If you’re behind on Louis C.K.’s acclaimed web series Horace and Pete, like this writer, you’re in luck. As of this morning, the web-exclusive multi-camera drama is available to stream in full on Hulu.
The 10-episode miniseries, which stars C.K., Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco, Alan Alda, Jessica Lange, Steven Wright and more, began as an experiment from the popular actor/writer/director/editor/comedian to see if he could air a new show with zero promotion, and with little fanfare, before its unexpected debut. With each episode costing around $500,000 to produce, all of which came out of C.K.’s own pocket, the series was made available exclusively on his website, with the first episode costing $5, the second $2 and the remaining eight $3 a piece, before they were all made available in a $31 bundle following the series finale.
As of this summer, as C.K. admitted to Howard Stern, Horace and Pete was hemorrhaging money, which put him millions of dollars in debt. Thankfully, with the comedian being the sole owner of the property, he’ll receive the healthy paycheck from Hulu almost exclusively. And with C.K.’s brand developing by the day, especially with the lead voice role in Illumination’s The Secret Life of Pets earlier this summer, there’s no doubt Hulu will help his scrappy little show find the audience it needs (and deserves).
In addition to Horace and Pete, C.K. also helped shepherd FX’s Baskets, starring Zach Galifiankis, and Better Things, which he co-created with his regular Louie co-star/writer/producer Pamela Adlon. If you haven’t seen either, or both, you should make a point to check them out. They’re both pretty special. Meanwhile, he’s also working on a new, top-secret animated show with Albert Brooks, which is also supposed to air on FX —assuming it gets picked up, of course.
As for Louie season six? That’s anyone’s guess at this point.