In honor of the sereis finale tonight I thought i would start a thread. I really enjoy this show and it is one of the easiest and most repeatable shows to watch. It sounds corny but the season by season dvd's really helped me through some dark days. Anyone else like the show or plan on watching the finale?
I hate Friends, I really do. It's a 10 year long romantic comedy. I also want to point out that Lisa Kudrow is the worst thing invented.
I have stopped watching Friends for one reason....it sucks. or at least it does this season. i dunno, i might take a gander at the finale, but doubtful.
Quote from: SHAFTRI also want to point out that Lisa Kudrow is the worst thing invented.
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a guilty pleasure. lisa kudrow could have been a movie star if she got better parts. she's hilarious in analyze this and i remember her being good in the opposite of sex. then she made hanging up, lucky numbers, and marci x. oh well...
i actually think that lisa kudrow is the best out of the cast watch the opposite of sex and you will think the same.
Okay, so who cried? :(
............................................
i love friends. i admit the older episodes are better, but i have such a great deal of affection for the characters by now. this show started when i was 8, so i've grown up with it. im glad its ended tho, perfect timing.
great signature, that one was of my favorite story lines
I waited all day for this to happen. I couldn't be happier with how it turned out, although, i enjoy a good tragic ending so if one of them would have died somehow in an ironic twist of fate, it would have been quite entertaining. But, I digress, I cried like a baby even when watching the previews for it. Unfortunately, the new show "Joey" will take the time slot and will fail miserably.
I got a little misty eyed, despite myself.
All those breaks were a travesty! Every 2 mins, I swear!
But I thought the hour before the actual show was sadder than...the...actual...show?
I love the show. Sucks that it's off. It's great, always been great, and though some of the episodes this season haven't been as funny, and have lapsed into sexual humor as a last resort, it's still better than 99% of the shows out there. Like Banky said, it's a show that'll get you through days when you're down, and they have great replay value. I'm looking forward to seeing how "Joey" turns out, even though I'm skeptical. The preview aired during the finale looks promising, though they can be misleading.
And anyone who dismisses Friends as a "10-year-long romantic comedy," or hates it for any other oft-cited or arbitrary reason probably hasn't given it enough of a chance to judge it. The show is much more than that.
The finale was just so perfect. I wasn't expecting much, but it's probably the best series finale of any show I've ever seen. I didn't want it to end. The writing was at its peak here, and it made me forget about some of the weaker episodes this season, but it's a good thing the show's ended now so it won't deteriorate any further and still go out when it's still funnier than most shows.
After the show, it'll be interesting to see what all of the cast does. Lisa Kudrow definitely has dramatic talent potential. I've heard different people rave about Romy and Michelle but I really couldn't get into that one. She's done good work in other movies, though, but she started out in comedy when Lovitz encouraged her to go to the Groundlings, so it'll probably be hard for her to break away from that. Who knows, though? She wanted to be a scientist like her father at first, so she definitely has the smarts to pull off dramatic roles.
Aniston, though, is the real dramatic talent. She has the knack for picking the right roles, and will probably continue to do so after she's started her family.
Perry could do the same, as proven in his cameos in Ally McBeal and a larger extent The West Wing. He could be a great dramatic actor as long as he gets away from being typecast as Chandler. He was great in The Whole Nine Yards, even if he did play a Chandler-esque character. Too bad The Whole Ten Yards looks so bad (though I haven't had a chance to see it yet).
Cox-Arquette has already made a name for herself in movies, too, so her career will be fine after she's gotten her family going, too.
What's worrisome, though, are the futures of Schwimmer and LeBlanc. LeBlanc seems to be the weakest link, not having the greatest luck with scripts, so if "Joey" bombs, it may suck for him, but it may be a good thing, allowing him to branch out. It could be a good thing if he turns into another Frasier, but that all depends on what type of career he wants for himself.
Schwimmer has only had a few minor films. Breastmen. Feh. The Pallbearer. Feh. He's got skills, but again, there's the matter of typecasting for all parties involved.
i have actaully never watched an episode of friends....i remember trying to get into it ..but as soon as i heard that ghey song..i has to turn it off......i m sure it s a good show and all but i just don' t watch that much tv...to give you guys an idea of pathetic my tv experience has been i never wathed an episode of seinfeld......so yeah, i have been under a rock...........
and the only tv related thin gi own is twin peaks(of course) ..and six feet under season one.........but the funny thing is that when i was younger i used to watch the phuck out of tv....i goit hooked on the corny sh*t like the wonder years, alf, saved by the bell, beverly hills 90210, small wonder, who s the boss, mr. belvedere, growing pains, family ties, full house, family matters, fresh prince of bel air, ..yeah, that type of sh*t.............all i usually watch on tv now is sports sh*t...and the ocassional reality tv show..........so yeah, i suck.. :|
the only thing that disappointed me is that i so wanted it to end in central perk. that's where it started, that's where it should have ended.
all of them sitting on the couch, having a last cup of coffee.
at least it ended with them on the way to get one....
I think the last line is what made it for me.
Quote from: Onomatopita
And anyone who dismisses Friends as a "10-year-long romantic comedy," or hates it for any other oft-cited or arbitrary reason probably hasn't given it enough of a chance to judge it. The show is much more than that.
.
I've seen well over a dozen episodes...how many more do I need to give it?
I'm so glad this show is over now.
I was forced to watch it because I got sucked in when it was still a good show.
What a boring, predictable and pandering way to end the series... you could tell towards the end of the last season that they weren't quite sure what was going to happen, once they were positive it was the last season it was all about making sure they give the dipshits exactly what they want. snnnnnnooooorrrre
had some funny parts though... wasn't any better than just an hour long episode.
And Kudrow is far from the worst of the cast... so far from the worst that I'd say she's the best.
Quote from: RegularKarateI'm so glad this show is over now.
I was forced to watch it because I got sucked in when it was still a good show.
Same here. It seems as if Friends has been on forever. I tease people I know that still watch it, say things like, "ohh yeah, it was good until season 802."
I'm sure the reruns will never die.
*Oh yeah, how about that Pearl Jam song (Yellow Ledbetter) playing while Rachel exits to get on the plane? That was a nice surprise. It made my day.
Quote from: SHAFTRI've seen well over a dozen episodes...how many more do I need to give it?
Watch the first season, which is still just classic now. That's twenty-four episodes right there, so that'll give you a better idea of what the show is about, what its roots are, why it's so great, or why you hate it with a fiery passion. Or something. Or watch season three and four when it really started to peak and grow in popularity and quality. Those were probably the best episodes overall, though all seasons had their great moments. A dozen episodes out of 230+ isn't really enough to judge. And the more familiar you are with the history of the show, the more the jokes will resonate. Maybe you'll say you still hate it, and that's fine. But you don't watch ten random minutes of a film and write off the whole thing. The whole, in this case, is greater than the sum of its parts.
I guess I'll chime in here and it'll probably piss off Onomato. I never gave Friends a chance nor did I ever care to. The last view seasons, based on the commercials I've had to see, have led me to believe that the writers were consistently switching up partners and such. Sure, anyone could argue that people do that. They grow up, they fall in love, they want to get married, etc. But I was never interested in what the ads were implying was a Friends soap opera. Blech. These are friends I don't care to know.... ever.
Not pissed off really. To each his own. But that's the problem with judging a show from the commercials. The good thing about Friends is that everyone had a character arc that spanned throughout every season. The show wasn't nearly as "incestuous" as the ads may have made it seem (one thing a lot of people have against it), nor were minorities lacking in the show either (another nitpick I grow tired of hearing, because usually people zero on this as a reason to hate on the show, when it's entirely unfounded). Also, there's the matter of the "great apartment" that they have. "They" being Monica and whoever lived with her. Subletted from her grandmother, whatever, blah, blah, blah. Explanations for all the gripes people have, as it is with every show. Chanoey's apartment was always shit, but it was a home. That's New York for you.
The show is an acquired taste. You have to appreciate where these people are coming from to understand the humor, which, I guess, is the case with most shows. And the later seasons aren't nearly as strong as the first, which is why they may turn off some people. But like I said, great moments all throughout, even this year, and up until the final episode. I'll give you one thing about the ads, though - they were horrible. The Enya crap they played a couple years ago did make it seem soapish, and so did some of the "final countdown" ads. But they were trying to appeal to a sentimentality in their loyal fanbase rather than reel in new viewers with the comedic side of things. Perhaps a mistake, but then again, what do I know? The show's still incredibly popular, and it will go down in the annals of TV with M*A*S*H (a show I never even really cared for), Cheers, Full House (the older episodes of this show are still priceless -- the later years, yep, horrible), Seinfeld (consistently great throughout -- that happens with a lot of shows, especially ones that run for eight or more years), and The Simpsons.
Quote from: Onomatopita
The show is an acquired taste.
Red Wine is an acquired taste. Root Beer is an acquired taste. An uninspired american TV show isn't. :o
Quote from: cronopioQuote from: Onomatopita
The show is an acquired taste.
Red Wine is an acquired taste. Root Beer is an acquired taste. An uninspired american TV show isn't. :o
But Friends
is inspired. ;)
pretty much everything from season 1 to season 5 is inspired
Quote from: OnomatopitaQuote from: SHAFTRI've seen well over a dozen episodes...how many more do I need to give it?
Watch the first season, which is still just classic now. That's twenty-four episodes right there, so that'll give you a better idea of what the show is about, what its roots are, why it's so great, or why you hate it with a fiery passion. Or something. Or watch season three and four when it really started to peak and grow in popularity and quality. Those were probably the best episodes overall, though all seasons had their great moments. A dozen episodes out of 230+ isn't really enough to judge. And the more familiar you are with the history of the show, the more the jokes will resonate. Maybe you'll say you still hate it, and that's fine. But you don't watch ten random minutes of a film and write off the whole thing. The whole, in this case, is greater than the sum of its parts.
I watched Friends from the beginning through the whole Ross' bald girlfriend/beach house episode. I think that's more than enough to judge it by and I found it very cheap, uninspired humor. It was cookie cutter every episode and the actors became really grating (especially Ross). How anyone could watch this show for 10 seasons only confirms my theory that NBC uses an airborne form of cocaine/heroin/ecstasy that is emitted through a television's speakers on their hit shows.
I'm glad it's done. Now Joey can fail in a season and maybe NBC will replace the slot with reruns of Scrubs.
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All good things must come to an end, as the saying goes, and sitcoms are no exception. After nine incredibly successful seasons, it was time for NBC's FRIENDS to say farewell. In the series finale, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) spot Chandler (Matthew Perry) leaving the city with a mysterious woman, so they trail him to a house in the suburbs. When they get back, they break the news to Monica (Courtney Cox), only to discover that the woman was a real estate agent and that the pair are finally calling it quits on the city. This sparks a series of tender reminiscences, featuring clips from previous episodes, providing viewers with a deeply emotional conclusion to a decade-long relationship. Also included are the series pilot and a version with previously unseen footage.
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I hadn't seen an episode of Friends until it started its syndication run. I was hooked after the first episode.
The past few seasons unfortunately turned to the Will and Grace tactic of having a celebrity play an oddball character in an episode just to be able to say "Reese Witherspoon guest stars" in the ads.
Chandler and Monica hooking up was the beginning of the end of the show, and their getting married solidified that. Sometime later there seemed to be an increase in the silly humor, such as Monica thinking Chandler was masturbating to shark footage or Ross getting the extra dark tan. I didn't like that they gave Rachel a baby, because that isn't a particularly interesting way to inject emotion into a show these days. In the past two years or so I didn't care if I missed an episode.
Quote from: RaviChandler and Monica hooking up was the beginning of the end of the show, and their getting married solidified that. Sometime later there seemed to be an increase in the silly humor, such as Monica thinking Chandler was masturbating to shark footage or Ross getting the extra dark tan. I didn't like that they gave Rachel a baby, because that isn't a particularly interesting way to inject emotion into a show these days. In the past two years or so I didn't care if I missed an episode.
I can't quite decide when the quality began to decline to me. It was either the season after Chandler proposed or after they get married. I think it was the former. Up until that point the show was great and at the top of its game. But the last two seasons seemed rushed, like they were trying to get years of material crammed into 2 seasons. The humor was off (and I hated Chandler's 'fart' joke in the 2nd to last episode. WTF is that?) and it never really caught up to what it was before.
Perry's the greatest on the show and he was one of the reasons I started watching it.
And, like most, I give Joey, maybe, a season. And that's being nice. It won't be the same without the 5 other people. And besides, I think as Joey gets closer to 40, his stupidity will only be sad not funny. I mean, who wants to watch a 45 year old failing, half-retarded actor?
*IMPORTANT*
This is a heads up guys.. if you're going to refer to the ending of the series in another topic, place a Spoiler Warning before you do!
I'm saying this in advance since Crono posted the news about Ryan Adams closing the site and it could get out of hand with somebody spoiling things for others out of the blue. So be considerate and don't spoil anything for others in other threads. Keep it here!
That is all.
Quote from: OnomatopitaThat's New York for you.
i just wanted to say that this is possibly the LEAST convincing new york setting, maybe EVER.
i watched friends for a season or two in the middle right before rachel and ross got together and stopped watching when they broke up cause it pissed me off. i watched a handful of episodes randomly since then, including the last one, and came to the conclusion that really its probably a good sitcom. but thats not saying much, because on the whole sitcoms are pretty terrible. its not a groundbreaking sitcom, its just a consistently pretty good one. (but thats not saying much.)
Quote from: RaviI didn't like that they gave Rachel a baby, because that isn't a particularly interesting way to inject emotion into a show these days. In the past two years or so I didn't care if I missed an episode.
yeah! this is what i wanted to ask about. where the fuck was rachel and ross's baby during that finale?!?! like, didnt she remember to pack it when she was going to move to paris?
Rachel said, i think, at some point in time during the last 15 minutes of the show, that emma was flying with her mother over to paris. They even made a joke about how it'd be "poor Rachel's mom having to deal with emma" then rachel said "my mom ranting about the Atkins diet the whole time..poor emma" It was something like that.
Quote from: ranemaka13I think the last line is what made it for me.
What was the last line? My recorded tape cut out just before that.
Quote from: matt35mmQuote from: ranemaka13I think the last line is what made it for me.
What was the last line? My recorded tape cut out just before that.
"IT WAS ALL A DREAM"
Quote from: matt35mmQuote from: ranemaka13I think the last line is what made it for me.
What was the last line? My recorded tape cut out just before that.
"That's what
friends are for!"
But seriously, one of them said
"WE TRULY ARE THE BEST OF F'R'I'E'N'D'S" and then that song came on
I thought it was Chandler asking where they were going to get coffee....
Not really earth shattering, but I thought it was a nice line. :yabbse-undecided:
Quote from: matt35mmQuote from: ranemaka13I think the last line is what made it for me.
What was the last line? My recorded tape cut out just before that.
Bee Eff Eff, biatch!
One of them says, "Let's go get some coffee" and Chandler says, "Where?"
Quote from: RaviOne of them says, "Let's go get some coffee" and Chandler says, "Where?"
I turned on the show a minute before that. There was an overrun, which is why I actually caught the show to begin with! :)
i really like how this show survived the whole reality kick and was still consistanly popular
they made fun of Ross and Rachel's last scene on SNL, except it was Dubya and Rumsfeld. it was great
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0510041friends1.html
A Failing Grade For "Friends"
Sitcom was trashed in confidential 1994 NBC research report
MAY 12--Though "Friends" would prove to be a lucrative ratings powerhouse, the sitcom's pilot received a failing grade and was described as "not very entertaining, clever, or original," according to an internal NBC research report obtained by The Smoking Gun. Months before the program's debut, "Friends" was shown to test audiences that were "not very favorable" to the show or its six main characters, according to the May 1994 report (a copy of which you'll find below). In fact, the pilot performance was graded "weak" and scored a paltry 41 out of 100. By comparison, "ER" scored a 91, though "Seinfeld" famously also earned a "weak" rating. While Courteney Cox's Monica fared best with test audience members, her appeal was "well below desirable levels for a lead." The characters portrayed by Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry had "marginal appeal," and "Rachel, Ross, and Joey scored even lower." A particularly stinging rebuke was delivered by adults 35 and over, who felt "this group did not really care about each other the way real friends would. They found the characters smug, superficial, and self-absorbed." TSG couldn't stand the show, so the brutal research analysis sounded pretty accurate to us--both then and now. However, considering the show's spectacular success during its 10-year run, the NBC report is merely an odd footnote to the "Friends" success story. (4 pages)
Schwimmer prepares to 'Run'
David Schwimmer is moving from "Friends" to the director's chair.
The actor is set to helm the indie feature "Run, Fat Boy, Run" for Gold Circle Films. Penned by actor-scribe Michael Ian Black, the project centers on a charming but oblivious overweight guy who leaves his fiancee on their wedding day only to discover years later that he really loves her. To win her back, he must finish the New York marathon while making her realize that her new handsome, wealthy fiance is the wrong guy for her.
Beech Films' Alexa Fogel and Joseph Infantolino will produce along with Gold Circle topper Paul Brooks. The filmmakers are currently on the search for the lead actor with production planned to start in the spring in New York City.
"I've been waiting for the right feature comedy to direct and am so happy to have found 'Run, Fat Boy, Run,' " Schwimmer said. "Michael's script was simply too funny and smart to put down."
It's not the first foray into directing for Schwimmer. He helmed 10 episodes of "Friends" and is in line to direct multiple episodes of its spinoff, "Joey," starring Matt LeBlanc. He also is executive producing and directing the pilot "Nearly Nirvana" for NBC.
'Comeback' show for Friends star.
Friends actress Lisa Kudrow is to play the lead role in a new series about a one-time sitcom star, according to the Hollywood reporter.
Thirteen episodes of Comeback have been commissioned by cable channel HBO, home of hits such as Sex And The City. Kudrow, who played Phoebe in Friends, co-wrote the pilot episode and will also act as executive producer.
HBO has been looking for its next big comedy hit since Sex And The City drew to a close in the US in February.
Comeback is the first 30-minute comedy series that the channel has picked up since the Sex And The City drew to the end of its six-year-run.
Friends ended its 10-year run on the NBC network in May, and attentions have turned to which projects its six individual stars would pursue.
Quotenew series about a one-time sitcom star
Am I the only one who thinks they stole this idea from Larry David?
Let's hope that "Seinfeld curse" rubbed off.
Quote from: FernandoQuotenew series about a one-time sitcom star
Am I the only one who thinks they stole this idea from Larry David?
yeah i was about to say that as i was reading it..
After watching a ton of Seinfeld and Curb on DVD last year, I just can't watch Friends anymore. I used to like it a lot, but Seinfeld and Curb put the magnifying glass on the characters' foibles and character flaws and makes us laugh at them, but Friends mostly expects us to play along with its superficiality.