The first two episodes of Joey, the 2004 spinoff of Friends, were posted on the official Friends YouTube channel on Tuesday, marking the series’ first release since its initial airing. The show, which stars Matt LeBlanc as the iconic wisecracking womanizer Joey Tribbiani, is now available for fans to relive or discover for the first time.
Joey follows the titular character as he relocates from New York to Hollywood in pursuit of furthering his acting career. Along the way, he reconnects with his high-strung sister, Gina (played by Drea de Matteo), and his 20-year-old genius nephew, Michael (Paulo Costanzo). Alongside LeBlanc, the series also stars Jennifer Coolidge and Andrea Anders.
The series originally ran for 46 episodes across two seasons from 2004 to 2006. Created by Shana Goldberg-Meehan and Scott Silveri, Joey was expected to build on the massive popularity of Friends, which had ended the previous year. The show’s pilot drew in an impressive 18.6 million viewers. However, despite a strong start, the series saw a significant decline in viewership throughout its first and second seasons.
Initially placed in a prime Thursday night slot, taking over the spot previously held by Friends, the show struggled to maintain its momentum. In 2006, it was moved to Tuesday nights before being canceled altogether. Notably, eight episodes were filmed but never aired in the U.S., though they were eventually broadcast on international networks.
In the aftermath of the show’s cancellation, Friends co-creator Kevin S. Bright discussed his view on why the spinoff didn’t resonate with audiences. In an interview, Bright explained that while Joey’s womanizing antics were beloved on Friends, his character in Joey was redefined in a less favorable light. “On Friends, Joey was a womanizer, but we enjoyed his exploits. He was a solid friend, a guy you knew you could count on,” Bright said. “Joey was deconstructed to be a guy who couldn’t get a job, couldn’t ask a girl out. He became a pathetic, mopey character. I felt he was moving in the wrong direction, but I was not heard.”
The spinoff’s return to YouTube offers a chance to revisit the beloved character and reflect on what could have been a brighter future for the show.
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