With Louie returning for a 5th season tomorrow night, let's look back on some of the best New York City moments the show has given us so far. These aren't all pretty, awe-inspiring Top O' The Empire State Building type moments—Louis C.K. delivers a Very Real look at the city and the many experiences one can have/enjoy/suffer through while in it... but it's all kind of comforting and perfect, you know? Here are the best of the best/worst NYC moments from the show.
RUSS & DAUGHTERS
(Watch on Netflix / Hulu / Amazon Prime)
This is one of our favorite scenes from the show, which falls in the middle of one our favorite episodes. Upon every rewatch it makes us want to devour Holland herring and smoked trout and bagels and roe and chocolate babka all in one sitting. Louie, with a series of pure joy sighs, perfectly expresses what it's like to experience Russ & Daughters.
This episode also includes another great scene, which is kind of a New York moment, given the great heights involved, but is really just a fantastic human moment. After sneaking up to a roof, Louie is scared when Parker "Tape Recorder" Posey sits on the ledge, but she tells him: "Do you know why you're scared? The only way I'd fall is if I jumped. That's why you're afraid to come over here, because a tiny part of you wants to jump, because it would be so easy, but I don't want to jump, so I'm not afraid."
THE SUBWAY
(Watch the episode on Netflix / Hulu / Amazon Prime)
There have been a few great subway scenes on the show—most recently, during last season, Louie taught his kids the subway rules. Back in season 2, however, is when he gave our city's mass transit system the short film it deserves. The first five minutes of the episode bring you from the platform to the train and off again, during a dream-like fantasy sequence that flip-flops between real and surreal. It begins with a classical violinist busking as a homeless man washes himself on the platform—Louie the only one seeing both scenarios play out simultaneously, like he was sent here to absorb all of this terribleness for the rest of us. Once on the train, he lets his imagination rip him from the grips of a typical day underground.
GARBAGE MEN
(Watch on Netflix / Hulu / Amazon Prime)
Every New Yorker knows the pain of noise. Neighbor noise. That bar downstairs noise. Outside noise. Cab driver won't stop honking noise. Garbage day noise. Last season Louie delivered a perfect visual representation of what it feels like when that noise becomes a part of you.
RUSSIAN TEA ROOM
(Watch the episode on Netflix / Hulu / Amazon Prime)
Louie doesn't hit up too many fancy old school places, but during season 3 he has a fairly awkward lunch with his uncle Excelsior (F. Murray Abraham) at the Russian Tea Room. This is the perfect backdrop for his almost villainous uncle, who's got a flair for Big Fish stories surrounding Dukes and credenzas and hunting season. We would highly recommend you drop by yourself, but maybe skip the cornish hens and just get the tea service.
GETTING COFFEE
(Watch on Netflix / Hulu / Amazon Prime)
This is just what everyone sounds like at a New York City coffee shop, whether you are hungover or not. (This was shot at Mojo Coffee, RIP.)
IKEA
(Watch it on Netflix / Hulu / Amazon Prime)
In the history of IKEA being within a reasonable distance from a New Yorker's apartment, there have been no 100% pleasant trips to IKEA. Louie agrees to go (to the NJ one, even) with a manic mom from his kids' school, who promises a sad blowjob in return for his help. She then breaks down in the middle of the store—just like every one of us.
APARTMENT HUNTING
(Watch it on Netflix / Hulu / Amazon Prime)
We've all been there, contemplating a move to Anytown, U.S.A. while dragging our ass up the steps of a six floor walk-up to check out an apartment that we can't even afford anyway. This episode has that, the ol' bait n' switch, a glimpse at the dream home you will never ever ever ever live in, and pretty much every other hellish real estate moment one can encounter. Only in NY lol.
Late night breakfast at Veselka
- Louie's trip to Veselka (watch the episode here)
- Louie's many trips to the Olive Tree Cafe, Comedy Cellar, and Ben's Pizzeria
- Louie goes to the High Line (during season 2, when Louie also sees a man get hit by a car—watch the episode here)
- A walk in the Upper East Side's Carl Shurz Park (a great scene from last season—watch here)
- Zafis Luncheonette & the Staten Island Ferry are all spotted during the episode "Bully" (watch the episode here)
- Louie goes to Grand Central (watch the episode here)
- Every scene from Louie not mentioned above
