Episodes

Broadcasters snap up LeBlanc comedy

Broadcasters in 186 countries have acquired Hat Trick Productions' Matt LeBlanc comedy Episodes following its debut in the US and UK.

Episodes episode 6 review

Episodes reaches its penultimate week, and sees Sean and Beverly's marriage and sitcom hanging in the balance.

Episodes 1.6 review

The penultimate episode aired last night in the UK, with the show building to a big upset in the final scene. The comedy felt stripped back in favour of simmering drama this week, and I was disappointed one of the funnier subplots came to an abrupt end.

If you saw the opening episode six weeks ago you can skip the first 10 minutes tonight, which is a scene-for-scene retread. Things improve thereafter, as scriptwriter Bev's (Tasmin Greig) quest to escape the hell of Tinseltown and her feckless partner Sean (Stephen Mangan) leads to a clearing of the air between her and the star of their programme, Matt LeBlanc. The two have previously disagreed; he thinks she is prissy and uptight, she thinks he is a boorish lout. Both actors seem to be naturally suited to their roles, and their reconciliation is one of the better 20 minutes in an underperforming series.

It'll be a sad day when these Episodes run out

A strong cast, a strong script and another strong week for Episodes - this year's best sitcom so far.

Episodes episode 5 review

Episodes reaches its fifth week, but is it showing signs of running out of steam?

Episodes 1.5 review

What's this? A really good episode of Episodes? Can such a thing even exist? Surprisingly, it can.

The comedy drama about an English writing couple (Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig, both good) who take their hit TV comedy to the US continues. Tonight, Beverly (Grieg) has a run-in with a camp stylist who wants to doll up one of her characters to make her more palatable to US viewers. "No one ever stopped watching a TV show because the librarian was too hot!" he shrieks.

[Episodes] is a frustrating comedy, three-quarters of the way to being very funny, but getting there only sporadically.

Actually, I think my review of the opening episode still holds up: the problem lies with our very own Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan, whose banter - as very English husband-and-wife scriptwriters relocated to Hollywood - never quite convinces, probably because it was written by Americans. Which makes Episodes a case of life imitating art imitating life, or maybe the other way round. Whatever, I hate to seem in thrall to the big starry name, but it's Matt LeBlanc playing a revved-up version of himself who makes the thing worth watching, and who gets all the best lines. Catchphrases are cheesy, said Sean (Mangan) last night. "Really," said LeBlanc. "Tell that to my house in Malibu."

Episodes episode 4 review

Awkward silences. Disbelieving glances. Sarcastic remarks. We're up to episode four of the BBC's glossy sitcom, Episodes, and already its style and situations are beginning to feel familiar.