AceShowbiz -

"Louie" is back after a 19-month hiatus. FX has set a premiere date for the critically-acclaimed comedy series from Louis C.K., scheduling it to return Monday, May 5 at 10 P.M., with two all new back-to-back episodes at 10 and 10:30 P.M.

The show will continue airing two episodes on one night for seven consecutive weeks through June 16. The network originally only ordered 13 episodes for the season, but C.K gave an extra 14th episode as a special bonus for the wait.

"Louis said he needed extra time between seasons three and four of his show because -- even though Louie was the most critically acclaimed television comedy series in America -- he needed to make it even better," FX Networks CEO John Landgraf says. "Based on the first three episodes we've seen, remarkably, he accomplished his goal."

C.K. said back in October 2012 that he needed an extended hiatus because he wanted "a little breathing room." He added, "I want season four to go somewhere new ... I'm looking back to when I did the first season and the time I took to do the show and decide which directions to go in and I want that back again."

The Emmy-winning writer went on sharing his goal for the show, "The last three seasons have been this surge of fun and work and stories and it's been great, but I want the show to keep getting better. That's my goal, and I don't want it to be making the donuts, I want it to be something that comes from somewhere important and stays funny."