Louis Theroux's LA Stories

The first two break your heart and the third does in a much different way. Louis sets you up to at least feel for the one dude who helps other sexual offenders until the last 5 minutes when you find out about his heinous crimes.

Three episodes, and they are all very interesting. First episode is about stray dogs and crowded dog shelters. Second about terminally or critically ill patients and the (ethic) choices of them and doctors. Episode three about paroled sex offenders. Episode 2 was to me the most touching

Episode two is unexpectedly confronting. Theroux is exploring some more mature topics with age.

Keep an eye out for Brian Cox going deep into a role.

60/0/55

This is probably the best representation of Louis Theroux's documentary style and world view. Mixing together his ability to observe these small communities in only the way he does.

Mini-series with three full LA-based Theroux docs. The one on neglected dogs is easily the blandest; the one on released sex offenders the most intriguing, including many conversation-sparking moments and garnering some unexpected sympathy for the situations these men (and one woman) find themselves in; and the most compelling and moving - if grim - set in a 'last chance' hospital, looking at a variety of desperate cancer and coma cases, with an astonishing outcome for one.

Theroux once again applies his likeable persona to expose the way in which institutions, responding to real dilemmas, often become functionally stupid and irrational, with manifold negative consequences for the human beings (and dogs) with whom they deal. The concluding monologue of the third instalment was disappointingly bland, considering the Kafkaesque nightmare shown in that episode.

Dogs, death, and monsters. The first two segments are crushing.

Very nice to see Louis back in action and making more documentaries but I didn't feel this was as strong as his earlier works (Which I gave 80). Nevertheless he still continues to entertain and educate and for that I cannot fault him. With all the previous subjects already covered in his weird weekends series, it's very hard for him to top himself.