Louis CK does things his own way. He famously cut out the middle man and sold tickets for his shows directly from his website, he took an extended and indefinite hiatus from Louie, his immensely popular TV series, and then, late last week, he released his new show to fans by firing off a simple email and throwing it up on his website, where anyone can download it for $5.
As reported by Rolling Stone, the show is a dark dramedy called Horace and Pete’s and follows a pair of Brooklyn bar owners in what some have described as a more somber version of the sitcom Cheers. It was released this past Saturday without any sort of advanced billing or notice.
CK and Steve Buscemi star as the eponymous bar owners and the legendary Alan Alda joins the cast as the pair’s racist uncle. Rounding out the cast are Aidy Bryant, Rebecca Hall, and Nurse Jackie’s Edie Falco.
Those expecting a riotous, joke-a-second romp will be disappointed, but those who enjoy the moody, introspective comedy of Louie should get a similar kick out of this project, though it’s probably a touch more serious than CK’s self-titled show.
The first episode takes place on the eve of tonight’s Iowa Caucuses, and the series seems to be grounded in the present as it draws much of its comedy from contemporary issues — like Donald Trump’s polarizing presidential candidacy.
Steven Wright (Reservoir Dogs ), Nick DiPaolo (The Nick & Artie Show), and Jessica Lange (Big Fish) also make appearances in the premiere episode and the show’s theme song was composed by the iconic singer-songwriter Paul Simon.
For the time being, it’s unclear when the next episode will be released, but we’ll update you as information becomes available.
