Charger Arts & Entertainment

A new beginning for Joey

Grant Beaty, Charger Staff

Friends fans everywhere have been anxiously waiting for the season premier of Joey. Joey, a Frasier-Cheers style spin-off of Friends, is about Joey Tribbiani (played by Matt Le Blanc), an actor trying to make it big in the competitive show-biz world. He moves from New York City to Los Angeles, to further his acting career.

The season begins with a hilarious airport mix up where Joey accidentally gets in a cab in Texas, where he has a layover, instead of Los Angeles and is wondering why his sister is not waiting to pick him up. It only gets better from there. The viewers meet many new characters in the premier, such as Joey’s sister Gina (Drea de Matteo), a single mother who is attached to her grown-up son. His nephew Michael (Paulo Castanzo) is a rocket scientist that is ready to grow up. His odd but funny agent is one of the most interestimg characters in the series.

When Joey first arrives in Los Angles he has two offers to star in new shows. He inevitably chooses the show that bombs and does not even air, while the other hits it big and tops the charts. He then has to frantically look for another role to play. Joey faces many other conflicts as well. Michael wants to move in with him against Gina’s will, an attractive neighbor turns out to be married, and he auditions for various acting roles that he does not receive, often in comedic ways.

Overall, Joey is witty and funny, though somewhat silly and crude. USA Today says Joey is “... hands-down the best sitcom of the new season. Friends fans will love Joey.” Joey comes on Thursday nights at 7:30.