Louis C.K.

Comedian Tig Notaro has been making plenty of headlines of late, and isn’t about to stop at a new HBO special or Netflix documentary. Instead, the revered cancer-surviving comedian will partner with Diablo Cody to star in and write a new Amazon comedy pilot, produced by Louis C.K.

Talking dogs and cats have been a staple of animation since the medium’s earliest days, but The Secret Life of Pets trailer actually presents a fairly fresh take on this trope. The talking animals here are ordinary house pets, alone all day while their humans are at work, and we get to see how they pass the time.

FX Emmy darling Louie will again come to a close tonight with Season 5 finale “The Road Part 2,” a notably shorter eight-episode run than some of its predecessors. Many assumed the truncated order owed to comedian Louis C.K.’s grueling schedule and past hiatus requirements, but nope! He was just high. Allow us to explain.

Every week, SNL ends up having to cut a sketch or two for time — these segments are released online as “digital exclusives.” Sometimes, those segments are better than anything else that aired, like this short that was cut from the Season 40 finale, featuring Louis C.K. and Kyle Mooney’s pitiful fictional comedian Bruce Chandling.

This season of SNL has had some definite highs and definite lows (I’ve been seriously questioning the writers’ ability to deliver great material for the female hosts), and the last few episodes have only been consistent in their clumsiness. What began as a strong season has faltered in the final lap, but the promise of Louis C.K. hosting the Season 40 finale inspired some optimism thanks to both his comedic talents and his track record with SNL. Sadly, this week’s outing proved to be as so-so as the last few episodes, resulting in a finale that’s merely half-decent.

SNL frequently struggles with its opening monologues and the past few seasons have seen the show retreat to the same well on multiple occasions. That well usually involves the guest host breaking into song, which used to be funny until it became the go-to template for episodes where no one in the writer’s room could come up with a halfway decent idea. That’s why the season finale was right to just let guest host Louis C.K. perform 10 minutes of stand-up. It’s not just funny — it actually allows him to get the show warmed up by reminding us why we like this guy (and why he’s worthy of hosting SNL) in the first place.

The anniversary special well behind us, SNL Season 40 will draw to a close this coming weekend with Louis C.K. reclaiming the stage alongside Rihanna. The last few weeks have lost a bit of steam, but can the esteemed comedian bring us home? Find out with the first avenging promos of the SNL finale!

If you’re a fan of Louie, you’re probably aware of how much effort Louis C.K. puts into his FX comedy show — not only is he the writer and star, but he also acts as the show’s director (and, up until last season, he was also the editor). C.K. will pull off a similar feat with the new indie film I’m a Cop, which he will star in as well as write and direct.

The big question everyone has been focusing on following last night’s episode of Louie is this: did Pamela sexually assault Louie? The answer is, obviously, yes. He said no, she aggressively persisted while gently shushing him, an act that felt so intimately real. Louie has treaded similar territory before, in last season’s “Pamela Part 1,” in which the roles were reversed as Louie aggressively forced Pamela to kiss him — it was both emotional and physical assault for Pamela, who resents anything resembling feelings. But in “Bobby’s House,” the tables are turned, as Pamela not only assaults Louie, but thoroughly emasculates him, as well.

SNL won’t return for another week with Avengers: Age of Ultron star Scarlett Johansson suiting up on May 2, and #NoSpoilers, but we already know how Season 40 will end. Hot Pursuit star Reese Witherspoon will host the subsequent week, while Louis C.K. will take the stage for the May 16 SNL finale.