Horace and Pete: Louis C.K. web series gets surprise release

Surprise! Louis C.K. released the first episode of a new web series, Horace and Pete, on his website Saturday.

The project was revealed to fans in an email teasing a “brand new thing from Louis C.K.” Episode one is available to download on the comedian’s website for $5.

C.K. stars as Horace alongside Steve Buscemi as Pete, and the episode (which takes place at an Irish bar) features appearances from Aidy Bryant, Edie Falco, and Alan Alda.

The Louie multihyphenate took a similar surprise-release route over the summer with the release of his Louis C.K. Live at Madison Square Garden show. That came shortly after it was revealed he was taking an “extended hiatus” from his acclaimed FX series.

Aside from Horace and Pete, C.K. has also been keeping busy as an executive producer for Zach Galifianakis’ comedy Baskets and Better Things, the upcoming comedy starring his Louie castmate Pamela Adlon. He also voices a character in the animated film The Secret Life of Pets, and is reteaming with Albert Brooks, his costar in that film, for an FX animated comedy pilot.