| Louie | |
|---|---|
| Season 4 | |
 DVD cover | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Release | |
| Original network | FX |
| Original release | May 5 (2014-05-05) – June 16, 2014 (2014-06-16) |
| Season chronology | |
← Previous Season 3 Next → Season 5 | |
| List of episodes | |
The fourth season of the Americantelevision comedy seriesLouie premiered on May 5, 2014, and concluded on June 16, 2014. It consists of fourteen episodes (an additional episode more than previous seasons), most running approximately 23 minutes in length.FX broadcast the fourth season on Mondays at 10:00 and 10:30 pm in the United States with back-to-back episodes. The season was produced by 3 Arts Entertainment and the executive producers wereLouis C.K., Dave Becky and M. Blair Breard.
Louie was created, written and directed by Louis C.K., who stars as a fictionalized version of himself, a comedian and newly divorced father raising his two daughters in New York City. The show has a loose format atypical for television comedy series, consisting of largely unconnected storylines and segments (described as "extendedvignettes")[1] that revolve around Louie's life, punctuated by live stand-up performances.
FX announced in July 2012 that it had renewedLouie for a fourth season to consist of 13 episodes,[2] and was later confirmed in October 2012 that the season would be delayed from airing in summer 2013 to May 2014, to give more time for Louie C.K. to develop the season. C.K. said, "I want season four to go somewhere new...I'm looking back to when I did the first season and the time I took to do the show and decide which directions to go in and I want that back again. I want a little breathing room."[3] In March 2014, FX announced the season would premiere on May 5, 2014, moving to Mondays and would air back-to-back episodes for seven consecutive weeks, containing an additional fourteenth episode.[4] C.K. said that the fourth season would include a multi-part, connected storyline after the third episode.[5]
C.K. collaborated with comedianSteven Wright (who previously guest starred on the series as himself) on some of the scripts for the fourth season, and Wright is credited as a consulting producer for the season.[6] According to guest star Jeremy Renner,Philip Seymour Hoffman was supposed to appear in an episode this season, however, Hoffman died in February 2014.[7] Episodes 11 and 12, "In the Woods" have an extended run time of an hour and a half (with commercials).[8]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1 | "Back" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | May 5, 2014 (2014-05-05) | XCK04001 | 0.94[5] |
Louie hurts his back when shopping for a vibrator after one of his friends suggests it. | |||||||
| 41 | 2 | "Model" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | May 5, 2014 (2014-05-05) | XCK04002 | 0.91[5] |
Jerry Seinfeld asks Louie to introduce him at a benefit in the Hamptons, but Louis is unprepared and the act is a disaster. After, Louie is invited to the home of a model (Yvonne Strahovski) who says she likes his act, but things turn very wrong very quickly. | |||||||
| 42 | 3 | "So Did the Fat Lady" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | May 12, 2014 (2014-05-12) | XCK04003 | 0.81[9] |
Louie is asked out by an overweight woman (Sarah Baker) who works at the comedy club, but he is hesitant to accept because he wants to be with someone thinner. | |||||||
| 43 | 4 | "Elevator Part 1" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | May 12, 2014 (2014-05-12) | XCK04004 | 0.68[9] |
When taking the subway with his two daughters, Jane decides to get off the subway before it departs, forcing Louie and Lilly to go back and get her. When returning to his apartment building, Louie helps out an old lady (Ellen Burstyn) who is stuck in an elevator, and is thanked by the lady's non-English speaking niece who gives him a tart. | |||||||
| 44 | 5 | "Elevator Part 2" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | May 19, 2014 (2014-05-19) | XCK04005 | 0.60[10] |
Louie has a couple of nice shopping trips, sandwiched around him getting to know more about his elderly Hungarian neighbor and her attractive niece, dealing with Jane's latest problems at her school, and disagreeing with his ex-wife about the virtues of private school. | |||||||
| 45 | 6 | "Elevator Part 3" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | May 19, 2014 (2014-05-19) | XCK04006 | 0.57[10] |
Louie runs into Pamela again and eschews her vague romantic interest, then learns Amia is leaving the U.S. soon and resolves to enjoy the time before she returns to Hungary. He also avoids planning for Jane's future and gets advice from a curt Dr. Bigelow. | |||||||
| 46 | 7 | "Elevator Part 4" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | May 26, 2014 (2014-05-26) | XCK04007 | 0.51[11] |
Louie and Janet see a therapist to seek advice on how to deal with Jane. A flashback shows a younger Louie and Janet as they plan to divorce, but they stay together and later end up getting pregnant with their first child. | |||||||
| 47 | 8 | "Elevator Part 5" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | May 26, 2014 (2014-05-26) | XCK04008 | 0.44[11] |
Louie takes Amia to the Comedy Cellar, and Louie's friend Todd Barry describes his gloriously self-absorbed typical day as an adult with no wife or kids. Louie helps Evanka yet again when she is found unconscious in the elevator. Louie and Amia's relationship takes a gloomy turn after they spend the night together. | |||||||
| 48 | 9 | "Elevator Part 6" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | June 2, 2014 (2014-06-02) | XCK04009 | 0.61[12] |
A hurricane hits New York City causing Louie to help Janet and his children evacuate to safety. Louie and Amia peacefully end their relationship. | |||||||
| 49 | 10 | "Pamela Part 1" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | June 2, 2014 (2014-06-02) | XCK04010 | 0.71[12] |
After his break-up with Amia, Louie tries to reconnect with Pamela and ends up crossing every line. | |||||||
| 50 51 | 11 12 | "In the Woods" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. | June 9, 2014 (2014-06-09) | XCK04011 XCK04012 | 0.60[13] |
Louie catches Lilly smoking marijuana. In flashbacks, a thirteen-year-old Louie and his friends discover marijuana and its pitfalls for themselves. | |||||||
| 52 | 13 | "Pamela Part 2" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. &Pamela Adlon | June 16, 2014 (2014-06-16) | XCK04013 | 0.60[14] |
Louie takes Pamela on a romantic date to an outlandish art exhibit, then to the park for a lovely evening under the stars. Pamela finally embraces Louie as her lover. | |||||||
| 53 | 14 | "Pamela Part 3" | Louis C.K. | Louis C.K. & Pamela Adlon | June 16, 2014 (2014-06-16) | XCK04014 | 0.56[14] |
Louie wants his romance with Pamela to welcome emotions. However, Pamela articulates disgust towards expressing her feelings. | |||||||
The fourth season ofLouie received universal acclaim from critics, receiving a Metacritic score of 93 out of 100, based on 28 reviews. Robert Lloyd of theLos Angeles Times wrote that "Each [episode] stands on its own as a TV art film, an independent work of short fiction." Andrew Romano ofThe Daily Beast wrote that "Season 4 is just as brilliant as the seasons that preceded it."[15] OnRotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 93% with an average score of 8.9 out of 10 based on 43 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Thanks to Louis C.K.'s unique brand of awkward, brutally honest humor,Louie remains one of the best written and most relatable comedies on television."[16]
The season 4 premiere received 941,000 total viewers, a 19 percent boost over last season's average.[5]
For the30th TCA Awards,Louie won for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy andLouis C.K. received a nomination for Individual Achievement in Comedy.[17] For the4th Critics' Choice Television Awards,Louie received nominations for Best Comedy Series, C.K. for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, andSarah Baker for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series.[18] For the66th Primetime Emmy Awards, the series was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Louie C.K. was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for the episode "Elevator, Part 6", and won for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the episode "So Did the Fat Lady".[19] For the67th Writers Guild of America Awards, the series won for Best Comedy Series and C.K. won for Best Episodic Comedy for "So Did the Fat Lady".[20] For the21st Screen Actors Guild Awards, C.K. was nominated for Best Comedy Actor.[21] For the72nd Golden Globe Awards, C.K. was nominated forBest Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy.[22] For the67th Directors Guild of America Awards, C.K. was nominated forOutstanding Directing – Comedy Series for the episode "Elevator Part 6".[23]
The season premiered onOSN First Comedy HD in the Middle East on September 4, 2014.[24]