‘Louie’ Recap: The 7 Most Soul-Crushing Moments From ‘Late Show’

Earlier this week, I wrote about seeing Louis CK perform a warm-up set before his big fall tour, and how he seems happy and proud with where he is in life (and lest you worry, his newfound gladness doesn’t affect his ability to tell a brilliant self-loathing joke). “Late Night” was a perfect follow-up to follow that show.

After a set that begins with the joke that ended last week’s episode, and with his manager in tow, Louie is afraid he’s flown all the way out to California only to get bumped by Tom Cruise on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. But when Tom doesn’t show, Louie gets bounced to the headliner slot. His airplane jokes kill, evidently, so much so that an executive from CBS (Garry Marshall) brings him into his office to offer him a proposal: David Letterman is retiring from The Late Show at year’s end, and would Louie be interested in the job?

Louis has said that Louie (woah) is three years behind the real-life Louis (double woah), which puts this episode in 2009 when he went on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and told his famous “Everything’s Amazing and Nobody’s Happy” bit, which has been viewed on YouTube nearly seven million times. That was his quote-unquote big break, and he’s since become one of the most popular comedians in the world. Now Louie has his viral video, too. In 2015, will he be embarking on a massive tour when not hosting Late Show Louie, or teaching comedy at a community college? And most importantly: WILL HE FIND TIME TO JERK OFF? (He will.)

• Louis has said that this is his single favorite arc of the entire series.
• Likely a total coincidence, but when Marshall was talking about failed talk show hosts and teaching at a community college, I couldn’t help but think of Chevy Chase.
• Evidently the wi-fi password in the Leno green room is “LenoGuest.” Wonder if Letterman’s is “F*ckYouEveryone.”
• Yeah, OK, Leno was fine.
• Marshall is the male Parker Posey, in that I want him to win ALL the awards.
• “Ah, sh*t. Bitch” — Louie, on sunlight
• Does Doug’s lazy eye bother anyone else?
• I mentioned this in What’s On Tonight, but I was at the taping of one of the “late night” episodes, so I have slight idea where the story’s going. No spoilers, but an UPROXX favorite was present.
• Jesus. How heart-ripping was Wilfred…
• Line of the Night: “You’re circling failure in a rapidly decaying orbit.”