I do my weekly DVR Purges, but let's be frank: they are crap. I don't proofread them at all most weeks. They're collections of scattered thoughts that barely even make sense a week later. What I've decided to do is, with most of these shows I watch taking a break, reflect on where I stand with them, assessing what is in the show's favor (assets) and what could get it in trouble (liabilities).
Now, not every show I watch will be included. In general, I'm sticking to shows that I've kept notes (be them from Purges or otherwise) as I've watched. That means, shows like The Bridge, Looking, Sherlock, and Dexter will not be included. To get my thoughts on those, ask me. This project, supposing I stay on schedule should take all month and I hope it does a good job summing up where these shows stand. In some cases, I'm hoping to convince you to start watching. Other times, it'll be nothing more than a postmortem for a show that's gone.
I hope you enjoy.
Favorite Episode(s): "In the Woods" & "So Did the Fat Lady"
Louie's Perspective: People sometimes forget. This is a show that had Chelsea Peretti get on a helicopter to not kiss Louie in the pilot and trash men come into his room to show how loud they were being. It is often a surreal show, specifically because it reflects how Louie feels about a situation as much as what is actually happening. I can't think of any other show that blends the two as subtly as Louie. He leaves it up to the viewer to figure out when things go from real to perceived. It's a risky decision, but also why this is one of the most unique shows on TV.
Guest Stars: I'd argue that of his jobs on the show (writer, director, actor, producer, etc.), Louis CK's directing is the most underrated. I look to how well he handles guest stars. Sarah Baker in "So Did the Fat Lady" was incredible in the delivery of her speech. I've never seen Yvonne Stahovski as loose as she was in "Model". The entire cast of "In the Woods" was new or seldom-used on the show, and even though Louis wasn't in the majority of the episode, it still felt every bit like an episode of Louie. He's becoming the Woody Allen of TV with all the opportunities he is giving actresses to shine (even looking back to Parker Posey and Melissa Leo is seasons past).
Experiments: You never know what you are going to get with an episode of Louie. The first three seasons relied very little on continuity. Most episodes consisted of a series of vignette's that may not even be connected in-episode. He's been moving more and more into multi-part stories with two and three parters last season. In season four, he shook it up even more with the six-part Elevator saga and a three part story with Pamela that he broke up with a 90 minute (with commercials) After-School Special. I won't get into which ones worked better or worse for me, but the fact that he's willing to take these chances is something I love.
Rapey: This has probably been the most discussed aspect of season four and for good reason. The season begins with Louie accidentally maiming a Strahovski in "Model" followed by him not taking "No" for an answer with Amia and Pamela in back to back weeks. The only thing I can say in response to this is that the show is very clearly told from his perspective and isn't the exact truth. He's had women jump on helicopters to get away from him and he's gotten on a jet ski to get away from his father. Is it really a stretch to think that Pam's resistance to kissing him could be how he felt about the situation, not actually what happened? That's how I read it, but I totally understand anyone who feels uncomfortable about the whole thing.
Pamela: In the first two seasons, Pam was one of the major recurring characters. She was this oddly perfect match for Louie who called him on his shit while still being someone he liked having around. Her return in season four began as an obstacle, a contrast to his much kinder chemistry with Amia. Eventually they start dating and...I forgot how mean she is to him. I can't tell if the show wants us to think that he's settling for her or that she's the yin to his yang. I'm not sure how excited I am to see them together in the future since, as often as their relationship is great, it's equally toxic.
Experiments: I love the experiments normally, but, these days, if they don't work, you're stuck with them for a while. Had I decided I didn't like Elevator with the first part, I'd've been stuck with it for five more episodes. "In the Woods" isn't a small miss if you don't like it. It's a big one.
There's no show like Louie on TV. That is nearly reason enough to watch it. I can't think of another show with such a singular voice (Perhaps Girls, but that even has costars). It's amazing that a show like this has found a way to last this long (and that is wasn't moved to FXX like other network staples). This season was the first to really take some hits from the critics and I can see why. It didn't look like the seasons before it and clicked in much different ways. Louis CK is in the thankless situation that if the show was the same as it had been before, people would grow tired of it and if he changed it, they would complain that it's not the Louie they loved. There was an extra long wait for this season and I get the feeling it'll be the same way for the next. I'm certainly happy to wait.
Previously this Offseason...
Community
Brooklyn Nine Nine
New Girl
Suburgatory
Modern Family
Parenthood
The Mindy Project
The Michael J Fox Show
The Big Bang Theory
Agents of SHIELD
The Crazy Ones
Back in the Game
Parks and Recreation
The Walking Dead
The Middle
Saturday Night Live
Cougar Town
House of Cards
No comments:
Post a Comment