Hello fellow readers. This is Mr. Birdwell back again. Today’s review I am going to be looking at a TV show today. I am always trying to change it up a bit. Today, we will be looking at the “Friends” spinoff “Joey”.
“Joey” was on NBC from 2004-2006. The series starred Matt Leblanc, Drea de Matteo, Paulo Costanzo, Jennifer Coolidge, Miguel A. Nunez Jr, and Andrea Anders. The series picks up after “Friends” and follows Joey Tribbiani as he moves from New York to Los Angeles to further his acting career and make it big.
It’s no secret that “Friends” is one of the most celebrated shows of all time. Whether one is a casual fan or an absolute fanatic, everyone can appreciate it. Personally, I would consider myself a casual fan of “Friends”. I know the basic story and the characters, but don’t know all the episodes word for word. Still, in terms of pop culture, this show has sure left an impact. Just at the beginning of this year, the entire series was put on Instant Netflix. Now the show can live on for a new generation.
When “Joey” was first announced, there was a lot of hype surrounding it. When it first premiered, it was number one in the ratings. But overtime, the ratings began to decline, was eventually put on hiatus, and officially canceled. Now when this show is brought up, people seem to look down on it. I’ve even read some articles where this is ranked as one of the worst spinoffs in television history. But is it really a bad show?
I have to be honest; I actually didn’t mind “Joey”. Don’t get me wrong, “Friends” is a much better show, but “Joey” is entertaining in its own way. I found myself laughing at times as well. If you look deeper, there are some positives.
The first is Matt Leblanc. Joey was always one of my favorite characters, and it was good to see him get more screen time. Whenever he is on screen, you can’t help but smile at the likeable goof off. The things he says and does always makes you laugh. There is also Jennifer Coolidge as his agent Bobbi. She always brings her own brand of comedy to a project, and here she shines. Andrea Anders plays Joey’s neighbor Alex, and she does a good job playing the ditzy neighbor. Yes, it may seem obvious that Joey and Alex are supposed to like each other, but the actors have such good chemistry together and it works. Hell, these two even dated in real life for quite some time.
But with the pros come some cons as well with a sitcom. First, there is Paulo Costanzo as Joey’s nephew Michael. Here, he is just a cliché. He’s the brainy guy who can get the good grades, but when it comes to women, he is totally oblivious. It’s been done hundreds of times, and it has been done much better. Second, there is also Drea de Matteo as Joey’s sister Gina. I have to give the actress credit for leaving “The Sopranos”, one of the most celebrated dramas ever, to do this sitcom. That is pretty gutsy right there. But sadly, she is a cliché as well. She plays the woman in her 40s who tries to look young and thinks she is still in her early 20s. There’s also a creepy reoccurring character named Howard who is a little obsessed with Joey.
Even the people who were involved with this show seemed to have issues as well. Kevin S. Bright, who was an executive producer and also one of the original creators of “Friends”, said Joey was deconstructed to become a pathetic mopey character. He felt the character was being headed in the wrong direction, but he was not heard. Even Matt Leblanc had mixed feelings. At times, he wished he had spoken up about the change to Joey, but he didn’t consider the series a giant failure either. He said it was a good experience, and had a good time with the cast and crew as well.
I’m not sure how Joey on his own show became a pathetic and mopey character. Sure, he may have been sad in the beginning, but who wouldn’t be sad after making such a big move? He moved across the country, and was starting anew. In the pilot episode, he had a monologue at the end that I related to and I’m paraphrasing here. He said that all of his friends were moving on and he tried to keep everything together. He made a change for himself.
I think anyone could relate to that. Who hasn’t made a big move at least one point in their life? Whether it’s a new job, a new school, or moving to another state, change is inevitable. Maybe this is what the creators were trying to go for, but it got lost in all the hype and lack of interest.
Overall, despite its flaws, I still enjoyed the show “Joey”. “Friends” is still better, but if you don’t take “Joey” too seriously, it can still be a good time. And anyone who has had to make a big move, this could be one to check out for curiosity. For my overall rating, I give “Joey” a 3.5/5.
Thanks so much for reading. What are your thoughts on “Joey”? Let me know in the comments below. This is Mr. Birdwell saying, “Keep reading and watching. You’ll never know when you’ll find something remarkable.”