The Friends fandom can breathe a sigh of relief as the unaired episodes of the show's spin-off focusing on Joey's life have been released. The show’s final eight unaired episodes have resurfaced online nearly two decades after its cancellation. These instalments which NBC shelved during the sitcom’s second season in 2006 have now been uploaded to the official Friends YouTube channel.
Joey premiered in 2004 with Matt LeBlanc returning as the beloved Joey Tribbiani, who moves from New York to Los Angeles to chase bigger acting opportunities. In Hollywood, he reconnects with his over-the-top sister Gina and bonds with her brilliant 20-year-old son Michael, which set the stage for the show’s comedic tone.
The series featured a strong ensemble cast, including Drea de Matteo, Paulo Costanzo, Jennifer Coolidge, and Andrea Anders, and was created by Friends alums Shana Goldberg-Meehan and Scott Silveri. Its debut attracted a massive 18.6 million viewers, but ratings steadily dropped over the next two seasons.
After the cancellation, the unaired final episodes of Joey became a point of curiosity for fans. Their release on YouTube now completes the show’s 46-episode run, which follows Joey’s full journey, professionally and personally as he navigates life in Hollywood.
Friends' executive producer and director Kevin S Bright shared, "On ‘Friends’ Joey was a womaniser but we enjoyed his exploits. He was a solid friend, a guy you knew you could count on. Joey was deconstructed to be a guy who couldn’t get a job, couldn’t ask a girl out. He became a pathetic, mopey character. I felt he was moving in the wrong direction, but I was not heard."
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