By Matt Roush
Question: Can you explain to me why, after trying to rid himself of the embarrassment that was Joey, and after earning critical and awards-show support with Episodes, why Matt LeBlanc would star in the CBS sitcom Man With a Plan that looks about as entertaining as Pucks, the show within a show that his Episodes character starred in? —MJ
Matt Roush: Far be it from me to defend Matt LeBlanc or Man With a Plan, which on Mondays becomes part of the most depressing night of comedy any network has concocted in years (including the equally lazy Kevin Can Wait, the miserable Odd Couple remake and the past-its-prime 2 Broke Girls). But when asked a more polite version of this question at last summer’s TCA gathering, here are excerpts of LeBlanc’s answer: “I had a really great time doing [Episodes], but …I wanted to be a part of something bigger. But also, Episodes was single-camera, so I wanted to get back to the multi-cam [sitcom] format because I have a family and the hours are shorter.” He says he chose a family sitcom because “I felt like I’m not getting any younger. I’m older now. And I am a parent,so I wanted to explore what that would be like as a character.” He doesn’t appear to be under any delusion that Plan will be the next Friends, but this is also a reminder of why they call it show business and not show art.
To submit questions to TV Critic Matt Roush, go to: tvinsider.com