I do wish Tamsin Grieg and Stephen Mangan got recognized for their acting on this show too. They portray the real artists and people crushed by Hollywood so well.
Personally I always thought of "Episodes" as the closets thing to a live action "Bo Jack Horseman". Mostly with how the character of Matt Leblanc is portrayed and explored in the second half of the show. Also have to give credit to Daisy Haggard for her portrayal Myra. I was really blown away when I found out that not only is she British, but she voices Hilda's Mom in the Netflix adaptation.
One of my favorite jokes in this show was Sean and Beverly telling Matt how the network did a lot of research about how Pucks is going to be a hit and Matt said “They did research Joey was going to be a hit” which scared Sean and Beverly 😂
I almost gave this one a pass because of Matt LeBlanc, but it turned out to be the best thing he was ever in and one of the best shows I'd seen in years. Hats off to Matt for playing himself as a despicable yet lovable jerk. The characters are superb, hysterically funny.
Episodes did for Matt Leblanc what Punch Drunk Love did for Adam Sandler. In Sandler's breakthrough drama, he was still in essence playing a manchild but removed from the context of a slobs vs snobs comedy, revealing someone prone to extreme emotions due to not being mature enough to temper them.
I think you're missing half of "Matt's" argument regarding the lesbian librarian. He was also pointing out the different # of episodes a successful Hollywood tv show runs for vs a successful BBC show. This has started to change, but at the time Hollywood tv shows generally had 22 episode season. While BBC shows often had less than 10. This meant that a story that spanned 4 seasons of BBC tv wouldn't even fill 2 seasons of Hollywood television. And a 2 season show was rarely considered a success. Reaching 100 episodes (the minimum for syndication) was an important benchmark for success and that usually took almost 5 complete seasons. It's a lot easier to stretch a will-they-won't-they for 100 episodes than a they-never-will-isn't-that-poignent.
This drives the big difference between the UK and US versions of The Office. In the UK original the boss is an almost irredeemable arsehole. You can handle that for 12 episodes, but no more. In the first season of The Office US, Michael Scott is a tool the whole way through, but for the second season they gave us something to like about him in every other episode - a choice that came after discussion between the producers of both shows.
Episodes was underrated AF! It's a hilarious pisstake/mockumentary on Hollywood when you think about it, and we kind of needed that. Yes it references Friends a fair bit, but it's about (the fictional) Matt Le Blanc's career afterwards. It's bound to do so.
If it was a mockumentary it would be filmed like the office or presented as a documentary that’s fiction. It’s a satire on the Hollywood industry. Educate yourself.
For context, back in the 2010-11 era when Episodes was being made, US remakes of UK shows were all the rage. _Skins, The Inbetweeners, IT Crowd, Peep Show, Gavin & Stacey, Coupling, Spaced, Broadchurch,_ - so many shows were seen as remake-able material, all the way till 2014-16, and they all failed disastrously. _The Office, Queer as Folk_ and _Shameless_ reboots might have been the only ones to work? (As well as some reality tv shows like _Dancing with the Stars_ based on Strictly). Interestingly, HBO's _Veep_ was actually a second attempt at an American spinoff of _The Thick of It_ and the first one hadn't involved creator Armando Ianucci at all, apparently, and had failed at the pilot stage.
@@user-sl6gn1ss8p they also tried to make a US version of another Australian classic; Kath & Kim. It was awful, but then again it was going to fail because its hard to replicate outside of Australia.
Coupling was meant to be an (admittedly unofficial) remake of Friends, so it's no wonder that the copy of the copy didn't work. Although personally I wouldn't highlight DWTS or other gameshows as being special for having successful remakes, since their formats get re-sold and re-made around the world as a matter of course anyway.
I'm reminded of a story told by David Cross. When "Arrested Development" was in the early stages of production, Gail Berman, an executive at Fox, issued a stern memo against facial hair, baseball caps, and puffy shirt sleeves. Cross fought tooth & nail and successfully subverted all three prohibitions during the first season.
It's definitely worth a watch! Seasons are typically around 8 episodes only and there are some lighter comedic and heartfelt moments between all the satire.
@casualcraftman1599 I saw a video about that book that's either titled or features the person who made it saying that she's also glad that Jeanette McCurdy's mom died.
A fascinating video. I never once thought of Episodes as a Friends spin off but now I am convinced. I think it should be categorised as a very dark drama comedy.
@@Stubagful And this amazing book now sadly barley scratches the surface of how messed up Nick Studios is with Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV documentary exposing more fuck up things.
I really liked this show. It's not exactly original, being the old 'Hollywood Dream/Nightmare' thing, but the fact it kept turning the thumbscrews made it really interesting. A lot of the side characters gave great performances too, especially Kathleen Rose Perkins because I fancy her. Must watch it again.
I agree with 99% of this, only disagree that it shouldn't be labelled a comedy, If it weren't labelled a comedy then the matt Leblanc/joey comparison disparity wouldn't work, it needs to be labelled a comedy to keeo you associating the 2
After he sleeps with his stalker and she says a line from the Friends theme song and then does the clapping part... if that's not comedy then I don't know what is.
Episodes is brilliant, it's weirdest element is actually from the production side - that it took them about 7 years to tell a story that in-universe only takes place over about 6 months.
Can we talk about how awful it is that Carol and Helen end up together at the end after Helen showed she was basically a crazy and abusive partner who, had she been a male character, would have probably rightly called out as awful? My gal deserved better!
This was my one major criticism too! Because Carol was more of a heightened sitcom character than someone like Beverly, Helen's abusiveness was just brushed off like it didn't matter because oh they're so goofy. That and female bosses being abusive not being taken as seriously.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention the UK sitcom Extras from 2006-07, which is essentially the same premise as Episodes and features the same dark humour about the vacuousness and ruthlessness of the TV industry. You go in all excited to see Ricky Gervais’s cynical take on the sitcom business and for the self-deprecating celebrity cameos, but you come away feeling bleak and uncomfortable. Also it continues the meta-gag established by Friends by naming every episode after the A-List celebrity cameo that they know audiences will remember it by 😂
Having only heard of Episodes for the first time today, no, I did not predict the ending, so that felt a bit harsh. Not that I’m mad about the spoiler. It’d be a bit odd to get that far in the video and suddenly proclaim “HOW DARE” to spoilers.
So what I'm hearing is... Episodes is the new Bojack Horseman? Supposedly a comedy that's actually a tragic story that exposes a lot of the disgusting parts of making media and torturing the main cast with what happens to them in their stories.
Its kinda like a progenitor to it (Episodes started 2011, Bojack was a bit later). They appear to have come from similar places of frustration with the way the TV industry works. I think Episodes is probably a bit more for people "in the know" than Bojack Horseman which was more about inner turmoil. I recognised quite a lot of tropes from some of the books I've been reading about industry pitching lately
@@Stubagful Ah that's interesting, I actually had no idea Episodes came first as I hadn't really heard about it until now, but you've done a good job at selling it to me. I'm a sucker for media that's about making media, and especially shows that have the balls to take a look in the mirror and essentially become a critique of themselves and the system that allows them to exist. Very specific I know.
Oddly enough, now it's spun in a new way with Succession and Better Call Saul being created by comedy writers with ALL the same comedy principles but played for dark straight drama.
@ 8:35 I know you are saying how soul-crushing it is, and summing it up brilliantly, but that is so the reason why I've watched this show five or six times! I recommend it to EVERYONE for just how...stuck the two leads are. Stuck! With Joey! Better title for a spin-off.
Me, after one minute: I might check out that show! Me, one more minute later: wait a minute... Another minute later: yes. I've DEFINITELY already seen it. ...I watch too many shows.
It's an interesting way of looking at it but I'm not entirely sure it is accurate, I loved Matt in this, he was likeable and smart because he had to be to manipulate the situation to his advantage but most times he wasn't wrong either. I didn't see Joey because he was a character he played and he was so different to that character in this.
I have a question, and it may be a dumb one: Am I dumb for not knowing in advance what the last episode of "Episodes" is about as someone who has only seen this video up until the point when you mention the last episode of "Episodes", or would I have been dumb had I watched the show and not realised what the last episode would be about before watching it?
While watching the show as it aired I don’t think the ending was obvious, but certainly while watching the final season for the first time I saw it heading that way so it is kind of a spoiler, but it doesn’t spoil the show in any way.
"while there is occasionally funny dialogue, I didn't laugh that much" I definitely see where you're coming from overall but I almost ran out of air when Shaun wobbled on his knees to attack Matt with a cactus.
That's a great video! I loved Episodes, all the meta stuff. The only thing I regret is that there seem to be a lot of inside jokes and references that only people who work in the industry probably understand. By the way, I really dislike Friends to this day, because most characters are very toxic. I have no idea why people liked them so much. I found Episodes much more honest in this respect and that's what made people like Sean and Beverly much more relatable.
Matt Leblanc is a great comedic actor , I loved episodes and the way he played his character. Sadly friends is now very dated but episodes always seems fresh. Matt always seems a decent guy , hope his success continues and he has a happy life.
Even though I'm in my 40s, this always seemed like something for my parents. Very meta, but not actually that interesting. I might give it another look.
this video gave me an idea for a video about comparing various self insert characters in drama shows, how the self awareness, ability to mock themselves, or lack their of for any self insert or direct "actor playing themselves" parts in dramas and comedies reflects on differant actors. feel free to steal it anyone reading this comment im never gonna finish that idea.
Another excellent analysis Stu. As a writer, just starting out on the journey of starting a nano-publishing business, I found it fascinating. That conflict between scratching a living and creative truth. Thank you for highlighting this sitcom, it's great to have another video from you. Have you seen the philosophical sitcom The Good Place? It's unique and I would be interested to hear your analysis. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to your videos on Season 14 of Dr Who. Are you going to carry on with them? Best wishes and thank for your work.
Some ppl simply not interested in watching some things even if they find them intriguing, I too am 1 of those ppl, I just don't have the timel@@solomonblake7041
@@Joemama55122 it’s a bit more British than it is American and it’s not too dark. So I’d definitely recommend it on how you’ve presented your preferences.
This video made me interested in watching Episodes, and it was genuinely one of the best things I have watched in awhile. I doubt you'll see this but this show was super impactful to me and I want to thank you for covering it, I would never have heard of it without this video.
This idea was done great with the comic strips the strike. Having al pacino play Arthur skargill was great. They did the glc as well where Charles Branson plays Ken livingstone
Stubagful, at 9:03 there's some sax / blues music playing. Do you know what it's called? I've heard it before and now it's bugging me -_- loved the video and now im giving Episodes a watch
This whole concept was kind of covered in an episode of Larry Sanders where Wallace Langham character, Phil, gets a deal to write a pilot and it gets brutally modified to the point its not his vision anymore.
@@beemoh That's from a TV show ...but which one! I don't get the ref' mate sorry! Update: It's a wonderfully funny quip, I'd say is it possibly Rick and Morty but I know how that splits rooms!
The fact Stephen mangan, or whatever his name is, and the other woman are in this means I'm definitely going to watch this. Green Wing was a favourite show
Ah yes, the age old 'let's take something successful then remove everything that made it successful and wonder why it didn't work whilst blaming the production crew and pocketing a huge bonus as the C suite!'
a great way to critique friends, it wanted to be seinfeld without being seinfeld, and ultimately in friends they made them bad people without acknowledging it like they did in seinfeld
If you want to see other comedies that are brutally cruel to the characters of the movie I may recommend He Was a Quiet Man, Burn After Reading, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, In Bruges, The Banshees of Inishirin, The Favourite, The Lobster, Saltburn, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Cottage, Severance, You're Next, Brazil, Kill Your Friends, Voices, Super, Kick-Ass 2, Parasite, The Thick of It, and Moral Orel.
Really cool video! Never heard of it but as a guy who’s not exactly a fan per se of friends, so this def strikes me as something to consider. I love the idea of what “what if Joey was your co-worker?” And yeah, I like how you point out that Friends, as a sitcom, ALWAYS showed real life problems in a “cuddly” manner even when VERY CLEARLY they were unrealistic, and were somewhat disturbing. Like Ross’s crush on rachel was very obsessive, very detrimental to both, and to quote another RU-vid video, borderline harassment when he kept bothering rachel at work. And Joey himself, if you actually took a serious look, would be a nightmare in real life lol. He’s a slob, easy to distract, hooked on stupid ideas, and very rarely grows up (I mean the finale shows that he never actually did anything different). Plus his constant lust for his female friends and generally women WOULDNT go well in real life. So friends was a a nice way to solve all your problems in a half hour while Ignoring the actual consequences. Seinfeld got away with this as the people were horrible to each other, even king of queen has drama where the couple break up over a legitimate fight only to TALK it over. Like doug and Carrie REALLY did seem they were gonna end it all.
So, for me, I never really cared for Friends despite it being “the it show” when it aired etc. maybe because my family never watched it or whatever but I’ve never really got into it despite trying. However I do respect the actors and always thought LeBlanc came away the most typecasted which is a shame, so seeing something like this is honestly nice. It makes me think of the recent Nic Cage film where he plays a fictional version of himself, it works because it plays off the public perception we have of these characters.
I would love to know the date of the episode where Matt pitched the pimp who cares about his girls show or movie because I think he might have came up with the idea of “Hustle and Flow” minus the rap…then again, depending on the year, maybe still with the rap. People would have paid to hear Joey Tribbiani yell “Whoop that Trick”
