Horace and Pete

I have watched a lot of Louis CK's stand up comedy and it seemed to me that his amazing humour came from him extracting the absurdity of life and him talking about it on stage in a way that was both very funny, honest, and engaging, which is not easy feat I think (the feat being presenting the absurdity and confusing nature of life in way that both the presenter and audience can laugh together at it, as opposed to be terrified/confused/annoyed by the confusing universe). Even though the episodes of Horace and Pete feel formatted more in the way of a play, to me it is still fantastic in the same way. Family and life can be infuriating because as we grow up we see that the more we know about family/life/universe the more we realize that we don't know (that whole Socrates thing), but that doesn't mean we give up hope ... instead we can find it absurdly funny and laugh in the face of absurdity, and try and learn from it, and move forward in a better way, especially when there is a master funny man like Louis CK to extract amazing funny thought lines from the absurdity. In this way it is an honest reaction to the confusing nature of life instead of simply trying to create a sanitized narrative to our lives that might make us feel less fear, but doesn't really address the reality. Anyways, that is more my emotional mumbo jumbo response to why I think this is a really good show, but in more specific terms I find the dialogue really great, the acting great, and the jokes great, and therefore I find it ... very great! Thanks Louis CK!

With the feel of a stage play and the authenticity of day-to-day real life, Horace and Pete (2016) is an entirely unique take on television. It's the kind of dramatic production that hits every note perfectly; the casting (and acting) is beyond amazing, the writing is nuanced and true to life and the storytelling is just flawless. It's evident how much Louis C.K. is inspired by Woody Allen with so many scenes striking that perfect balance of pathos and witty humor. Anyone who can appreciate TV as an art form needn't look further than this absolute gem.

Hats off to Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco and Alan Alda for showcasing some of the best acting I've ever seen as well as the entire supporting cast for knocking out of the park whatever time they had on screen and creating such enduring, memorable characters. And of course to Louis C.K. who, as a previous IMDb reviewer put it, has proven himself to be a modern day Tennessee Williams. Such an incredible show that I'm so fortunate to have seen.

Why oh why do you have to wait so long before someone figures out that someone might just want to watch a quality dramatic production?

Thanks to Pig Newton (presumably Louis) for putting their butts on the line to do something like this.

It's a fine production. With the exception of some small glitches in sound (occasional ambient echo, one surprising mic tap) production succeeds in mainlining the product straight into the vein. Lots of long takes, dialog that's so direct and lively and full-on it's like latching on to a freight train. An absolute delight to see fine acting talent, new and old, invited to participate in the spectacle, and all take their direction well and otherwise rise to the occasion. Sets and props are great, lighting is balanced and nice on the eyes.

It's funny because normally the first sign of good production is that you don't notice the production. But, trust me, my reflections on production (beside the minor sound issues) are an afterthought.

The important thing is that we get a story. And what a story! That's all I need to say; no need to spoil anything. Duck in and hang on tight.

One odd remonstrance: Let's face it: Louis can't stretch. But he can be forgiven in this case. His standard issue character is on-target, and you sometimes sort of bask, in a backgrounded way, in the realization that this is his labor of love.

Check it out.

What an incredible piece of art by Louis CK. There are very few movies or shows that have managed to captivate me the way this series has. It does an excellent job of presenting different perspectives on beliefs, morals and ideals and really bringing to conscious thought the internal struggles we all deal with but often fail to realize everyone else is dealing with in different ways as well. This is definitely not a comedy although it can be funny at times. The still camera shot style of filming makes it feel like a theatrical drama and it is very raw.

I think opinions will be rather polarizing, with artfully minded, highly empathetic personality types really appreciating the show and everyone else being bored by it. There is so much subtle, as well as not so subtle brilliance present but the subtleties really make the show and I think they might be missed by a lot of Louis CK's general audience. The show is slow paced, utilizes lots of long shots of dialogue and could only be pulled off with top notch scripting, casting and acting, and it absolutely nails it in all these departments.

Each episode is produced and released in the same week, which is pretty incredible. This means that episodes can adapt to and discuss very current events which often makes the topics of discussion much more interesting. The downside is that such a short production cycle sometimes results in somewhat raw editing, but I find that sometimes adds to the charm. I think producing this particular show in this way was a brilliant call by Louis CK and the pros far outweigh the cons.

If you watch the first episode and don't like it, don't expect it to get any better. If you watch the first episode and like it, they keep getting better and draw you in more and more as you learn more details of the characters lives and back-stories. This really is a masterpiece showcase of Louie CK's talents. It may just go down as one of the most underrates shows ever but I hope it gains the recognition it deserves.

It seems to me that one of Louis CK's strengths is the authentic nature of the dialogue. Given the quality of the actors in this thing, it makes for some captivating viewing.

I found the bar-discussion about politics, etc, to be very entertaining and well-paced. It was almost a little Aaron- Sorkinesque and I loved it. Also amazing to see how up-to-date it is?! Talk about fresh material. I thought the accountant-bit was funny.

The main plot about the family was engaging and managed to pull me in. It was depressing and dark, but still somehow not exhausting to watch. I am not actually a big fan of Louie's darker episodes, I don't have the patience or the inclination to spend my time being challenged and depressed. I want it to be funny and entertaining. But even so, I watch and value the darker Louie episodes, and I watched and enjoyed this. As I said, there is this theater-like presentation and at the same time feels so authentic! When Buscemi says "and you give our whiskey to this stranger" (or something), I get the feeling that the characters have had their own thoughts and feelings while our attention was diverted.

It's fun to see Louis use these very typical, almost cliché transitions (walking down the stairs to change scenes, etc) and making it work? It's very well made. I loved the diegetic music, watching Alda establish his presence by reacting to it.

There is no laughter-track or audience referencing at all. You are totally left to your own devices as a viewer, to laugh or dislike at your own discretion. It's kind of artistic, in that it challenges you to like it or shove off?

While I wasn't enjoying watching it, as it was sad and not my typical kind of thing, I am glad that I did. It's great watching something this well made.