Louis C.K. has opted to take the road less traveled and go on hiatus at the seemingly oddest time: the peak of his popularity. Season three of “Louie” not only saw some of the show’s best ratings, but also very high critical acclaim. The goal of this hiatus is to keep the writing process fun and creative, but also illustrates what a great working relationship C.K. has with his network (FX) and the faith they have in him to allow such an odd request. Some time off could prove beneficial for “Louie” but not without some risk.
I cannot speak for everyone, but I know that I have trouble keeping up with all the television shows that I enjoy. Without a DVR, trying to stay current on cable shows can almost seem like work. Most On Demand providers don’t make shows available until eight days after they've aired, and services like Hulu+ do not have the rights to any cable shows. My theory is that for some, one less cable show to keep up on is a welcome reprieve from an already staggering number of TV shows they watch. The golden rule in showbiz is to “leave them wanting more.” But is a year and a half too long? I suppose only time will tell.
It would be difficult to imagine “Louie” not having alienated some viewers with how season three ended. It has always been a black comedy, however the season ended on a very dark note. I have been a big Louis C.K. fan for almost a decade and because of that, I feel as though I understand where his jokes come from. I did not however, understand why he ended things with Liz (Parker Posey) the way that he did. It’s boggling to me. It seems like a statement that I’m not old enough or jaded enough to understand.
Louie is later seen in Beijing on a quest for the Yangtze River and is eventually taken in for a meal by a large Chinese family. So maybe Liz was a setup to illustrate that life goes on in the wake of tragedy. This doesn't seem like a lesson “Louie” needs to teach us though. Why dredge up her character at all? It seems like an unnecessary afterthought.
I may not understand his reasons for everything he does on the show, but one thing is clear: “Louie” has given us a solid three seasons to look back on and hopefully many more to come. Louis C.K.’s reputation has always been that of a tireless writer and that coupled with the star power he can attract (Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Amy Poehler, etc.) “Louie” could easily go on for another 5 years. See you in the spring of 2014.
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