The series follows Louie, a fictionalized version of C.K., a comedian and newly divorced father raising his two daughters in New York City.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.63 million household viewers and gained a 0.3 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
Trying to change his lifestyle, he calls Marina (Judy Gold), a parent at school, if he can attend a potluck dinner she is hosting.
Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "great" 8 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "A simple, somewhat back-to-basics Louie episode -- filled with fierce fumblings but devoid of actual consequences -- kicked off Season 5 with an enjoyable look at how Louie goes about attending a party that neither he, nor the people hosting, want him to attend.
"[4] Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote, "A funny yet melancholy start to the new season, and I liked the device of the banjo player linking the different scenes together.
Club gave the episode a "B–" grade and wrote, "What was once an adventure in discontinuity is now a fairly conventional semi-serial, in narrative terms anyway.
continues to find new ways to confuse, amaze, and frustrate us (and by proxy, challenge us) as human beings, something 'Potluck' does a bit more subtly than future episodes in this fifth season.
Yet there still isn't a dull moment to be had on Louie, a visually arresting canvas of existential pontification that only grows more interesting and singular with each passing season.
There was almost nothing else to recommend this episode, though, which for the most part gave us limp, problematic takes on depression, surrogates, and lesbians with a complete lack of grace, intelligence, or even simply new observations.