Review: Louie



Louis C.K.

Great Comedy Gets Off to a Disconcerting Start
TVFirstLook

Louie has an annoying girlfriend, which is annoying. Then, Louie has another annoying girlfriend, though less so, which is alarming.

Louie, the FX comedy starring Emmy-nominated Louis C.K., is a brilliant single-camera comedy that in past seasons was great because of its simplicity. (FX, 10:30pm).

Louie, a comedian in real life, opens the show with a standup routine in a divey New York City comedy club. More than that, Louie is a kind, caring dad and a kind, caring, funny guy.


Tonight's season premiere is fittingly titled Something is Wrong. Something, unfortunately, is wrong, and off.

The Louie premiere focuses almost entirely on his girlfriend, who grates and whines until they break up. Then, in a cool bit of Louie, Louie's car is destroyed so he buys a motorcycle (for a stunning, enviable drive throughout Manhattan), which doesn't end well. Although, at least, it ends funny.

Which can't be said for the girlfriend, who's back whining and grating.

By next week, she's gone and replaced by a new girlfriend (Melissa Leo). She's the kind of woman you might bump into at a bar in a farm town somewhere in the middle of America. She's not all gussied up. She talks tough, drives a truck and her approach to sex is, well, gross.

She has her charms and appeal, though. Still, Louie finds another girl (Parker Posey) in upcoming episodes.

So far, while bloggers are declaring Louie's season three a triumph, I'm saying, as a Louie devotee, I'm concerned.