It's the Summer - a time once-upon-a-time when all you got was reruns. Now a lot of shows like "Rescue Me" and "Sons of Anarchy" premier to keep you more than amused and engaged while the big hitters are on hiatus. "Louie" is here to do just that...
Odd.
That's really the only thing you can say about "Louie" that adequately covers this series. A semi-autobiographical look at comedian Louis C.K.'s New York life, it follows the at-odds-with-the-world Louie as he does comedy, raises his daughter and dates. He's recently divorced.
Like the old Seinfeld eps, Louis C.K. is seen doing standup throughout. He's funny and personable in these segments although known as a "comedian's comedian" he isn't as likable or accessible as some. He's not as angry as Lewis Black and not as squishy as Jerry Seinfeld - sort of in-between.
A recent standup clip had him talking about sex with animals and how if he wasn't told not to do that, he'd totally do it. I didn't find the monologe all that funny. The premise of it was okay but it just didn't achieve anything all that humorous. In fact, I don't find him all that funny in general and that's a problem - for me - and potentially for the show. If you don't think he's funny then where do you go when he's doing his 
schtick? I actually fast-forwarded through some of the standup parts.
The "dramatic" segments of the show - uneven - a lot like his comedy. The end of a painful and somewhat forced and mostly unfunny disastrous date has the woman he's with so repulsed by the idea of kissing him that she runs away, hops into a helicopter and flies across the river. That's funny in an oddball, Woody-Allenish way - that someone is so apalled at kissing you that they have to chopper away. Not hilarious, but certainly smile-worthy. Had the build-up to that moment been better it would have been a stronger payoff.
The opening to the second ep had Louis with his comedian friends, most of who you don't recognize unless you're a denizen of comedy clubs, having a free-association chat around a poker table. They talk about a few things and then get
into the meat of the conversation which is Louis' use of the word "fag/faggot" on stage. One of his gay friends tells him the origin of the word - which isn't funny (and not meant to be) - and then, a bit predictably, the gay friend is again called that. The segment worked although it was more amusing than funny. The rest of ep #2 was better than #1 - it felt as if the show was finding its voice. Not as forced.
I'm going to give "Louie" another chance or two. I'm not wild about all the standup they throw in but the "dramatic" segments have potential. I can't see this show making it as a regular on most people's Tivos but it's a decent start for a performer who has had a low profile for many years. Perhaps if this one doesn't last the next one will - or the next one. Because Louis C.K. has talent and a unique voice; it's just a matter of finding the right ways to make those elements shine.
"Louie" is on the wildly original FX on Tuesday nights.
