Yes, “Joey” from Friends has a new series on Showtime called Episodes. In it, Matt LeBlanc plays himself. A British couple are flown to the US to recreate a TV show they did in the UK that was a huge hit, and now find themselves stuck with “Joey” as their woefully miscast lead in the upcoming US version.
We watched the first two episodes of Episodes, and it is actually pretty funny.
Anyone else seen this yet?
(You can watch the first episode on the link mentioned above…)
It’s really growing on me. I didn’t like LeBlanc in Friends but I do in this.
“You and your wife were oil and water I take it?”
“More like ‘oil and person who fucks oil’s best friend’”.
I love that the Lincolns are offended at all the comparisons of Lyman’s Boys to History Boys but that the actor (who plays the actor) who stars in the show was the star of History Boys; I’m sure that wasn’t coincidence.
This is being show concurrently on British TV. Interestingly the main draw for UK audiences are the British couple who have a significant back catalogue of decent comedy. Stephen Mangan recently played Douglas Adams’ ‘Dirk Gently’ in a BBC pilot but both actors are probably best know for the anarchic hospital comedy ‘Green Wing’.
I’ve seen the first episode and thought it had some potential. I have the others scheduled to record.
Richard Griffiths, and yes, I noticed that. BTW, it’s especially good timing for the show, given that American versions of Shameless, Skins and Being Human are all currently airing in the US. And Steven Moffat (who wrote Coupling, which was also adapted for the US market) wrote of Episodes, “I laughed a lot at Episodes. It might be a specialised market, but dear God, those scenes with the execs aren’t even exaggerated.”
The concept is still confusing me. Is Matt’s character
a. Matt Leblanc as himself
b. Joey from Friends/Joey
c. a new character
It’s Matt Leblanc playing a satiric version of Matt Leblanc.
Oh, so it’s ripping off Curb Your Enthusiasm then?
Leblanc as an exaggerated and fictional version of himself ala Neil Patrick Harris in the Harold & Kumar movies (but not AS out there as NPH). They’ve changed a few biographical things about him: the real Leblanc has a daughter while the ‘Leblanc as Leblanc’ has two boys for example. His alter ego is a spoiled rich obnoxious self absorbed fading pretty-boy but a lot smarter and cooler than the Joey character; no idea how close or distant this is to the real Matt Leblanc.
And with a HUGE something extra.
Right, because Curb Your Enthusiasm did that first…
Just saw Episode #3 and the show’s definitely grown on me. Matt LeBlanc has pleasantly surprised me with his tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Matt LeBlanc. I think this role will erase a lot of the stigma that he got from the Joey show. Even the two Brits who play the Lincolns are more likeable to me now, although I wish that Tamsin Greig (Beverly) would speak more clearly. I can’t make out what she says half the time. No problem understanding her hubby Stephen Mangan. I think the show stalls when the Lincolns are by themselves talking to each other, but it sizzles when Matt is alone with either one of them. The ending of episode 3 was hilarious.
“My eyes are up here.”
Nice to see they let the shallow Hollywood star actually be right about something too. I’m thinking of that conversation about the need to keep audience interest going over a US series’ much longer run, which neatly undercut the Brits’ assumption that they had all the virtue on their side.
I continue to dig this show. Loving Matt LeBlanc in particular.
But that wasn’t where my eyes were…
I thought this was a great moment as well - showed that Matt had actually put some thought into the concept, and was trying to explain the differences between a British hit show (6 episodes or something short like that) versus an American hit show (four or more years).
Each episode had gotten better and better - looking forward to seeing how this season progresses.
“But without the hand.” I’m starting the like the Matt character.
“Nipple, nipple. Nipple?”
I saw him on Jimmy Kimmel promoting Episodes, which must have been the first time I’ve ever seen him anywhere not in character. He seemed like a very down to earth every-dude not too unlike the way Harrison Ford always seems in interviews. He said he hasn’t worked since the 5 years since Joey ended because he loved doing nothing so damn much and that he hoped the series Matt Leblanc wasn’t the same as the real one because he is a huge asshole. I never disliked him but I like him more after seeing the interview. Oh and I think the show is pretty fun.
Heh, funny, I think of it as a BBC series starring Tamsin Grieg and Stephen Mangan. 
It was a fair bit funnier than I expected; I’m definitely going to stick with it.
There is a fair bit of irony in Grieg and Mangan going on TV to promote a show about getting stuck with Matt le Blanc, while proudly saying ‘and look! It’s got Matt le Blanc!’
What kind of car was Matt LeBlanc driving in Episode 3?
“Yep, me, the sultan of Brunei, and some drug guy”