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Episodes (TV series)

Episodes
GenreSitcom
Created by
Written by
  • David Crane
  • Jeffrey Klarik
Directed by
Starring
ComposerMark Thomas
Country of origin
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes41 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Production locations
CinematographyRob Kitzmann
EditorNigel Williams
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time27 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseJanuary 9, 2011 (2011-01-09) –
October 8, 2017 (2017-10-08)

Episodes is a television sitcom created by David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik and produced by Hat Trick Productions.[1] It premiered on Showtime in the United States on January 9, 2011[2] and on BBC Two in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2011.[1] The show is about a British husband-and-wife comedy writing team who travel to Hollywood to remake their successful British TV series, with unexpected results. It stars Matt LeBlanc portraying a satirical version of himself. LeBlanc made his regular return to television for the first time since he was on NBC's Joey.

On June 10, 2015, it was announced that Showtime had renewed Episodes for a fifth season, which was due to begin filming in London in 2016.[3] On April 11, 2016, the fifth season was confirmed to be the series' last; it consists of seven episodes and premiered on August 20, 2017. The series finale, "Episode Seven", aired on October 8, 2017.[4]

Episodes has received positive reviews from critics,[5][6] with specific praise being given to the performances of stars Stephen Mangan, Tamsin Greig, and LeBlanc.[7] For his performance in the series, LeBlanc won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy and has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards.

Episodes

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
17January 9, 2011 (2011-01-09)February 20, 2011 (2011-02-20)
29May 11, 2012 (2012-05-11)July 6, 2012 (2012-07-06)
39January 12, 2014 (2014-01-12)March 16, 2014 (2014-03-16)
49January 11, 2015 (2015-01-11)March 15, 2015 (2015-03-15)
57August 20, 2017 (2017-08-20)October 8, 2017 (2017-10-08)

Sean (Stephen Mangan) and Beverly (Tamsin Greig) Lincoln win yet another BAFTA Award for their successful British sitcom, Lyman's Boys. Network president Merc Lapidus (John Pankow) and his second-in-command/paramour Carol Rance (Kathleen Rose Perkins) convince the couple to move to Los Angeles to remake their series for an American audience. The network immediately pressures the Lincolns into casting Matt LeBlanc for the lead role; Matt charms the Lincolns but they still insist he's wrong for the part. The network also changes the premise of the show to an unrecognizable degree, going from a sophisticated comedy about a headmaster at a boarding school to a slapstick comedy about a hockey coach called Pucks!. Hollywood veteran Morning Randolph (Mircea Monroe) is also cast in a main role.

During production of the pilot, Sean becomes good friends with Matt. However, tensions flare between Matt and Beverly when he suggests that Morning's character be straight rather than a lesbian--a move Sean ultimately supports in order for the story to have room to grow. Beverly begins suspecting that Sean has feelings for Morning although he denies this. During a gala, Matt tries to set Sean up with Morning but this ultimately fails. Beverly catches Sean masturbating to Morning's sex tape and becomes incensed when she misinterprets a hug between him and Morning. Beverly begins packing to go home and leaves Sean but accidentally gets into a car accident, smashing into Matt's car. After recuperating at his house, Matt and Beverly have sex. Afterwards, Matt reveals that nothing ever happened between Sean and Morning. Horrified, Beverly returns home to Sean and apologizes for freaking out. Production on the Pucks! pilot ends and Sean and Beverly prepare to return home to London. At Matt's house, Sean discovers about his affair with Beverly and the two fight. Sean tells Beverly that he's going to divorce her when they return home. However, test audiences loved Pucks! and a full season has been ordered.

Months later, Sean and Beverly are still working together on the show, with their relationship remaining purely professional. Matt and Sean are able to work through their differences. Meanwhile, Pucks! premieres and is panned by critics; despite this, the first episode earns strong ratings. During the airing of the episode, Matt receives a handjob with Merc's blind wife Jamie (Genevieve O'Reilly) and begins an affair with her. The ratings for Pucks! decline sharply after its second episode. Citing audience surveys, the network suggests that Sean and Beverly rework the scripts to focus less on Matt and more on his teenage co-stars. Matt is furious and threatens to quit but relents when Beverly tells him that the show is the only thing giving her a chance at reuniting with Sean. When Sean insists that he has no interest in doing so, Beverly begins dating Morning's brother Rob (James Purefoy). Meanwhile, Carol is told by network chairman Elliot Salad (Michael Brandon) that Merc will soon be fired. Carol wants to preserve her romantic relationship with Merc so she tells him that his blind wife is having an affair with Matt, leading to a violent fisticuffs between the two men. Afterward, Carol tells Merc that he's out of his job. She breaks up with him after he tells her he can't leave his wife now. Beverly, who was injured in the fight, shares a moment with Sean and the two finally reunite.

The unstable Castor Sotto (Chris Diamantopoulos) is chosen to replace Merc and insists on cancelling Pucks!. Carol defends the show and suggests moving the show to a new night. Meanwhile, Matt falls in love with a script for an NBC drama pilot. He begs Sean and Beverly to kill him off the show, but they refuse once they discover that the script is penned by their obnoxious former assistant Andrew Lesley (Oliver Kieran-Jones). After the ratings plummet in their new timeslot, Pucks! is pulled from the schedule and production on the show begins to wind down. As Matt negotiates for a role in the NBC pilot, Sean and Beverly begin preparing to return home when an agent, Eileen Jaffee (Andrea Rosen), remembers an old script of theirs titled The Opposite of Us. Eileen convinces a tepid Sean to let her shop the script at several networks, but Beverly is dead-set on returning home. With her job on the line, Carol shows the script to Castor and he wants to adapt it. Although Sean is unsure as to what to do, Beverly convinces him to ignore their offers as she insists it would be the same experience they had with Pucks!. The Lincolns return home to London and Matt is cast in the NBC pilot. Meanwhile, after Merc informs Elliot about Matt's NBC deal, Pucks! is picked up for an additional six episodes, ending Matt's stint on the pilot and forcing the Lincolns to return to California.

As production on Pucks! is forced to continue, Castor Sotto is fired and replaced by Helen Basch (Andrea Savage). The new charismatic network president is able to convince Sean and Beverly to let them make The Opposite of Us. Sean receives a visit from his old writing partner Tim Whittick (Bruce Mackinnon) who suggests that he was a co-author of the original script. Tim wants to be involved in production of the new show, but Sean and Beverly strongly oppose this. After legal problems present themselves, Sean gives the network an ultimatum that he and Beverly will walk if Tim is involved and the network relents to their demands. Meanwhile, Matt incurs tremendous financial losses after his accountant is exposed for embezzling his clients. In an act of desperation, he and Merc collaborate on a game show called The Box. At the network, Carol gets along well with Helen and the two begin a relationship. However, Helen believes that Beverly is attracted to Carol. After suspecting that she's being cheated on, Helen fires Carol and forces Sean and Beverly to work on The Opposite of Us with Tim serving as showrunner.

The Box is an enormous success. However, Matt is accidentally caught on tape masturbating on set and he is subsequently fired. Ratings for the show tank without him and Matt only agrees to return if the network agrees to his stipulations, including a guarantee series order for a script he chooses. He asks Sean and Beverly to pen the new script; with the production on Opposite of Us becoming increasingly unbearable, they gleefully quit and agree to work with Matt on a new show. After throwing around several ideas, the passing of Matt's father (Alex Rocco) inspires them to write a drama about a conflicted father-son relationship. Meanwhile, Carol threatens the network with a sexual harassment lawsuit. After briefly rekindling her relationship with Merc, she discovers she's pregnant, although she leaves him when she learns he's also involved with Morning. Helen and Carol ultimately get back together. Sean, Beverly, and Matt pitch their show to the network and it is green-lit. However, Matt ultimately passes when he reads the script, incensing the Lincolns. Sean and Beverly begin developing a new script. Matt apologizes and begs to be cast in the show, as he insists the main role was made for him. Months later, the ensemble gather to watch the premiere of their new show: Episodes.

Cast and characters

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Main

[edit]
Episodes cast TCA 2010

Recurring

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Development and production

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In May 2010, the BBC announced that seven episodes had been ordered and that filming had begun, with James Griffiths directing.[9] Sean and Beverly Lincoln were played by Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig, who previously co-starred in the British sitcom Green Wing (2004–2007).

Beverly was originally to be portrayed by Claire Forlani, but she left the cast in April 2010 when the series was in pre-production.[10] LeBlanc was to play a "larger than life version of himself" as character Matt LeBlanc.[9] Thomas Haden Church was also to have a role in the series as Merc Lapidus, the American television executive who commissions the remake, but he left due to scheduling conflicts,[10] and was replaced by John Pankow.

Although the majority of the show was set in Los Angeles, the first season was mainly filmed in the UK, including the 103-room mansion Updown Court that Sean and Beverly Lincoln briefly stayed in. Inserts were shot on location in LA.[11] LeBlanc's Malibu mansion was also UK-based.[12] Seasons 2–5 were shot primarily in Los Angeles.

Reception

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The response of American critics was positive.[13] Robert Bianco of USA Today called the show "easily the best new sitcom of the season"[14] and The Boston Globe's Matthew Gilbert said that "Each of the season's seven half-hours is a little sliver of pleasure."[15] A Boston Herald review by Mark A. Perigard was lukewarm; he said he feared that the show would never achieve a broad audience,[16] and David Wiegand from the San Francisco Chronicle praised the performances of the actors but felt that the series simply was not funny.[17] Alan Sepinwall of HitFix went further declaring the show to be one of the worst TV moments of 2011.[18] The UK critics' response to the first episode was broadly lukewarm while remaining optimistic.[19][20] More screentime for Matt LeBlanc was eagerly anticipated by some,[21] with The Independent's Brian Viner believing that this might improve the series.[22]

The second season received positive reviews from critics.[23][24] Henry Goldblatt of Entertainment Weekly called the second season "a terrific second season of this industry-set sitcom."[25] USA Today said of the show: "As smartly written as it is played, Episodes offers the comic pleasures, not just of clashing cultures, but of contrasting comic styles. On one side you have LeBlanc, who handles the big laughs and the broader humor, and does it so well, it serves as a reminder that he was under-appreciated during his years on Friends." Ed Bark of Uncle Barky praised the season saying it was "a thoroughly entertaining romp, with the television industry as a combination Tilt-A-Whirl/merry-go-round."[26][27] On the Firewall & Iceberg podcast Alan Sepinwall and Dan Fienberg commented on the second season, saying that the "self-congratulatory, obvious" show that is "oddly tone-deaf about the business that it was trying to satirize" is "not about anything" and "as a result is better for it," but is still "groaningly unfunny".[28]

The third season received mixed reviews from critics.[23][29] Emily Nussbaum of The New Yorker gave the season a positive review, saying "It seemed doubtful that the show’s creators could keep those plates spinning for another round, but the third season introduces a fantastic new contrivance: a psychotic new network head, played by Chris Diamantopoulos."[30] Brian Lowry of Variety gave the season a lukewarm review, praising Matt LeBlanc's performance, writing: "Episodes remains distinguished, mostly, by Matt LeBlanc's gameness in playing a jaundiced, utterly self-absorbed version of himself, the classic stereotype of a sitcom star with an oversized ego.".[31] Phil Dyess-Nugent of The A.V. Club gave the season a "C+" grade and a mixed review, writing: "It's turned out to be a fairly tired satire of Hollywood, one that's stayed yoked to its dubious premise."[32]

In the UK, episode one of the series premiered with an audience of 1.86 million, an audience share of 8.5%.[33] Episode Two received 1.53 million viewers (7.4%) – and by Episode Four, viewing numbers were down to 1.09 million (5.3%). Episode Five saw a slight rise in viewers to 1.33 million (6.6%), but numbers once again fell for Episode Six to 1.12 million (5.5%) and the season ended with the lowest number of viewers, 1.06 million (5.1%), tuning in for the final episode.[34] The second series in the UK began with 1.34 million, audience share of 6.8%, but by episode seven had steadily declined to 0.68 million viewers and an audience share of 3.3%.[35] As in the US, the UK's reception to the second series was positive with The Arts Desk saying "There were some very funny industry-related gags, not least network boss Merc (John Pankow) and his PA-cum-mistress Carol (Kathleen Rose Perkins) having sex on his desk while roaring the ratings figures back at one another. The cast are excellent value but at the moment only Greig seems to be playing for genuine emotional stakes. Portraying an exaggerated version of his on-screen persona, LeBlanc’s sweet, sex-obsessed shallowness is all that's required, but Mangan – a terrific comic actor – seems constantly to be toying with a smirk, devaluing some of the emotional currency you sense Episodes is striving for. Together, they've proved they can make us laugh."[36]

Broadcast

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The series premiered in Australia on Nine on July 3, 2012,[37] with the second season returning on September 4, 2012.[38] The first two seasons were replayed by subscription television network BBC UKTV (as opposed to Nine which is a free-to-air network), premiering January 28, 2014.[39][40] Unlike the first two seasons which premiered in Australia on Nine, the third season premiered on pay TV. Although originally set to air on BBC UKTV,[41] the series premiered on BBC First on September 12, 2014,[42] and returned for season four on September 7, 2015.[43] On November 14, 2016, it was reported that the fifth and final season would have its premiere on streaming provider Stan in 2017. This move is believed to be the result of BBC no longer being a co-producer of the series and that Stan has an output agreement with Showtime.[44]

Awards and nominations

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Awards and nominations for Episodes
Year Association Category Recipients Result
2011 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Matt LeBlanc (Episode: "The Fight") Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik (Episode: "The Fight") Nominated
Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Mark Thomas Nominated
Satellite Award Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy Matt LeBlanc Nominated
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Nominated
2012 Golden Globe Award Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy Matt LeBlanc Won
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Nominated
Writers Guild of America Award Television: New Series David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik Nominated
2013 BAFTA Award Best Situation Comedy David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik & Jimmy Mulville Nominated
Golden Globe Award Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy Matt LeBlanc Nominated
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Matt LeBlanc (Episode: "The Affair") Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik (Episode: "The Award") Nominated
Writers Guild of America Award Television: Episodic Comedy David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik (For "The Award") Nominated
2014 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Matt LeBlanc (Episode: "Episode Six") Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik (Episode: "Episode Five") Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Iain B. MacDonald (Episode: "Episode Nine") Nominated
2015 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Matt LeBlanc (Episode: "Episode Five") Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik (Episode: "Episode Nine") Nominated
BAFTA Award Best Female Comedy Performance Tamsin Greig Nominated

Home media

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The series was released gradually over time onto DVD Region 1 as follows:

DVD Name Ep # Release Date
Episodes: The First Season 7 June 12, 2012
Episodes: The First and Second Season 16 January 8, 2013
Episodes: The Third Season 9 January 13, 2015
Episodes: The Fourth Season 9 April 5, 2016
Episodes: The Fifth and Final Season 9 November 1, 2018

The entire series has also been made available on DVD Region 2. To date, only Season 1 has additionally been released to Blu-ray.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Press Packs: Episodes". BBC. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  2. ^ "Biggest Sunday Ever on Showtime! Shameless, Episodes & Californication to Premiere 9th January", Showtime press release, 22 September 2010, via FutonCritic.com. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  3. ^ "'Episodes' Renewed for Nine Episode Season Five by Showtime". TV by the Numbers. 10 June 2015. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  4. ^ Morfoot, Addie (1 May 2017). "'Episodes' Creators, Matt LeBlanc on Making the Finale 'Surprising and Satisfying at the Same Time'". Variety. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Episodes Review Season 2". metacritic.com. CBS Interactive INC. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Episodes Season 1 Metacritic Reviews". CBS. Interactive Inc. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  7. ^ Gay, Verne. "'Episodes' review: Matt LeBlanc's a star". Newsday. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  8. ^ SHOWTIME (10 January 2011). "Episodes Season 1: Everyone's Best Friend - Kathleen Rose Perkins". YouTube. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Matt LeBlanc, Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig star in David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik's Episodes" (Press release). BBC. 13 May 2010.
  10. ^ a b Wightman, Catriona (29 April 2010). "Church, Forlani quit Matt LeBlanc show". Digitalspy.co.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  11. ^ "LeBlanc's 'brave' move on to British TV", BBC News, January 10, 2011
  12. ^ "Set Pieces: Hollywood excess and Malibu modernism in Showtime's 'Episodes'". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Episodes Season 1 Reviews". metacritic.com. CBS Interactive INC. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  14. ^ Robert Bianco (6 January 2011). "Experience great 'Episodes' of laughter, thanks to LeBlanc". USA Today. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  15. ^ Matthew Gilbert (7 January 2011). "A clever satire about the travails of adaptation". Boston Globe. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  16. ^ Mark A. Perigard (6 January 2011). "Big names, little roles". Boston Herald. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  17. ^ David Wiegand (6 January 2011). "'Episodes' review: High on ego, low on laughs". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  18. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (26 December 2011). "Lumps of coal: The worst TV I watched in 2011". HitFix. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  19. ^ Sam Wollaston (10 January 2011). "TV review: Episodes". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  20. ^ Jane Simon (10 January 2011). "Episodes - BBC2, 10pm". The Mirror. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  21. ^ Keith Watson (10 January 2011). "Episodes is a sharp and slick take on Britain's inferiority complex". Metro. Archived from the original on 14 January 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  22. ^ Brian Viner (11 January 2011). "Last Night's TV - Episodes, BBC2; Shameless, Channel 4; Baking Made Easy, BBC2". The Independent. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  23. ^ a b "Episodes (US): Season 2 (2012)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  24. ^ "Metacritic: Episodes (US): Season 2". Metacritic.
  25. ^ Goldblatt, Henry (August 2012). "Episodes Season 2 Review". Entertainment Weekly.
  26. ^ Bark, Ed. "Showtime's Episodes ups its game in Season 2". unclebarky.com. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  27. ^ Bianco, Robert (28 June 2012). "Showtime's 'Episodes' mocks TV marvelously –". USA Today. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  28. ^ "Firewall & Iceberg Podcast Episode 136 - "Episodes" (00:40:10 - 00:53:00)". HitFix. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  29. ^ "Episodes (US): Season 3 (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  30. ^ Nussbaum, Emily (13 January 2014). "On Television". newyorker.com. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  31. ^ Lowry, Brian (7 January 2014). "TV Review: 'Episodes'". Variety. Variety Media. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  32. ^ Dyess-Nuget, Phil (10 January 2014). "In its third lackluster season, Episodes becomes its own target". The A.V. Club. The A.V. Club. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  33. ^ "Episode 1.1". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  34. ^ "Episode 1.7". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  35. ^ "Episode 2.7". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  36. ^ Graeme Thomson (12 May 2012). "Episodes, Series 2, BBC Two | TV reviews, news & interviews". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  37. ^ Knox, David (23 June 2012). "Airdate: Episodes". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  38. ^ Knox, David (28 August 2012). "Returning: Episodes". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  39. ^ UKTV Australia (28 January 2014). "Twitter/UKTVausttalia". Twitter. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  40. ^ Newsome, Brad (23 January 2014). "Episodes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  41. ^ Knox, David (6 March 2014). "Season 3 Episodes to air on UKTV". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  42. ^ Knox, David (14 July 2014). "Returning: Episodes". TV Tonight. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  43. ^ Knox, David (18 August 2015). "Returning: Episodes". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  44. ^ Knox, David (14 November 2016). "Stan, ABC pick up final season of Episodes". TV Tonight. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
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