User reviews

I hate giving the 10-star rating because it appears exaggerated and the best I can do to avoid people looking down on the review/plea for people to watch this program is to say, "It's the best at what it's trying to be." I'm not going to use that statement to save my ass here because I'm not sure what this show is trying to be other than honest.

'Louie' is the first show I've come across that I absolutely refuse to let myself wait for DVD to see. It's the first show that I don't sit down to watch with the sole anticipation of having it either cheer me up with comedy or shock me with dramatic twists. 'Louie' is simply something I watch because it feels like I'm gaining life experience from it, which is impressive considering Louis C.K., or at least the Louie character's self-proclaimed life goals are to raise his kids and hold his title as World's Best Masturbator.

It's also impressive considering that I, and I'm sure many viewers, have already experienced nearly every situation this show covers, from being forced out of the house with no plans to being on a date with someone who thinks less of you for doing the right thing despite saying that he/she valued righteousness. So what's to gain from reliving these unpleasant situations every Tuesday evening?

Great shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm bank on this question by allowing the main character to vengefully act on his everyday irritations only to have it bite him in the ass by the episode's end. This way you can laugh at the absurdity while saying, "I know what he's feeling, man," followed by, "but I'm sure glad *I* didn't act on it." It's a winning formula because the audience always comes out unscathed. 'Louie' makes that show look like it's playing too safe (which it isn't, by the way.)

If the Louie character ever acts on his irritations, he does it in a way that almost feels like he's seen Curb, and thus trying to avoid any unnecessary harm while still following his gut instinct. In other words, he's a coward sometimes, just like we are. Curb's Larry David states in interviews that his eponymous character is more like him than he is. Louie is simply Louis, and perhaps, Louis is simply everybody, and PERHAPS that can be a little discomforting. But that's okay, because at least, just like when we look back on mistakes or simply situations that we wish we could have handled differently (so that we could've gotten laid that night), it's almost always hilarious. The difference here is that it's *always* hilarious. . . though it's still unbelievably discomforting.

For that, I'm more than happy to not save my ass on this one. Enjoy chewing on it, critics.

Louis C.K. has found his voice. He's always been unaffected, without gimmicks, both as a stand up and as a comedic actor, but he now speaks and acts with near elegant confidence. His old HBO show "Lucky Louie" was original, edgy and often hilarious, but it was basically a sitcom, and even though it thoroughly mocked its own premises, it felt constrained by its traditional format. He was also quite raw as an actor and his rhythm was often awkward and rushed. But this latest project has him portraying a much more genuine version of himself and it takes its sweet time setting up and delivering its original punchlines. The humor now is very organic, arising not from slapstick absurdity but from honesty of character. Integrity is a word that just might pop up in a more competent review.

Like Seinfeld who inter-cut his show with staged fragments of his live routine, Louie uses his nightly club sessions to vent his daily frustrations, but the mood and feel is very different because Louis C.K. is not just riffing on airline peanuts and oddly buttoning shirts. He's also describing his complex, often extreme reactions to being alive. His carefully argued opinions on the inane and demoralizing nature of modern urban life are brilliant. Taboos are the targets at which the better comics aim their lacerating wit most emphatically, and the taboo that Louis mercilessly eviscerates most is fatherhood. If his frequently profane and sinister comments on parenting weren't so poignantly true and uncomfortably familiar they'd qualify as grounds for denial of custody. His honesty in expressing just how tedious, cold, and bland so much of his waking time actually is only works to heighten the comedic impact of his concise eloquent rants. His pacing and timing are at expert level now, as he has relaxed into himself; his aging, decaying, disappointing self. That's the kind of truth that "reality" TV could never pick out of a police line up.

The supporting players are all sensational and equally genuine. His friends, cohorts, and sociopath side kicks are marvelously candid and natural. Together they have some of the most entertaining, informative and enlightened discussions on life's more sensitive subjects. And they do it while exchanging great dick jokes. Pamela Adlon, who played his tough, often stressed working wife on the old HBO show, joins him again but now as a more crass and disillusioned fellow single parent. And the recurring visits of Ricky Gervais' maniacally demented doctor are sublimely outrageous, positively some of the most excruciatingly intense laughter I've ever experienced. That pudgy Brit is deranged!

What else can I add to this near solemn memorial I've contrived for this most enjoyable, most satisfying show? Just the fact that it is without a doubt the quickest passing twenty two minutes of quality comedy I've ever enjoyed. Yeah, it flies by way too fast.

Seinfeld revolved around a stand-up comedian constantly sabotaged by the catastrophic social faux pas of himself and the people inextricably involved in his life, intercut with performance sets by the actual comic. So is Louie. But where Seinfeld was purportedly "a show about nothing," Louie is a show in which from moment to moment, you can safely expect nothing. Not only does Louis C.K. straddle the gaps in social protocol and everyday confrontations we all understand, but also the extremes of comedy and tragedy. It's a gallows comedy, in which we can find ourselves laughing in elation at the both wry and surreal absurdity of one moment, then clenching our chair arms in both tension and incredulity at moments of agonizing pain and even at times a true sense of impending brutality.

There is no continuity from one episode to the next, or even from one vignette to the next. Each episode is comprised of usually two scenarios book-ended by stand-up sets by Louie, which may or may not turn out to be part of one of the scenes. It's the direct inversion by an observant everyman's misanthrope of the TV sitcom. Whereas every sitcom we've ever seen has one essential soundstage, an ongoing play-like farce that runs before two cameras, all the same characters show up and everything not only works out but is just the same as before by the end, each week Louie will give a stream of consciousness an unsystematic narrative silhouette almost invariably a sequence of encounters with characters who enter and exit, yet very few ever return. Some actors and actresses return in different roles. Louie's mother is at one point played by an old woman as an appalling malignant narcissist and in another episode a humble, warm-hearted young working-class woman.

The show is written, directed and edited by its star, and he creates a visually realistic look and atmosphere for his small stories, captured quite cinematically. In the God episode, arguably the boldest, most powerful episode, he injects solemn amber tones, almost I dare say comparable to Gordon Willis' work on the Godfather films. There is a considerable proliferation of long takes in which two characters will share dialogue that sounds and feels no less real than that which we'll share with someone tomorrow. Sometimes, he's bold enough to prolong a single, stationary take in which nothing is being said on-camera, but all the action that affects the character in the shot is occurring off-camera, and in that very single take, we're carried seamlessly and steadily from deadpan absurdity to genuine terror. Then comes the cut: Life goes on; nothing's really that big of a deal. Simply put, each week, C.K. delivers one or two of the most powerful and memorable short films you may ever see.

Say what you will about Louis C.K. but his talents as a director, writer and actor are truly incredible. The writing in "Louie" is at times hilariously vulgar and other times touching and sad; there are moments of sincere honesty and other times of complete bizarreness. That is one of the ways the show is truly one-of-a-kind - you simply don't know what you'll get in any particular episode. Aside from that, the acting, directing and cinematography are all fantastic in their own right. If you're not ready to commit to the show, watch Horace and Pete (2016) and you'll be running to see more from this man shortly after. Masterpiece Television. 👏

Louis CK is a genius and he once again proves it by making this miraculously humorous show.

The humor is of the best kind - dry and effective, and Louie faces some real problems that are common for all of us at one point - aging and going through tough (but hilarious) changes in life... Seeing THAT from Louie's point of view is particularly interesting... The show itself is refreshing new gem in the sea of mediocre popular boringness that we see today on TV.

Anyway, I think that this show is underrated and needs more reviews...

Can't wait for the second season!

Louis CK began his career as a writer for various show's like the Ben Stiller Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He also made several surrealist style short films which I highly recommend you look up on YouTube. With "Louie", CK has essentially perfected what he's been working at for over twenty years: short films/comedy sketches.

While the show retains an overarching structure revolving around Louis' daughters and his stand up comedy, the actual content of the episodes can cover virtually anything CK chooses, a sense of freedom he clearly loves. In fact, in a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel, CK talked about the inconsistencies on his show: how characters appear out of nowhere and then disappear, never to be seen or spoken of ever again. Why? CK lost interest or couldn't think of anything funny to do with them. Other shows require their less interesting characters to have scenes in each episode, forcing the writing staff to jimmy them into the plot just so the actor can have a line of dialogue. CK views this as an unnecessary formality that it's about time television moves on from. I heartily agree.

If you enjoy laughter, watch Louie. If you hate boring, dull characters, watch Louie. If you're fed up with every character speaking like a comedy writer and having their conversations broken up by the requirement of canned laughs so that you, the stupid viewer, will know when to laugh, then watch Louie. Finally, if you like to ruminate on topics like inevitable death, the tragedy of aging, the annoying yet fulfilling requirements of parenthood, and then after much brooding, find yourself laughing at the absurdity of it all, then watch Louie. Because that's the show.

This show as everything else can be compared to other shows but it is its own in many ways. First of which can be said is kudos to Louis C.K. is he greatly underrated and should be a much more respected star. His comedy is genuine and honest and i know it sounds corny but his show feels very real the dialogue and the situations are how real life i think would be. I've heard it be compared to seinfeld but the only comparison is that there are clips of louie doing stand up, the actual show is nothing like it. Also id like to commend FX on giving it time to grow, they are a very good network for that, same with SUNNY IN PHILLY, that show grew into an excellent show. Shows get canceled to quickly. Anyways to sum up. Louie gets a 10/10, its just my opinion.

I watched this show for the first time last week after Wilfred (another great new show), and I must say - Louie is wondrously on a WHOLE new level. Where have I been?! Yes, the show is quite explicit, vulgar, and just plain dirty - all of which I'm not a huge fan, but the writing/dialogue depicts the everyday thoughts and issues that are really running in the minds of the rest of us, but we're just too afraid to speak our minds. That's what really amazes/captures me about this show. It is rough around the edges submerged with complex, bizarre, vulgar situations, yet the overall tone of the show is so...simple, mundane. This very stark contrast is not only captivating and mind-blowing, it is very intense and disturbing to the human psyche. It is just a whole new level of comedy. I am thoroughly and mindbogglingly wow-ed.

I was watching Rescue Me tonight, and I saw the previews of this show. I didn't know if it was old or new. I later checked on the cable box and saw it was new. I gave it a shot, and I was a bit surprised that there might be another great show on TV.

While I am not going to sit here and say this is the next Seinfeld, it had certain feelings to it, like the stand up comedy part in the start and the end. But "Louie" seems more edgier and more explicit than Seinfeld's method of 'beating around the bush' of what they want to say due to restrictions. The jokes I would say are more like Curb Your Enthusiasm.

I will not try to spoil much for those who haven't seen it, but the show is basically about a middle-aged man who has two children, both girls, and recently split up with his wife. He is a stand up comedian for a living, and while off the job -- he is looking for a rebound for his break up with his wife. His character symbolizes Larry David's to a degree, although I don't see his good will like Larry shows time to time, yet he's still a very sympathetic character and one who is easy to get behind.

I love the comparisons to Seinfeld and CYE, because I think they are both excellent shows, thus I hope this show can use that type of formula but also be able to come up with some innovative and compelling ideas on its own. It's already did its main job with me: making me want to see it again. I am looking forward to see if this show becomes something epic or something that epic fails.

Worth checking out, especially if you're a Seinfeld and/or CYE fan.

Before and after he touched his dong, pretty funny show.

Is truth, I would not call this a sitcom. It is not sketch comedy either, so...what is this? I can not call it anything but genius. Brilliant comedy, in a creative format. I love this. SNV has said he is a great fan of Louis for make me watch him. I also not like to rate a ten, as like previous reviewer say. But I am forced to maintain an integrity? Yes! And, so, I must give highest of rating for this because I feel it is deserving. You will not know what to expect or how to expect it to be delivered on any given episode. Everything comes anew and is very refreshing. It is not stuck in format like most sitcoms and sketch comedies you find. I find those often bore. This, I am no bore, you see? I plan to watch until they cancel! They always cancel the 10/10 ones!

As far as dark life comedy goes I think Louie has a high degree of perfection.

"Louie" is for me one of the pinnacles in the American tv comedy spectrum. The reason for that is simple: its different.

Louis CK who is by all means a controversial figure, is a masterful comedian who uses the TV medium to translate the stand up routine into a visual form. Thereby he creates scenarios that feel extremely bizarre almost caricatural but staged in a way where it feels authentic and natural. And this is the big plus of the show, every episode feels different, fresh, new and you never know where its going. Louis CKs directing style is laid back and not showy, but he can still create incredible moments of tension, atmosphere and drama. His fundamental understanding of life and it's absolutely absurdity is so captivating to watch, that it almost feel therapeutical. Watching an episode of Louie is like getting your soul massaged and I can't thank him enough for that. Thank you for the laughs!

In a nutshell....It can be as funny and uncomfortable as Curb Your Enthusiasm, and maybe even more so. The big difference is that the show is heartfelt. Louie has a soul but his life sucks! Louis C.K.'s stand-up comedy is also shown throughout each episode. The show is filmed in sepia/dark tone so it has a somewhat depressing feel, which fits in with Louie's life. If you're expecting a lighthearted, silly show, you may be disappointed. It delves into some uncomfortable topics at times, but, it's always a topic worth considering. It remains as comically fresh and no-holds-barred as prior seasons were. As far as I'm concerned, Louie C.K. is this generation's George Carlin. Whereas Jerry Seinfeld points out the comic infrastructure of every potential situation, Louie shows us parts of ourselves we'd rather not look at. (Consider Vanessa's speech on fat women.) George Carlin made us blush (and made history) with "the seven words" -- Louie's observations make that bit seem tame by comparison. But that's Louie. Louie is about life. And sometimes life is messy. He makes us laugh about it. He embodies the mans mans and the comics comic! I can relate to him on so many levels in this series and this series is without a doubt terrain of, rather than comedy or drama or simply dramedy, it's simply life! Don't underestimate this man because you see him on stage with a mic with such offensive vulgarity to some. This man is a genius and makes very heavy emotional episodes that have very deep meaning. he injects a soul into this series that has such a pulse and it beats with a rare brilliance! This series is the best dramedy I've ever seen!

One of the funniest and most brilliant shows ever!

I can't say this enough, Louis C.K. is an absolute comedy genius! I've seen all of his stand-ups and I die of laughing every time, he's an extremely funny comedian, he's arguably the best actually. This show is absolutely hilarious from start to finish. Every single episode is just so awkward, weird, unique, very funny, and creative. It also has a lot of sad and messed up moments. Putting "real" stand-up segments in between story and show is brilliant. The cast of course is fantastic, I like Louie's brother (great casting). there is a lot of great special guests too. Writing in this show is just phenomenal. This show is just special, the direction and comedy style is something special. This is definitely a top TV show and I would recommend it to everyone. Binging this show the best time you'll have. I don't write a lot of reviews unless I really want, and this I had to write one about. I miss Louis C.K. I wish he'd make another TV show or movie or a stand-up comedy.

Of all the masterworks of television's new golden age - Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Wire etc. - this is still, for me, the only one that has the feeling of great arthouse cinema. That's to say, it opens up your perception, makes you say, 'Oh, I didn't know you could do that,' feels utterly honest and human, says the things you've thought, but didn't think to say, and isn't afraid to do things 'badly' for a greater artistic good.

In fact, even a lot of arthouse cinema doesn't do as much of that as this show does. And notably, almost no short filmmaking does it and most of it is terrible in a way that makes you think it must be an inherently unsatisfying form, whereas this show is a study in how great short-form work can be.

Anytime that an episode starts, I have no idea about where it will take me. Louie brings me a more realistic daily life show that any documentary. I have so many different emotions and experiences whatching this serie, that I wouldn't know how to describe it, just give it a chance.

Ricky Gervais called Louis C.K. "the funniest comedian working in America today", so it's fitting that Louis should repay the compliment with a guest spot for Gervais on his show. And what a guest spot! Gervais is allowed to do what Gervais does best, say ridiculously sublime and horribly tasteless things while still remaining oddly endearing. Ricky's jokes in anyone else's hands could seem the punch lines of a sociopath. Whether Louis C.K. will fulfill Ricky's pronouncement as "the funniest comedian working in America today" remains to be seen, but he's off to a good start. Each episode of Louis is presented in two vignettes, two seemingly random episodes connected by a greater theme, such as aging, love, death, health, wealth and happiness, etc. And so far, Louis C.K. has surrounded himself with excellent playmates (Gervais, for one). Now let us hope that he takes a cue from Ricky Gervais and keeps his comedy grounded in a painfully bittersweet hyper reality, as opposed to a Jerry Seinfeld/ Larry David world of snarky cynicism. The random quirkiness of his show has already drawn Seinfeld comparisons, but it's pretty obvious Louis has a hope for humanity his predecessors have never had. Louis C.K. (the character) is both a schlemiel and a schlimazel, a loser either way you look at it, but he has a dignity befitting a Ricky Gervais character. And that's a winner anyway you look at it.

First of all let me say that Louie C.K. is an excellent comedian. It's never easy for a stand-up comedian to get full attention of the whole audience but he manages to get it easily. The two little girls, Hadley Delany and Ursula Parker, that play his daughters Lilly and Jane are very good as well. Especially the youngest one Jane. The first season was to me the best one with a lot of humor on day to day topics. The second and third season are good as well but with fewer jokes but still it is enjoyable to watch. But with the fourth season I don't know where he is going. It's less funny and I really hope he gets back like the first season otherwise I might just skip watching it.

It's the best series in comedy genre, period. It's authenticity is such that sitcoms could never achieve. Louie is not an actor but he doesn't need to act to portray his life. There are some shows around that focus on regular folks, their up and downs, their daily struggle but I seriously believe Louie's daily life could give them nose bleed.

Talking strictly about show the characters are original because they are. All his friend are stand-up comedians, so their conversation is equivalent to a Netflix special. Talk about Louie's kids, neighbors or his doctor (Ricky Gervais) are just treat to watch on different levels. I cannot stress on "AUTHENTICITY" of the subject matter. It's like traveling with Louis C.K. around and just watch him do his stuff and it's great.

I think I lived Louis' life through this amazing series. Truly something valuable.

Louie CK has got to be my favorite comedian, by far. His narcissistic talk about every day experiences is relatable and always spot on.

However, "Louie" does not make me laugh as much as I'd hope. I can understand the basic idea, this is what a comedian's life is actually like. I've seen every episode up to the end of season 3 and I can say that for 80% of them I'm left disappointed. It's as if they're leading up to a climax of some sort, and then it just ends.

The direction and beats always seem off, except when Louie is doing his stand up which always seems to bring the show out of the gutter. The cinematography is like a beginner student film and if it's that way on purpose, I don't see why because it really isn't pretty to look at.

I think this show COULD be great, but unfortunately it is not.

I'm currently rewatching this show, and I think I'm laughing even more now, the second time seeing it. Not only laughing, but all the other emotions that Louie brings out of me aswell. I remember when he first was supposed to come to my country and do a show about ten years ago, and I bought tickets immediately. Super excited! But a few weeks before he was gonna come here, he had to cancel due to some TV show he started working on instead. I was so bummed out. However, it turned out that the show was "Louie", and after experiencing what an absolutely amazing and brilliant show it was I'm kinda glad he canceled his tour here. Besides, he's been here twice since then, more than making up for it. So yeah, no hard feelings, Louis.