Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Heads up comedy fans, your December is about to get a lot sweeter. Louis C.K.’s critically-beloved tragedy is finally on Hulu. As per a press release from the streaming service, Hulu has acquired the exclusive streaming rights to the Emmy and Gotham-nominated Horace and Pete.
Created, written, and directed by Louis C.K. with creative help from his longtime collaborator M. Blair Breard, Horace and Pete is centered around a run-down bar in Brooklyn. The bar has been owned and managed by the same family for 49-years, always with a Horace and a Pete in charge. The series focuses on the current Horace (Louis C.K.) and Pete (Steve Buscemi), a pair of brothers attempting to run an antiquated bar in modern times. The web series is incredibly character-focused, dwelling on the relationships between the two brothers and their various friends and regulars as they go through their day-to-day lives. It’s a distinctly human focus that Louis C.K. has perfected through his many television projects, from Louie to Baskets and Better Things. The series received two Emmy nominations, Laurie Metcalf for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series and Sina Sansom for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing in a Comedy Series. However, the real narrative of interest surrounding this show has to do with how it was created.
Horace and Pete was a completely self-funded web series that was met with critical acclaim and received award nominations. Until its premiere on Hulu this December, there was no way to watch the series without paying the required $31 to the comedian’s site. Not only was this distribution method a vast departure from traditional streaming methods, but the scrappy web series proved that there was a way for shows to be independently created and distributed in the age of streaming. This series acted as a hopeful sign to many aspiring filmmakers, signaling it was possible to create a successful show without relying on big-name networks.
That being said, the argument can be made that Horace and Pete heading to Hulu proves more traditional streaming methods won this television fight. Louis C.K. revealed that he’s already made all of his money back, so the revenue he will earn from selling the rights to Hulu should be all profit. In any case, Horace and Pete is a revolutionary series that’s worth checking out. If you haven’t been able to see the miniseries yet, you’ll be able to now. Be sure you have some tissues on hand. It’s an emotionally tough one.
