'Episodes' (2011) 'Episode 6'
SYNOPSIS: "Comedy series. Convinced that Sean (Stephen Mangan) is having an affair with Morning (Mircea Monroe), Beverly (Tamsin Greig) packs a bag and leaves, but a head-on collision has even more dire consequences." (bbc.co.uk)
The drama in 'Episodes' this week is ramped up to even greater levels, with Bev determinedly storming out on Sean and having a literal car crash with Matt LeBlanc due to what she feels is Sean’s obvious infidelity with Morning. All it really amounts to is some “garden variety masturbation” over a sex tape of Morning on the internet - Sean even being shot down by Morning when she turns up to try and talk to Bev because she feels that Bev hates her.
I was completely taken by surprise (read: not) by what happened next, and can’t see how the series will escape further clichés in the final episode next week. One redeeming feature of this episode, though, was further insight into LeBlanc’s "character" as we finally see the inside of his house (“You have taste!”, as Bev puts it to him incredulously) and also the extent of his self-delusion, as he apparently had no idea how truly bad 'Pucks' is.
The fact that he is basically the one at fault for this mediocrity also seems to take LeBlanc by surprise, and what with Merc’s (John Pankow) musing over lunch with Sean about whether Matt would be good for the lead role in another show, you understand he’s as much a pawn of the network and the industry as Sean and Bev are, despite the "star power" he may have.
Regardless of the predictable conclusion of this episode, Stephen Mangan himself claims the finale is “a corker” so I shall attempt to trust his judgement and tune in with optimistic expectations.
Watch 'Episode 6' until 23.59, Monday 28 Feb. UK users only. The finale airs on BBC2 this Monday.
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