In the first of these films, Louie expresses an astonishing range of emotion as the puppy who enjoys playing with a yellow ball, which he fetches with enthusiasm, a trick, it turns out, that he will not perform without a video camera aimed at him, preferably High Definition. In the second he is faced with the dilemma every little puppy must confront: having to sit before he can eat. While his attitude may seem one of indifference, the observant viewer can see the feelings flicker across his countenance: the tragic realization that puppy days pass too quickly and we must all eventually accept the responsibilities of adulthood. Then the sitting itself in all its complexity, the bending of the knees, the shift of the weight backwards toward the tail (note the almost balletic grace acquired through years of regular attendance at the Pawcatuck Center for Dance & Cheer-leading Skills); and finally, the joyful acceptance of his reward, dry kibble.
The final episode, "Take it or Leave It," requires no explanation. Note the sly references to earlier works such as "Panting" and "Mon Ami, The Fire Hydrant." Louie demonstrates an almost Chaplinesque sense of comedy as he rolls in the grass, accumulating millions of ticks which will take hours to remove.
