Series 3 Cast interview
Episodes, the British-American sitcom following the re-make of a UK sitcom in the US, is back for a third series. Here's a brief chat with stars Stephen Mangan, Tasmin Greig and Matt LeBlanc...
Why does the show translate so well across the Atlantic?
Stephen: Well, first and foremost, the show works because the writing is so good - that's the most important thing.
Matt: But it's also Stephen's hair... the combination of those two! No, writers David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik have a great ability to sort-of write characters with that heart element to it, but in these really bizarre relationships... so the comedy is a real natural thing that comes out of it and also the emotional content is there.
Tamsin: And the show has humanity, heart and humour. Those three together are very difficult to hold in tension and they're very cleverly held together.
Stephen: It's a story essentially about Hollywood, you know, relationships and people trying to make their way and making mistakes. And they do, you know. They combine that element of drama with different types of comedy. Some high farce, broad stuff...
Matt: But it's also got things in it that are relatable that sort of cross out of Hollywood and into any industry. I mean everyone can relate to a horrible boss, everyone can relate to infidelity... there's themes in it that cross over into all different elements of different professions.
Episodes has already been given a fourth series. How does it feel to be part of a long-running show?
Stephen: It's great to be in a show that goes four seasons. It's the first time it's ever happened to me. So it's a vote of confidence, and also for a show written to be transmitted into the States and to be a success in the UK too, I'm proud of that.
Tamsin: I think they deliberately chose to work with (Showtime) a 'non-networky' network so there was slightly more artistic freedom, thinking they would be trusted more with knowing what they were talking about... they don't mind all the effing and blinding as well! That's the good thing about Showtime, you can say the C word within reason. Christ! Or ... 'Cor, blimey!"
Can it be hard to stay in character with scenes of a comic nature?
Tamsin: I read 'at the sex therapist' at the top of a scene and I'm like, 'well we are not going to be able to do this scene, are we?'...
How does this show compare with other stuff you've been on?
Stephen: I think there's a similarity in shows that work, there's a shared sensibility and sense of humour, an ease, an understanding, not fighting others ways of doing stuff and this show has that.
Matt: When a show is struggling, that permeates the environment. When a show is succeeding, that permeates the environment. I don't know which comes first if the good environment helps the show's success, or a bad environment that dooms it, but right from the get go, as a cast, we all jelled right away.
We all get along really good. Right at the beginning when Stephen came in to meet all the producers there were a couple of other guys the network were considering, and I wanted Stephen.
Stephen: Colin Firth and Damian Lewis said no...!
Series 3 of Episodes is on BBC Two on Wednesdays from the 14th May 2014.