The one truly brilliant element of Friends and Joey revolves around the nature of Joey as character. Joey the character is a supposedly mediocre working actor in Friends who becomes a slightly better actor landing a sit-com and then a movie lead.
It is possible that Matt LeBlanc is one of the greatest actors of our generation. Unfortunately, it is equally likely that he is just average. This problem is Joey's Post-Modern Condition. Matt LeBlanc could just as easily be a good actor portraying a bad actor or a bad actor playing a good one.
Add to the mix that we frequently see Joey Tribiani acting, and the show is completely brilliant. Joey playing an action hero in "Joey and the Big Break: Part Two" clearly overacts and is then told by the director that it was "classic poster." The question then becomes whether LeBlanc is actually acting the way he naturally does, and is thus an awful actor; the way he thinks Joey would (over)act, and is thus a great actor. The audience is left to mediate between the actor and the show and thus determine for itself the correct answer.
I beleive LeBlanc to be a brilliant actor portraying a mediocre one. He should win every award out there.
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