<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Women: Louis C.K. can't live with 'em, and can't live without 'em. \nAiring just after Mother's Day, episodes 3 and 4 explore Louie's relationships with women \u2014 from romantic and platonic to parental and filial \u2014 in all their complex glory. \nSee also: 'Louie' Season 4 Premiere Recap: Everyday Punches to the Face\nIn \"So Did The Fat Lady,\" Louie is romantically pursued by self-proclaimed \"fat girl\" Vanessa (Sarah Baker), a waitress at the Comedy Cellar. In an interesting switch of traditional gender roles, Vanessa woos Louie aggressively, badgering the comedian for a date every time they see each other, and even bribing him with hockey tickets. This counterintuitive setup \u2014 and Louie's negative reaction \u2014 forces viewers, especially men, to acknowledge how uncomfortable it feels to be on the receiving end of unwanted attention. Men pursuing women this way, however, is an accepted norm \u2014 a double standard shown when Louie and his brother Robbie (Robert Kelly) openly ogle women in the streets. \n\nLouie reveals his hypocrisy when he shows reluctance to date Vanessa due to her size, yet remains complacent when it comes to losing weight himself. (His excuse for not exercising after eating two large meals, back-to-back: \"You know what? I gotta, I got a whole bunch of \u2014 I got stuff to do and I don't think it's \u2014 it's not a good day.\")\nDespite his obvious aversion to Vanessa's body, Louie tells her, \"You're not fat\" on their date. It's a lie so disappointing to Vanessa that she berates him: \"You know what the meanest thing is you can say to a fat girl? 'You're not fat.'\" Instead of being honest, people often resort to empty platitudes, such as Louie's, in a weak attempt to reassure one another. These white lies, however, have the opposite effect: They end up highlighting painful truths. \nDuring her rant, through which Louie mostly stays silent, Vanessa notes another double standard: Men can complain openly about being overweight, but if women do the same, people \"call the suicide hotline\" on them. At the end of episode 3, an exasperated Vanessa tells Louie, \"All I want is to hold hands with a nice guy, and walk and talk.\" It's a simple request that Louie grants, and for a moment, they come to an understanding. \nHowever, things don't change. Louie may hold Vanessa's hand, but will he start dating \"fat girls?\" Unlikely. \nIt's classic, powerful Louie: People may learn to see things from another perspective, but they'll still continue behaving the same way. Louie and Vanessa's discussion reminds me of one of the final scenes in season 1's \"Bully.\" In it, Mike, the bully's father, explains why he hits his kids: \"That's what I know. My dad hit me, and his dad him.\" Louie briefly questions Mike, who acknowledges that it's bad, but viewers get the sense that nothing is going to change. Humans are creatures of habit. \n\nAmia (Eszter Balint) in episode 4, \"Elevator Part 1.\"Image:  KC Bailey/FX\"So Did The Fat Lady,\" which looks at the obstacles women face, flows seamlessly into episode 4. \"Elevator Part 1\" explores Louie's sense of responsibility to women of all ages. The episode follows Louie as he tries to save or protect various women he's with throughout the day: finding his younger daughter Jane (Ursula Parker) after she gets separated from him on the subway, and retrieving an old lady's (Ellen Burstyn) medication from her apartment after she gets stuck in an elevator. \n\nOf course, we not only see ladies in distress, but also strong women who are capable of saving and protecting themselves. Louie's ex-wife Janet (Susan Kelechi Watson), for example, takes control of the situation upon hearing about Jane's subway incident \u2014 while Louie remains a bundle of nerves. And the old lady's niece attacks Louie when she mistakes him for an intruder.  \nIn episode 3, Louie tells Vanessa that he wants his daughters to grow up to be capable and self-sufficient. \n\"I have two daughters, so I'm raising two future women,\" the comedian says during a standup set in episode 4. \"I love women.\"\nLouie airs every Monday at 10 p.m. on FX.\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/05/13/louie-season-4-episode-3-4/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner>