Review: 'Louie' - 'Halloween/Ellie': Trick or treat?
A parental nightmare followed by a professional meltdown
"Louie" (Louis C.K.) did Halloween in August.
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A review of last night's "Louie" coming up just as soon as my dog turns off the alarm clock...
Heh. So I wrote a whole essay about how "Louie" has taken a turn for the dramatic this season, and then the very next episode winds up being one of the lighter ones of the bunch. (The second half more than the first.) That'll teach me to violate my whole "don't write without a screener" policy.
But if this was "Louie" in a minor key, it was still really entertaining, as "Halloween/Ellie" linked up a pair of stories about what happens when you push past your limitations.
In the first, Louie goes against his better judgment and lets the girls continue trick-or-treating after the sun goes down, and they quickly discover that adult Halloween in New York is something very different from kid Halloween. At first, their encounter with the obnoxious ghouls seemed like a rehash of the incident from season 1's "Bully," but in this case, Louie was able to fight back - with a major assist from his younger daughter - even if it was in a very Louie way that involved attacking not the men, but the nearby store window.
To me, "Ellie" was the more memorable of the two halves, and yet another example (like the "Oh, Louie" short from a few weeks ago) of Louie's almost pathological creative integrity kicking him in the ass. It's one thing for him to go against convention when he's helping to punch up a screenplay(*), and another for him to detail a relentlessly, depressingly anti-formula comedy for the Paramount executive. Even though I knew this was exactly what would happen(**), I was still aching with laughter as his description kept on going... and going... and going...
(*) And I liked the collection of familiar faces at that meeting, including Grant Shaud from "Murphy Brown" and Alan Muraoka from "Sesame Street."
(**) Sometimes great comedy comes from surprising your audience, but if a character's well-established enough - as Louie clearly is by this point - sometimes you can get huge laughs by having your man do exactly what everyone expects him to. Sometimes, the anticipation can be enough to get the laughter started.
So no, nothing as impactful as Louie and Eddie talking about suicide, or even Louie listening to the Christian activist's description of what sex could be like, but still satisfyingly "Louie."
What did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupThetogfather
August 19, 2011 at 10:43AM EST Reply to CommentFor me, the real genius of Louie is his take on being a father, especially of two girls, as I am myself. The rest of the show is certainly phenomenal as well, but it's these bits that really hit home for me, almost painfully at times. So Halloween was brilliant for me. I've been there, with my girls, in somewhat potentially dangerous situations, so to see something like that, how it could all turn ugly so quickly...once again Louie C.K. blows my mind and freaks me out.
pfeif34
August 19, 2011 at 11:02AM EST Reply to CommentMaybe it was just me, but I found the encounter with the Ghouls, truly scary. I wasn't prepared for it to go down that road and in turn it caught me off guard. The show is really unparalleled in this department.
Joseph I totally agree. Throughout the whole encounter I was waiting for it to turn "funny", but at the same time was afraid it wasn't going to. When the "giant" started crying I thought 'oh here is where Louis turns it into something humorous', then he quickly goes back the other way by having the guy say he was going to do something bad. Actually quite amazing the way you were never totally sure which way it was going to go. Even now I bet there would be a fairly split opinion regarding among viewers as to whether the guys were just f-ing with Louis and the kids or if they were really psychotic.
August 19, 2011 at 1:33PM ESTLee Harvey I like Joseph's last sentence. I was mulling that over and still don't really have an answer, although I am leaning toward just f-ing around. Even though I knew it wouldn't happen, part of me still would have enjoyed Louie splitting one of their heads open.
August 21, 2011 at 2:55PM ESTStealth
August 19, 2011 at 11:05AM EST Reply to CommentI found the Halloween bit to be genuinely scary, because it's *this show* and therefore anything could have happened. Which is a neat trick, for an ostensible comedy.
Jake
August 19, 2011 at 11:14AM EST Reply to CommentThis was the first Louie episode I've watched that didn't crack me up...but my expectations couldn't have been higher after the last few weeks (don't know if it's possible to go anywhere but down after back to back weeks of the Dane Cook then Masturbation episodes), so it's almost unfair to say. The scene with his daughter stepping up to the "scary guys" was great, and the stand-up bits were good as always (loved the medicine rant), but other than that, I didn't consistently laugh like I have all season. I actually look forward to watching it again (with my now lower expectations for the episode) just to see if I didn't laugh as much because I was expecting mind blowing greatness, or if it was just a solid episode in an otherwise FANTASTIC season.
tim_davis
August 19, 2011 at 11:26AM EST Reply to CommentIt cracked me up that his daughter was dressed as Frederick Douglas and was so happy the left it as that and didn't milk any more jokes out of it. It was just there. Brilliant.
thenightstalker
August 19, 2011 at 11:46AM EST Reply to CommentWow, trick or treating in NYC is just weird.
larry tate
August 19, 2011 at 11:56AM EST Reply to CommentHey Alan, can you post a scene from next week's episode so we can spend over a page fighting about it?
lztouchthedream
August 19, 2011 at 12:29PM EST Reply to CommentWas that Kramer's girlfriend (the one that heckles Jerry) as Ellie? It definitely sounded like her, but she looked a fair bit different.
lztouchthedream *one of Kramer's girlfriend. Don't want to diminish the man's strange game.
August 19, 2011 at 12:30PM ESTLarry tate Yes, it's the "pinky toe" girl
August 19, 2011 at 12:31PM ESTTC
August 19, 2011 at 1:02PM EST Reply to CommentI commented yesterday that he ends too many episodes with either masturbation or fart jokes. So I was amused to see he covered both of those topics in his stand-up bits at the end of this one.
This was a very weak episode. Picking up the scary stranger's dirty cigarette for a puff in front of his girls was gross.
Jenn That was really one of the most honest moments for me, the bit with the cigarette. It showed, more than anything, the utter relief and adrenaline drain he felt. Just a perfect little moment.
August 19, 2011 at 3:56PM ESTI was disappointed in his pitch to Eliie. I expected more brilliance from him. I'm pretty sure I've seen that movie a few times, and I'm bummed he didn't knock it out of the park, to have the executive still not get him or his ideas.
I also think his stand-up comedy is a little lacking this season. I recently heard his intereview w/ Marc Maron from last October and he mentioned he was having a hard time coming up with the stand-up for this season/year. I think it shows. A lot of the jokes are variations off old jokes he's told last season or in past albums.
Jenn No, I'm sure he'd tell me I'm being an asshole, complaining about something so small. And he'd be right. I love Louie, the man and the show. I'm a bit obsessed, right now really -- watching all his stand-up back-to-back and googling old podcasts he's been on. The man is a genius, and not just in the hyperbolic sense.
August 19, 2011 at 9:28PM ESTVandelay I related to picking up the scary stranger's dirty cigarette on a profound level
August 22, 2011 at 9:59AM ESTptmarion
August 19, 2011 at 4:25PM EST Reply to CommentA familiar face (to me) also in the room was College Humor's Amir Blumenfeld, who played the kid with really bad jokes.
I've been enjoying the several guest stars, including Will Janowitz (Finn from The Sopranos) as the Goblin in the Halloween vignette. Great casting for a show with no budget at all.
Lee Harvey Timothy John is just here to waste our time.
August 21, 2011 at 2:59PM ESTTY
August 19, 2011 at 5:33PM EST Reply to CommentFor this weeks Louie-fix, watch last nights Conan instead.
srpad
August 19, 2011 at 7:59PM EST Reply to CommentI enjoyed both of these stories but it was a tough episode for a newcomer. I convinced a few people I know to watch after last weeks amazingness and I have a feeling I am going to get a lot of "WTF did you get me into?!" reactions.
Lee Harvey Yup. These would have been tough stories for a newcomer. I've thought that only 2 half hours so far this season have been sub-par (by the high Louie standards): This one and the episode where they visit their old racist relative. In the latter, I knew she was gonna die just like the old shelter dog died in season one.
August 21, 2011 at 3:04PM ESTRP
August 19, 2011 at 10:38PM EST Reply to CommentI like the show but don't love it. Too many easy and drawn-out jokes/punchlines. Too dark at times. I don't see it taking the massive leap into brilliance that you do - I think it's been pretty hit-or-miss since its pilot. But it's still an entertaining watch on Thursdays, as is Wilfred.
Danielle
August 20, 2011 at 2:06AM EST Reply to CommentThis episode is as brilliant as the previous ones, though more subtle. There are strong parallels between the Halloween scene and the Ellie story... the pretense of being something other than what you are, the blatant disregard for basic human dignity. The Ellie character is as disguised and evil as the two thugs. The Halloween scene is brilliant. The girls convince Louie to stay out after dark and Louie's fear and nervous energy about the situation are palpable and literally makes him a visible target for the thugs. The scene has elements of a Greek tragedy in that Louie's fear of having such a scenario play out is in large part what make him a target for such events. And that is the very premise that Louie describes to Ellie at the lunch table -- a guy with a shitty life who continually has shitty things happen to him. I love how this scene has a self-reflexive aspect, similar to the Seinfeld episodes about 'doing a show about nothing'. Louie never does get to tell her how his story ends.
JerseyRudy This analysis might be more brilliant than the show. The comparison of Ellie to the Halloween thugs is a bulls-eye.
August 20, 2011 at 10:34AM ESTI also now see a connection between Louie's closing bit and the rest of the show. Louie's friend from college told him that he never masturbated, likely as a result of sensing how badly Louie needed to feel that his chronic masturbation was normal (typical college cruelty between friends). This is similar to the thugs preying on Louie upon sensing that he was nervous. Louie then spent all those years thinking that his friend might be the normal one for not masturbating, which had a truly detrimental impact on him (showing the consequences of dishonesty even when the intention is harmless).
pete
August 20, 2011 at 12:33PM EST Reply to Commentthat little girl made me cry when she stood up to the bullies. awesome little actress, great direction, great tv. i felt something. i got emotional. to me thats good tv. i had to comment. thx
pete c
pete i had a rough day.
August 20, 2011 at 6:54PM ESTMatt H To Timothy John. I actually think that if this happened in real life that louis and most people would 'man up' out of instinct. Placid animals can become ferocious if their children are threatened. Its a fight or flight response, and because he can't flee because he has the kids and is backed into a corner so it would have to be a fight response spurred by anger. of course it is an unlikely scenario anyway. If they had any trouble at all it would most likely be a standard "give me your mother fucking money" pointing to a gun tucked down the pants.
August 21, 2011 at 3:34PM ESTwalt_eagle
August 20, 2011 at 7:38PM EST Reply to Comment"Sometimes great comedy comes from surprising your audience, but if a character's well-established enough - as Louie clearly is by this point - sometimes you can get huge laughs by having your man do exactly what everyone expects him to. Sometimes, the anticipation can be enough to get the laughter started."
I feel like a lot of Curb Your Enthusiasm's humour relies on this. Almost no reaction Larry has to any situation is remotely surprising. Similarly, we have such a strong sense of who Louie is at this point that when he's not speaking, I can either read his mind or guess what type of thing he's going to say next. You see it a lot in drama (in Breaking Bad, multiple characters' faces say a lot in silence), but it's unconventionally impressive in a comedy to not only establish a character's personality so specifically, but to also make that contribute to the humour.
VincentPerry
August 28, 2011 at 11:36AM EST Reply to CommentCall me square but I didn't really get the Fredric Douglas gag. I know people wearing black makeup is inherently funny... 70 years ago. Seemed a bit of a stretch too. I can't imagine any Dad in New York in 2011 thinking that's an appropriate costume.
Jeff Walcott
September 10, 2011 at 1:04AM EST Reply to Commenti know it's nit-picky, but it didn't make any sense that a studio exec or producer would be spoken to like that low level writer spoke to her. That made her see, like an agent, even though she had already looked like a shot-caller. Just a detail that didn't make any sense?