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"Louie" Recap: "Something is Wrong"

Salomon Fuentes |
June 28, 2012 | 11:49 p.m. PDT

Staff Writer

Only the fictional version of Louis C.K. can't seem to catch a break (Courtesy FX)
Only the fictional version of Louis C.K. can't seem to catch a break (Courtesy FX)
Season three of “Louie” has some very high expectations behind it. The first two seasons earned Louis C.K. widespread critical acclaim and his 2012 comedy tour has already sold over 100,000 tickets ($4.5 million in sales) nationwide in just two days.

Basically, C.K. is on fire right now and it’s impossible to not root for his continued success.

But back to the show, C.K. promised this season would be different and while there should be no doubt that it will be, we start off in familiar territory: our hero isn’t very good at relationships with women.

Louie meets his girlfriend April (Gaby Hoffmann) at a diner. Immediately things feel off with the two exchanging subtle jabs while Louie sits quietly, trying to enjoy his ice cream. As it turns out they’ve been dating for six months and she senses something’s wrong.

When she starts guessing—Louie just sits there— she concludes that he wants to break up with her.

“April, I’m not breaking up with you. I’m just tired,” Louie tells her sincerely.  

Within moments, April springs the dreaded, “we shouldn’t be together anymore,” on him.

It’s a tough break that’s worsened when he walks outside only to see his car crushed by a construction crew. It’s a funny detour into the surreal territory that “Louie” often frequents.

Seeking solace and a new set of wheels, Louie stumbles into a motorcycle shop and despite the scars and bruises on the shop owner Louie is intrigued.

At $7,500 and 45 miles to the gallon how can he not be?

“So it’s actually smart to buy a motorcycle?” Louie asks the owner, but it’s really just Louie convincing himself that somehow this is a good idea for a forty-something father of two who’s probably never ridden a motorcycle before.

Sure, there’s that nice moment where Louie seems to be having a good time driving his bike around Manhattan and maybe you’d even say he looked “cool” doing it. 

But of course that isn’t meant to last. This is a man in a mid-life crisis, after all. On cue, a few other bikers (who clearly aren’t novices) surround Louie and begin to pull off tricks. Louie gets distracted and ends up slamming into the back of a parked delivery truck.

At the hospital he’s finds himself tied down on a stretcher with a less than sympathetic doctor. “You know there’s nothing dumber than riding a motorcycle. It’s just stupid,” the doctor says.

We’re introduced to Louie’s ex-wife, Janet (Susan Kelechi Watson). Her initial show of concern when Louie calls her to say he won’t be able to pick up their kids dissipates when he mentions he was on a motorcycle when he crashed.

Louie goes home to rest and April comes by after remembering she left her laptop at his place. A beaten and lonely Louie asks if she wants to stay.

April is nonplussed and goes off again while Louie just lies still on his couch. She asks if he’s sure because if she stays it means they will be wasting years of their lives all because he doesn’t have the cajones to end it now and “be a man.” All Louie can do is stare and as April walks out exasperated, he musters a long sigh. I think we can all sympathize there.

Side notes:

There’s bound to be some talk about Louie’s ex-wife being black, while their kids are white. I like the decision because Watson and her reactions to Louie’s stupidity fit into the show perfectly. Who says it has to make logical sense?

The exchange between Louie and the construction worker that precedes the destruction of Louie’s car is gold. “What the hell are you guys doing anyway?” “I don’t know.”

The old woman at the hospital saying, “What about Obama?” was a nice callback to last season when Louie tried to get a home loan.

Another great moment was Louie running into an evil we can all relate to: parking signs. A sign reading, “Parking permitted anytime after midnight,” is downright diabolical.

Reach Staff Writer Salomon here; follow him on Twitter here



 

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