‘Louie’ Review: “IKEA / Piano Lesson”

‘Louie,’ that loveable Emmy-nominated sad-sack is back to make you feel even more uncomfortable.  ‘Louie’ season 3 goes back to the past for its seventh episode of the year, as Louie comes face to face with a previous sexual encounter, getting roped in for an uncomfortable trip to IKEA, and later finds an embarrassing incident leading him to connect with some old friends.

Last week’s ‘Louie’ episode “Barney / Never” saw Louie and Robin Williams bonding over the death of a mutual acquaintance, and later finding himself taking in a problem-child for the afternoon at the behest of a fellow parent.   So how does “IKEA / Piano Lesson” keep things moving forward?

Read on for your in-depth recap of everything you need to know about ‘Louie’ season 3 episode 7, “IKEA / Piano Lesson!”

We open on our hero Louie exiting his daughters’ school (say, didn’t he used to do stand-up at a comedy club?) when a familiar woman comes up behind him: it’s Dolores, the mother with whom he shared an absurdly awkward sexual encounter back in season 2’s “Bummer / Blueberries!"  Apparently, she’s been talking about the event quite a bit since…in therapy.

She propositions Louie to come with her to therapy, as she has some things she’d like to say to him, but the comedian declines the awkward invitation.  How about a second option then, of helping her rent a van to go to IKEA, in exchange for a blow job?  Louie tries to downplay that he’d accept such an offer, but agrees to help regardless.

At IKEA, Louie largely ignores Dolores’ requests for input on what to buy for her son’s room, which she calls him out on.  Louie forcefully retorts that rugs aren’t something that need a tremendous amount of thought, as long as it isn’t covered with aids, or a portal to the netherworld, really.  As a sickeningly happy couple watches, swearing such fighting will never happen to them, Dolores starts tearing up.  She breaks down right there in the aisle, nearly collapsing on the floor before Louie ushers the crying woman into a nearby bed, covering her and consoling her.

On the way back, she reminds him that she owes him a blow job, which Louie again tries to downplay, but when she wonders aloud if he should have bought another chair, the comedian makes a genuine effort to give furniture advice and tell her she did a good job.  Awws.

On another random day, Louie answers his door to find a piano instructor named Doris, who’s arrived to give Louie his first lesson.  Admitting that he only bought the piano so his daughters could learn, but they never wanted to, Louie begins his lesson with Doris before a phone call interrupts them.  It’s Maria Bamford again, and surprise!  Louie has crabs.  Either Maria gave it to him from sleeping together in “Daddy’s Girlfriend, Part 1,”, or vice-versa.  Either way, yeesh.  Louie dismisses Doris, vaguely claiming a semi-emergency.

After snapping a photo of his junk to confirm the awful truth, Louie races to the nearest pharmacy.  The clerk discreetly assembles the kit for him, as the pharmacist on call humiliates an older woman by asking her to describe her bodily functions following antibiotics.  His own order ready, Louie races home and vigorously applies the shampoo in the shower.

Afterward, Louie settles in for an evening of TV watching Retro Comedy Showcase, the first of which is none other than his younger, thinner, fully haired self!  He watches wistfully for a minute, comparing his younger self with a webcam image on his laptop.  The next young comedian the program showcases is none other than Sarah Silverman, whom Louie then calls to check it out!  Unlike Louie, Sarah rightfully points out that she looks better now than she did then, though she laughs at the simplicity of her old jokes.

Marc Maron is the next comic on the showcase, which reminds Louie that they were close friends ten years ago, before a falling out.  When she asks what exactly Maron did to upset Louie, the comedian has an epiphany that ten years later, he realizes their fight was entirely his fault, and not Marc’s.  Encouraging him that he’s grown, Sarah urges him to get in contact with Marc as soon as possible.

Marc answers the door (sans pants), but invites Louie into his home to hear what he has to say.  Painfully, Louie goes through his whole spiel that Marc didn’t do anything, and whatever happened was all Louie’s fault, but Marc cuts him off to remind him that they had this exact confrontation (plus some crying) when Louie came over five years ago to give the same speech.  Louie recalls, and Marc claims the apology is still accepted, but that Louie should actually invite him to do things if he wants to stay friends.  Embarrassed, Louie departs, sheepishly asking Marc how he’s been.

Over the credits, Louie corrects Sarah that one of their fellow comedians isn’t actually dead, but reminds her that Richard Nixon is.

Did you get your fill of awkward ‘Louie’ laughs?  What did you think about the episode? Let us know in the comments and check back next week for another all-new ‘Louie’ episode recap of “Dad” on FX!