Louie - General Discussion

[zxy556575]

His show has its moments for me, but it just seems to consistently miss for me rather than amuse me.  And I know its not all meant to be comedy.

 

Not meant to be comedy, but is it meant to make me cringe? When Louie was trying to tell his therapist that he might be clinically depressed, I was all "duh." And that's not amusing for me to watch.

Edited April 17, 2015 by lordonia

[ganesh]

In CYE, Larry David would eventually get into a kind of amusing shouting match with a (parking attendant/barista/waiter/lawyer/etc), but here Louie just takes a beating and wanders off.  That's not funny, it's just sad and pathetic.

 

I looked at it that Judy Gold was so off the chain and massively disrespectful to Louie that him saying anything would have made it worse for everyone. She near-assaulted her own gf. The surrogate woman was treated as a machine. You just have to let that go. Louie didn't do anything wrong, he knows it, and he did the right thing taking her to the hospital. He could have called her a cab or ambulance and just let her go on her own. 

 

I thought the point was that it's what you do that is meaningful. People like that you just don't need in your orbit. 

[hincandenza]

No, I agree that sometimes you can't really do anything with people like Judy Gold's character in real life, but for comedy purposes it misses the mark because it's just sad to watch, with no laughing (eh, okay, I giggled a little when Louie said "I didn't cum"). And maybe that's what people are talking about when they say how the show isn't as "good" as it used to be.  I think if seen as essentially weekly short films, which are at times wryly comedic, it it is consistently good artistically.  But sometimes- such as this episode, to me- it seems he is forgetting that comedy is a powerful form of catharsis, and when he gives us heavy or depressing scenarios he could at least offer the spoonful of sugar that makes it easier to swallow.

 

As an aside, it just occurred to me that this very same point would apply as a success story to John Oliver's hit new show- on which forum I happened to be commenting a moment ago- where he uses comedy to trick us into giving him 15+ uninterrupted minutes focused on a single topic, one which we would normally avoid like the plague, and then enthusiastically discuss with friends and others.

[humbleopinion]

His fried chicken looked awesome.

[cpcathy]

It really did, didn't it?? Louie has cooked before on the show, and it's always shot so lovingly, whatever he makes looks really wonderful.

[bilgistic]

I wondered, though, why a man who has a cooking thermometer (or whatever they're called) doesn't have Tupperware or Rubbermaid or something in which to carry the chicken to the potluck. He just slapped some aluminum foil over a plate.

[peeayebee]

I don't see anything wrong with putting foil on a plate. As I imagine it, fried chicken in a Tupperware container doesn't look as appetizing as chicken on a plate under foil. I can't explain why.

[Muffyn]

Louie hosts an open mike.

[bref]

Blecchhh, Pamela is just so unlikeable that her perfectly reasonable perspective on living together or even being monogamous sounded like just another slap to Louie. Cut the man a break, he needs someone with a SMIDGEN of warmth, as do most humans (and I say that with full knowledge that Louis writes this himself). I'm frankly skeptical Pamela could even attract multiple sexual partners; she's just weird and mean.

 

The poop sequence made me laugh harder than it should have.

[peeayebee]

I try to avoid promos, but one I saw had clips from the poop scene, and I was cackling like a fool. Talk about scatological humor. I think I esp love how the daughters reacted. They sure know their daddy.

 

I figured the bit with that "comedian" Brad would end as it did, with him taking Louie's "advice" to use a high-pitched voice and becoming successful.

 

I know Pamela rubs a lot of people the wrong way, but I find her pretty funny. I also think she's very attractive.

[Jade Foxx]

 

I know Pamela rubs a lot of people the wrong way, but I find her pretty funny. I also think she's very attractive.

 

One more aboard the Pamela love train. I think she's awesome.

 

When Louie started to tell his "when I was in first grade" story, and Pamela was all "Ugh, stop! This sounds LONG..." was the best. I had an ex who was notorious for (continuously) recounting the same long, boring stories. Pamela's reaction made me cackle.

 

And I love the whole "a la carte" approach to a grown-up relationship!

[possibilities]

I've been in non-monogamous relationships but I still despise Pamela. There's no reason to be an insulting bitch just because you don't want to be exclusive. Say what you want, and stick by it, but you don't need to tear down someone else just because they may not want exactly what you do. Her refusal to either go to the movie and let him watch it or not go but not insult his desire to see it is another example of why I can't stand her. She seems to enjoy humiliating him and I don't enjoy watching it.

 

I like the show except every time she's on it, I consider turning it off and never watching again. Last season was such a repulsive insulting disaster, I seriously considered not even tuning in again this season. But I hoped he'd said all he wanted to say about those subjects, so I gave it another try. Looks like he's not done with it and all we can hope is that he manages to keep it minimal.

[DoubleUTeeEff]

I think the girls who play Louie's daughter did a great job in that first scene.  Their exaggerated terror at his predicament was spot on.  "Daddy, daddy!"  And his response, "Go down the block.  Don't look at me!"  

 

I think Pamela is abrasive but not mean.  I like her.  I like someone who has strong opinions and isn't afraid to share them.  She thought the movie would be stupid, told Louie she thought so but gave it a chance anyway.  When it did turn out to be stupid, they left.  I think if Louie had been into it, she would have sat through it.  I actually think that was a perfectly reasonable compromise to the situation.  Pamela seems like someone who questions the status quo rather than mindlessly floats through life like a lot of people.  I can see how that would be appealing to Louie.  She wanted a reason WHY Louie wanted to see the movie.  To her, just because it's some angsty black and white film, it doesn't automatically make it art.  But when Louie shared how he wanted to educate himself, she wasn't opposed to it.  She was willing to give it a chance.  Is there something worthwhile about the film?  Let's find out.

 

Same kind of situation with the moving in/exclusivity question.  Is it actually worthwhile?  Here are the reasons why not:  we've both done it before and it didn't work then, we both would like to fool around with other people and don't want to squander the time left we have to do that, we can have more fun this way.  She doesn't automatically accept the social conventions concerning dating and the "normal" course of events.  She questions them and makes Louie question it as well.  Does Louie really want to only be with Pamela? Perhaps it remains to be seen, but isn't it better to think about WHY rather than to do it just because?

[stormy weather]

I don't have a problem with what Pamela said about having an open relationship, it's her point of view and she can say whatever she wants. What I don't get is why Louis likes her so much. She's horrible! She won't listen to his stories, won't go watch the movie he wants to watch, she picks on him all the time and that talk (read: rant) at the restaurant was sooo long and unasked for I wanted to mute the audio. Plus she's not funny at all and I don't think she fits into the bittersweet tone of the show, she's too over the top and hyped up all the time. I don't like the episodes that revolve around her at all. 

 

The "tragedy" of the poop scene was great, though. It reminded me of Neverending Story, when Atreyu has to leave Artax in the Swamp of Sadness. 

[ganesh]

I don't have a problem with Pamela either. She speaks her mind for sure.

 

I think Pamela is abrasive but not mean.  I like her.  I like someone who has strong opinions and isn't afraid to share them.  She thought the movie would be stupid, told Louie she thought so but gave it a chance anyway.  When it did turn out to be stupid, they left.  I think if Louie had been into it, she would have sat through it.  I actually think that was a perfectly reasonable compromise to the situation.  Pamela seems like someone who questions the status quo rather than mindlessly floats through life like a lot of people.

 

Louie wanted her to move in out of insecurity of himself, and that's not a good reason. I don't think her pov was wrong. You don't have to do things, like move in, because That's What People Do. It's not like she doesn't love him. She said so. They're both divorced; they have that baggage. No need to pick it up again. And maybe she likes living on her own. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

I have a platonic friend that's mildly abrasive. And she messes with me and makes me apologize because she knows I feel awful if I think I made her mad. Then she laughs at me for it. But we always have fun. That's what's important. 

 

The opening with the kids was a scream. Jane's absolute *terror* was too funny. 

 

Louie's face when he saw Bart on tv was hilarious. The jokes work with the funny voice. 

[peeayebee]

"Go down the block.  Don't look at me!"  

I cracked up again just reading that.

[cpcathy]

I just loved that Louie dug right into a piece right after it was done, which is exactly what I would have done!

[gesundheit]

I know Pamela rubs a lot of people the wrong way, but I find her pretty funny. I also think she's very attractive.

I definitely see the appeal. She's hilarious. She's also a total asshole and it appears to be the #1 thing he likes about her.They crack me up.

 

I usually kind of roll my eyes at scatological humor. (Seriously, I was bored out of my mind during "the scene" in Bridesmaids when everyone in the theater was dying and I had no idea why.) In fact, when the cold open started I was prepared to be bored. But by that ending, with the little routine with the daughters and Jane hanging on and crying. Daddy, no!!! Holy crap (yep), that was freaking hysterical.

[bilgistic]

Louis doesn't want to have sex with other people (other than Pamela, he tells her), but he had sex with the pregnant woman last week. Did that not count because of some special sex clause that existed in his mind?

[gesundheit]

Louis doesn't want to have sex with other people (other than Pamela, he tells her), but he had sex with the pregnant woman last week. Did that not count because of some special sex clause that existed in his mind?

I don't think that happened in this timeline, I think that's another case of Louie not always being linear/with continuity.

[ganesh]

You don't want to put the warm chicken in the air tight environment of the tupperware because it would dry out. The foil retains the steam from the cooked chicken to keep it tender. 

[ganesh]

This episode could have easily occurred before the last one based on how this show is. In fact, it makes decent sense that it did. Talking to Pamela about his insecurity and her telling him that he's boring, led him to the therapist. Based on also what she said about not having many "good years" left, he had sex with the surrogate woman. So I think this is par for the course on the show. 

[ruby24]

I love Pamela. She's awesome and unsentimental and tells the truth. That's exactly the way I feel about relationships too, I think she's my soulmate, lol.

[zxy556575]

I figured the bit with that "comedian" Brad would end as it did, with him taking Louie's "advice" to use a high-pitched voice and becoming successful.

 

I figured it was Louie meta-answering his audience about the show being too dark, painful to watch, and "not funny."

[CMH1981]

Throw me in the I love Pamela / Bobby Hill boat.  I think she loves Louie, but knows at this point in her life to keep it somewhat casual in order to keep Louie as a true friend.  I keep meaning to watch the HBO sitcom that stared Louie and Pamela as husband and wife, I think it's called Lucky Louie.

 

The poop scene was hilarious.  

 

I've included a link to Pamela speaking about last night's episode and her thoughts on last season somewhat, it's frickin funny.

 

http://www.vulture.com/2015/04/louie-poop-scene-story.html

 

It also seems like I read somewhere that Louie and Pamela are dating now in real life.

[ganesh]

Lucky Louie was ahead of its time, in terms of a post modern sitcom. 

 

She's awesome and unsentimental and tells the truth.

 

Is she unsentimental? She told Louie she loves him, she initiated the conversation about them having sex that night, she went to a bad French movie he wanted to see, and she clearly values their friendship. I'll take that any day. 

[ganesh]

Lucky Louie was ahead of its time, in terms of a post modern sitcom. 

 

She's awesome and unsentimental and tells the truth.

 

Is she unsentimental? She told Louie she loves him, she initiated the conversation about them having sex that night, she went to a bad French movie he wanted to see, and she clearly values their friendship. I'll take that any day. 

[bilgistic]

Does anyone know the movie they went to see?

[jonesingjay]

Does anyone know the movie they went to see?

 

I thought it was something made specifically for the show, and not an actual French film.

[humbleopinion]

The actresses playing Louie's daughters made the Poop opening a new classic.

From bored grocery shopping to clutching each other and shrieking in terror heightened the hilarity.

When Louie stuffs the groceries in the trash can and starts race walking...

Funnier than Lucy and the conveyor belt at the chocolate factory.

[peeayebee]

I've included a link to Pamela speaking about last night's episode and her thoughts on last season somewhat, it's frickin funny.

 

http://www.vulture.com/2015/04/louie-poop-scene-story.html

Thanks for that. She mentions a "No Dumping" sign in one of the scenes. I missed that!

[ganesh]

I saw the no dumping sign. It was a wider shot.

 

The older one was actually holding it together while Louie and Jane were flipping out. She was the one who realized Louie had to go and was trying to convince him to just go in the market. I noticed again this episode when the deli owner calls Jane a "white bitch," Louie doesn't do anything and just leaves. Like when Judy Gold was chewing him out. I'm wondering if this is kind of a theme of the season: There's times when you just need to let stuff go. 

 

TMI: I don't like going in public restrooms either; I don't think anyone does, but there's a red line and you need to just get over it. There's certain places on my usual route where I know I can go and others where I can avoid. So it's always like, "can I make the ten minute walk to location A or am I in emergency mode?"

[humbleopinion]

I saw the no dumping sign. It was a wider shot.

 

The older one was actually holding it together while Louie and Jane were flipping out. She was the one who realized Louie had to go and was trying to convince him to just go in the market. I noticed again this episode when the deli owner calls Jane a "white bitch," Louie doesn't do anything and just leaves. Like when Judy Gold was chewing him out. I'm wondering if this is kind of a theme of the season:

There's times when you just need to let stuff go. 

 I do believe that was the message in Poop bit.

 

TMI: I don't like going in public restrooms either; I don't think anyone does, but there's a red line and you need to just get over it. There's certain places on my usual route where I know I can go and others where I can avoid. So it's always like, "can I make the ten minute walk to location A or am I in emergency mode?"

Sorry for the intrusion, tried to do quotes witout reading instructions.

[bilgistic]

Plenty of people don't mind using public toilets, but I do. I try not to have to pee in public, but I can't avoid it at work. I know our toilets are cleaned daily. Unless I am deathly ill, I will not poop in public.

And I've just cursed myself.

[ganesh]

You totally did. Good luck.

[peeayebee]

I noticed again this episode when the deli owner calls Jane a "white bitch," Louie doesn't do anything and just leaves. Like when Judy Gold was chewing him out. I'm wondering if this is kind of a theme of the season: There's times when you just need to let stuff go. 

There was no way Louie was going to stand there and talk to the man about anything. HE NEEDED TO POOP! I'm sure if they were in the store for any other reason, and the man had called Jane a white bitch, Louie would have spoken to him about it.

[ganesh]

That's my point. I'm proposing that Louie wouldn't engage and that's going to be a theme of the season. Don't deal with other people's issues because why?

[Fisher King]

I'm hoping we'll get the chance to see Louie return to the store to give that guy a little "thanks for causing me to crap my pants & this is for calling my daughter a bitch" parting gift. Preferably something odorous.

 

Yeah, I know the show doesn't work this way but I can hope....

 

I loved Pamela's a la carte discussion with Louie. I know she is abrasive and annoying at times but she cares enough to be brutally honest with him. The writing of that dialogue was so masterful in its truthful simplicity. I feel like those are things a real friend would say without things becoming misconstrued or  heated.  She was doing them both a big favor.

 

This was a really good episode.

 

No, get away from me! Just go down the block! Don't look at me!

....I love you!

 

 

 

 

[humbleopinion]

Remember in the season past how Louie pined and pined for Pamela when she turned back at the airport on the way to Europe and shouted "Wave to me" and he thought she said "Wait for me" and that miscommunication messed up Louie since he thought there was still hope for them as a couple.

She was not taking a chance for him to continue to hold out hope this time.

But there is no reason why they can't be friends with benefits.

She loves Louie but her honesty hurts him.

[xaxat]

From the interview with Pamela Adlon, who in addition to playing "Pamela" is also a writer/producer.
 

Why did it take so long for Louie to put this scene in the show?

Because things happen. Sometimes he writes six-part fuckin' episodes with a Hungarian woman in an elevator.

 

That reaction to their real life working relationship explains a lot, for me, about the "Pamela/Louie" relationship.

 

I loved how the poop scene was a more emotionally involving melodrama than the pretentious French film. The girls are really great.

 

Pamela was right that she has more years left than Louie in the looks department. That is one attractive looking almost fifty year old.

[ganesh]

I can totally see real-life PA giving real-life LCK a bunch of flack all the time. 

[Milburn Stone]

And then the whole thing at the door: "I'm not trying to... because I'm about to leave... seriously, I'm not... I'm going to leave..." Which I think was a wink to all the 'rapey!' criticism of the Pamela stuff last season.

 

A callback made more emphatic by the fact that the pregnant woman's long narrow foyer-vestibule looked exactly like Louis', IIRC. (Typical of NY apartments?)

[ganesh]

I think it's typical of old ish apartment buildings. If they didn't tell us that we were in NYC, it could have easily been in san Francisco.

[Jade Foxx]

Where is the thread for "Cop Story?"

 

That was an intense half hour.

[Charlie Baker]

 

Louie runs into an old acquaintance.

 

Above from my cable guide grid.

 

This was a solid ep--funny, excruciating, tense.  And Michael Rappaport threw himself into it.

 

But my question:  did this guy really treat Louie all that much worse than Pamela does?  Sure, there was a gun involved.

 

[DiabLOL]

I loved this ep. Loving the new season so far!

I HATE that he took it from the housewares store owner. 

[Ankai]

Well...the gun pointing is probably a dealbreaker. Plus, don't remember Pam tapping his balls or getting overly physically aggressive with him much...if anything, it was the other way around.

 

Where I work, when it is time to close, it is time to close. The only keys that are going to be used are the ones that lock the doors. That said, even if the age difference between him and the store owner is significantly greater than that between her and his daughters, but if he does bring them up right, won't they end up smarter than she will be? I was wondering why neither of them brought that up. She could have brought that up to assure him...or he could have said that to get back at her.

[DiabLOL]

I would have thought nothing of the closing time issue had she been an employee but she was the owner. Also, she initially said we're closing and I'd have to get the key PLUS they're for serious cooks.

 

Larry David did this a lot on his show but often he'd strike back and even though it usually resulted in chaos I found it more satisfying that he at least spoke up.

[humbleopinion]

Highlight was when he dropped the gun in the path of the dozen police officers exiting a van.

Best of MR was the closing scene when Louie was showing him how to knit.

[possibilities]

Pamela's obnoxious and Louie is a rapist, so comparing doesn't really speak to motives, as far as I'm concerned. The reason Louie objected to this guy wasn't that this guy was worse than Pamela, it was because Louie didn't want to fuck him like he wanted to fuck Pamela. If he'd been attracted, maybe he would have liked the behavior, and raped this guy, too. But, you know, manhood. You can only exact a revenge fuck from a woman. Otherwise, your manliness is still in question. Because fucking guys makes you a pussy. Get it? Rape logic is very complicated.

 

Louie took it from the shopkeeper because he likes being humiliated by women. Later, he might develop a crush and try to rape her, too. It's always most satisfying to dominate the women who are the most challenging. It means you are King of the Most Powerful Hill. If you only dominate weak people, you might still just be a pussy. But if you conquer the real bitches, you are a Superman, and also making the world safer for Real Men to Rule Unopposed, which is much more of an achievement.

 

Anyway, the cop was sort of pathetic. That makes him no fun to fuck with. Louie's tried dating pathetic women and it's kind of a turn off for him, a chore, something he'll do if he has to but not really what he's looking for. He likes unattainable glamour and overcoming resistance best.

 

I have to go beat my chest now. And yell and stuff.