Author: Marisa Guthrie

August 10, 2016 12:15pm PT by Marisa Guthrie

Matt LeBlanc  Getty Images

The former ‘Friends’ and ‘Episodes’ star says he’d also like to keep doing ‘Top Gear,’ but there’s no word from the BBC about his involvement on the show.

Matt LeBlanc says Episodes “whet his appetite” for series TV after a period of self-imposed exile following the failure of Friends spin-off Joey. 

LeBlanc stars in the CBS comedy Man With A Plan, a broad multi-camera sitcom about a father who suddenly becomes the primary care-giver to his three children. The show, which will air Mondays this fall, is somewhat antithetical to the current trend of dark, brooding comedies on cable and streaming services. But it is very much in keeping with the comedy DNA at CBS. And LeBlanc noted that he was attracted to Man With A Plan for that very reason.

“On Episodes we did nine episodes every 18 months,” said LeBlanc. “I had a really great time doing that. But, I wanted to work more.”

LeBlanc earned critical praise for his role in Episodes for playing a thinly veiled version of himself; a narcissistic American sitcom star trying to mount a come back. But he noted that subject matter of Man With A Plan dovetails with his own life as a parent. Because it was a single-camera comedy, Episodes required a much longer production schedule and LeBlanc admitted that he welcomed the shorter days of a multi-camera sitcom. “I have a family and the hours are shorter. I like the work week of a multi-cam; you rehearse all week and then shoot in front of a live audience. It’s like being part of an ensemble theater company.” 

His former friends star Matthew Perry also is on CBS in the returning sitcom The Odd Couple, but LeBlanc said there have been no discussions yet of a crossover or guest stint. And he said he’d like to return to the BBC’s Top Gear, but he appeared to be in the dark about future prospects for the controversy-plagued program. 

“I’m not sure what’s happening with Top Gear just yet, but this is my priority,” he said, referring to Man With A Plan. He said he would like to do more Top Gear before adding, “There’s nothing officially happening yet. Call the BBC.”

Marisa Guthrie

THRnews@thr.com

August 07, 2016 12:09pm PT by Marisa Guthrie

Phoebe Waller-Bridge  Getty Images

The half-hour series, based on Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s award-winning one-woman play, bows on Amazon in Sept.

Can you be raunchier with a British accent? Phoebe Waller-Bridge suspects the answer is yes.

The creator and star of Fleabag follows’ Waller-Bridge’s London singleton — nicknamed Fleabag — as she endures the judgment of her parents and perfect sister (played by Sian Clifford) while navigating the confounding mores of modern love.

“There’s something very polite about the British accents, it’s sort of sanitizing,” said Waller-Bridge, addressing journalists gathered for summer press tour on Sunday, Aug. 7. “You can be as naughty and filthy as you like and [Americans] still think you’re very charming.”

Fleabag’s sexual conquests — many of which go south quickly — are a major plot point on the show. The half-hour series is based on Waller-Bridge’s award-winning one-woman play. The overriding conceit of the show is that Fleabag addresses her internal monologue directly to camera.

Waller-Bridge explained that the device is designed to make the audience complicit with the character’s often self-destructive impulses. But as the show goes on, the conceit will evolve, explained series director Harry Bradbeer. “If you watch the whole season, you’ll see that those looks to camera have very subtle changes and very different impacts. She starts to not want the camera see her at all. As the drama escalates, then that particular conceit is used in a very different way.”

Fleabag premiered in July in the UK on BBC Three and will bow on Amazon Sept. 16. It is part of a fall comedy slate on Amazon that includes One Mississippi (Sept. 9), the third season of Transparent (Sept. 23) and Woody Allen’s Crisis in Six Scenes (Sept. 30). Transparent and Allen’s comedy will stream against the first two weeks of the broadcast season.

Amazon Studios Television Critics Association

Marisa Guthrie

THRnews@thr.com

August 03, 2016 5:33pm PT by Marisa Guthrie

 Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

The pop diva says her 5-year-old twins with ex-husband Cannon will appear sparringly in her upcoming E! docuseries.

It’s Mariah Carey’s world, we’re just living in it. Making an entrance in a barely there black lace dress and fishnet stockings accompanied by half-a-dozen muscled shirtless men, Carey proceeded to charm journalists with her signature kooky, diva persona.

Holding a glass of Veuve Clicquot aloft, the pop star pleaded: “I want to share a splash with you guys! Can we do this? Cheers darlings. Cheers.”

Journalists gathered in the Beverly Hilton ballroom at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour Wednesday were provided with Veuve as well, for what was the last panel of the day for Carey’s upcoming E! docuseries Mariah’s World. 

The eight-part series will follow her on her upcoming European tour and also chronicle her personal life, including wedding plans to her Australian business manager fiancé James Packer.

Carey hopes viewers will get a more realistic portrait of her. “I don’t know that anybody really knows the real me. Hopefully they’ll see other sides of me that they either find entertaining or does something good, instead of something bad. I can be bossy, but I try to be a nice person.”

The series also will feature her children, 5-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with ex-husband Nick Cannon. But she admitted that the amount of access to her children is still a point of discussion with Cannon.

“Here’s the thing, they could have their own show because that’s how funny they are,” said Carey, referring to her children. “I just have to figure it out – with Nick – how much they’re in the show. They’re in my life. We’ll see. I think it should be sparring.”

Carey was coy when one critic asked if Cannon, who hosts NBC’s America’s Got Talent, would also be in Mariah’s World. “I can’t speak for [him]. He’s his own person. He’s cool about coming around the show.” 

“So he will be in the show?” the critic pressed. 

“Well, I said he came around, I don’t know what makes the final cut,” she said to uproarious reaction from the Champagne plied journalists. 

“I’m sorry, was that rude in some way?” she asked faux innocently. “I’m so not trying to slay anybody.”

Carey was also asked what she learned during her time as a judge on American Idol. And that question she completely dodged: “Oh, it was the most abusive experience,” she said, lifting her glass. “By the way you’ve just driven me to drink.”   

Mariah’s World premieres Sunday, Dec. 4 at 9 p.m. Watch a trailer, below.

Television Critics Association Mariah Carey

Marisa Guthrie

THRnews@thr.com