“Can this just be okay?”
Season 4 of Louie has made it abundantly clear that our titular character has women and relationship problems: he’s slept with a model, he’s learned something from the woman he spent time with in “So Did the Fat Lady”, and he’s had a connection with Amia, but at the end of it all, he’s left with very little. So, as we saw in “Pamela Part 1”, he attempted to force Pamela to have sex with him, to rekindle a flame that he desperately hoped was still there.
Oftentimes, Louie takes you on an emotional journey, sliding you headfirst into some of the richest storytelling and acting on television. This is truly a show that makes full use of the artistic potential of the medium, and “In the Woods” is a beautiful and moving exploration of Louie’s past.
The “Elevator” series is a brilliantly crafted six-episode arc about ideas of loneliness, love, disappointment, and the Miami Heat perishing in Hurricane Jasmine Forsythe, and it concludes with an emotional and beautifully directed episode that transitions into the final arc of the season.
“A small bird died today from sadness. It was six years old.”
At first, it comes across as a funny one-liner to end the episode with, but we slowly realize that it’s Louie–and this elevator arc as a whole–in a nutshell: it’s the story of a sad man, a small man, someone who seems to be losing himself in a surreal environment.
The interesting thing about the character of Louie is that, for all his troubles with women, he’s constantly talking to them, constantly living in a world surrounded by them. Whether we’re talking about his daughters or his mini flings or his blasts from the past, we see a man who essentially constructs a barrier of his own doing, one between him and the very women he interacts with.
“Look, if you were over there, looking at us, what you’d see is that we’re a perfect match.”
There’s always been an emotional truth to Louie, an honesty that’s truly a marvel to watch unfold; CK is a masterful writer, whether it be for a cringe-worthy comedic scene or a serious, genuine conversation like the one we get at the end of “So Did the Fat Lady”, and here, he continues to craft what is looking like an excellent season.
“Lots of stuff happens after you die. It’s just that none of it includes you.”
Louie has always been a simultaneously hilarious and a bit depressing, portraying a man pretty much just living his life, performing sets at the Comedy Cellar and taking care of his daughters and dealing with his myriad problems. In the fourth season premiere, it’s all about age, and from the show’s simplicity comes some rich, compelling television.
Welcome to this blog. There are millions of other blogs out there, but you chose to look at mine. No, you did not just randomly come across it; you chose it. I will accept nothing less.
As for what we do here, I think the title’s pretty explanatory. I’m a polar bear, and yes, I do watch TV. I am obsessed with various forms of pop culture, in particular television and film, so I started this to get my thoughts down in writing. I am a member of the fabulous online community of The AV Club (which all of you should check out), and I wanted to do something similar to that.
What will we review? Lots of stuff. Our TV reviews will include American Horror Story, Dexter, Breaking Bad, The Bridge, The Americans, Wilfred, Louie, Justified, Parks and Recreation, Community, Sons of Anarchy, Hannibal, Orange is the New Black, Boardwalk Empire, Homeland, Treme, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Archer, New Girl, Parenthood, Orphan Black, Person of Interest, The Walking Dead, Childrens Hospital, NTSF:SD:SUV::, Girls, Nikita, Strike Back, Veep, Banshee, The Vampire Diaries, How I Met Your Mother, Arrow, Revenge, Scandal, The Newsroom, Raising Hope, and others I can’t think of right now. Only some of these will have regular coverage, but I’ll try to get in some posts about all of them. I will also be reviewing new pilots, and may decide to pick up some more shows.
Our TV Classic reviews may include shows like The Shield, The Wire, The Sopranos, Deadwood, Friday Night Lights, House, 24, Lost, Chuck, Terriers, Arrested Development, The West Wing, Fringe, Boston Legal, and others.
*I apologize, but many of these shows’ reviews will start in the middle of their seasons, as I am just starting to write. However, I will try to give some thoughts on the episodes before.
Our film reviews will include whatever movies I decide to watch at home or in the theater, and can be new releases or old.
I might also post some random stuff; fan fiction, thoughts on entertainment news, etc.
Enjoy.
Polar Bears Watch TV 