i can't believe
louie is already done - the season finale was monday night. am i seriously the ONLY person on this board who watches this amazing show?? newmads, frameous, what happened to you guys?
though louis is seriously my favorite comedian, this season had really more drama in it than comedy. which was totally fine, because louis totally owned this season. his show is seriously just getting better and better, imo.
i liked that louie's two daughters were used more in this season. they have been a part of the show since season one and it's wild because they're getting so grown up, it seems. but they are very talented, especially the girl who plays jane, the youngest. that girl can rock a violin.
but louie had trouble with both of them this season - jane is having behavior problems at school, which i think is because she is more advanced than her fellow students. the show when jane just cheerfully decides to test her father's back up plan at the subway was nearly terrifying. louie is going over what they are all supposed to do if they get separated at the subway, and jane decides to see if it will work by casually stepping off their train just as the doors close, leaving her father and sister. louie drags lily, the older one, around by the arm as he races to get back to her. the whole time i was just stressed, waiting to see what would happen. and louie really let jane have it when he found her - unharmed - man, it was a taut, well done scene.
and then while at an outdoor concert that seems to have attracted a lot of teenagers, louie happens to spot lily with her friends, smoking a joint. she's only 12. so of course, louie loses his sh*t over it. lily is defiant and asks, "what do
you know about it?" which leads to three episodes in a row of a series of flashbacks as louie as a teen, smoking pot for the first time.
i'm telling you - the kid they got to play louis - skinny, pasty with red hair - he was PERFECT. it showed how louie took to pot as most teens do, to fit in with friends, to deal with the usual teen angst crap. but it gets out of hand and there are a few very tense moments that were so freaking well done. in the end, louie just has to hug lily and tell her "say goodbye to your childhood."
^that's not from this season, but i love it - louie really is a good parent. he screws things up, but he is a good teacher to his daughters. he loves them, but he doesn't coddle them.
then louie's love life. oy! the poor guy is so needy and lonely for love. in an excellent few episodes, louis helps his neighbor (excellently played by ellen burstyn), a hungarian woman. through her he meets her niece, amia. he falls for her even though she speaks very little english. their story is really heartbreaking.
there is more interaction with louie's ex wife, janet. you can see the animosity between them, but there's a scene or two where you can see how they still share a slight connection and common ground, too.
one of the most raw episodes was
so did the fat lady, when louie reluctantly goes out with an overweight woman. since louie writes these episodes, or the majority of them, this episode alone makes him my favorite feminist.
then pamela returns. pamela, louis's friend who is very outspoken and rude and can be just as blue as louie. he was in love with her last season, though she refused to entertain the idea of being anything but friends with him. she left to live in paris to try and reconcile with her ex, but she returns and tells louie she might be ready for something more with him. louie shoots her down because of his feelings for amia, but after she goes back to hungary, he tries again with pamela.
he almost has to force her to cross that line with him, but she finally agrees to give it a try. but they are very mismatched. louie wants the hand holding and affection - and for her to simply be
nice to him, because she can be a real bitch - and she can't be that person.
that is where the season ended - on whether or not louie is willing to put up with her crap, i guess. i don't like her much - well, i do and i don't. i don't like her with louie. but as an actress, i think she's amazing. i didn't realize until i looked her up on imdb that she was the voice of bobby hill on
king of the hill! that blew my mind. she's co-produced and written a few episodes of louie, and of course she played his wife in lucky louie, which was on hbo years ago. they're good together.
there was a lot of funny moments too this season - i think my favorite was louie throwing his back out as he is in a sex toy shop to purchase a vibrator because a fellow comedian told him they weren't just for the ladies. that, and when he accidentally punched the model in the face when she wouldn't stop tickling him. no one shows humiliation, awkwardness and despair like louie. it's both fun and painful to watch.