Joey’s Unaired Episodes: Drea de Matteo’s Gina Shines In Friends Spinoff

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Recently, unaired episodes of the short-lived Friends spinoff, Joey, were released, revealing that one aspect of the show actually succeeded. Joey followed the character of Joey Tribbiani as he moved to Los Angeles. Though fans were sad when Friends ended in 2003, there was some optimism that Joey could continue the story with a familiar and well-loved character.

Matt LeBlanc famously played Joey, a charming and playful character who was both a bit of a ladies’ man and incredibly loyal to his friends. Joey’s personality, rooted in his New York Italian heritage, and his surprisingly successful, though often questionable, acting career were the focus of a spin-off series after Friends ended.

It proved tough to get a spin-off show made for Joey. The lack of his original Friends castmates, combined with a new setting and a Joey who didn’t quite feel like himself without his friends, created challenges. Though Joey featured some talented actors, Drea de Mateo, who played Joey’s sister Gina Tribbiani, was arguably the show’s strongest performer over its two seasons.

The 8 Unaired Episodes Of Friends’ Spinoff, Joey, Have Finally Been Released Online

Joey Ended Abruptly, Without The Series Tying Up Loose Ends

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When Friends ended in the early 2000s, many worried there would be a noticeable gap in popular sitcoms. Some hoped the spin-off Joey could capture the same magic and create something new, but it proved difficult to build a show around a character already so well-known from the original series.

The second season of Joey didn’t receive positive reviews after its initial release. It briefly went on hiatus mid-season, and after returning for only a week, was cancelled due to low viewership. Fortunately, the final eight episodes of Joey are now available to watch online for free, giving fans a chance to see how the show concluded.

Viewers will finally understand the mystery surrounding Joey, and they’ll also get to enjoy a standout performance by De Matteo as the character Gina, who brings a lot of energy to the show.

Joey’s Long-Lost Episodes Prove Drea de Matteo’s Gina Was The Best Part Of The Show

Her Comedic Timing & Character Building Kept The Show Afloat

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Even though Matt LeBlanc successfully played Joey again, the show didn’t feel the same after Friends ended. However, Lisa Kudrow’s character, Gina, was completely new to the world of Friends. Gina was a single mom who worked as a hairdresser, and while she could be tough, she was fiercely devoted to her family, even her somewhat clueless younger brother.

Honestly, as a big TV fan, Gina was always the best part of Joey. She’d get mixed up in everything with Joey and her son, Michael (Paulo Costanzo), and it was just so well done. De Matteo’s comedy is amazing – she could make almost any scene work. Re-watching Joey can be tough, I won’t lie, but it’s totally worth it just to see Gina absolutely kill it.

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2025-11-21 01:42