Lucky Louie

The pilot premiered last night and although I enjoyed it I have the distinct feeling it will only get better. The setup of characters was excellent and I am anxious to see how Louie interacts with his neighbor, his daughter, his wife, and friends. The character Rich (drug dealer) did not have much of a part but his abrasiveness and flow of curses was as smooth as broth flowing into a bowl. I do not wish to give out spoilers (although it has already premiered) I would definitely put this down as a watch (or TIVO) On the plus side being sandwiched between Entourage and Dane Cook's Tourgasm is perfect placement I'm sure it will be a hit. I will definitely be sitting down to watch this. The hook is set in this critic's mouth.

After viewing the first few episodes of this sitcom I feel compelled to let my fellow IMDb-ers know that they may well extend their life spans by seeing this show! That may seem to be an idle promise, but if the old adage "Laughter is the best medicine" holds any truth whatsoever, then this may be the fabled Fountain of Youth! It should be mentioned here that it is necessary for the viewer to be comfortable with base humor and some male frontal nudity. I enjoy all types of comedy, from Pee-Wee Herman's silliness to the time tested Three Stooges slapstick, from Rowan Atkinson's brilliant pantomime to the highbrow satire of Fawlty Towers. I think this show may set a new standard for modern ribaldry! The story involves a poor family with one child, living in a shabby tenement building and doing what they need to survive in an unusually unfair world. Many story lines revolve around the couple's desire to have a satisfying sex life while trying/not trying to conceive a second child. Their discussions are frank and to the point with many instances of crude language (never in the presence of their lovely daughter, however). Also, Louie (played by Louis C. K.) has a heck of a time convincing his African-American neighbors that he isn't a racist, while circumstances conspire against him to seemingly prove just the opposite. I laughed until my sides hurt because I imagined that this was art imitating life in a real and honest fashion. Let's face it, most people will be themselves when they think there is no-one watching, and I KNOW you're all imperfect, just like me. Enjoy the mirror's reflection, if you're not too self-righteous!

Having watched the first three episodes of Lucky Louie I have to say I am impressed by the real world issues it choose to deal with through comedy. However, if really talking about sex makes you feel awkward, or you feel grossed out by male nudity, then this show is most likely not for you. Otherwise be prepared for some laugh out loud moments depicting a struggling young family as they deal with issues ranging from female orgasms, to racism. While this show is not where you are going to lean any profound lessons regarding these topics, it confronts them head-on in a manner that is very edgy even in today's culture. If you are open minded enough to think there is such a thing as sophisticated, gross-out humor, then you should find plenty of that here. The jokes are well executed 90% of the time and nearly the entire show is very well acted. My two complaints are the shoddy looking set design, and the 'laugh track' audience which can sometimes get annoying. These are minor complaints if what your looking for is a good laugh. The reality these characters live in is far more compelling than any sitcom out there today.

In no way is it supposed to be groundbreaking like Six Feet Under, The Sorpranos, or any other HBO programming. Lucky Louie is a sitcom that is filmed, and can be shown, on HBO. They intentionally aren't trying to break the box here, folks; that's the point. I am looking forward to this show because I am sick and tired of the generic, pansy, overly formulaic, and frankly unfunny sitcom shows on network TV (and by this I don't mean My Name Is Earl, The Office, or Arrested Development, but of the Freddy, Dharma and Greg variety). This show will be a breath of fresh air and will give me a great night of comedy (Entourage, Lucky Louie and Tourgasm). I can't wait.

Also, I'm sad to report that cast member Jim Norton might not make season 2 because of his battle with AIDS. I'm currently watching his puppy and refilling his broth bowl. Thoughts and prayers.

This is a very good and refreshing show that makes you laugh out loud and surprises you each episode.

I don't really get it why they cancel it and immediately schedule a DVD release?

Maybe it was too real for HBO to deal with and they've gone soft!

Anyway, this small little show should have gotten a second chance because it really had the potential to become a cult series. I really don't get what's up with cancelling all these nice shows nowadays and lame stuff keeps on running for years. What's up with that?

Your loss HBO. Seriously.