The Story of Joey: The Failed Friends Spinoff

Stubagful2 minutes read

Joey, a forgotten sequel to Friends with 46 episodes, faced criticism for being conceptually flawed and lacking emotional depth. Despite potential spin-offs for Ross, Phoebe, and Chandler, Joey struggled to establish its own identity separate from Friends, leading to poor ratings and eventual cancellation.

Insights

  • Joey, a spin-off of Friends, faced cancellation mid-season due to poor ratings, worsened by a deliberate time slot change to compete with American Idol, leading to unaired episodes and eventual cancellation.
  • The spin-offs pitched for Ross, Phoebe, and Chandler explore their post-Friends lives in different genres, reflecting the characters' growth and changing circumstances, diverging from the narrative of Friends.

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Recent questions

  • What spin-off shows were pitched for Ross, Phoebe, and Chandler?

    Ross producing a puppet show, Phoebe confronting her past, Chandler writing a memoir

  • What were the criticisms faced by Joey's spin-off show?

    Conceptually flawed, lacked narrative depth, stagnant character development

  • Why did Joey's spin-off face cancellation mid-season?

    Poor ratings, deliberate time slot change to compete with American Idol

  • How did Joey's character development fluctuate in the show?

    Between a loser and a successful womanizer, causing inconsistency

  • What unique elements did Joey's spin-off show lack?

    Emotional growth, narrative depth, distinct identity

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Summary

00:00

"Friends Sequel Joey: A Forgotten Misstep"

  • Friends is a revered cultural institution still beloved by fans worldwide, with a forgotten sequel called Joey that had 46 episodes.
  • Joey's average viewership was decent, but the show faced criticism and was deemed conceptually flawed.
  • Potential spin-off shows for Ross, Phoebe, and Chandler are pitched, exploring their post-Friends lives in different genres.
  • Ross's spin-off envisions him producing a puppet show about dinosaurs, akin to a mockumentary like 30 Rock.
  • Phoebe's spin-off delves into her confronting her dark past, seeking closure and dealing with trauma.
  • Chandler's spin-off portrays him as a mature family man writing a memoir, exploring his creative side.
  • The spin-offs' narrative departure from Friends reflects the characters' growth and changing circumstances.
  • Joey's spin-off, set in LA, mirrors Friends' style but lacks narrative depth due to Joey's stagnant character.
  • Joey's show was easy to produce due to an established character and format, but lacked emotional growth.
  • Joey's humor in the pilot hinted at darker themes, but the show's sanitization led to its eventual failure.

13:45

Struggling show fails to break from Friends

  • Kevin has feelings for his neighbor Alex, who is married, but misses the qualities he wanted in Joey.
  • Joey's character in the show is portrayed as a pathetic Moby character who struggles to find a job.
  • Joey's new agent, Bobby, resembles Phoebe from Friends, lacking a distinct identity.
  • The show struggles to establish its own identity separate from Friends, despite potential for unique elements.
  • Dark humor and meta jokes in the show are highlighted, but it still relies heavily on elements from Friends.
  • Joey's career struggles and lack of direction are evident, leading to internal conflicts among the show's creators.
  • Joey's character development fluctuates between a loser and a successful womanizer, causing inconsistency.
  • The show's lack of ongoing drama and urgency contributes to its decline in viewership.
  • Season 2 of Joey introduces a promising storyline with Alex's feelings for Joey, but ultimately fails to establish its own identity.
  • The show's reliance on recycled plotlines from Friends, like Joey and the poker game, further diminishes its originality and purpose.

27:20

Joey: Failed Spin-off of Friends

  • Joey, a spin-off of Friends, faced cancellation mid-season due to poor ratings, worsened by a deliberate time slot change to compete with American Idol. Despite having eight unaired episodes, NBC chose not to release them, opting to air reruns of Friends instead.
  • Season 2 of Joey, though weaker than the first, did not contain content deemed unfit for public consumption. The show's demise was inevitable due to lack of viewer investment in the characters and storylines, leading to its cancellation.
  • Joey is often criticized as a train wreck, but it is not as bad as portrayed, nor is it an overlooked gem. Positioned as a conventional sitcom following Friends, it failed to captivate viewers due to its lack of innovation and failure to establish a unique identity.
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