TV.com

Episodes Season 1 Episode 1

Episode One

Favorite

Watched It I've Watched This 1

Next
Episode

AIRED: Jan 09, 2011

8.1

User Rating

191 votes

Your Rating: 10
Your Rating: 9.5
Your Rating: 9
Your Rating: 8.5
Your Rating: 8
Your Rating: 7.5
Your Rating: 7
Your Rating: 6.5
Your Rating: 6
Your Rating: 5.5
Your Rating: 5
Your Rating: 4.5
Your Rating: 4
Your Rating: 3.5
Your Rating: 3
Your Rating: 2.5
Your Rating: 2
Your Rating: 1.5
Your Rating: 1

Rate Now

EPISODE REVIEWS
By TV.com Users

Write A Review

Episode Summary

EDIT

Sean and Beverly Lincoln, a British couple and creators of a successful UK sitcom named Lyman's Boys, sell their show to an US network. When they arrive in Hollywood to produce the US remake, they learn that their lead actor has been replaced by Matt LeBlanc.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (7)

Episode One

6.0

By AJLane-TCP, Apr 06, 2012

"Episodes" might be fun if it can speed up its story. There are small moments of comedy, but it's mostly just a series of unfortunate events. So far, the Lincolns have simply gotten themselves into a terrible mess and there is not a clear reason why they're trying to stay in L.A. at all; they don't seem particularly interested in the money. The acting, however, is really superb and the story seems to be going somewhere exciting based on the introduction. Hopefully, it is worth the wait.

The Good:

-"Have you seen our heads? It's all we can do to not kick them when we walk!"

-Julian has to audition for the role that he's already played.

The Bad:

-Merc is thoroughly unlikeable. There seems to be nothing redemptive about his character.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 1

Flag
Share Hide
101

6.0

By Canogaparkcindy, Jun 26, 2011

Definitely slow out of the gate, I'm not saying this show wont get better, but this pilot episode was rather lacking in some ways. I liked the opening scene, and how we go back seven weeks in the past, but this was just way too slow paced for my liking.

Regardless of the great dry humor, I felt as though some scenes dragged on for too long, and the scenes could have definitely been utilized in a better way. I hope Matt Leblanc will help this show out next week. We've got an interesting and original premise, I couldn't help but be reminded of The Office while watching it, but like I said, it was slow out of the gate.

Hopefully things are better from here on out, but all in all, this was a rather weak pilot episode. I definitely expected more out of it.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
5 2

Flag
Share Hide
101

7.0

By thefanof, Mar 22, 2011

When this show was first announced I was very excited about it. The premise is not only interesting, but it is very relevant. You look at shows like The Office, Worst Week, shows that were lauded in their home country but have lost their voice in the US versions. And the pilot for this show touched on that heavily. The scene with the couple meeting the network executives, including the Til Death scene-stealing Kathleen Perkins, had me lol'ing moreso than any other comedy in awhile, but the first 10 minutes or so dragged the point on for too long. This show can be good, and I have no doubt that Matt LeBlanc will add a lot to it when he actually appears in a meaningful scene, but right now they have some work to do. If you do not appreciate the premise chances are you will not really care for this show.

There were definitely some other good gags though. The problem with the gatekeeper at their community seemed like it was ripped from an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. It was that good.

I have faith in this show and something tells me it will only get better from here.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
7 3

Flag
Share Hide
Premiere episode

8.0

By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Mar 22, 2011

The premiere of "Episodes" aired tonight, and I'd be lying if I said I was looking forward to seeing Matt LeBlanc on TV again. In a show like "Friends" where each member of the cast was memorable, I feel like Joey got pushed aside a bit in favor of typical Ross and Rachel plots, as well as Monica and Chandler ones, but Matt LeBlanc was certainly a good actor. And now, he gets another chance to change that "Joey" image, but I was surprised to see he was only in one scene tonight. That meant the premiere episode was to ride on the shoulders of two actors who I've never heard of or seen before... and I must say, I was definitely impressed.

The show's premise is that a British couple, Sean and Beverly, are invited to America to re-make their show, Lyman's Boys. The man who invites them is a sleazy producer named Merc who steals many of the early scenes ("I want to have sex with your show AND these berries!"). He wants to remake the show, even though he's never seen it, and Sean and Beverly begin the process of adapting it.

It would ruin the fun of the show to give away all the little moments, but I'll say this: there are some horribly awkward moments a la Curb Your Enthusiasm, Louie and other similar shows.. but this show isn't necessarily like all of those. The TV executives that Sean and Beverly deal with are all hilarious and completely air-headed (including one woman who says in a dazed voice, in response to their show: "It's... hilaaarious.")

The show certainly exceeded my expectations but it's still not quite at the level that makes me want to keep returning. I will return, of course, but as a show that follows something like Californication, it's not as must-see for me. But the show does well without Matt LeBlanc, and it'll be cool to see how it does with him.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
8 1

Flag
Share Hide
those poor people

8.5

By protonefrid, Mar 22, 2011

I just loved the looks on their faces every time they got hit by some new American reality... talk about cultural clash. Knowing that their relationship might end because of this whole mess made me feel somewhat sad so it took out a little of the humor of the show but it was still ok. I also would have liked to see more of Matt Leblanc but the Brithish couple managed to hold their own... I liked the fact that they looked so down to earth real (not too much make up, no fancy suits, no inhuman figures, just normal people) and they seemed almost naive compared to the americans. all in all it's to early to tell if it's going to be good or not but... no worries as Merc is harder than a rock..lolmoreless
DO YOU AGREE?
8 0

Flag
Share Hide

See All Fan Reviews

Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

John Pankow	Merc Lapidus
Matt LeBlanc	Matt LeBlanc
Stephen Mangan	Sean Lincoln
Tamsin Greig	Beverly Lincoln
Kathleen Rose Perkins	Carol Rance

See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Alejandro Postigo	Ernesto	Guest Star
Ben Miller	Ben Miller	Guest Star
Lou Hirsch	Wallace	Guest Star
Daisy Haggard	Myra Licht	Recurring Role
Joseph May	Andy Button	Recurring Role
Bruce Lester Johnson	Roger	Recurring Role

See All Cast & Crew

Watch Online

Episode Photos

Kathleen Rose Perkins as Carol Ranson an...

© 2011 CBS Corporation
Richard Griffiths as Julian Bullard on E...

© 2011 CBS Corporation
Tamsin Grieg as Beverly Lincoln and Step...

© 2011 CBS Corporation
Stephen Mangan as Sean Lincoln and Tamsi...

© 2011 CBS Corporation

See All Photos

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

TRIVIA (1)
ADD TRIVIA
- The opening scene is seen again in Episode Six.
  EDIT SHARE
QUOTES (6)
ADD QUOTES
- Merc: (after tasting berries) What are these little berries? They're genius! They're like, they're like... magic berries!
  Beverly: They're actually loganberries.
  Merc: Loganberries! Now I wanna have sex with your show and these berries.
  Beverly: When I was a little girl, my grandmother lived in Yorkshire and had loganberries in her garden. Every summer weeks, picked the berries and she made jam...
  Merc: Fuck! My grandmother lives in Morristown, New Jersey and hates black people.
  EDIT SHARE
- Merc: You know what my fantasy is?
  Beverly: I'm gonna guess. Either shoes or nuns.
  EDIT SHARE
- Beverly: Why do it? Our lives are here, our friends are here.
  Sean: Who would you miss?
  Beverly: (pauses) We need better friends.
  EDIT SHARE
- Sean: If we do this and we're a hit... a hit show in the States... big, stonking hit... it's like winning the lottery. We'd never have to work again.
  Beverly: What would we do instead?
  Sean: All right, we need friends, and we need hobbies.
  EDIT SHARE
- Carol: We just had twelve girls living there competing to be a supermodel.
  Beverly: Right, the bathroom did
  have a vague vomit smell.
  Carol: That would be why.
  EDIT SHARE
- Carol: There is a chance, Merc may not have actually seen your show.
  Sean: What?
  Beverly: What?
  Carol: I'm not saying that he hasn't seen it.
  Beverly: Has he seen it?
  Carol: No.
  EDIT SHARE
NOTES (1)
ADD NOTES
- Original International Air Dates:
  United Kingdom: January 10, 2011 on BBC2
  Sweden: March 27, 2011 on Kanal5
  Czech Republic: September 13, 2011 on HBO
  EDIT SHARE
ALLUSIONS (0)
ADD ALLUSIONS
- ADD ALLUSIONS from this episode.