# New Showtime Series: "Episodes" Starring Matt LeBlanc
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 24, 2011, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758 "2011-01-24T07:55:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/1 "2011-01-24T07:55:01Z")
Yes, “Joey” from Friends has a [new series on Showtime called Episodes](http://www.sho.com/site/episodes/home.do?paidsearch=kwid/&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=matt+leblanc+episodes&utm_campaign=episodes-cast_mattleblanc). 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…)
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/2 "2011-01-24T08:18:40Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Baboonanza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baboonanza)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/3 "2011-01-24T12:24:46Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/4 "2011-01-24T15:22:21Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> 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.
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.”
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### Author:  [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/5 "2011-01-24T15:41:33Z")
The concept is still confusing me. Is Matt’s character
a. Matt Leblanc as himself
b. Joey from Friends/Joey
c. a new character
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### Author:  [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/6 "2011-01-24T16:03:39Z")
> [@fusoya](#):
>
> 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.
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### Author:  [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/7 "2011-01-24T19:45:57Z")
Oh, so it’s ripping off Curb Your Enthusiasm then?
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/8 "2011-01-24T20:16:07Z")
> [@fusoya](#):
>
> The concept is still confusing me. Is Matt’s character
>
> a. Matt Leblanc as himself
> b. Joey from Friends/Joey
> c. a new character
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.😉
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### Author:  [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/9 "2011-01-24T20:22:08Z")
> [@fusoya](#):
>
> Oh, so it’s ripping off Curb Your Enthusiasm then?
Right, because Curb Your Enthusiasm did that first…
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### Author:  [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/10 "2011-01-24T22:25:35Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/11 "2011-01-24T23:12:17Z")
“My eyes are up here.”
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### Author:  [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/12 "2011-01-24T23:20:15Z")
> [@nivlac](#):
>
> Just saw Episode #3 and the show’s definitely grown on me.
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.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/13 "2011-01-25T13:30:48Z")
I continue to dig this show. Loving Matt LeBlanc in particular.
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/14 "2011-01-25T16:05:03Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> “My eyes are up here.”
But that wasn’t where my eyes were…
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/15 "2011-01-25T16:08:29Z")
> [@Slade](#):
>
> 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 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.
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### Author:  [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/16 "2011-01-25T17:10:01Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> And with a HUGE something extra.😉
“But without the hand.” I’m starting the like the Matt character.
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### Author:  [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/17 "2011-01-25T17:19:23Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> “My eyes are up here.”
“Nipple, nipple. Nipple?”
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### Author:  [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/18 "2011-01-25T18:12:07Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> no idea how close or distant this is to the real Matt Leblanc.
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.
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### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/19 "2011-01-25T18:37:14Z")
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!’
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### Author:  [@Rillian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rillian)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2011, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-showtime-series-episodes-starring-matt-leblanc/568758/20 "2011-01-26T00:30:41Z")
What kind of car was Matt LeBlanc driving in Episode 3?
“Yep, me, the sultan of Brunei, and some drug guy”
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