'Louie' - 'Dr. Ben/Nick': Using the whole fist, doc?
Ricky Gervais plays the world's unfunniest doctor.
Louis C.K. on "Louie."
A quick review of tonight's "Louie" coming up just as soon as I take a knee...
Tonight's episode offered a little something for everyone within the subset of people (myself included) who enjoy Louis C.K.'s worldview and sense of humor. We got a broad, mortifying, R-rated, hilarious guest spot by Ricky Gervais as Louie's inappropriate doctor friend. ("This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me, and my dad hung himself in front of me, while masturbating.") We got some politically incorrect humor in the scene about how black people don't tip. We got a bit of slapstick in Louie's pathetic fight with Nick DiPaolo (the homophobic comic from last week's memorable poker scene). We got some straight-up drama (or, at least, wistfulness) in Louie and Nick's talk about aging and dying (or, worse, your loved ones dying before you), and we got two great stand-up bits at the front and back about Louie's aging body and then about the encounter with the "particularly" homeless man at the Port Authority. Lots of flavors there.
Of course, the flip side of the show's eclectic approach may be that it may only work in bits and pieces for you. You may like the stand-up but not enjoy Gervais at his smarmiest. Or you cackle at Gervais (even as he cackles at his own jokes) but get uncomfortable with the more serious moments. Etc.
At the moment, I'm loving all of it, and part of that is because it's such an unusual collection of styles, all of them somehow fitting together when filtered through Louie.
What did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupScheer_Power
July 7, 2010 at 12:12AM EST Reply to CommentI'm really enjoying this show too. My favorite parts have been the stand up (as I suspect is everyone's favorite parts), but the scenes (or are they sketches?) are quite interesting too. I would never expect a scene like the one in the waiting room between Louis CK and Nick DiPaolo, but I it worked, and it was amazing.
The only problem with this show is, as you say, "it may only work in bits and pieces". I still can't figure out how to describe this show in a neat and tidy way that would make people want to watch it. I suspect (and fear) that that might hurt the show.
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Cody
July 7, 2010 at 12:41AM EST Reply to CommentAs much of a fan of Louis CK I was before the show, it is surpassing all my expectations. I'm loving the more serious moments and it's become interesting how the show seems to partly be a brutally honest yet hilarious commentary on aging. Now that "Party Down" is sadly gone, it's nice to see another comedy not afraid to tackle such big, human themes.
diemunkiesdie
July 7, 2010 at 1:37AM EST Reply to CommentAs someone who laughed MAYBE once during the first two episodes, should I watch this episode as well, or should I drop it from my schedule? I was really disappointed with the first two, especially since I find Louis C.K. hilarious when he is doing stand up or on any other show.
jan I liked this episode much better than either of the first two.
July 8, 2010 at 9:27AM EST
July 7, 2010 at 2:10AM EST Reply to CommentI love how Louis CK can be the straight man in one short film (I mean, they're not scenes, right, they're short films?) then just be cracking jokes in the other.
Also, Todd Barry only had one line, but it was a great one. He's like the child and his parents keep fighting about the same thing over and over.
sonjaz
July 7, 2010 at 2:38AM EST Reply to CommentOMG. I happened across this by accident tonight and I've laughed more in the last hour than I have in days. This is definitely going on the Tivo.
mhaubs
July 7, 2010 at 3:02AM EST Reply to CommentKinda cheap for Ricky Gervais to basically reprise David Brent as a different character, but man it sure was funny. I'll take it.
alan
July 7, 2010 at 3:51AM EST Reply to Commentfunny show, but where is the love for the show thats on before this, i just started watching rescue me not too long ago after i got em on dvd is anyone blogging about this show????
Oaktown Girl Oh my, if you really want to open that can of worms, here's the Rescue Me link to Alan's previous site:
July 7, 2010 at 4:26AM ESThttp://sepinwall.blogspot.com/search/label/Rescue%20Me
lztouchthedream Someone over at the Onion AV Club is recapping Rescue Me every week, not sure if anyone else is.
July 7, 2010 at 12:17PM ESTDaniel Plainview
July 7, 2010 at 5:41AM EST Reply to CommentI like how broad the scope of the show is. The small, quirky skits here and there are hilarious as are the more dramatic, heartfelt moments that have featured in episodes 2 and 3. It's much more interesting than much of the summer 'catalogue.' I'm looking forward to what Louis C.K. has in store for us the rest of this season.
Sherrom
July 7, 2010 at 7:31AM EST Reply to CommentI really think CK is a genius, and this show isn't just funny, it's challenging. How many comedies do that!?
Sam
July 7, 2010 at 9:19AM EST Reply to CommentI love this show, but unless FX is teeming with visionary execs who don't care about ratings, I don't think it will last.
Jick FX has been pretty good about letting shows develop, and from what I've read, this is extraordinarily cheap to produce.
July 7, 2010 at 5:09PM ESTkabak
July 7, 2010 at 9:25AM EST Reply to Commentthis show is an overrated mess that isnt funny
July 7, 2010 at 12:54PM EST Reply to CommentHaving recently had the physical exam Gervais gave Louis -- including the "Sorry!" at that exact same moment -- it was hilarious to watch that same exam, only with the doctor serially humiliating the patient.
I don't think that was Gervais reprising David Brent. That was Gervais being himself, with Louis filling the Karl Pilkington role.
Matthew, Todd Barry was absolutely the child wishing Mommy and Daddy would stop having the same fight over and over. Maybe a little Doggie Bounce would make him feel better ...
July 7, 2010 at 1:26PM EST Reply to CommentI love Louie, and this show is surpassing my expectations. But I just have to say this, and it may be part and parcel why I'm loving this show so much, but does anyone else think this show is unbelievably dark? Last night's episode especially, Louie was laughing/smiling at a lot of his own jokes, but the actual content of so much of it was really macabre and depressing.
Then again, maybe it was just me?
July 7, 2010 at 1:26PM EST Reply to CommentI love Louie, and this show is surpassing my expectations. But I just have to say this, and it may be part and parcel why I'm loving this show so much, but does anyone else think this show is unbelievably dark? Last night's episode especially, Louie was laughing/smiling at a lot of his own jokes, but the actual content of so much of it was really macabre and depressing.
Then again, maybe it was just me?
lztouchthedream I don't know, I feel like Louis is so hilarious that he gets a pass for laughing at himself. I'd probably be laughing at myself as well, if I came up with the things he does.
July 7, 2010 at 7:59PM ESTqrter His standup is pretty dark, so it personally doesn't surprise me.
July 8, 2010 at 1:05AM ESTHe has said in interviews that he will surprise himself where his thoughts will lead him during a performance, and that'll make him laugh at his own words.
July 7, 2010 at 5:23PM EST Reply to CommentNot sure if the entire season is going to be written, directed, and edited by Louis CK, but if so, I find it a bit strange that we saw last week the stand up about how the best case in love is you wait for the other to die, and here we have it verbalized by Nick. Not having them paired together just made me feel like I was watching a rehash of previous material and I hope that the rest of the season can correct that.
qrter
July 8, 2010 at 12:56AM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...
qrter (Oops, filled in my login info and hit return, instantly thought "oh wait, I haven't made a comment!"..)
July 8, 2010 at 1:01AM ESTAnyway, loved the first two episodes, really didn't care for Gervais' cameo. It seemed ridiculously overly selfindulgent and just went on forever. He just seemed incredibly annoying, and as soon as you know what his shtick is, it becomes completely unbelievable for me that Louis would take anything Gervais says seriously.
maggie I agree - and I love Ricky Gervais. I couldn't figure out why Louis would have stayed in the exam room long enough to take off his clothes.
July 8, 2010 at 7:02AM ESTI think this is part of what I'm struggling with in this show - I can't figure out if it's supposed to be quasi-realistic or a complete farce. For some that constant turnaround in tone might be interesting, but I find it difficult to connect with the character.
erik
July 8, 2010 at 3:49AM EST Reply to CommentI was a little surprised at the blowup over dinner. I don't credit DiPaolo or CK with being great actors, but CK's eyes FLARED when he got water tossed in his face. Think this was scripted, or angry-improv (improv is all about surprising the other person, after all).
@Sherrom: I thought the exact same thing tonight: challenging. I watched it with my Dad, who's a little squeamish about this kind of comedy, and he was wincing through most of it. Of course, the rest of the time he was laughing -- and sometimes both.
Louie is definitely in the Party Down vein of presenting a very raw, very dark worldview. I think CK's shtick actually undermines itself by being TOO dark -- it's hard to buy SUCH a dismal worldview. I understand the kind of existentialist humor here -- all you can do is laugh in the face of such absurdity, but it feels a little exaggerated.
Party Down's "9 out of 10 make it/What about that one guy?" philosophy, on the other hand, hits a lot harder. I think right now, Party Down better uses the contrast between the lighter material and the darker stuff to deepen both. Louie's heartfelt stuff isn't quite hitting for me, yet. But I think it can certainly get there.
maggie Yeah, that whole fight scene left me cold. Who was I supposed to be rooting for again? The reason DiPaolo's set bombed was because it wasn't funny, and I really wanted someone to say that instead of having the aftermath denigrate into a college boy bar fight.
July 8, 2010 at 7:15AM ESTI also am having a hard time reconciling the more meaningful material (the hospital scene, the goodbye after) with the craziness of scenes like the dr's office. Alan, I am glad that you find these different styles to mesh well through the Louis filter, but I am not there yet - maybe because I can't figure out who Louis is.
One last observation - on something I saw recently - most likely "Last Comic Standing" someone was complaining about how stand up on TV is always depicted as a guy at a mic in front of a brick wall, but it's never really like that. Well, apparently, except for Louis and the Comedy Cellar!
Boricua in Texas
July 8, 2010 at 6:35PM EST Reply to CommentI missed the first two eps when they first aired. Luckily, I DVR'd reruns and last night I watched all three episodes. This show is my new favorite. I am basically the same age as Louis CK and his humor and point of view are dead on for our generation.
Brian
July 8, 2010 at 8:54PM EST Reply to CommentI wasn't a huge fan before the show, but have caught all three eps to date and it's definitely staying on the DVR line up. in fact, after watching the first two during the premier, i deleted them after watching but over the next couple days found myself thinking about it more and more and so hunted down and recorded the repeats later in the week too.
i like the mix of stand up and sketch, with the occasional touch of absurdity (repulsed date running off into the waiting helicopter, flying off into a speck in the distance) thrown in for good measure; it's not like any other comedy on at the moment.
Dan Jardine
July 13, 2010 at 12:32PM EST Reply to CommentLouie is shaping up to be not only one of the most important shows on TV, but one of the most entertaining. No subject is verboten, and a broad range of outlooks/opinions are voiced. It's brave, it's fresh, and it's goddamned hilarious.
Hey Alan, any idea of how it is doing in the ratings? What are its chances of being renewed?