a model. C.K. calls Seinfeld to pick him up, but he refuses. Instead, he talks to a lawyer (Victor Garber), who convinces him that he has to pay her $5000 monthly. This is because the injuries damaged her iris and since she is a model, will be unable to work. Nothing is really concerned about C.K.'s broken nose. Instead, he gets some drinks with a friend later on, who just laughs at his misery.
Rating: 4 out of 5
It is hard to really disassociate Louie from Louis C.K. the real life comedian, whose recent success record and hard work has paid off greatly. His renegade independence has allowed him to become a self made success story who has helped to give notice to other comedians in the community. With all of this said, it is hard to see Louie and think that any time he is on stage that he will bomb as bad as he does. While it has been known to happen, this is made even stranger when considering that he spent three episodes in the previous season honing for The Late Show. He should have some logic in how to dress in specific occasions, especially the Hamptons. Of course, Seinfeld is sort of to blame as well. He was a jerk with a plan that sounded more like sabotage than help.
Then again, one of the most appealing aspects of the show is how meta it can be. Seinfeld berating Louie after his gig almost sounds like a critique on the series. It isn't mean tot have a happy ending, yet the joy in watching C.K. fail brings out some of the most human moments. It is humbling and antithetical. Even then, its use to project the final half of the episode in which a trip with a model goes horribly wrong manages to turn into comedic misery.
My only question is how concerned with continuity "Model" will be in the grand scheme of things. Yes, there are small things that the show cannot let go of. The kids need to be present. He needs to be a stand-up comic. Some girlfriends stick around. However, a lot of the other stuff doesn't seem to phase his overall trajectory. Even then, he is looking at $5000 a month to pay someone he accidentally hit. Provided that the show follows the specific logic, it doesn't feel like he will be able to afford it. Is it a plot line that will be dropped? Continuity isn't necessarily a concern for the series. Maybe the reality will click and C.K. won't be able to pay it. Whatever may come, I am curious to see how the show sticks to its pre-existing events.
Other than that, this was a straightforward episode that had a lot of great moments. Strahovsky in particular was oddly endearing as another in a long line of strange women attracted to C.K.. In fact, I like how very little of everything made sense until the conclusion when the financial burden appeared. We didn't really know her name or where we were going. Much like Seinfeld's initial plea, the uncertain propelled this episode into disastrous turns, and the results were funny. It is what Louie does best.
Then again, is the reality vs. show a little much for some things? We are in season four of Louie and while it remains top notch in a lot of ways, we can't expect his struggles to be based solely on him being oblivious to some standards. Yes, it allows Seinfeld to have a delightfully jerky role. However, it doesn't add much to the progression of the character, who we never want to see become overly successful, but make it enough that he won't be doing the same failing shtick for the rest of his life. Of course, whatever C.K. wants to do will be fine. It is is what makes Louie so endearing after all these years.
The episode opens with C.K. going to the bar after a stand-up set. He is hanging around hitting on women with no success. Suddenly Seinfeld comes up and asks if he wants to open for him in the Hamptons for a charity event. C.K. agrees and gets on providing his own transportation and getting up there. He also demands that he performs clean material.
Once he does, he discovers that he is under dressed in a black t-shirt while everyone is in suits. Seinfeld finds him standing around and berates him for being late and not being aware of the dress code. After taking the security man's jacket, he throws C.K. out onto the stage. It doesn't go well and save for a single person laughing, he bombs. Seinfeld immediately comes on and begins insulting him. C.K. had no idea who the crowd was or what he could or couldn't say. This leaves him defeated as he heads outside for fresh air.
Outside, he runs into Blake (Yvonne Strahovski), who was the only person to enjoy his set. Feeling grateful, C.K. humors her. She eventually decides to give him a ride to her house because she finds comedians so attractive. One thing leads to another and soon she is running around on the beach at night, admiring the beauty. Once in the actual house, she is in her underwear with no desire to dry off despite C.K. offering her his jacket. They begin to become intimate and things fall apart when she starts tickling him. Despite forewarning her, he punches her when the tickling becomes too much for him.
She lands in the hospital and he ends up having to deal with her astronaut father. It is also learned that she is a model. C.K. calls Seinfeld to pick him up, but he refuses. Instead, he talks to a lawyer (Victor Garber), who convinces him that he has to pay her $5000 monthly. This is because the injuries damaged her iris and since she is a model, will be unable to work. Nothing is really concerned about C.K.'s broken nose. Instead, he gets some drinks with a friend later on, who just laughs at his misery.
Rating: 4 out of 5
It is hard to really disassociate Louie from Louis C.K. the real life comedian, whose recent success record and hard work has paid off greatly. His renegade independence has allowed him to become a self made success story who has helped to give notice to other comedians in the community. With all of this said, it is hard to see Louie and think that any time he is on stage that he will bomb as bad as he does. While it has been known to happen, this is made even stranger when considering that he spent three episodes in the previous season honing for The Late Show. He should have some logic in how to dress in specific occasions, especially the Hamptons. Of course, Seinfeld is sort of to blame as well. He was a jerk with a plan that sounded more like sabotage than help.
Then again, one of the most appealing aspects of the show is how meta it can be. Seinfeld berating Louie after his gig almost sounds like a critique on the series. It isn't mean tot have a happy ending, yet the joy in watching C.K. fail brings out some of the most human moments. It is humbling and antithetical. Even then, its use to project the final half of the episode in which a trip with a model goes horribly wrong manages to turn into comedic misery.
My only question is how concerned with continuity "Model" will be in the grand scheme of things. Yes, there are small things that the show cannot let go of. The kids need to be present. He needs to be a stand-up comic. Some girlfriends stick around. However, a lot of the other stuff doesn't seem to phase his overall trajectory. Even then, he is looking at $5000 a month to pay someone he accidentally hit. Provided that the show follows the specific logic, it doesn't feel like he will be able to afford it. Is it a plot line that will be dropped? Continuity isn't necessarily a concern for the series. Maybe the reality will click and C.K. won't be able to pay it. Whatever may come, I am curious to see how the show sticks to its pre-existing events.
Other than that, this was a straightforward episode that had a lot of great moments. Strahovsky in particular was oddly endearing as another in a long line of strange women attracted to C.K.. In fact, I like how very little of everything made sense until the conclusion when the financial burden appeared. We didn't really know her name or where we were going. Much like Seinfeld's initial plea, the uncertain propelled this episode into disastrous turns, and the results were funny. It is what Louie does best.
Then again, is the reality vs. show a little much for some things? We are in season four of Louie and while it remains top notch in a lot of ways, we can't expect his struggles to be based solely on him being oblivious to some standards. Yes, it allows Seinfeld to have a delightfully jerky role. However, it doesn't add much to the progression of the character, who we never want to see become overly successful, but make it enough that he won't be doing the same failing shtick for the rest of his life. Of course, whatever C.K. wants to do will be fine. It is is what makes Louie so endearing after all these years.
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