'Friends' Expert Says 'Joey' Spin-Off Didn't Work Because It Had This 'Problem'

Even though "Friends" ended in 2004, fans have continued to discuss the popular NBC sitcom. Following the conclusion of the series, a spin-off called "Joey" was created, but it was short-lived as it only lasted two seasons. Now, an expert is weighing in on why the show didn't quite capture the attention of audiences.

According to Express, Dr. Simone Knox, who was one of the writers of "Friends: A Reading of the Sitcom," suggested a theory that "Joey" didn't perform well with audiences at the time due to the fact that the main character needed to be part of an ensemble cast. She also explained that the comedic types varied from person to person but remained "very attuned to one another."

"So you have the Joey character, who is into food and sex, and is a loyal friend, and is a little stupid," Knox said, explaining the charm of Matt LeBlanc's character. "But you need Joey in relationship to Chandler [Matthew Perry], for example, who keeps him in check and who makes sarcastic comments about his naive stupidity."

Continuing, Knox added, "The problem with Joey - as in the spin-off - was that they took this character who was embedded in the ensemble of characters and transplanted him to a very different environment - and that just wasn't going to work."

By now, all of the stars have gone on to work on new things following the "Friends" finale, including Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green. Her new apple TV+ show, "The Morning Show," recently premiered on the streaming service and has already been renewed for a second season.