Format: Television
Starring: Louis C.K.
Network: FX

I’ve been hearing great things about the show Louie, and since the stand up of Louis C.K. is usually pretty good, I decided to see what all the hype was about. Will Louie live up to the name that Louis has created for himself through tens and tens of Conan O’Brien appearances?

After only a few episodes I’m left wondering how this show has become so popular. The bulk of each episode consists primarily of Louie (played by Louis C.K., yea real fucking clever) acting overly awkward in regular situations to try to create some sort of enjoyment for viewers. In reality, however, at no time did I find anything happening to him to be enjoyable, or even comical. In fact, I mostly just felt bad for how pathetic he was. In addition to acting like a big fucking baby all of the time, he also chases around mildly attractive girls, who make it overly obvious that they don’t want to hook up with him. Instead of taking the hint he just mopes around even more and cries about how pitiful his life is. All of this regardless of the fact that he doesn’t have to work a shit job day in and day out like the rest of us. Somehow he still has room to complain.

Luckily, Louis C.K. wisely chose to incorporate his stand up into his show, otherwise you may not have realized that this is supposed to be a comedy. I would have much preferred if the entire content of each episode was just his stand up. Maybe if he spent the entire run time on the stand up, he would be slaying ass after the show instead of crying to himself on camera about not getting what he wants the whole time. None of his moping is warranted at all either. He can afford a decent house, a motorcycle, and he has 2 fucking children. His character has lived a more fulfilling life than many of his viewers have, and to top it off with a spit in your face, he’s still not satisfied.

Louis C.K. has carved out his own niche market for the ultimate Drama Comedy hybrid that nobody asked for. Everything is so drawn out and takes so much time to portray, that by the time we reach the punchline, I’ve forgotten that there aren’t even going to be any jokes for the viewers. The only joke is that this is a show at all. Louis C.K. is laughing his ass off that somehow stretching one joke out over an entire episode has been so successful.

Unfortunately, Louie is likely to survive many more seasons, as the general public has a hard time paying attention if too much is going on. The simple one joke per episode is a great gateway into comedy, for those that don’t actually enjoy comedy.

Rating: 1 Laugh / 22 Minutes (avg run time)