HBO's Lucky Louie: Often a Rough Watch

HBO’s Lucky Louie is often a rough watch. From in-your-face family issues to difficult dialogue, Lucky Louie focuses on the reality of characters, starring Louis C.K. as Louie, a blue collar muffler shop mechanic who’s married to a nurse, Kim (portrayed by Pamela Adlon.) She’s definitely the one who wears the pants in the family, carrying a pathetic Louie and raising her daughter in their small, often conflict-ridden apartment.

Lucky Louie comes off as a pathetic attempt at comedy on occasion poking into subject matter that would have even offended Roseanne. Foul mouthed and petty, Lucky Louie and wife Kim argue almost constantly about everything from orgasm to flowers. It is very difficult to “get into” an episode without feeling the gritty comedy is basically just sad. At times, this show looks to be more of a drama, with the points out of life’s perspective giving Lucky Louie an ironic lack of enjoyment for even the most approachable of viewers. Certain matters are brushed over and left raw, with constant unshocking yet irritating controversies, often left unresolved or poorly addressed.

Do you laugh with Lucky Louie? Sometimes. Does it irritate a viewer? Usually. The answer is in its attempt to be gritty, it comes off as dog scat, wasting the talents of some of its cast and showcasing obnoxious over-played gags as being middle America’s struggle for passim. It misses certain aspects which are overlooked without apology, and trivializes family life between sad attempts to be humorous and poignant. Perhaps this is just another in comedy’s long history of folks who would be best served sticking to standup.