EPISODES Hilariously Hanging On

Article first published as EPISODES Hilariously Hanging On on TheTVKing.

Showtime's Episodes is a series that always delivers the laughs, every single time. It is the story of two Brits, Sean (Stephen Mangan) and Beverly Lincoln (Tamsin Greig), who come to America to remake their hit show from across the pond, only to find L.A. a horrible place that ruins both their work and their marriage. This week, the third season wrapped up, building towards a happy ending, then having it yanked back at the last moment.

The show within a show is called Pucks, and Pucks is just one misstep after another. The network forces Matt LeBlanc (himself) onto the Lincolns, and then the format of the show changes, and then it is retooled, and it soon resembles the original not at all. It's no wonder Sean and Beverly get fed up. By the time Pucks is canceled, we're right there with them, glad to see it go. There's no way this farce should stay on the air, and no one is watching it anyway, unlike the farce of Episodes, which should be watched by everyone.

Yet, at the end of the season finale, Elliot Salad (Michael Brandon), the big boss at the network, renews it for six more episodes. How did this happen? Like much of Episodes, it has little to do with what it should, and is instead about petty things. Salad hates NBC, which has cast LeBlanc as the lead in their new buzzy drama, so Salad refuses to cancel LeBlanc's contract. Sean, Beverly, and Matt, the three main players, have nothing to do with the decision, and are only victims of the situation.

That's much how Episodes plays out. It's a sitcom in the most traditional sense in that the situation leads to the comedy. The characters are absolutely fantastic, but they don't have to be in these messes so fully. Sure, Matt makes his own trouble, but Bev and Sean rarely do, which makes the show a comedy of errors, flaps that keep interfering with the life they want to live.

It's kind of cool that this happens, though. I mean, it would take some contrivances to bring everyone back together for a fourth season, which has already been ordered, so by having Pucks arise from the grave, it keeps the characters together, something that would have been a stretch to believe otherwise. While it does happen with an unexpected twist, it makes sense in the world of the show, so doesn't feel too false. They are also all extremely reluctant to return, which means we'll get to see a new side of them in making the show, and Pucks could potentially turn into something good when its creators stop caring. So bad it's good, perhaps?

I'm not sure if this season finale was designed to be a series finale or not, but it very well could have had Pucks not been picked up. Sean and Beverly suddenly become the most sought-after writers in Hollywood when Eileen Jaffee (Andrea Rosen) puts a script they wrote out into the world and a bidding war erupts between FOX, CBS, and Carol (Kathleen Rose Perkins), who needs the new program to save her job. While Sean is tempted to take the bait, Beverly firmly resists, and in the end, he agrees. They leave on top, with Matt coming only to say goodbye to his friends, unlike everyone else who wants something from them. It's sweet and it's satisfying and it's triumphant.

If Pucks didn't get renewed, it's hard to imagine what would draw the Lincolns back to California. Matt is on another show. Carol may very well be out of work after losing them, or if she's not, she's running a last place network. Merc (John Pankow) is still out on the street, pretending to be friendly to all the people he hates. How could this group come back together?

With Sean wanting to stay and do the new show, though, it almost looks like it will go that way for a moment. The Hollywood types promise Beverly she can do everything her way and they'll land her a big star. It's easy to see how this tempts Sean, a chance to do things on their own terms, a do-over. But Bev is probably right, any other project would get ruined like Pucks did, so the happy ending snatched away from the couple here is most likely the one they will be trying to get back to in subsequent seasons, rather than a successful career in La La Land.

Episodes is clever, with plenty of great one-liners and cartoonish characters in a hyper-realized setting, that actually seems sort of real. Everyone on the show is so damn entertaining, and the stories are well thought out. I very eagerly anticipate another round with these folks.

Episodes will return to Showtime next year.

More EPISODES On Showtime

Article first written for Seat42F.

Showtime’s EPISODES, which, funnily enough, doesn’t use episode titles, begins its third outing this week. Picking up the morning after the events of season two’s finale, much has changed for the characters, while at the same time, life continues as normal, too. Some jobs have shifted and some decisions have been made, but the show called Pucks must go on, and so they get back to work.

Merc (John Pankow) vows to cancel Pucks, if you remember, but that was when he thought he would continue to head up the network, which obviously is no longer the position he holds. Nor does he have a woman to stand by his side, his wife, Jamie (Genevieve O’Reilly), having gone home with Matt (Matt LeBlanc), and Carol (Kathleen Rose Perkins) dumping him when she finally accepts just what a selfish jerk Merc is.

Thus, Merc begins the new year on a terrible note, desperate and alone. I don’t think he’s going anywhere, as Pankow is too valuable a player to lose, and Merc is still a figure in too many people’s lives. But he won’t be the same Merc we’ve grown used to, or at least he won’t have the same power and control.

Carol spends the first half hour trying to get a hold of Elliot (Michael Brandon) so she can accept Merc’s job, which Elliot offered her. But, as we know, Elliot is leaving town and intends to name the new network head before he goes. Did Carol wait too long to change her mind?

If so, that’s too bad. Yes, she’s a little self-centered, as we see again in a lunch scene during the season premiere, but Carol is a good person, by and large. At least she’s honest about who she is, including the lies she tells, and those around her know what they’re getting with her. She deserves the job more than Merc did, and she can certainly do better than Merc in choosing her next lover. Whether she takes the office now or later, it seems like a strong possibility that it will happen at some point.

One question not so up in the air is that of Beverly (Tamsin Greig) and Sean’s (Stephen Mangan) relationship. After all, Sean comes to Beverly’s defense in the finale, and so the two are a couple again as season three begins.

But how long might that last? They both slept with other people, to be sure, and that could continue to hang over them. They must confess their sins, forgive one another, and move on. Keeping things from one another will destroy them when those hidden bits come out, as they inevitably will. However, fans of the show know how neurotic the two Brits can be, so forgiving and forgetting may be easier said than done.

I can actually live with a little tension between Beverly and Sean. What’s more important to the series is the dynamic between Sean, Beverly, and Matt as a trio. This fell apart quite a bit last year, and it’s nice to see it back on track now. They can have conflict, as that is entertaining, but things between the three can never be allowed to get so bad that they go their separate ways. That’s what would kill the show, but I think the writers are smart enough to realize that, pushing the characters as far as they can go, then pulling back just before permanent damage is done.

EPISODES is very, very funny. All these relationships above make up the story, but not necessarily the reason to tune in. Every installment has joke after joke that lands in the best of ways. From a secret that quickly spreads out of hand at the wrong time, to Sean helping Matt write an apology to his wife, to Matt’s charades behind Jamie as Merc attempts to win his wife back, there are amusing bits constantly in the most recent outing. Many of these are minor and lots are inappropriate, but the frequency, tone, and flow of them are what kick EPISODES up to a top-notch comedy series. This has not changed in the season three premiere.

Plus, unlike in previous seasons, there is no fretting about whether the often-on-the-bubble show will continue. It has already been renewed for a fourth season.

EPISODES premieres Sunday at 10:30 p.m. ET on Showtime.

Episodes explodes

Showtime's Episodes completed their second season this week. Everything came to a head at Merc's (John Pankow) Man of the Year ceremony. The cheaters were exposed, someone got fired, and an estranged couple realized exactly how they felt about each other. It was like last season's car wreck, but bigger, more metaphorical, and affecting more people. Needless to say, Episodes deserves an as-yet-unordered third season.

Merc took on a greater importance in season two, especially in how the women in his life felt about him. Carol (Kathleen Rose Perkins) grew more devoted, while Merc's wife, Jamie (Genevieve O'Reilly) became less, cheating on him with Matt (Matt LeBlanc). Merc's bosses took a similar tack as his wife, and the show set Merc up to lose everything except Carol, whom he ends up not appreciating enough to keep, either.

If Episodes continues, it is possible it will be without Merc. He no longer runs the network, and Carol has shut off relations, effectively blocking him out of all proceedings. But with the brilliance Pankow plays the break down in the season finale, how can the show stand to let him go? Surely, he can be roped back into the proceedings somehow, maybe begging Carol into taking him back, and mooching off of her? It would be well within the bounds of how the characters have been painted up to this point. Carol may get angry with him, but she always forgives, no matter how little he deserves it.

Jamie, on the other hand, seems to be done with her husband. The question is, though, will Matt want a serious relationship with her? Or will he get bored, as he does the other women in his life, cheating on her, too? The two of them have been a fun pairing in season two, but there doesn't appear to be a path forward for them. The chemistry just isn't right, and Matt's womanizing ways have got to take over. He can show growth as a character, but Episodes can't make him do a 180 over night.

Beverly (Tamsin Greig) and Sean (Stephen Mangan), on the other hand, have got to make it work. After nine episodes apart, it is gratifying to see Sean forgive her after she is elbowed in the face. They may be a bit bumbling, but there's always been a strong bond of love between them, and it's obvious that they should be together. Episodes didn't force the split, keeping true to the characters, but it also couldn't leave them apart much longer and still feel authentic. Thank goodness that particular drama is over.

Which sets up the show within a show, Pucks, to have a smooth beginning of season three. With Carol in charge instead of Merc, Bev and Sean should be able to make the show they want, which should prove more popular than the current, failing model, as they've already demonstrated how great they can be with the original British incarnation. So what problems might crop up? And could they have anything to do with Morning (Mircea Monroe), who, as understanding as she appears to be about Sean and Bev's reconciliation, didn't seem all that happy to be going home alone?

Episodes is a great series that wonderfully balances huge slapstick, like the fist fight in this season finale, with more subtle charm and humor. Its audience may not be huge, but the acting is fantastic, and the writing is entertaining. It deserves to continue. Hopefully, it will.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing.

No Friends for Episodes

Showtime's Episodes continues to provide chapters of a wonderful, ongoing story week after week. In the latest entry, Beverly (Tamsin Greig) and Sean (Stephen Mangan) finally reconnect, Matt (Matt LeBlanc) finds out what his former Friends co-stars really think of him, and Morning (Mircea Monroe) gets a fix to her problem.

Poor Morning. It's interesting that Episodes takes someone so pretty and tarnish her so. On modern television, many of the actors are of above average beauty, and especially in Hollywood, looks mean a lot. Yet, Episodes is brave enough to not only screw up Morning's prettiness for a single episode, but to draw it out in an extended arc. Kudos to the writers and Monroe for going down this path, terrifically skewering this tradition of the industry.

Of course, Monroe isn't the only pretty face on Episodes. Los Angeles is full of them, and several more appear on the show. Matt's current problem is one in particular named Labia (Sophie Rundle), who shows a lot more than her face. She is Matt's stalker, and this week, she is prancing around his kitchen in only a pair of panties, baking him cookies. One would think that Matt, horn dog that he is, would like this turn of events, and he doesn't complain too loudly. But he does kick her out.

Matt is a player, and this is the reason that he can't embrace Labia. It's not that she's too crazy for him, which should be the main sticking point. It's that he doesn't want to only sleep with her, even if she is hot, and he doesn't want her hanging around constantly, which is what would happen even more after sex.

However, how Matt treats Labia also reveals his good side. Yes, he does threaten to call the cops. But that isn't his immediate response. And he tries really hard to get her to leave without threats at first. He isn't overly mean. He's tough, but fair.

Until he tosses off the one-liner "But you didn't!" in response to her assertion that she would die for him, which does go kinda low, considering they met when she was a Make-A-Wish kid with cancer.

This inability to resist the insult, and not even realize how wrong it is, is a major theme in Matt's life. He obviously doesn't consider it a big deal, but his former Friends co-stars do, none of them agreeing to appear in the show within a show, Pucks! Nor in Episodes for that matter. One wonders if perhaps the reason viewers only see Matt's side of the conversation is because it kind of ruins the "real" Matt in the show if those other Friends, who surely don't actually hate Matt, who is playing a caricature of himself, are glimpsed in the episode.

One Friends guy, James Michael Tyler (himself), who played ever-present Gunther, does come on Pucks! Matt is anything but grateful, taking some misplaced anger out on Tyler. Why can't Matt ever just say thanks? Why does he push? What drives this need to be liked, which is counterproductive, considering the way that he goes about achieving it?

Matt takes advantage of the couple of people that do not currently hate him, but probably will again soon enough, when he gets Sean and Beverly to write a speech he's supposed to give in honor of the slimy Merc (John Pankow). Matt acts like he appreciates their efforts, but wants the script early so he can send it back for rewrites if he's not pleased, which goes against the spirit of a favor. If he treats everyone like this, it's no wonder he's alone!

Sean and Beverly find it exceedingly difficult to write something nice about Merc, give what a low life, two-faced, scum bag he is. But they don't accept the job for Merc, and they don't really do it for Matt, either, though their innate generosity and kindness, not yet completely eroded by Hollywood, do probably play a small part. Instead, they do it to spend time together, as each has shown a tenderness to their ex-spouse as of late.

It must be incredibly hard to work so closely with an ex. Normally, when a couple breaks up, they can go their separate ways. Sean and Beverly still have to write Pucks! Somehow, they've found a way to be more than civil towards each other, which makes their reunion inevitable. But because this is a TV show, there must be a number of bumps and misunderstandings along the way.

Which is why, in the middle of getting busy, Sean stops and refuses to go through with it, not ready to forgive Beverly for her accidental indiscretion. It's a tease to viewers, who want them together, but not an unexpected one. Sean has already had a little taste of another woman, and Beverly has Morning's brother in the wings, so that'll kill some more time. The two have to get back together. Just not yet, of course.

Episodes also stars the hilarious Kathleen Rose Perkins. Catch new episodes Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET on Showtime.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com! First published on TheTVKing

More Episodes to delight

Showtime's EPISODES is a terrific show not nearly enough people are watching, featuring some fantastic performances. Season two premiered last night, picking up four months after season one left one. It's time for the Pucks premiere, and Merc (John Pankow) throws a party. The show is getting terrible reviews, but the ratings for week one are fantastic. Is this good news for Bev (Tamsin Greig), who knows that returning home to England after a canceled series will mean losing separated husband Sean (Stephen Mangan) forever? Or is it bad news, as she won't be happy to learn that Sean is now with Morning (Mircea Monroe), and they will all have to continue working together?


The marriage issues in EPISODES stem from a comedy of errors. And while the dramatic pathos are moving, it's also pretty funny to see how things unfold. How perfect that Morning, the woman Bev believed Sean had an affair with, is now going to be dating him! And while Sean fought so hard to behave himself in season one, season two finds Beverly being the one to try to work on the marriage.


Will she be successful? They live apart, but still work together. If the great ratings of Pucks are maintained, they could be together for years, which would allow plenty of time for the couple to eventually work things out. However, being that EPISODES' main characters have terrible luck, it's much more likely that Beverly and Sean will soon be fighting for a series they don't even like, and there is no telling how the stress and camaraderie of being in the trenches together again might change their minds and behavior.


Oh, yes. Pucks, the show Bev and Sean make in EPISODES, sucks, as one review so "cleverly" points out in a rhyming headline. Viewers are told this over and over again, which does save the writers from having to worry about making the scenes of the show within a show that are shown any good, a lesson they perhaps learned from the short-lived Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip, whose comedy sketches were not nearly as funny as they should have been.


Morning foreshadows what might be a turning point when she mentions in the season premiere that she was part of a sitcom that had very high ratings the first week, then plummeted. Will the same thing happen with Pucks? Can Sean and Bev unite to save it, despite Merc and the network's interference, which is why the American remake of their British comedy hit is so bad in the first place?


While the stakes of romance and ratings might be a draw for many viewers, its the performances that really sell episodes and drive the series. Mangan and Greig are brilliant, capturing a rare chemistry, and making much of the humor at their expense seem unintentional. They have an ease in the parts that really makes every situation seem authentic, and keeps viewers rooting for both, no matter how many mistakes they might make, or offenses they cause against one another.


The third wheel to their marriage is Matt (Matt LeBlanc), who proves he isn't just Joey from Friends. This version of the real Matt is snarky and kind of a jerk, willing to sleep with anyone's wife, because, after all, you don't c***block yourself. His worrying over how the couple's spat affects his friendship and working relationships with them reveal a huge ego and self-centeredness. Yet, his endearing efforts to win them back, including giving Sean a cake for his birthday, keep him from being completely despicable. Even when he ignores learning any lesson, and fools around with Merc's wife, Jamie (Genevieve O'Reilly).


Will Matt's tryst with Jamie hurt the series Pucks? After all, Merc may want to fire Matt immediately for the affair, even though Merc routinely cheats on Jamie himself. Or will he make Pucks even worse, and punish Matt by keeping him on? Or maybe he won't even care, given his own indiscretion. Or maybe this will allow Merc to take advantage of some clause in his pre-nup, which will let him cut Jamie off financially. Who knows, with EPISODES, which way it might go? This unpredictableness adds another element of greatness to the series.


It should be mentioned that Jamie is blind. Merc likely thinks he's getting away with his cheating because Jamie can't see, which makes Merc the sole character fans of EPISODES can really hate. Jamie's actions could simply be justifiable revenge, rather than an attraction to Matt, because she knows full well what Merc is up to. After all, she can't be completely clueless, right? O'Reilly plays the character in such a way that it's impossible to tell, but Jamie probably is wiser than she lets on.


And then there's Carol (Kathleen Rose Perkins), Merc's employee and mistress. Interestingly, although Carol is growing to dislike Merc's games at the end of season one, she seems doubled down in the relationship as season two begins. I guess you can't help who you love. This probably comes from low self-esteem, but yet again, Carol stays a character viewers root for, mostly because of her friendship with Beverly.


Characters that are easy to hate but still enjoyable to watch, are nothing new on television. Seinfeld made it an art form years ago. Somehow, though, EPISODES seems fresh, with a completely new take on an old standard. Maybe it's the cheeky humor and the self-awareness. Maybe it's the sharp writing and the subtle nuances the actors bring to the roles. For whatever reason, EPISODES is one of the best shows on this summer, and should not be missed.


EPISODES airs Sundays at 10:30 P.M. ET on Showtime.

Friday Night Dinner listens for "The Jingle"

     New to BBC America is Friday Night Dinner. "The Jingle," which is actually episode two, kicked off the series last night, while episode one will air next week. Friday Night Dinner is a sitcom about, appropriately enough, two Jewish parents and their grown sons coming together to dine at the end of the week. In "The Jingle," Adam Goodman (Simon Bird, The Inbetweeners) is proud to tell his family that a jingle he wrote will be on the radio that night. Brother Jonny Goodman (Tom Rosenthal) teases Adam that Jonny is not their mother's, Jackie Goodman (Tamsin Greig, Episodes), favorite. Father Martin Goodman (Paul Ritter, Vera) keeps trying to discretely inspect something in his underpants with a magnifying glass. Add to this chaos, neighbor Jim (Mark Heap, Lark Rise to Candleford) keeps stopping by to speak with Jackie, and things turn a bit hectic.

     As sitcoms go, this one is fair. There are some real laugh out loud moments, such as when Jonny texts Adam from Jackie's phone, saying Adam is a failed abortion. Or when the whole family crams into the bathroom as Martin tries to instruct Adam on how to look for girls on the internet. Of course the porn jokes flow freely, though not in an obscene way. But many of the other bits, such as the brothers salting each others' waters, or anything with Jim in it, fall flat. Perhaps the writers are trying to cram too many jokes into the half hour, and overall quality suffers because of it.

     The characters are a bit better than fair. Greig brings the same wonderful talent that she brought to Episodes, though in a completely different character. Instead of being a smart and confident career woman, Jackie is the supportive mother. It is interesting, and realistic, how each parent favors one of the sons. Sibling rivalry is spot on. The family's interaction feels authentic, and makes for a pretty believable half hour, if nothing else. Even Heap, who doesn't get any actually funny material to work in "The Jingle" seems to be on his game. As this is the first episode that airs, it is likely to get better as the performers take over more forcefully the roles they inhabit so well.

     What really hurts Friday Night Dinners is that it follows Outnumbered, another family-based sitcom that is superior in humor, and has the draw of young kids saying the darndest things, almost always a winner if done properly. If Friday Night Dinner stands alone, it may fare better, as there wouldn't the immediate opportunity for comparison. As it is, Friday Night Dinner is worth watching, but I recommend using your DVR to reverse the order you view the BBC America sitcoms in.

     Friday Night Dinner airs, strangely enough, Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m. ET on BBC America.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as TV Review: Friday Night Dinner - "The Jingle" on Blogcritics.

Episodes - "Episode Seven" (Season Finale)

     Seven episodes of Showtime's / BBC Two's Episodes is not nearly enough! Despite a weak and confusing premiere, the following six episodes are gems of comedy genius, delightfully played by a very gifted cast. Matt LeBlanc's Matt LeBlanc is funny, but not over the top. Stephen Mangan's Sean is the exact combination of neurotic and faithful needed. Tamsin Greig's Beverly is the right mix of jealous and uptight. Kathleen Rose Perkins's Carol is pitch perfect. Even John Pankow's Merc is a deliciously sleazy, yet not quite villainous, boss. I know a couple of those parts were recast as the show was being made, but I can't imagine anyone else in any of those five roles.

     Which makes me incredibly sad that the series has not yet been picked up for a second season. The finale may have ended with the show-within-a-show, Pucks, getting a series order, but the fate of Episodes still hangs in limbo. I am most displeased, as it is a clever and unique show, and I see no reason at all why it shouldn't be renewed. Except for ratings, of course, which have been so-so, despite mostly good critical reviews.

     The characters are mostly realistic. I can definitely see how Beverly ends up in bed with Matt at the end of "Episode Six", believing as she did that her husband Sean has been cheating on her with Morning (Mircea Monroe). I can also see why Matt doesn't try that hard to set her straight, as the show's Matt is very much a horn dog, and the detestation Matt and Beverly had for each other would likely make very passionate intercourse. Their hatred also didn't let me see it coming, unlike other hate-duos before them, since I didn't think the straight-laced Beverly would ever stray outside of her marriage, no matter the circumstances, until I saw it unfold that way it did. The writers managed to find the only set of variables that could have driven Bev to do the act.

     I'd also like to heap praise on the way that Sean discovers the indiscretion. Matt and Tamsin both mix the right balance of guilt and dishonesty that Matt and Bev would show. But neither confesses. Sean puts together the pieces as anyone would be able to. It wasn't a stretch that Sean figures things out, or that Bev and Matt seek to get away with it. Other shows would have lowered themselves to spell things out more explicitly, but not this one. I have a hard time finding just the right words to write this, but somehow the whole series of events seemed more natural and true than I've ever seen the situation done before. And boy, has that situation been done over and over before!

 

     Which is why I want to see more Episodes. It somehow scratches an itch I didn't even know needed attention. It's comedy at its best, and simply one of the best made shows on television. Please, please, please renew Episodes!

Article first published as TV Review: Episodes - "Episode Seven" (Season Finale) on Blogcritics.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Episodes Quickly Improved

     With all of the shows I try to get to, it is rare to re-review a show I wrote about a mere two weeks ago. However, I was not at all impressed with the pilot of Showtime's Episodes, and the second and third episodes were fantastic. Since my opinion has changed so much, I felt it only fair to revisit Episodes, and write what the show is truly about, rather than just leave the bad taste of the pilot as my sole opinion.

     First of all, Matt LeBlanc (playing a character similar to himself, not coincidentally named Matt LeBlanc), who I complained was barely in the first episode, is wonderful. He is funny and comfortable with himself, which sometimes makes him seem arrogant, but sweet. This was illustrated best in last night's "Episode 3". Matt argued that the librarian at the school (in the show, now named Pucks) shouldn't be a lesbian. It was easy to see why Beverly (Tamsin Greig) would be upset with that opinion, and fight against it. Matt came across as a bit of a horn dog who just wanted to make out with the beautiful actress playing the role. But when Matt really opened up to Sean (Stephen Mangan) about why he made the suggestion, and how it would help their series, both Sean and I were swayed. Matt cares about what he's doing! A revelation!

     It's funny, because there are plenty of goofy characters on the series, such as the gate keeper, Wallace (Lou Hirsch), or the Head of Comedy, Myra (Daisy Haggard). I assumed that Matt was going to be one of them. If he had been, he would quickly have fallen victim to the same situation he outlined for Sean about the lesbian. I like the jokes and less developed characters, as they are wonderful recurring one-notes, but I'm glad to see that Matt isn't one of them, and he actually is a full player in the show.

     I had similar concerns about Carol (Kathleen Rose Perkins) and Merc (John Pankow), who delivered the same type of bits in both episodes one and two. A scene in episode three gave them each depth. Carol had always been Merc's yes-man in those first couple of shows, but while alone in her office, she suddenly showed him who is in charge, but of their professional and sexual relationships. It was a small scene, but a twist I didn't see coming. I have to say, it made them both seem much more interesting. I had been assuming that there must be real talent behind Merc's bluster. Now, I'm thinking maybe not. Maybe it's all Carol.

     Sean and Beverly have fleshed out nicely. I honestly was starting to question their legitimacy as a married couple. They have been shown fighting so much more than showing affection for one another. Their bedroom scene at the beginning of the third show was needed, to demonstrate their ongoing mutual attraction. They are both struggling with this new world they've entered, Beverly having more trouble with it than Sean, so of course they'd take it out on each other a little bit. Sean, in particular, has mixed motivations in L.A., so I'm very curious as to how he will play out. But they also have real love.

     I definitely misjudged the show by its pilot, which I still maintain was not a very good one. Three episodes in, I will not say the same for the series. It's wickedly funny, has tight writing and acting, and real talent that know how to handle themselves and their craft. I am a fan. I hope you will soon be, too.

     Watch Episodes Sunday nights at 9:30 p.m. on Showtime.

Article first published as TV Review: Episodes Quickly Improved on Blogcritics.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Episodes - "Episode 1"

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.


     I love the concept of Showtime and BBC2's Episodes. As someone who likes both British and American television, and will gladly watch both versions when one of the 'across the pond' shows is remade here, a tongue in cheek look at a remake is clever. I'm not sure about the execution, though. After only viewing the first episode (of seven), I felt like the whole story barely got started.

     The episode began when Beverly (Tamsin Greig) left her husband, Sean (Stephen Mangan) after catching him wanking to another woman. Beverly then almost crashes her car into Matt LeBlanc (Matt LeBlanc, as a pseudo version of himself). The sequence is extended, taking up a good portion of the episode, but fairly unconnected to the rest, which takes place seven weeks earlier. I'm sure that the scene is going to be the end of the season, but it should have been much shorter, or left out entirely. It was too long to be a simple hook, and didn't explain anything at all.

     Most of the episode concerned Bev and Sean coming to America to remake their popular British show, Lyman's Boys. They are wooed into a deal by Merc Lapidus (John Pankow, Mad About You), a shady Hollywood exec who just tells them what they want to hear. He hasn't actually watched their show, though he raves about it, which does provide one funny line after they find out that tidbit. He also presents the show to them as a done deal that they will control, and when they arrive, they discover otherwise. In fact, they don't learn the truth from Merc, who has little time for them, but from Carol (Kathleen Rose Perkins), who is really going to be working with them on a regular basis instead.

     The first big obstacle, and apparently the main story of the first episode, though it got only a small portion of the screen time, is that Merc won't sign Julian Bullard (the legendary Richard Griffiths) to reprise his role as the star of Lyman's Boys. According to Bev and Sean, Julian is the show, but Merc, again, only pretending he'd watched, insists Julian fly all the way out to L.A. to audition for the part, and then proclaims him 'too English'. When Julian tries re-reading with an American accent, even he knows it's a disaster. Instead, Carol suggests Matt LeBlanc for the role, which the couple are less than thrilled about. I couldn't even tell if they knew who he was.

     And that's really all we got. There was barely any Matt in the episode, even though this has been billed largely as his vehicle. A confused couple shows up in America and doesn't get what they expect. That's how I felt as a viewer, confused and my expectations not met. I'm not saying this is a bad show, but I don't know that it's a good one. I'm more left with, 'That's it?' than a solid opinion. I feel like more of the series must be viewed before I can render judgment. I like Bev, Sean, Carol, and even Merc as characters, but I don't feel I've even met Matt yet.

     There is another cast member as well, Head of Comedy, Morning Randolph (Mircea Monroe). Perhaps because she was not yet fleshed out either, I felt like she was a one-joke comic relief player. Not that there's anything wrong with that, if it's done well, and I saw no reason to complain as of yet.

     I guess my biggest criticism is that I expect a pilot to set up the series for me, introduce me to the characters, let me know what to expect. As a pilot, "Episode 1" failed in most of that regard. It sort of felt like it assumed the viewer had prior knowledge, and just took off, not at a fast pace, but at an unexplained one. I'm interested enough to check out next week's offering, and hopefully I will have a better understanding then.

     Episodes airs Sunday nights at 9:30 p.m. on Showtime.

Article first published as TV Review: Episodes - "Episode 1" on Blogcritics.