Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine farewell to "Friends"

Is anyone else here a fan of this show? I love this show more than "Seinfeld" -- the true test came when both shows started airing in syndication and I've found that I don't feel a need to watch "Seinfeld" more than a coupla times, but I can watch a "Friends" episode over and over and still find it amusing. More than any other show, they've really developed the characters to the degree where the jokes come not from a setup and punchline, but from the viewer's knowledge of the characters' personas. They've done such a great job of creating these folks that if you watch the show, you're aware of their foibles, history and neuroses as you might an actual friend that you've spent a bunch of time with. From the running jokes questioning Chandler's sexuality to Monica's need for clean, a lot of the humor stems from who these characters are, as opposed to "Seinfeld" where a lot of the humor was based on seeing where the whacky plot threads would lead.

Anyone else have a few words for the show before the big finale?? (I'll have more to say later anyway if y'all don't...)

I've never seen an episode of this show. Not once in nine years -- beyond isolated clips, that is, when one or another of the sextet is being profiled or interviewed. So I have no opinion about it, not as such.

As cultural phenomenon, though? That's been clear, even to a non-viewer: We'd rather have sitcoms where its casts are those we've "spent a bunch of time with." Stand-alone comedy, outside of comedy clubs (or Comedy Central), is not what resonates any more. Bob Hope lived long enough to see it being thoroughly discarded, sadly for him. Even plot-driven comedy, such as "M*A*S*H" or "All in the Family," doesn't survive for long, except where character quirks have equal pull, viz.: "NewsRadio," "Just Shoot Me."

"Friends" is clearly the prime example of the we'd-like-to-get-to-know-'em comedies that have that same strength, which is also that same flaw: They wouldn't survive a change in any one of the core players, and everyone knows that. Exhibit A for disregarding this is "8 Simple Rules [for Dating My Teenage Daughter]," floundering badly after the death of John Ritter.

Apart from this? I've cordially detested the song "I'll Be There for You," since the day it infested the public consciousness with the first "Friends" episode, and that has been thrown even at those of us who avoided the show. It'll never be gone, as old TV never dies any more, it just goes to TV Land. (Except all of my own favorites, o'course, such as "My So-Called Life" and "The Paper Chase.")

Yet at least it'll be out of prime time. I'll never abide that damn song. But that's just me.

This show will be missed!!!!

So Drake, here we are again... First you watch all the same movies I watch, and now you're hooking up with me on my TV shows. I didn't really start to watch broadcast TV until about a year after I graduated college (circa 1999), so I came late to the Friends party and especially late to the Seinfeld party.

My wife loves both shows, and I've seen them over and over again in syndication. I'm with you, when they started going head to head, I found I enjoy Friends more. I'm not really going to miss them though, thanks to the DVD sets, but I will enjoy having my Thursday nights back, unless NBC moves Scrubs back there.

Love the Drake.

How you doing?

and How you doin'??

I think it's cute how they've created little phrases that the cast repeat throughout the show -- even ones that have no inherent comedic value as the above mentioned Joey line does:
Ross has his mopey "Hi..."
Monica has "I *know!*"
Rachel has her drawn out "NooOOOOoooooo...."
Pheobe has that defeated "OH, no"
Chandler's isn't used as much, but several times he's said "I knew it!"

They even switched it once where Monica said "NooOOOooo..." and Rachel replied "I *know!*"
(I also think it's odd that many of them involve the word "no" (or its homonym))

I gotta say my favorite Friends moment is when Joey walks in on Rachel and Chandler eating the stolen cheesecake off of the floor.

He looks around, and Rachel and Chandler look guilty, and then Joey pulls a fork out of his inside coat pocket and says, "Alright, what we havin'?"

The writers of Friends haven't missed too many opportunities for good, original laughs over the years.

One of my all-time "Friends" piss-off moments was when the writers gave Ross a line along the lines of "One time, in Incredible Hulk #87, Dr. Bruce Banner..." He trails off into an embarrassed silence, and the studio audience has a good laugh at his expense.

The whole point was to prove what a geek Ross was. HelLOooo, he's a paleontologist?! Like you need to slag comics to do it...

I was probably just mad that I proved myself even geekier by informing my friends that there never WAS an Incredible Hulk # 80-whatever...!

[Comic Book Guy]"As EV'ryone knows, the original HULK series lasted precisely six issues, from which the character moved to Tales To Astonish both alongside Giant Man and solo, eventually taking over the title with The Incredible Hulk number 1-oh-TWO. Hmmmph."[/Comic Book Guy]

I love Friends and I will miss it. Since I only
watch 3 shows consistantly, I guess I will have 1 more half hour to "surf'.

i'm gonna really miss "FRIENDS" !!! so how many shows are left in the US, now ???

Monica has been my favourite over the years, i love obssessive cleaning, and having everything in order !!! [ i'm a little like her, actually ]

i loved the episode this season, where they visit the family of an adopted child, and the mother is showing her the file, they made [ it's all colour coded, etc ... ] and Monica looks at it, and says "i've just had a mini orgasam"

also the thanksgiving one last year, where Rachel's sister visit's the first time, and a fight breaks out [ Monica has used her new plates !! ] she run's round collecting them, and say's "there's no time for bubble wrap" and later when they use them again, she asks why are they doing this ??? and why don't they all "blow their noses, on her wedding dress" !!!

but .... my all time favourite, is in season 2 when Phoebe is cutting Monica's hair, and she questions the style she is cutting for her, and Phoebe says it's like Dudley Moore, but Monica wanted Demi Moore !!!

Matthew.

I've always been a fan of when Chandler and Rachel get involved with something -- they're not usually paired up, but when they do it's great! They seem to a have a brother/sister love-hate thing going on where Rachel finds him annoying most of the time or just doesn't get his jokes (I think she's too sensitive for his barbs).

The aforementioned cheesecake episode was good, but my favorite was when Chandler got handcuffed in Rachel's boss' office in his underwear. There were a lot of laughs in that one, but I loved the random moment where Chandler is pleading for Rachel to release him and he suddenly stops to peek under the skirt of the lamp/ statue

Another fav moment:
Ross:"what was Monica's nickname when she played goalie for field hockey?"
Joey:(without skipping a beat)"Big fat goalie!"

Oh god, so many good moments to choose from...

but I think one of my favorites is from TOW Joey Loses His Insurance. My uncle had to have a hernia operation last month, and we watched this episode to...um...kinda torture him a bit.

Anyways, the bit in question:

Joey: "Take good care of your momma, son..."
(Kid refuses to cry like he's supposed to)
Joey: "Aw, c'mon, son, momma's GOOD people!"

Ah yes, and as for Chandler, could his catchphrase BE any funnier?

Joey: "Mmmmmmmmm Noodle Soup. Soup. Noodle soup."

Kid: "Come on!"

"If I turn into my parents, I'll either be an alcoholic blond chasing after 20-year old boys ...or I'll end up like my mom."

Having Kathleen Turner as Chandler's dad was inspired! My second-favorite "Friends" parent is Elliott Gould as Monica and Ross' father.

(At Chandler and Monica's reception)

Jack: "I'm going to call the cops and have you arrested."

Chandler: "Why?"

Jack: "You stole my moves."

Joey to Ross

"Looking Good Mr. Kot-TER."

Ok -- quick "Friends" poll:

1) Which of the Six is your fav?
2) Which one is most like you?
3) Which one would you most like to be your sex bunny?
4) Fav supporting/ guest character?
5) Fav 3 episodes

I can get behind this...

"Friends" poll:

1) Which of the Six is your fav?
At first it was Chandler, but over the years my fave has become Joey.

2) Which one is most like you?
Could I be anymore Chandler?

3) Which one would you like most like to be your sex bunny?
After my wife... Let's see, the early years it would have been Courtney Cox. About the the fourth season it switched to Jennifer Aniston. Now I just go back and forth, its too hard to call because they are both .

4) Fav supporting/ guest character?
Elliot Gould or Tom Selleck.

5) Fav 3 episodes
The One with the Prom Video
The One with the Cheesecake
The One with Rachel as Princess Leia

1) Which of the Six is your fav?

Phoebe

2) Which one is most like you?

Ross, unfortunately lol

3) Which one would like most like to be your sex bunny?

Phoebe, she's "very bendy"

4) Fav supporting/ guest character?

Gunther

5) Fav 3 episodes

The one with the Prom Video
The one where Monica and Rachel lose their appartment in the trivia game
The one where Joey loses his insurance

1) Which of the Six is your fav?
2) Which one is most like you?
I'll have to go with Chandler on both of these.

3) Which one would you most like to be your sex bunny?
At the start of the show I would've said Courteney, but Jennifer Aniston won me over.

4) Fav supporting/ guest character?
OH. My. God! Yeah, Janice is annoying as all get out, but she has provided some great moments from the show because of how the cast reacts to her.

5) Fav 3 episodes
The One where Chandler gets handcuffed in Rachel's boss' office
The One where the girls lose their apartment to the guys
The One where they go back to revisit Thanksgivings past and we see the bad hair, clothes, nose styles and Chandler loses his toe.

1) Which of the Six is your fav?
Chandler (please move on to answer #2)


2) Which one is most like you?
Chandler. The similarities are scary, we’re leading parallel lives:
Chandler is my middle name. He is obviously the funniest guy in the world but other people don’t appreciate his humor like they should. His job is so boring and dry and hard to explain to anyone (no one even knows what his profession is…a “transpondster?”). He is horrible at relationships and has bad luck with women but ultimately winds up with one of his best friends (my wife was & is my best friend!). Some people have even mistakenly assumed Chandler to be gay. This has happened to me as well, but it was usually because I was so painfully shy around girls that people assumed I didn’t like them.

And the biggie: My parents announced their divorce to me and my wife ten years ago on a holiday (Father’s Day ironically enough) whereas Chandler’s deep hatred of Thanksgiving is due to that being the day his parents told him. My dad left my mom for someone my age, like Chandler’s dad did. My dad lives in Vegas, and so does Chandler’s dad. And while my dad is not in an all-male revue, he is gay.


3) Which one would you most like to be your sex bunny?
I’ll pass here.
But this question reminds me of the episode the friends made “the lists of 5 celebrities they could have sex with without consequences” and Isabella Rossellini (almost on Ross’ list) shows up in the coffee shop. Hee hee hee!


4) Fav supporting/ guest character?
Elliot Gould. Well cast as the Geller patriarch!


5) Fav 3 episodes
The One with the Prom Video. Hilarious flashback sequence!

The One with the Embryos. Monica and Rachel lose their apartment to the guys during a bet.

The One where Everybody Finds Out. Phoebe had discovered Chandler and Monica’s secret relationship, so she flirted with Chandler which basically spiraled into a game of “chicken” to see who would take things the furthest. Naturally, before anything went too far, Chandler confessed his love for Monica.

New "Friends" quickie poll:

1) Of all the people the Six have dated during the show, which of the friends' relationships did you like the most? (name one partner for each friend -- not counting Ross/Rachel and Chandler/Monica)

2) Do you think Chandler's really gay and just living in denial?

3) Fav celebrity guest shot (Eliot Gould doesn't count since he's a recurring character).

I can get behind this one too:

1.
Joey/Dina Meyers (can't remember her character's name but she was the red-headed actress (and ended up as Barbara Gordon on BOP)who left for California while Joey has to say goodbye to her on stage during a play.)

Ross/Elizabeth

Chandler/that actress Joey was dating but Chandler ended up kissing and spending some time in the box.

Monica/Richard (Fun Bobby was such a one trick guy... Did Monica even date anybody else? Chipper?)

Phoebe/David (although I like that she ended up with Mike, but the David relationship was written so tragically well that it provided some really memorable moments)

Rachel/Joshua (I might have said Tag here, but I hate that name).

2. <Phoebe's Voice> Chandler and Monica, Chandler and Monica! Ooooh My eyes, my eyes! </Phoebe's Voice> No, Chandler is not gay.

3. Helen Hunt's part was probably the best written guest appearance that comes to my mind.

Oh my god -- could you two be any more similar? Russ/Ross anyone?

Well there was Pete the billionaire, way-too-young guy, Richard's son (very briefly), Julio the poet, Alan the wine guy, that guy with the beard that everyone really loved --except Monica (forgot his name)...anyone else? not too stellar a lineup I'll admit. (I"m not counting the George Clooney/Noah Whiley debacle)