January 30, 2016
Louis C.K., the man widely considered to be at the pinnacle of American comedy, has officially debuted an exclusively online series co-starring Steve Buscemi that will, by the looks of it, examine the vicissitudes of life at a fictional bar (maybe Louie's spin on 'It's Always Sunny...' or 'Cheers'?).
The series, 'Horace and Pete,' will follow the direct-to-consumer sales model Louie masterfully adopted in 2011 when he raked in more than $6 million in one week with the premiere of his comedy special "Live at the Beacon."
There isn't much in the way of a synopsis about the new series. After completing season five of his Emmy-winning HBO series 'Louie,' C.K. announced he would take an extended hiatus from the show, lasting anywhere from six months to two years. It's clear he had no intention of taking a break from comedy.
On his website, Louis C.K. dryly introduces 'Horace and Pete' as "A Brand New Thing From Louis C.K." He adds, "We hope you like it."
According to The Gothamist, the new series has been kept top secret and was likely produced very recently since it contains references to Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Super Bowl quarterbacks.
Louis and Buscemi play the titular roles of Horace and Pete, respectively, and are joined by familiar faces including Nick DiPaolo, Kurt Metzger, Rebecca Hall, and several other cast members from 'Louie.'
As if a pairing of the great Buscemi with Louis C.K. isn't enticing enough, the show's theme song was written by Paul Simon.
You can watch episode one here for the $5 Louis knows most of us are probably more than willing to spend.