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.

Television is a strange industry. It just astounds me sometimes how a show with a devoted following (although not too high ratings) gets canceled without a TV network giving it the chance to let the word of mouth spread. After all, "Seinfeld" didn't get strong ratings when it debuted, but it eventually went on to be the #1 show on television. And it seems strange that while mediocre shows like "According to Jim" and "Will & Grace" are on for at least five seasons, great shows like "Arrested Development", "Freaks & Geeks", and "Sports Night" get the shaft early on.

That said, DVD releases seem to be God's gift to TV. If it wasn't for TV shows being released to DVD, the aforementioned shows would be cast into oblivion without more people knowing how great they are. "Lucky Louie" can certainly be added to this list of great shows that were canceled too soon, and would have been unheard of had it not been for its DVD release.

I bought the entire season on a whim at an out-of-business sale a local movie and music store was having. I vaguely remember it being on HBO a few years ago, and I know Louis C.K. is a big name in the comedy writing world. So I gave it a shot not knowing exactly what to expect. I later popped the first disk into my DVD played, watched the first episode, and the next thing you know, I couldn't stop watching it. It was that good.

The show's premise is not entirely original, but it is a refreshing change from sitcoms where characters live in places they clearly can't afford with no visible means of income to support themselves. It's also good to see that in this 30-minute sitcom, the problems are surprisingly real, and they're not entirely solved by the end of the episode, nor are they forgotten about by the next episode. This element of familiarity adds real depth to the characters, and makes for very intriguing storytelling, something that has been lacking from a number of sitcoms over the last twenty years.

Louis C.K. is like Conan O'Brien in the sense that he originally made a name for himself behind the camera, such as on "Saturday Night Live" and "The Chris Rock Show". His acting wasn't great on the pilot episode, and you could see signs of some nervousness initially. However, as the episodes progressed, he really got into his character and made the whole show work.

Also noteworthy is Pamela Adlon, who plays his wife Kim. She works very well off of C.K., she looks like someone who would be married to an average guy, and she acted like a lot of people I know in similar situations. She was just a very genuine character.

Of course, the freedom to swear and show nudity on HBO is the most obvious thing that differentiates this sitcom from even the edgiest network sitcoms. Any experienced comedy professional, including the most explicit comedians, can tell you that profanity in comedy is not funny in and of itself. It has shock value, but can kill the laughs when used in excess. If anyone understands that, it's Louis C.K. and the other actors on this show. There is swearing, but it's funny. If the swearing was taken out when aired on a network TV station, this sitcom would find itself on a standstill. It also would have a hard time incorporating the brilliant supporting actors who are underrated stand-up comics Rick Shapiro and Jim Norton, who are known for their dirty mouths but are still funny. "Lucky Louie" was lucky to find its place on HBO.

I was just surprised that HBO canceled it as quickly as it did. Naturally, HBO made its name with original dramatic series including "The Sopranos" and "Oz", but they really should reconsider giving an edgy half-hour sitcom like this one another chance. One could argue that people don't normally turn to HBO for that type of show, but hour long dramatic series used to be exclusively for network TV. HBO may not bring this sitcom back from the grave, but they should have realized what kind of gem they had in their possession. In the long run, though, Louis C.K. has gotten more exposure, and he has since had his own hour-long stand-up special on none other than HBO. At least something good came out of the show being canceled in addition to a proper DVD release.

"Lucky Louie" was a brilliant show that was shorter lived than it should have been. I recommend anyone who has not seen it yet to go to your video store, or go on Netflix, and rent the first disk with the first six episodes. You may find yourself immediately wanting to see the next disk.

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.

I'm not going to waste your time and pretend that I was one of those watching this cancelled HBO sitcoms when it was broadcast almost ten years ago; like most people who have seen it, I came to this show relatively recently thanks to Louis CK's FX show and his various (well priced) live shows. It is an odd feeling to watch this show looking back, because unlike this most recent work, this is very much studio-set sitcom with a live studio audience. At first it was hard to get into, and I admit I started the pilot with reservations over the very dated look, and very basic sets. Frankly as well, the very 'sitcom' aesthetics and structure to the whole thing put me off a little, because generally I am not one for network sitcoms, even if I do watch a few.

However, below the surface, Lucky Louie is essentially the show Louie transposed into a sitcom and given greater structure, and forced to actually have jokes. As much as I do enjoy his much more freeform show now, this sitcom structure actually works very well because it means the show not only does what his later show would do, but it has more robust narratives, a better structure around the family unit, and with more direct jokes. The show is crude, it is impatient, it is dirty, it is lazy, and it is just about getting by – all of which is very much the opposite of sitcoms, not least of which Friends, which had been the dominant example for near enough a decade before this show aired. In terms of writing it is exaggerated of course, and it is crude, but it has that sense of honesty about its characters and situations which I found really quite engaging and refreshing.

With this element at its heart the show is strong, but what really made it work was that it was consistently funny and well played out. Some of the characters really didn't work for me, but the core unit was strong and most of the narratives flow around Louie and Kim, with others just supporting. There are really no weak links in the cast though, and everyone is funny, on-point, and served with consistently good material. The basic set is something I got used to as part of the charm of the show (and the genre it is within), while the laugh track generally works even if personally I don't care for shows that use them.

It is a great sitcom though, as it manages to embrace and subvert the norms of the genre, bringing the darker, frustrated humor of Louie, but giving it greater structure and sharper (actual) jokes. Remarkable to see also that 10 years has really not affected it in any way, as it feels fresh, challenging and relevant even if it screened now.

I didn't think I'd like this show, but I truly did. My husband saw the previews and asked me to tape it for him so I watched it. He is an over the road truck driver. I don't know the cast member's names, but the black guy living across the hall is fabulous. His expressions say it all. The little girl playing Lucy was so cute asking "why" to all of Louie's adult explanations.

I do have a comment about continuity, tho. In Louie's kitchen, there is a window over the sink. Since there is another apartment to the right of his (facing the front door), there cannot be a window in the kitchen, unless it is looking into the apartment next door.