TV in Review: Louie, “Dad”

Last week’s Louie moved me because of the insider comedy interactions between Louie, Sarah Silverman, and Mark Maron. This week’s Louie moved me because of the poignancy and the ridiculousness of his flight from dad, and how committed Louis is to following his ideas above and beyond their logical conclusions.

It can be relentless when everything goes wrong in Louie’s life. In some ways, that’s the more traditional sitcom tradition. But, whether it’s I Love Lucy or Three’s Company, it’s how things go wrong that can be compelling, and in this episode we get a new narrative logic. Louis continues to experiment with Louie, and I loved the pained and fanciful narrative flow from electronics store to the Russian Tea Room to a card game to the doctor’s office to Boston. F. Murray Abraham does a star turn as Louie’s odd Uncle X, and Louie’s reluctance to see his dad has his body collapsing and him arguing with his GPS.

There are no “A” and “B” plots this week. This is one of his most filmic episodes. It’s all one story, and for “Dad” I’ve picked out half a dozen of my favorite moments and lines.

1. First up is Jane practicing a truly glorious piece of music on her violin. Do any of you know what it was?

LOUIE: Stop it. Stop it. It’s not time to do that right now.JANE: But it’s beautiful.

LOUIE: It’s not time to do it. I told you to — I told you to — to do your homework. Go to your room. Go to your room. Go to your room. Go to your room. Go to your room. Go to your room. Go to your room. Go to your room. Go to your room. Go to your room.

2. Where have you been, F. Murray Abraham?

UNCLE X: Louie, let me ask you something. When a man has intercourse with a prostitute and he covers his organ with protection, so that he won’t catch her wretchedness, he is acting in the interest of his family, so that he won’t take it home to his wife. Mm?

LOUIE: That’s — that’s a question?

3. It’s back to the comedians’ card game, with Louie and Sarah Silverman querying a picture found in the possession of Jim Norton.

SARAH: Jim, why do you have a child’s crude drawing of a woman with a scribbly bush sucking a big cock?

JIM: It’s not a child’s drawing.

4. Louie’s doctor helps him figure out the mind-body connection.

DOCTOR: Now here’s the thing. Rashes and vomiting don’t usually go together.

5. When our minds retreat and our bodies seize up with panic, it can feel like the outside world is omniscient.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Ladies and gentlemen, we’re making our final descent into Logan Airport in Boston, where your father lives.

6. And finally, here I am Louie is at age 40 44, trying to escape my parents his dad by moving to California taking off on a Can-Am Spyder RS-S three-wheeled motorcycle.

Images. Because sometimes, words fail.

FX first broadcast Season 3, Episode 8 of Louie on August 16, 2012.

SEE ALSO
Polentical: TV in Review: Louie, “IKEA / Piano Lesson” (Season 3, Episode 7)