Louie

[Andy]

Hopefully there's not already a thread about this. The pilot looks pretty promising. The most surprising thing so far (besides how far FX is letting him go) is that Bobby Kelly is the best actor on the show.

[Chris L]

I thought it was howlingly funny at times.  I did not like that HBO sitcom he did one bit, but this looks like a perfect vehicle for him. I'm really excited to see how they play with the open-ended structure of it.   

[ben]

I enjoyed the HBO sitcom somewhat, and thought given time it would have really developed.  But I loved Louie.  Excited to hear Todd Barry will be on it at some point too.

[Joe Rogaine]

I was already for it in April now ive went and missed the first two episode and the replay at 1am the following night. Ive heard nothing but good things about it.

[Bryan]

Yes, this is great stuff!

[break]

I already had high hopes, and it totally exceeded them.  I loved those first two episodes.   

[put_it_away]

Louie was pleasantly painful to watch. I saw the pilot and am going to watch the second episode tonight. I say pleasantly painful because Louie's cynicism and awkwardness endears him to me.

[Hugman 3.0]

I love this show, as I loved Lucky Louie, because it stirs up a lot of mixed feelings for me.  And when there are parts of something that I really dislike, but I still like the thing as a whole, that means it's really good.  There are a lot of things I'm not crazy about with Louie, but I'm still on board.
This is edutaining:
http://www.avclub.com/articles/louis-ck,42621/
The fact that they do each episode for $250,000 (now $300,000, I guess) is fascinating.  I could argue with myself for hours about whether it's a good or bad thing.

[Andy]

I was going to bring this up but was waiting. One of the things that I really like is that Louie CK is doing the show for less money at a place that allows him more freedom (according to him). I'll never know if that's true or not, but I've heard him say that the $300k includes all his pay as writer/producer/director (I'm sure it's more complicated than that with residuals and shot, but that still seems like a crazy low amount to me)

Either way, I've always thought that Louie spoke a lot more honestly about things and is a really funny guy. There are times when things kind of miss with me, but you're going to get that when you're coming up with hours of new material a year.

[akaJudge]

I'll never know if that's true or not, but I've heard him say that the $300k includes all his pay as writer/producer/director (I'm sure it's more complicated than that with residuals and shot, but that still seems like a crazy low amount to me)

I got the impression that it was kind of an experiment, with the understanding that they'll get more money if it succeeds.  I like FXs attitude, as explained by Louie, which is kind of, "We think you're really funny, and we want to make a show with you.  Here's some money, go to town!"  Jerry Seinfeld said much the same thing about HBO and their approach to their shows.  Seems to work out pretty well for HBO.

[daveB from Oakland]

I thought it was howlingly funny at times.  I did not like that HBO sitcom he did one bit, but this looks like a perfect vehicle for him. I'm really excited to see how they play with the open-ended structure of it.   

I watched most (maybe all?) of his HBO series on DVD, and I wanted so badly to like it more than I did. But that show was just depressing.

I've heard Louis CK interviews where he's pretty dismissive of where his stand up was ten years ago, when he tended to be more absurdist onstage. But I liked his absurdist stuff ... I don't know why he's so down on that era of his work.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that people are liking this new show, I'll look out for it on DVD. I thought Louis was pretty fantastic when he did a guest run for several episodes on "Parks and Recreation". That's worth searching out if you haven't seen it.

[Sarah]

I like it.  Of course, I am slightly in love with Louis C.K., so I'm prejudiced. 

For me, the worst things about the HBO show were Pamela Adlon and, especially, the awful child who played his daughter.  Because they're out of the picture, this new show is by definition better.

[Christina]

I've heard Louis CK interviews where he's pretty dismissive of where his stand up was ten years ago, when he tended to be more absurdist onstage. But I liked his absurdist stuff ... I don't know why he's so down on that era of his work.

Well, do you remember stuff you said from 10 years ago? When I think about things I was into, it's not even like it's me. It's not that I hate those things now, I was just in a completely different place.

[Jouster]

Bad news, Sarah! Pamela Adlon is a producer on "Louie" and appears in at least one upcoming episode.  I don't mind this.  The girl who played his daughter on the HBO show, however, was definitely a problem.

daveB, I don't think Louis is dismissive of his material from his younger days, just his process.  I remember him saying somewhere that it took him ten years to write an hour set, working the way he was, but since changing his writing he comes up with a new hour every year.

[Sarah]

I'm perfectly okay with Pamela Adlon appearing on an episode or two (I noticed her name in the credits).  I actually kind of like her.  But I quickly tired of her portrayal of the wife (and, truth be told, I tired of the husband-and-wife, "are we gonna fuck" schtick pretty fast, too).