"Louie" – Season 2, Episode 6 “Heckler/Cop Movie”

"Louie" – Season 2, Episode 6 “Heckler/Cop Movie”

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Regardless of what he says, Louis C.K. has something resembling a conscience. It’s his understanding of the disregard of others that breeds much of his humor, even if he’s often guilty of the crimes he chastises. While it’s possible that he may not believe his own moral code, his ironic disappointment in himself and others makes for a hilarious turn in “Heckler/Cop Movie.”

The episode begins as many one’s before it with C.K. doing what he does best--stand-up. The performance, seemingly setting up the next sketch, hits an unexpected road bump when an audience member interrupts the show.

The veteran comedian lashes back with an array of offensively hilarious quips about the woman’s mother (more specifically her trials during the conception and birth of the audience member), leading to a confrontation outside the club. Louie explains how disrespectful it is to interrupt a performance and continues insulting the woman, crafting to the show’s main focus--respect in other’s interest.

Hilariously enough, when Louie isn’t verbally assaulting interrupting audience members, he’s disrespecting the careers of most everyone he meets. “Cop Movie” details this when Louie begrudgingly accepts a role in Matthew Broderick’s remake of The Godfather – of course, this time with Jews instead of Italians  Genius. Louie’s intolerance for acting, which he sees as a waste of time, causes him to offend his agent’s assistant, Ferris Bueller, and even killing his agent. It’s weird, but ironically funny when we see Louie accidentally disrespecting everyone and feeling bad about it. People act like mirrors to Louie, reflecting his faults in total honesty.

It’s hard not to compare "Louie" to "Seinfeld," and this episode is a most striking example. More plot driven than most, we actually see a journey of sorts out of C.K., leading us from the stage to the screen without much regard for those around him. Louie’s inconsistencies are similar to that of any of the Seinfeld four – in fact, there’s an episode where Jerry goes to a heckler’s job to heckle them, ending in the loss of a pinky toe – though it would be wrong to call “rehash.” Louie’s delivery and inconsistency of the subject of respect is very much his own, and unlike Jerry, he shows remorse.

As a whole, "Louie" keeps getting better. Each element that seemed oddly disjointed at first congeals in a perfect mix of reality and comedy now. “Heckler/Cop Movie” is no exception, raising levels of human indecency and hilarity to staggering heights.