TV Bits

Last week, while poking around on Netflix, I discovered that all nine seasons of the previously discussed British spy drama MI-5 (including the most recent eight-episode season that aired in the UK last fall) are now available, either on disc or via streaming. I find the show isn't as good as it was in the first few seasons, but I still enjoy it enough to keep watching.

A couple of other reminders: Breaking Bad returns for its fourth season July 17th on AMC at 10 pm Eastern time. The channel is still running the previous three seasons' episodes late at night. According to the schedule page, they're going to be starting another cycle of the whole series in order starting in the early morning hours of July 6, so if you haven't gotten on board yet and have the DVR space, I recommend you set up a "record all episodes" season pass. But if you do, you'd better set aside some time, because once you get started on this show it's likely you aren't going to want to do much else until you've watched all 33 episodes.

Over on FX, the amazing Louie returns for its second season next Thursday, June 23rd, at 10:30 pm. Louie isn't a sitcom in the way we're used to thinking of them; there are situations, and there's plenty of comedy, but that's as far as the similarities go. It's a bold, brash, uncompromising, brilliant expression of one man's comedic vision. It will make you uncomfortable, and (depending on your sensibilities) it will make you laugh really hard, sometimes simultaneously. If you enjoyed the show last year and have not yet read it, I highly recommend this article that ran in New York magazine last month about Louis C.K. and his unique approach to creating the show. The season one DVDs release next week, and it's probably also in iTunes (though I don't know that for certain).