The Antenna: TV to look out for An awkward date; a group of middle-aged men joshing around a poker table; a parent-teacher meeting gone wrong. Yes, the scenarios in Louie, the low-budget US comedy, may seem familiar. And yes, the idea of a comedian playing a misanthropic version of himself isn't exactly new territory (see also Lead Balloon and Curb Your Enthusiasm). But don't let that put you off: Louie might just be the freshest and most daring comedy currently in production. Written, directed and edited by the hugely talented Louis CK, this Emmy-winning quasi-autobiographical series is shot with single camera and follows a newly divorced, 41-year-old father through the mundane trials of middle age. Tonight, it finally receives its UK debut on the Fox channel, having first premiered in the US back in 2010. So what makes Louie so good? Well, for a start, Louis CK is allowed complete creative control; he doesn't even have to get his scripts approved. This means he can do anything, no matter how bonkers and left field, he wants. A date escaping Louie's affections by jumping into a nearby helicopter? Sure. A bag full of penises? Why not. The result is a show that revels in defying sitcom conventions. Filmed as a series of vignettes, punctuated with clips of Louie performing stand-up in New York's Comedy Cellar, it has no convenient plot resolutions and, apart from Louie himself, no recurring characters. The humour is cynical, uncomfortable and quite often rude - if Curb Your Enthusiasm had a stranger, more pessimistic sibling, this would be it. That said, Louie also provides genuine pathos, as it explores life after divorce - raising children, dating, getting old. Indeed, there's a particularly moving scene in episode two, in which Louie and his comedian buddies are discussing homosexuality. One of them, Rick (played by Rick Crom), is gay. At first, the conversation is crude, offensive even. ("I talk about gay sex more with you guys than I do with any of my gay friends. You're obsessed," says Rick.) But then something happens. Asked if he thinks it's OK that Louie frequently says "faggot" during his stand-up, Rick explains to the room how that word went from meaning a bundle of kindling wood, to an insult "Every gay man has had shouted at them while they're being beaten up." "So should I be using that word onstage?" asks Louie. "By all means say it, get your laughs," Rick replies. But now you know what it means. It's a poignant, intelligent scene. To see it, click here (warning: contains strong language). The Fox Channel is Channel 124 on Sky and Channel 157 on Virgin. INCOMING: Arrested Development The biggest TV news of the year so far - for me, anyway - is that the cult family sitcom Arrested Development is returning for a fourth series after a seven-year hiatus. It will launch on Netflix in May and all 14 episodes will be available in one go. Jason Bateman, who stars as Michael Bluth, said that the new episodes are "basically just the first act that we hope to complete in a movie, which will be acts 2 and 3. The episodes will set that up, and one will not work without the other, but this will, however, provide a satisfying conclusion if for some unfortunate reason the movie doesn't happen. Let's remind ourselves why the show is so hilarious. INCOMING: Playhouse Presents Elsewhere, Sky Arts announced last week an impressive line-up - including Matt Smith, Vanessa Redgrave, Idris Elba, Peter Serafinowicz and Julia Davis - for the new series of Playhouse Presents, a strand of one-off dramas beginning in March. More on this closer to transmission. Follow Patrick Smith on Twitter