Louie (TV series)
| Louie | |
|---|---|
 Opening title from the series shows Louie walking the streets of New York |
|
| Genre | Black comedy Satire |
| Created by | Louis C.K. |
| Written by | Louis C.K. |
| Directed by | Louis C.K. |
| Starring | Louis C.K. |
| Opening theme | "Brother Louie" performed by Ian Lloyd |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 26 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Louis C.K. Dave Becky |
| Camera setup | Red One; Single-camera |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production company(s) | 3 Arts Entertainment Pig Newton, Inc. FX Productions |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | FX |
| Original run | June 29, 2010 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Louie is an American comedy television series on the FX network that began airing in 2010. It is written, directed, edited and produced by the show's creator, stand-up comedian Louis C.K.,[1] who stars as a fictionalized version of himself, a comedian and newly divorced father raising his two daughters in New York City. The show has a loose format atypical for television comedy series, consisting of largely unconnected storylines and segments (described as "extended vignettes")[2] that revolve around Louie's life, punctuated by live stand-up performances.
The first season of Louie was broadcast in 2010, and the second season in 2011. The show has met with critical acclaim and was included in various 2010 top-ten lists. [3]
C.K. was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series as well as Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. C.K. announced on August 6th, 2011, via his Twitter account that the series had been picked up for a third season.
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[edit] Synopsis and episodes
The series is loosely based on Louis C.K.'s life, showing him as a comic onstage, and depicting his life offstage as a newly divorced father of two girls. Each episode features either two stories that may or may not connect thematically, or a longer full-episode story (often consisting of numerous connected shorter pieces), all of which revolve around Louie.
The pieces are interspersed with segments of C.K.'s stand-up comedy, usually performed in small New York comedy clubs, mainly the Comedy Cellar and Carolines in Manhattan. The stand-up in the show consists of original material recorded for the series, and is usually shot from the stage rather than from the more traditional audience perspective. Sometimes these comedy segments are integrated into the stories themselves, other times they simply serve to bookend them with a loosely connected topic. In Season 1, short conversations between Louie and his therapist are also shown occasionally.
The stories shown in the series are generally distinct from each other, although a few recurring roles (such as Pamela, Louie's playdate friend) occasionally do provide some fictional continuity between episodes. Sometimes however, fictional continuity is not a concern, as with the example of the two very different characters and actresses that served as Louie's mother in two separate episodes.[a] As C.K. explained, "Every episode has its own goal, and if it messes up the goal of another episode, [...] I just don't care."[4] Some stories also take place outside of the series timeline, such as "God", which depicts Louie's childhood, and "Oh Louie", which shows the comedian 9 years earlier in his career.
The pilot episode includes segments on a school field trip and an awkward first date, with subsequent episodes covering a diverse range of material including divorce, sex, depression, sexual orientation, and Catholic guilt. The first season aired in 2010, and consists of 13 episodes, including the pilot. The premiere of the second season was broadcast on June 23, 2011.
[edit] Cast and characters
Louis C.K. serves as the show's star and the only character (the eponymous Louie) to appear in every episode. Louie lacks a regular fixed cast, featuring many guest appearances by stand-up comedians and actors. Some popular stand-up comics play fictionalized versions of themselves, including Todd Barry, Amir Blumenfeld, Eddie Brill, Hannibal Buress, Rick Crom, Nick DiPaolo, Godfrey, Jim Norton, Chris Rock and Steven Wright. Other guest stars include comedians and notable actors playing fictional characters, including Chelsea Peretti, Tom Noonan, Bobby Cannavale, Yul Vazquez. Dane Cook and Bob Saget also played fictional versions of themselves in the episode "Oh Louie/Tickets".
Despite the show's low budget, Louie frequently features notable celebrity guest stars, including Ricky Gervais, Chris Rock, Stephen Root, Matthew Broderick, Joan Rivers, and Doug Stanhope.
Most episodes tend to focus on Louie's interactions with new characters, however the show features a number of recurring characters, including Louie's two daughters, his brother Robbie (played by Robert Kelly), Pamela, the playdate friend and potential love interest (Pamela Adlon), Ben Mitchell, Louie's crude and inappropriate doctor (Ricky Gervais), and Louie's therapist (David Patrick Kelly). As Louie lacks a strictly enforced continuity between episodes, supporting actors occasionally reappear in multiple roles, as is the case with William Stephenson who appears as a bus driver in the pilot and as himself in "Oh Louie/Tickets." Amy Landecker appeared as Louie's date in "Bully" and as a young Louie's mother in "God." In addition, multiple actresses have portrayed each of Louie's daughters.
[edit] Production
C.K. accepted the modest offer of $200,000 (covering his own fee as well as production costs) to do a pilot with FX over prospective production deals with larger networks because they allowed him full executive control of the show. The show is shot on a Red camera setup, and C.K. edits many of the episodes on his personal laptop.[5][6] In addition to starring, Louie serves as the series' sole writer and director, an unusual distinction in television production.
"I went [to Hollywood] and I had other networks offering me a lot of money to do a pilot, and I got this call from FX and they said 'Well, we can't offer you a lot of money, but if you do the show for us, you can have a lot of fun.' He was offering me $200,000 as the budget for the whole pilot and I was like 'So, what do I get paid?' and he was like 'No, that's the whole thing, $200,000...' I said 'Look, the only way I'm doing this is if you give me the $200,000 -- wire it to me in New York -- and I'll give you a show. But I'm not pitching it, and I'm not writing a script and sending it to you first.'"
Dave Becky also serves as executive producer.[2][7] Louis C.K. directed, cast and edited the first episode of the show with a budget of $250,000, provided by FX.[8] In the second season, the budget was increased to $300,000 per episode.
Production began in November 2009. Louis C.K. said of his show, "It's very vignette-y. It's very vérité. All those French words. I use 'em all."[7] C.K.'s Lucky Louie co-star Pamela Adlon serves as consulting producer of the series.[9]
[edit] Critical reception
Initial critical response to the show was mostly positive but divided, with the first season earning 70/100 rating based on 20 reviews on Metacritic.[10] The stand-up segments received strong praise, as did the show's perceived "indie film" style, with some likening the show to the work of Woody Allen. [11][12] Criticisms largely centered on the pacing and low-key delivery of the show's jokes, often including long setups compared to the rapid-fire punchlines of a traditional sitcom. But by the same token, this is also the source of a lot of the show's praise.[13][14][15]
Critical response to Louie has warmed since its debut, with the show appearing on 9 of the 28 "top show" lists tracked by Metacritic for 2010.[16] The first four episodes of the second season maintain a 90% average score on Metacritic, making it the second best reviewed show on the site's "current TV shows" list behind Breaking Bad.[17]
[edit] Award Nominations
- Emmy Awards:
| Year | Result | Nominee | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Nominated | Louis C.K. | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series |
| 2011 | Nominated | Louis C.K. | Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (for episode Poker/Divorce) |
- Television Critics Association Awards:
| Year | Result | Nominee | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Nominated | Louis C.K. | Individual Achievement in Comedy |
| 2011 | Nominated | - | Outstanding Achievement in Comedy |
[edit] Releases
20th Century Fox released Season 1 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in Region 1 on June 21, 2011.[18]
| DVD Name | Episodes | Release Date | Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete First Season | 13 | June 21, 2011 |
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[edit] Notes
- ^ Episode 7, "Double Date/Mom" portrays a very unpleasant woman as Louie's mother, played by Mary Louise Wilson. By contrast, in episode 10, "God", a flashback to Louie's childhood shows the young Louie's mother as a very different woman with a nice personality; played by Amy Landecker. Moreover, Landecker portrayed present-day Louie's date earlier in the season, in episode 9, "Bully".
[edit] References
- ^ Sepinwall, Alan (January 24, 2011). "Interview: 'Louie' creator/star Louis CK on season 1, drunken Sarah Palin tweets and more". HitFix.com. http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/interview-louie-creator-star-louis-ck-on-season-one-drunken-sarah-palin-tweets-and-more. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ a b Littleton, Cynthia (2009-08-19). "More laffs in FX lineup". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007486.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
- ^ Dietz, Jason (December 3, 2010). "2010 Television Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. http://features.metacritic.com/features/2010/tv-critics-pick-ten-best-tv-shows-of-2010/. Retrieved February 7, 2011. (Updated January 7, 2011.)
- ^ "Monday, June 27, 2011". Presenter: Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy Kimmel Live!. ABC. June 27, 2011. Louis C.K. segment on YouTube: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
- ^ Harris, Adam (October 8, 2010). "How Louis C.K. Shoots and Edits His Own Show". Gizmodo.com. http://gizmodo.com/5658621/how-louis-ck-shoots-and-edits-his-own-show. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ^ WTF With Marc Maron episode: "Louis CK Part 2."
- ^ a b Itzkoff, Dave (2009-08-20). "New Comedy Series for Louis C.K.". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/arts/television/21arts-NEWCOMEDYSER_BRF.html. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (2009-08-06). "FX likes Louis C.K.". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006996.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
- ^ Stanley, Alessandra (2010-06-28). "Life After Divorce (Don’t Ask About the Monkeys)". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/arts/television/29louie.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
- ^ "Louie (FX) - Reviews from Metacritic". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/tv/louie. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
- ^ Stanley, Alessandra (June 28, 2010). "Life After Divorce (Don’t Ask About the Monkeys)". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/arts/television/29louie.html. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- ^ Lloyd, Robert (July 23, 2011). "On FX’s ‘Louie,’ Louis C.K. mixes stand-up comedy with real emotion". The Kansas City Star. http://www.kansascity.com/2011/07/23/3028480/louie-an-artist-at-work-and-play.html. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- ^ Hinckley, David (June 29, 2010). "FX's 'Louie' better than HBO's 'Lucky Louie', but Louis C.K. still hasn't found his niche". Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/06/29/2010-06-29_new_louie_doesnt_quite_stand_up.html. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- ^ Lowry, Brian (June 26, 2010). "Louie". Variety.com. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117943065.html?categoryId=32&cs=1. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- ^ http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/29/1705560/a-new-low-lots-of-hooey-about.html[dead link]
- ^ Dietz, Jason (December 13, 2010). "The Scorecard: Critics pick the best TV shows of 2010". Metacritic.com. http://www.metacritic.com/feature/tv-critics-pick-ten-best-tv-shows-of-2010. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- ^ "Louie (FX) - Reviews from Metacritic". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/tv/louie/season-2/critic-reviews. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
- ^ Lambert, David (March 28, 2011). "Louie - Fox's Canadian Press Release Gives Street Date, Extras for Season 1 DVD/Blu Combo Set". TVshowsonDVD.com. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Louie-Season-1/15171. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
[edit] External links
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