Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'Louie' - 'Late Show (Part 3)': Yo, Letterman! I did it!

Louie goes for it in the beautiful conclusion to the 'Late Show' trilogy

By Alan Sepinwall Friday, Sep 21, 2012 9:45 AM

"Louie."

Credit: FX

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A review of last night's "Louie" coming up just as soon as I tune in every night for "The Crying Cleaning Lady Show"...

Wow.

"Daddy's Girlfriend" aside, this season of "Louie" has been more interesting than dazzling, but the conclusion of this "Late Show" trilogy earned every second the show had spent building up to it. Just an incredibly powerful, funny, heartbreaking, inspiring episode.

I am, frankly, disappointed in myself for not recognizing sooner that "Louie" had modeled this whole story on the first "Rocky" movie. You've got your aging, coulda-shoulda-woulda contender who never quite maximized his abilities, a fluky opportunity to turn around that wasted potential and take a shot at the championship, a crotchety old-time trainer with inscrutable methods, our hero struggling to decide whether he wants the title, etc.

"Late Show (Part 3)" added in our hero running through the streets(*), putting on a surprisingly good fight, and celebrating his moral victory in the end by crying, "I did it!" ("Yo, Adrian!" is replaced by "Yo, Letterman!")

(*) In a "Rocky II" touch, he's followed by a group of kids. I wonder if that was planned, or if the kids saw a camera crew, joined in, and C.K. realized the parallel was too good to chase them away.

But what made this episode great wasn't the movie homage, but the way Louis C.K. used the structure to tell a universal story about striving to be more than you are, and how the fear of failure and of success can be equally crippling. Louie wants this job. He wants it, as badly as he's wanted anything. But if he goes for it and loses, then he assumes he's doomed to the fate Lars Tardigan told him about in the first part. And if he succeeds, he's signing up for a new lifestyle that's going to take him away from his kids.

How great was C.K.'s performance in the scene where Lilly and Jane bring him the good luck card? In talking about the Emmys this week (which could honor "Louie" season 2), I've heard some people say that C.K. shouldn't get too much credit for essentially playing himself. Well, there's playing yourself and then there's playing yourself showing that much emotion — that mix of pride in his girls, and himself for making them this great, but also recognition that he'll lose moments like this if he gets the gig. A gorgeous, devastating moment.

And how perfect was the moment where Jack Dall's third piece of advice becomes real thanks to Jerry Seinfeld? I had assumed the "If someone asks you to keep a secret, their secret is a lie" to be referring to the initial meeting with Lars Tardigan — and I guess ultimately it was, since Tardigan was using Louie to drop Letterman's price. But Louie's realization that Jerry was also lying(**) and the way it pumped him up to do a great job with the test show(***) was splendid.

(**) Here's a question: was Jerry also being played by Tardigan? Is there a chance the entire thing was an elaborate game that Jerry was in on? That seems too David Mamet for this show, but we can at least have some fun arguing it.

(***) And, as Louie suspected, there was a "Pelican Brief" character (Julia Roberts', to be specific) named Darby.

It was such a pleasure to watch David Lynch push and prod and bully Louie over these last two episodes, particularly when it inspired that hilariously awful attempt to make Dall laugh in the office. (Seriously, what was that?) And it says something about C.K.'s place in the industry right now that he could so easily get Susan Sarandon (yet another Oscar-winning guest this season) and Paul Rudd to play themselves for the show-within-the-show.

This has been a more continuity-heavy season than the previous ones, so I'll be curious to see if the finale — or any episodes next season — acknowledge Louie's brush with greatness, or if we're done dealing with career questions for now. But Louie, like Rocky, got in the ring, gave it all he had and showed he was as good as the champ. And while that's not the job itself, the knowledge that he was good enough to get it is something.

What did everybody else think?

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Louie, Louis CK

Next 57 Comments

Ben

I thought this was the shows finest episode to date. The Stanhope one from last season had been my personal favorite but this topped it. And it wasn't even very close.

September 21, 2012 at 9:53AM EST Reply to Comment
- balls Balls.
  September 21, 2012 at 10:26PM EST
Morahan

Just an incredible episode of television, the best Louie has done since 'Tickets'.
September 21, 2012 at 9:58AM EST Reply to Comment
Mike.G

For me, Louie isn't a great show because every episode is terrific from beginning to end but rather because of the great moments within every episode but also because of the great pay-offs. No matter how slow or clunky the show's structure might be at times, I'll keep watching because I have so much faith in the show's ability to deliver either a great moment or a terrific pay-off at the end. As Alan pointed out, this episode had both. Of course we all knew that Louie's not going to get the Late Show gig, the question was going to be how they got there. And the pay-off in this case was tremendous. In the end, Louie was just a pawn in the network's game and while this shouldn't have been surprising to anyone who knows anything about network television and the Late Night wars in particular, the way the ending was framed was still jarring. Seinfeld's appearance was just wonderful. It's obvious from the mere multitude of guest appearances how much respect Louis CK has in the industry but the scene with Jerry and Louie was reminiscent of the scene in Comedian where Seinfeld meets backstage with Bill Cosby. There's almost an unspoken passing of the baton here, whether it's intended or not, but the way Jerry plays off of Louie in this scene was great. Overall, it was a great episode and the payoff was one of the 3-4 best payoffs in the entire run of the show.
September 21, 2012 at 10:05AM EST Reply to Comment
Phoebe

Brilliant episode. I cried twice--once, howling with laughter during Louie's attempt to make Dall laugh, and a few minutes later when Louie was crying with his kids. Love the onion-peel layers of lies, too. I suspect Dall tells the truth and Seinfeld was never considered.

Can't be the only one wishing Louie was on Late Night now.
September 21, 2012 at 10:12AM EST Reply to Comment
Timm S

I can't recall when I've hated and loved a single piece of media as much as that 22 (or so) minutes of LOUIE. I could feel his desperation, the weight of his decision regarding what would be the reality of seeing his daughters, the fear of putting yourself out there (what if you find out you really don't have what it takes?), all of it. It was so unbelievably heavy, almost oppressive, that the success of the show came as a beautiful, an much needed, turn. Just...wow.

Louis was on a podcast with Bill Simmons (Grantland.com) after S2, and I remember him saying something to the effect of wanting to do something interesting, to tell stories he thought were good, rather than being bound to some genre, and that FX allowed him to do that. And I'm glad they (and specifically John Landgraf) did. He's created something I have to watch, as much as I hate it sometimes for being too true a mirror. Just beautiful.
September 21, 2012 at 10:12AM EST Reply to Comment
- jan Everything you said: me too. I wasn't sure about the program at the beginning, but I think it's gotten better and better as time goes on. Now it's one of my favorites, and when I first saw it, I wasn't sure I would continue to watch.
  September 21, 2012 at 11:51AM EST
Stan

The opening scene with his daughter's and the final scene outside Late Show just about killed me. When his daughters ask how the job will affect his time with them and you can see Louie dying inside, and then his oldest gives him the reassurance to go for it. Wow.

And I don't think Jerry was in on it. I think he thought Letterman was retiring and he wanted a shot at it (just as Chris Rock played it.) Even in a fictional universe I can't imagine Jerry Seinfeld taking the time to do a favor for a network exec just to screw over Letterman and mess with a fellow comedian. Even if he is heartless, what's in it for him?

And what does it say about Louie CK that he can get Leno, Rock, and Seinfeld on the show to play versions of themselves that are unlike anything we've seen from them before (and in some cases really not flattering) as well as kind of tell the world what a jerk Letterman can be (if you didn't already know it)? I can't imagine Letterman kicking Louie off his show in real life, but I wonder what he thought about that last scene in the bar?
September 21, 2012 at 10:14AM EST Reply to Comment
- Scott Rosenberg After part 1 I was fairly confident Louie used Seinfeld as the go-to not because he was the most realistic choice, but because he was plausible enough AND would be willing to appear in the trilogy, being a friend of CK's IRL.
  September 21, 2012 at 10:01PM EST
fresser28

Superb, from the Woody Allen-esque titles to that last shot of Louie screaming triumphantly (and a little crazily) outside the Ed Sullivan Theatre.

And even though apparently no one knows who he is anymore, Lynch was so great, both in lending further Lynchian strangeness to the episode, as well has what Mel Brooks once called his "Jimmy Stewart from hell" persona.

The only other people in television I admire and respect more than CK are Tina Fey and the team of Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffat. But Louie should get all the awards.
September 21, 2012 at 10:25AM EST Reply to Comment
srpad

I thought this part hit some of the same beats of part 2 for almost a little too long but the ending and everything else more than made up for it.

Regarding the kids running, Louis strikes me as a director who doesn't let anything appear on screen that isn't planned.
September 21, 2012 at 10:26AM EST Reply to Comment
- Mahmoud Fayed "Louis strikes me as a director who doesn't let anything appear on screen that isn't planned."
  
  The show's opening credits would like to have a word with you.
  September 22, 2012 at 2:02PM EST
jack_is_laughing

I thought the entire trilogy was excellent, but this one had the best individual moment of the whole thing: Louie with his kids. The repetition of Louie being torn down and built back up again, sometimes by the same person in the same scene, got a little repetitive over the three episodes but it works as a whole. But the thing I loved about it is that ultimately Louie is used by forces he can't control but he sees the accomplishment in it anyway and revels in that moment. It's small in its own way and huge in another. Very Rocky.
September 21, 2012 at 10:30AM EST Reply to Comment
ronozer

Brilliant episode, while the hugging may have been too much he somehow made that not bother me. The David Lynch character was grown from a caricature to a living breathing titan of the past this week. And the talk show scenes were amazingly good, better than I would have thought Louie could do. This guy has surpassing talent, and I didn't see it for all of the shows this season, but it was evident here. I think the Afghanistan ducks episode remains my favorite, but this is way up there.
September 21, 2012 at 10:38AM EST Reply to Comment
- ronozer I should add that Louie has talked about Woody Allen as an influence. Woody has struggled to do serious work, it is usually the comedy that works best. Louie seems to have found the dramedy that Woody has strained for so many times. I think he could do a film of classic quality given the time and money.
  September 21, 2012 at 10:48AM EST
stevemalachi

"You're not a big guy, Daddy; you're fat."

That's too funny to be made up. I wonder if he's heard that line before from his kids.
September 21, 2012 at 10:39AM EST Reply to Comment
- irieagogo I also liked when Jane said, "Don't change, Daddy."
  His kids like him fat.
  September 21, 2012 at 12:36PM EST
Charles

Just phenomenal. C.K. is astoundingly talented. So interesting and satisfying to watch a show that plays by no rules. It isn't a comedy or a drama. It's just a art but without feeling as if it strives to be artistic. I was initially worried when I heard about the three episode arc given how amazing the show had been under its normal structure. I doubt no more.
September 21, 2012 at 10:42AM EST Reply to Comment
Dr. Gross

I wasn't really taken with the build up over the past 3 episodes, but, my god, the pay off was fantastic. Seeing Louie feel triumphant for nothing more than a job well done was a beautiful and touching moment. From the second Jerry tells him to keep it a secret (which was telegraphed, but still) through the end of the episode, that was some of the best television I've ever seen.
September 21, 2012 at 11:11AM EST Reply to Comment
Andrew

I absolutely loved this episode.

The pathos, the pain, the sheer awkwardness of Louie trying to do what his mind wants. Loved it all. He is not playing himself, he is playing another character, a more nuance character than none of us ever imagined that Louis CK was capable of.

If I had to gripe about one thing, it was Jerry Seinfeld secret. Daal just told Louie that if it's a secret, it's a lie. Why have him and his kid agent have to spell it out again to the audience. I think we get it. So very good.

I really hope Louis CK is invited on Dave's show IRL soon so I can see Dave's reaction to this episode.
September 21, 2012 at 11:16AM EST Reply to Comment
- Mike I think you missed the joke; Louis and his agent pointing it out in such an obvious way was funny. Louis gives his audience more credit than that.
  September 21, 2012 at 3:37PM EST
- Lee Harvey That was my complaint, too. No need to point out # 3 again, even if done for comic effect.
  September 21, 2012 at 3:57PM EST
- Andrew Y My biggest issue is the total fallacy of "if someone tells you a secret, it's a lie". That is absolutely not the case.
  September 23, 2012 at 12:37PM EST
- Nick O Andrew Y: that wasn't quite what Jack said. He was talking specifically about showbusiness, and said "if someone asks you to keep a secret, the secret is a lie." It's the asking, not the telling, that's the giveaway in a world where people are always playing advantages.
  September 26, 2012 at 5:49PM EST
joshmassey

Best episode of the series, bar none. I actually jumped with giddiness at Louie's delivery of "God...dammit.
September 21, 2012 at 11:20AM EST Reply to Comment
gmoneychan

The last 3 eps of Louis were brilliant. It's the one show that makes it difficult for me to separate the character from the real person.
September 21, 2012 at 11:25AM EST Reply to Comment
Jeremy

The music on this show is always great, but it was especially wonderful in this arc. Alan, if you happen to interview Louis about this season, could you ask him about the musical theme introduced for this arc?
September 21, 2012 at 11:27AM EST Reply to Comment
- Myk I 100% agree...I don't normally actually notice the music, but throughout the arc I kept thinking "wow this is really good music". Just another great piece of the three epsidoes
  September 21, 2012 at 4:37PM EST
ovnio

Loved it. We needed a win so badly, and this was as close as Louie could get, and it was just enough.

The one tiny let down for me was the absence of Chris Rock --- I was hoping for a confrontation between Louie and him. But if you asked me what they should've taken out to make room for that, I'd be at a loss. And I can see how it's not relevant in the end: the point is that you can't trust anyone in show business (except for David Lynch) and that comes across without a need for Rock to return.

"Look them in the eyes and speak from the heart. You have to go away in order to come back. And if anyone asks you to keep a secret, their secret is a lie".

That was awesome.
September 21, 2012 at 11:43AM EST Reply to Comment
Jobin00

Alan,
Was the kids bringing over the good luck card the equivalent of Adrian waking up from the coma and telling Rocky to win?

The good luck card was FANTASTIC.

Any chance FX will submit this 3-episode arc in the Emmy mini-series category?

I want to see him walk away with a boatload of emmys for this brilliance.
September 21, 2012 at 12:04PM EST Reply to Comment
Alex Golant

It's Dahl.
September 21, 2012 at 12:12PM EST Reply to Comment
- Hatfield Doll?
  September 21, 2012 at 12:28PM EST
WaltEagle

So was Letterman in on the episode? I know Louie used to write for Late Show; there was some bad blood for awhile but he guested last year. Was anyone else expecting a pan up to him in his office at the end?
September 21, 2012 at 12:33PM EST Reply to Comment
rdave

I absolutely loved this episode. I was so happy when he finally did "Late Show with Louis CK" and he was genuinely funny. The joke in the monologue, the cards (esp "Jews" laughed out loud for that), the interviews, were all great. It kind of made me want him to maybe guest host Letterman's show in real life some day. And was finally glad that he showed everyone that he actually IS funny, when not being bullied by Dall. (Although, the pathetic-ness of "pencil penis" was hilarious in its own weird sort of way).

Anyways, it ended great too. The "I made it" and "F you" was absolutely fantastic. Loved this episode.
September 21, 2012 at 1:15PM EST Reply to Comment
rayray

I thought your synopsis was spot on. Louie is one of the best shows on television today. I just wonder if Louis CK holds any animosity towards Letterman in real life, or did the storyline for the ''Late Show'' episodes inspired by actual events.
September 21, 2012 at 2:37PM EST Reply to Comment
troopermsu

I liked Lynch's appearances, but I'm glad not to have to look at his scary chiclets anymore.
September 21, 2012 at 2:41PM EST Reply to Comment
keith

One of the best episodes of television I've seen. Louis can tell a story! Totally agree with your review, although I think *I* could get Paul Rudd.
September 21, 2012 at 2:44PM EST Reply to Comment
Pacman

Is Lars Tardigan's name a 30 Rock "Les Moonvest" reference?
September 21, 2012 at 3:15PM EST Reply to Comment
joerg ritter

...and pleasepleaseplease give David Lynch his own Latenightshow! Something around the line but not necessarily "The crying cleaning women talkshow" :-)
September 21, 2012 at 3:51PM EST Reply to Comment
Lee Harvey

This show can be so unpredictable that I was half expecting Dave to show up in the window at the end.
September 21, 2012 at 3:59PM EST Reply to Comment
belinda

Kind of made me wish Louie would have a late night show after many years of Louie.
September 21, 2012 at 5:30PM EST Reply to Comment
Cathy

I just hope the real host whisperer, Peter Lassally, didn't die laughing at this!
September 21, 2012 at 5:34PM EST Reply to Comment

Next 57 Comments

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Review: 'Louie' - 'Late Show (Part 3)': Yo, Letterman! I did it!

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Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Ben I thought this was the shows finest episode to date. The Stanhope one from last season had been my personal favorite but this topped it. And it wasn't even very close.

balls Balls.

Morahan Just an incredible episode of television, the best Louie has done since 'Tickets'.

jan Everything you said: me too. I wasn't sure about the program at the beginning, but I think it's gotten better and better as time goes on. Now it's one of my favorites, and when I first saw it, I wasn't sure I would continue to watch.

Scott Rosenberg After part 1 I was fairly confident Louie used Seinfeld as the go-to not because he was the most realistic choice, but because he was plausible enough AND would be willing to appear in the trilogy, being a friend of CK's IRL.

srpad I thought this part hit some of the same beats of part 2 for almost a little too long but the ending and everything else more than made up for it.Regarding the kids running, Louis strikes me as a director who doesn't let anything appear on screen that isn't planned.

Mahmoud Fayed "Louis strikes me as a director who doesn't let anything appear on screen that isn't planned."The show's opening credits would like to have a word with you.

stevemalachi "You're not a big guy, Daddy; you're fat."That's too funny to be made up. I wonder if he's heard that line before from his kids.

irieagogo I also liked when Jane said, "Don't change, Daddy."His kids like him fat.

Mike I think you missed the joke; Louis and his agent pointing it out in such an obvious way was funny. Louis gives his audience more credit than that.

Lee Harvey That was my complaint, too. No need to point out # 3 again, even if done for comic effect.

Andrew Y My biggest issue is the total fallacy of "if someone tells you a secret, it's a lie". That is absolutely not the case.

Nick O Andrew Y: that wasn't quite what Jack said. He was talking specifically about showbusiness, and said "if someone asks you to keep a secret, the secret is a lie." It's the asking, not the telling, that's the giveaway in a world where people are always playing advantages.

joshmassey Best episode of the series, bar none. I actually jumped with giddiness at Louie's delivery of "God...dammit.

gmoneychan The last 3 eps of Louis were brilliant. It's the one show that makes it difficult for me to separate the character from the real person.

Jeremy The music on this show is always great, but it was especially wonderful in this arc. Alan, if you happen to interview Louis about this season, could you ask him about the musical theme introduced for this arc?

Myk I 100% agree...I don't normally actually notice the music, but throughout the arc I kept thinking "wow this is really good music". Just another great piece of the three epsidoes

Alex Golant It's Dahl.

Hatfield Doll?

WaltEagle So was Letterman in on the episode? I know Louie used to write for Late Show; there was some bad blood for awhile but he guested last year. Was anyone else expecting a pan up to him in his office at the end?

rayray I thought your synopsis was spot on. Louie is one of the best shows on television today. I just wonder if Louis CK holds any animosity towards Letterman in real life, or did the storyline for the ''Late Show'' episodes inspired by actual events.

troopermsu I liked Lynch's appearances, but I'm glad not to have to look at his scary chiclets anymore.

keith One of the best episodes of television I've seen. Louis can tell a story! Totally agree with your review, although I think *I* could get Paul Rudd.

Pacman Is Lars Tardigan's name a 30 Rock "Les Moonvest" reference?

joerg ritter ...and pleasepleaseplease give David Lynch his own Latenightshow! Something around the line but not necessarily "The crying cleaning women talkshow" :-)

Lee Harvey This show can be so unpredictable that I was half expecting Dave to show up in the window at the end.

belinda Kind of made me wish Louie would have a late night show after many years of Louie.

Cathy I just hope the real host whisperer, Peter Lassally, didn't die laughing at this!

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Louie is updated

Ben

I thought this was the shows finest episode to date. The Stanhope one from last season had been my personal favorite but this topped it. And it wasn't even very close.

Morahan

Just an incredible episode of television, the best Louie has done since 'Tickets'.

srpad

I thought this part hit some of the same beats of part 2 for almost a little too long but the ending and everything else more than made up for it.

Regarding the kids running, Louis strikes me as a director who doesn't let anything appear on screen that isn't planned.

Mahmoud Fayed "Louis strikes me as a director who doesn't let anything appear on screen that isn't planned."

The show's opening credits would like to have a word with you.

stevemalachi

"You're not a big guy, Daddy; you're fat."

That's too funny to be made up. I wonder if he's heard that line before from his kids.

irieagogo I also liked when Jane said, "Don't change, Daddy."
His kids like him fat.

joshmassey

Best episode of the series, bar none. I actually jumped with giddiness at Louie's delivery of "God...dammit.

gmoneychan

The last 3 eps of Louis were brilliant. It's the one show that makes it difficult for me to separate the character from the real person.

Jeremy

The music on this show is always great, but it was especially wonderful in this arc. Alan, if you happen to interview Louis about this season, could you ask him about the musical theme introduced for this arc?

Alex Golant

It's Dahl.

WaltEagle

So was Letterman in on the episode? I know Louie used to write for Late Show; there was some bad blood for awhile but he guested last year. Was anyone else expecting a pan up to him in his office at the end?

rayray

I thought your synopsis was spot on. Louie is one of the best shows on television today. I just wonder if Louis CK holds any animosity towards Letterman in real life, or did the storyline for the ''Late Show'' episodes inspired by actual events.

troopermsu

I liked Lynch's appearances, but I'm glad not to have to look at his scary chiclets anymore.

keith

One of the best episodes of television I've seen. Louis can tell a story! Totally agree with your review, although I think I could get Paul Rudd.

Pacman

Is Lars Tardigan's name a 30 Rock "Les Moonvest" reference?

joerg ritter

...and pleasepleaseplease give David Lynch his own Latenightshow! Something around the line but not necessarily "The crying cleaning women talkshow" :-)

Lee Harvey

This show can be so unpredictable that I was half expecting Dave to show up in the window at the end.

belinda

Kind of made me wish Louie would have a late night show after many years of Louie.

Cathy

I just hope the real host whisperer, Peter Lassally, didn't die laughing at this!

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