Topic: Louie

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

This, Louis CK's latest foray into television, starts tonight over in America. Though it was never quite a classic, I got to rather like Lucky Louie and his standup is ace, so hopefully this will live up to its full potential.
 
  According to Wikipedia:
 

The series will be loosely based on C.K.'s life, and will blend his stand-up material with extended autobiographical comedy short films depicting moments of his off-stage experiences...
 
  Louis C.K. said the show would be different than typical comedy shows... "It's very vignette-y. It's very vérité. All those French words. I use 'em all."

 
  Here's an interview with the man himself: http://www.avclub.com/articles/louis-ck,42621/

[Hank_Kingsley]

From the trailers I've seen I have the feeling this could be more inventive and interesting than  Lucky Louie
(which was basically a trad sitcom with the word cunt in it, not strictly a bad thing..)

The subway clip with the two daughters is sublime.

[MALCOLM]

Can't wait for this, it's been put back quite a few times.

Isn't his new DVD due out soon? sounds interesting, it's his normal show but shot from the point of view of an audience member.

[Slaaaaabs]

First two eps are available where you would expect them to be.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Bit of a similar structure to Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, but with the stand-up and sketches more evenly paced, which makes it feel punchier. Perhaps inevitably, the sketches are reminiscent of Curb Your Enthusiasm too, but less farcical and a bit more surreal.

[MALCOLM]

Hmmm, can't make my mind up about this.

I mean, I really enjoyed it, and there was some proper laugh-out-loud moments, but I'm not sure how much of that is down to the fact I could watch CK blow raspberries at the screen for 25 minutes and still enjoy it.

The first episode was as relentlessly bleak as the show I saw him do at the Bloomsbury, especially the stuff about his dead dog and the absolute best thing that could happen to him with regards meeting someone.

That should've certainly set the stall for anyone unfamiliar with his style/routines that this wasn't going to be another chirpy sitcom. The start of episode two with the comics playing poker was nicely done and in keeping with the sketches being completely unrelated and jumping all over the place generally, he's always been conscious of the language he uses on stage and it's good to see him incorporate it into this show, expect something on the word nigger before the season is out I reckon.

So I dunno, it's pretty unlike anything else I've seen lately, and it's Louis CK, so I love it.

I think.

[clingfilm portent]

I could watch CK blow raspberries at the screen for 25 minutes and still enjoy it.

I consoled myself in much the same way half way through the first episode. The pace, Louis CK doing straight acting, moments of surreality arriving unexpectedly, it all jarred in a way that a complete disaster of a sitcom would and yet- here was one of my favourite current comedians, being himself, so I'm laughing anyway...

Second episode flowed much better I thought, and when he turned up at the woman's house I actually felt as if I was watching a collaboration between Louis CK and Jim Jarmusch.

So, I'll keep watching, but I hope it improves.

[Artemis]

I enjoyed it, although I liked episode two a lot more even though it wasn't nearly as funny. CK is better just doing stand up - so far he's not released a single DVD of him doing that which isn't genuinely hysterical. Having seen his stuff countless times, and seeing him live, I kind of feel as if his stand up is best left to stage and he shouldn't try to bring it in to other things he does. If anything, that's a big compliment to his natural craft; it's just too good to belong anywhere else or taken apart - the guy is the most natural stand up I think I've seen, alive or dead.

That said, episode two was brilliant. I'm wondering if that's because I feel I know him so well through his work, though. Perhaps newcomers need those little narrative moments of on-stage comedy to help navigate through it. For me, it worked against the rest of the show. Anyway. Yes, I'll keep watching, but for Christ's sake, a DVD of your most recent material is long overdue, Louis. Please just get that out there, then come back to the UK with new stuff.

[amputeeporn]

The thing with saying stand-up's 'his natural craft' is that, to hear his long and intelligent interviews soley on that subject: it's very clear he has a technical mind. He gets his hands dirty, takes a thing to bits, works out how it works and puts it back together with himself attached. His early stand-up, I imagine, faltered and clumsily hit on subjects he would later make masterful.

I haven't seen these eps yet, but expect something a little creaky to start with. He'll never be less than an exceptonal stand-up now; I'd love to see him bring that dedication and mastery to another medium. He has talent and likeability, but it's dangerous to assume he didn't sweat and go mad over each detail for years perfectting it. I'll certainly stick with it if there are problems along the way.

[MALCOLM]

I enjoyed it, although I liked episode two a lot more even though it wasn't nearly as funny. CK is better just doing stand up - so far he's not released a single DVD of him doing that which isn't genuinely hysterical. Having seen his stuff countless times, and seeing him live, I kind of feel as if his stand up is best left to stage and he shouldn't try to bring it in to other things he does. If anything, that's a big compliment to his natural craft; it's just too good to belong anywhere else or taken apart - the guy is the most natural stand up I think I've seen, alive or dead.

That said, episode two was brilliant. I'm wondering if that's because I feel I know him so well through his work, though. Perhaps newcomers need those little narrative moments of on-stage comedy to help navigate through it. For me, it worked against the rest of the show. Anyway. Yes, I'll keep watching, but for Christ's sake, a DVD of your most recent material is long overdue, Louis. Please just get that out there, then come back to the UK with new stuff.

His latest DVD is in the can, the last I heard of it it was getting great reviews at the Sundance festival, so it's hopefully due imminently as it's his latest set which I enjoyed immensely. It's apparently far from just a straight stand-up DVD though, supposedly the way it's shot from an audience memebr makes it more of a theatrical experience, but perhaps that will work better in a cinema where it's got more presence.

Too early to say obv, but I think Lucky Louie (as the tag alludes to) will have more laugh's over the series run as it was a faster paced traditional sitcom, this is a bit darker with some fairly lengthy spells of, well non-comedy, but I hope it get's great reviews. As Artemis says, he's a truly incredible stand-up comic, and I'd rather see him succeed than not!

[Whug Baspin]

It hink it's the perfect form for him, in that he doesn't really have to conform to set format. I thought in Lucky Louie he knew he worked well with a live audience and he had some great material to use, but the other stuff he's also tallented at (like short film and his more observational writing) couldn't make it in. This combines the lot in a way I really enjoyed, I thought the scene from episode 2 that began with him flicking through a box of old stuff was just the most incredible realisation of the consequences of those kind of thoughts, it's funny because it is so recognisable then the timing and acting eleveated it to an excelent slapstick routine.

[Artemis]

According to EW, next episode is when Gervais guests as Louis' doctor. Urgh.

[DuncanC]

Hmm... I think I prefer the prospect of Gervais as a character rather than playing himself as Louie's friend.

This is of no interest to anyone but I was pathetically excited to see him go into the new york Comedy Cellar right at the start, since I went to see a show there recently. Jim Norton and the bus driver from episode 1 were there, it was about 5 or 6 comedians doing short sets.

As for the show itself - it was entertaining and I'll keep watching, but it feels like it's not quite got started yet, still establishing things and without the great exploration of themes and ideas that his standup does at its best.

[Hank_Kingsley]

Episode 2 was perfect for me, really summing up his overall style.

I loved the opening 'faggot' conversation and the way it genuinely looked as if it might be thoughtful for a moment and then pissed it away.

Nick Di Paolo does make me cringe, I can imagine he really is a bigot sometimes but the scene played out really well.

The facebook stuff was great as was the frantic screwing on the kitchen floor.

This is much more like the stand-up than Lucky Louie.

[MALCOLM]

They love it over on AST, and I'm just watching him on The Daily Show where Jon Stewart, who's seen the whole series, says it's hilarious and perfectly captures his style.

Nice one Louis :)

He's superb on TDS by the way, Stewart appears to say "you're so fucking funny" to him as the credits roll at the end of a brilliant little interview.

[DuncanC]

It's somehow endearing how the only swear word people seem to know most of the time is "shit", because that's the strongest the show can get away with. So lots of "shitty"/"are you shitting me?" type variants. I wonder if we'll see a Peter Baynham-style "SHIT OFF!" later in the series.

[actwithoutwords]

Just watched the first one. An odd little thing. The structure is indeed somewhat jarring, and I'm still not sure I have an idea of the identity of the show yet. The stuff in the school bus in particular seemed pretty aimless. Some great moments though, "Go and have your big dump then." and the dead dog stuff leading up to the final punchline. Intrigued for the rest of them. Quite different to what I was expecting.

[chocolateboy]

Love the theme tune. And the use of Cooper.

The first ep was more like a quirky drama (i.e. a dramedy) than a comedy (particularly the bus-driver stuff).

Enjoyed the second ep more and found it funnier.

If I was being a hater, I would say that he's pissing about aimlessly and is floundering on a non-full-sweary cable channel, and re-failing to find his voice (not that I disliked Lucky Louie, but I didn't love it anywhere near as much as his standup).

But really: I'm just happy to be in the audience while he tries out new stuff. It feels like Seinfeld in Comedian. I don't think he's skint. He's obviously not married. And he's probably no longer scooping poop out of his daughter's vagina. If he wants to use a Seinfeldy show as a vehicle for working out his new comic persona, I'm up for it.

My favourite moment so far was the girl being so unimpressed by his failed "I thought we had a moment" kiss attempt that she flees in a helicopter. Exactly the kind of thing he might have fun with as a standup flight of fancy ("and than I'd jerk off on his corpse"), but so much funnier shown than told.

[DuncanC]

This was from three years ago, and I don't think he's been making the show that long, so he apparently liked doing this so much he just had to do it again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO1KsU1rG7s

[Jack Shaftoe]

Weirdly enough, in that first episode, he started reminding me of Tony Soprano. I liked that a lot, and am happy to him to ramble on a bit, trying things out before he settles into more of a groove.

[Whug Baspin]

I rewatched the 2nd episode over the weekend and I realised something about the character and style, it's almost a Robert Crumb cartoon or Bukowski short story, something American writers have been able to capture incredibly well, managing to make desperation and hideous situations entertaining to watch.

[Jack Shaftoe]

A bit Harvey Pekar (American Splendor) as well, possibly?

I really liked:

"Your mom really does that?"
*I don't know, I don't talk to her every day"

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

This was from three years ago, and I don't think he's been making the show that long, so he apparently liked doing this so much he just had to do it again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO1KsU1rG7s

I prefer that version. It was a still good and a surprise in the show, but in the context of the date it came off as a slightly half arsed bit of surrealism (only slightly). The ice cream one is totally lacking context, which makes it all the funnier I think. He's gone to such lengths just to steal from a child. The way he looks back at the helicopter, just to make doubly sure he can get away with it. It would have been nice if he could have worked it into the show in it's original form somehow.

If I was being a hater, I would say that he's pissing about aimlessly and is floundering on a non-full-sweary cable channel, and re-failing to find his voice (not that I disliked Lucky Louie, but I didn't love it anywhere near as much as his standup).

Swearing aside, he's apparently got carte blanche form the network to make the show however he wants, albeit at a relatively low budget. This is probably the clearest his voice is likely to come though.

[MALCOLM]

A bit Harvey Pekar (American Splendor) as well, possibly?

I really liked:

"Your mom really does that?"
*I don't know, I don't talk to her every day"

The whole poker table sketch has been my favourite part of the first two episodes, loved Louis' description of the guys Mum stuffing discarded cocks up her arse until there was no room to fit a playing card

[MALCOLM]

Fuck off Gervais

[Penfold]

Fuck off Gervais

Yep. I don't automatically hate Gervais but in this I fucking hated Gervais. He couldn't even keep a consistent goatee.

[Slaaaaabs]

Fuck off Gervais. Seriously terrible.

[Gavin]

Fuck off Gervais. Seriously terrible.

He won't be in it again, will he?

[NoSleep]

"I've got an idea that incorporates a doctor friend who thinks he's funny but is actually an annoying asshole. I wonder who I could get to play him?"

[amputeeporn]

The more I see of this show the more I love its mood. The trip to the hospital in this ep was great to watch, even though it was mainly laugh free. A lot of the stand-up either side of it killed me, so that was good too. Gervais was terrible; made to look all the worse by the naturalistic and dignified approach taken by what I assume is a cast of unkown New York stand-ups and actors. I honestly think given his dialogue (worst yet in this show by a mile) I could have done something more interesting and funny.

I'd like to think CK wouldn't have him back after this. I know Americans seems to be blind to his terror but, really, had it been in a big film or something: that performance could have been career-threatening for many comic actors. The worst thing is his appropriation of some of the knowingly awful things Louis might say, but relentlessly and with no invention, context, timing or charm. I'm dreading his turn on Curb now...