Matt LeBlanc is coming back to television in his first regular series since the Friends spin-off, Joey, went off the air.
Episodes, a co-production with the BBC, is about a fictional hit comedy from the UK that’s being developed as a US sitcom, like The Office. LeBlanc will be playing a fictional version of himself, ala Curb Your Enthusiasm. A clip has been released in which the actor is forced to audition for his own part and sits in an audition room surrounded by lookalikes who are muttering “How you doin?”.
In a statement, LeBlanc joked, “I am so glad I got the part. Seeing someone else play Matt LeBlanc would have been devastating.”
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Lisa Kudrow played a similar role in her HBO series, The Comeback, a few years ago. She didn’t play herself but the character had a similar background. It lasted just one season.
It’s too early to tell but Episodes could represent the fans’ best chance of seeing the Friends cast reunite onscreen. Kudrow recently suggested that the producers weren’t interested in an official reunion so this may be a way to do an unofficial one.
Curb Your Enthusiasm enjoyed a nice bump in the ratings from the recent Seinfeld reunion so there’s certainly some incentive. Larry David and the actors made fans happy by getting back together but got to do it in an atypical way, without unreasonable expectations.
For now, Showtime has ordered 10 installments of Episodes and has plans to air them later this year.
What do you think? Would you like to see LeBlanc reunite with his former castmates for a Friends pseudo-reunion?
need a reunion
The friends cast needs to reunite. It’d be awesome!
Well Episode 1 of Episode is anything like the other 9 people will be gouging out their eyes out rather than watch another episode!
I am willing to bet it does not last 5 Episodes! It could have been funny but the first episode just threw us into a party where we had no clue who anyone was at all?
Then it got worse!
Unlikely but it would be great. It would really draw in high ratings for the show Episodes
i love friends series and it would be great that they get together and make new serial.
The “friends show was like enjoying your own friends that you actually cared about. I think ir ranks in the top all-time best series ever. I gather you might say I am in favor of a show or movie reviving these character. We never actuall sa Ross and Rachel getting married which is just a starting point along with Chandler’s and Monica’s suburban life and Joey finding a steady girl to settle down with as he has matured and thinking a bit amarter in his layer years since we saw him last. The only reason show died was the terrible… Read more »
I think it would be a great idea for all of the friends cast to come back for a reunion I think you should take a leap out of it
I said ‘maybe, not sure’ just because I’d prefer to see all the characters together again. 🙂 This would be good though if there was no official reunion.
This sounds like it could be good, but the title is weak. Often times thats what draws people, a good title. This one sounds like a dead end.