When the final episode of Friends aired on January 15th, 2004, the ten-year odyssey of NBC’s six favorite coffee-addicted young adults came to a close, effectively ending what had become a sitcom empire and one of NBC’s most successful shows. By the time the show ended, 236 episodes had been recorded and the stars were the highest paid actors in television, each making $1 million an episode during the last two seasons. Among the Friends alumni are one of Hollywood’s biggest box office magnets, Jennifer Aniston, and several other Hollywood stars who made cameos like George Clooney, Bruce Willis, and even The Simpsons’ Hank Azaria. Fans still rewatch episodes in syndication and it is one of most in-demand shows for streaming services, which caused an incredible competition that eventually landed the show on HBO Max, where fans would also finally get the reunion special they had been demanding for years.
Among the main cast of characters, one of the most beloved by all fans was Joey, who was played by actor Matt LeBlanc. LeBlanc amused fans for an entire decade as Joey Tribianni, the slow-witted and borderline illiterate yet lovable struggling actor who evolves into a soap opera star. Among Joey’s quirks, his most glaring were his insatiable appetites for both food and sex, which made him all the more hilarious and popular. Matt LeBlanc graduated to new projects like all the other cast members did after the last episode aired, but he was the only one whose character the network tried to use to keep the franchise alive after the show ended.
6 He Reprised His Role On ‘Joey’
After the conclusion of Friends, the producers tried to keep the momentum of the franchise going with a spin-off dedicated to the fans' favorite food hog. Joey followed the life and times of Joey Tribianni after the conclusion of Friends by following Joey on his move from New York to Hollywood where he moves in with his foil, a rocket scientist nephew. It was meant to follow the same formula that had made Frasier a successful spinoff of Cheers when Cheers had ended. However, it did not work out that way. Joey originally aired at the same time that Friends previously had, but after a hiatus, moving times, and two seasons of poor ratings, the show was canceled in 2006.
5 He Appeared On ‘Web Therapy’
Although Friends was over, and with the epic reunion on HBO still years down the pipeline, LeBlanc still managed to work with some of his fellow NBC alums. He had a few appearances on the internet and Showtime series Web Therapy, an improvised comedy show starring actress Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe on Friends. LeBlanc plays Nick Jericho and is credited in a few episodes.
4 He Starred In ‘Lovesick’
Although he is one to work more in television than he is in film, LeBlanc landed an interesting movie role in the mid-2010s. In Lovesick, LeBlanc plays Charles Darby, a man who seems to have everything going for him except for one thing, whenever he meets a new love he goes insane, literally. The film is an interesting representation of mental illness and even features a few comedy legends in the cast, like SNL and Community star Chevy Chase.
3 He Played Himself In ‘Episodes’
Although Joey was a flop, LeBlanc eventually returned victoriously to television with the Showtime network series Episodes, which aired from 2011 - 2017. Leblanc played, well, Matt LeBlanc (at least a satirical version of himself) as an actor pursuing an important role he is not suited for. The initial episodes of the series were panned by critics, but the second season opened to warmer reception and the show eventually found a solid following and a dedicated audience. Episodes lasted for 5 seasons and shot 41 episodes.
2 ‘Man With A Plan’
LeBlanc also starred in a CBS sitcom titled Man With A Plan from 2016 - 2020. The show followed LeBlanc as Adam Burns, a contractor trying to raise three children in Pittsburgh with a wife who is returning to the workplace. The show aired for 4 seasons and shot 69 episodes before its conclusion and it featured the talents of several major Hollywood names, like Kevin Nealon from Weeds and Saturday Night Live, and award-winning actor Stacy Keach, who some might remember from films like Escape From LA, American History X, or as Sgt. Stedenko from the Cheech and Chong films Up in Smoke and Nice Dreams.
1 The ‘Friends’ Reunion
After rumors circulated online for years, fans of the show finally got what they wanted on May 27th, 2021, when Late Late Show host James Corden hosted a Friends reunion special for HBO Max, the current streaming home of Friends. In the special, we see LeBlanc relive classic moments from the show and share stories about behind-the-scenes antics, including the time LeBlanc accidentally ate some food that David Schimmer (Ross) had spat up in between takes. This was the first time the cast reunited as a whole group on television, but it was not the first time LeBlanc reunited with some of his castmates. Remember, he already had made appearances on Lisa Kudrow’s Web Therapy. While IMDb doesn’t currently show any upcoming projects for LeBlanc, he can always fall back on his $80 million net worth and the fact that he brought to life one of the most popular characters in television history.