"Episode Two" was both better and worse than the first episode last week. The better, of course, is entirely down to Matt LeBlanc, who spent almost all of the episode being funny, intelligent and charming. It is a real credit to LeBlanc that he can work with a script that makes other people come off as horrible human beings and make his lines funny.
The 'worse', then...
"Episodes" in general seems to be a really mean spirited show. Not in the way that "Community" started with (but then grew into one of the most heart warming shows on TV right now), or even the way that "The Office" and "Extras" was, where we were all supposed to feel bad for the people. No, "Episodes" has a sort of mean spirit that expects us to unashamedly laugh along and agree with how funny it is that Merch's wife is blind, or that LeBlanc himself is an incompetent idiot. Speaking of Merch, I hate, hate, hate that guy. There's just nothing to even like in a 'I know I shouldn't but I really do' way.
And though I knew the vague premise of the show, up until the end of this episode I actually thought they might be onto something here. If LeBlanc is a nice guy who buggers up the show but with the best of intentions, then I could see a really funny scenario in which well-meaners end up clashing a lot in true sitcom style. But no, they went down the route of making LeBlanc an awful bastard just like the rest of Hollywood apparently is, completing the trio of horrible people.
Which again, would be fine if the Lincolns weren't so intolerable themselves. Not only do they show complete disgust at the notion of Matt LeBlanc being in their show, the groan and complain through every positive suggestion Matt tries to give, even after he admits to watching the show and loving it. I don't understand why the idea of adapting for a US audience is such a terrible thing to these people. If they've really been working in the TV industry for at least 4 years, how do they not know at this point that when someone promises to make your show in the US with no changes, they don't really mean it?
"Episodes" is a bad show. Though I loved LeBlanc in this one, I don't have enough faith that he alone could sustain my faded interest.
Gutted.
What did everyone else think?
