'Louie': Comedy is pain on FX

If you're at all familiar with the work of comedian Louis C.K., you know that his on-stage persona is not the most upbeat.

That's the case with his new series on FX as well. "Louie" is funny, to be sure, but there's an undercurrent -- sometimes an overcurrent -- of pain in the series, which premieres at 11 p.m. ET Tuesday (June 29) following the season debut of "Rescue Me."

For instance, this is how he introduces himself in the premiere: "I'm 41 and single -- not really single, just alone."

The show takes pieces of his standup act and uses them as jumping-off points for short vignettes about his life as a single dad -- sort of like the early seasons of "Seinfeld," only more morose. Each episode features two stories.

"Louie" is probably going to be an all-or-nothing proposition for a lot of viewers. We found it pretty funny, but we admit to being predisposed to C.K. from his work on "Parks and Recreation" this past season and from his standup.

The clips below will give you a pretty good idea of "Louie's" sensibility. Will you be watching?





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Photo credit: FX