as if CK responded with rage or indignation the final gesture would have felt shrill and obnoxious instead of guiltily satisfying. After maybe my favorite opening credit sequence of any show on television (who has a better opening credit sequence and/or theme song?), Louie explores one of its pet themes: the impossibility of trying to employ logic and reason when talking to children who are by definition irrational and ruled by urges and hungers. In explaining why his daughter can't have a treat her sister received, CK waxes metaphoric and attempts to say, "The only time you should look in your neighbor's bowl is to make sure that they have enough." He's trying to sound wise and profound. He's trying to act the role of dad and deliver the sort of bromides a father should. But the words and ideas come stumbling out of his mouth because he's not that guy and his daughter is either too bored or too confused to either pay attention or process what she's saying. Ultimately he gives up; it's easier to concede defeat than impart values to kids whose brains are programmed to scream "me, me, me, me, me, me!" on a perpetual loop. When CK's pregnant, overweight, foul-mouthed and unmistakably middle-aged sister shows up and she praises her brother for being a real father, he modestly accepts her praise before acknowledging, "There are times when I wish they weren't alive" with no anger in his voice. He's not being mean. just honest. And