The Friends Appreciation Thread

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I think I started one of these a few years ago. Wanted to revisit it.

Let's appreciate the show Friends. Is it the funniest show ever? No. Is it the best written show ever? No. Does it have plot points that make no sense? Yea. It's a flawed show, but I love it because it's about the easiest show to watch ever. It's just six characters and you watch them live their lives. Great show to watch to relieve stress or relax over.

Anyone else a fan?

[KevShmev]

Big fan.  Always loved the show.  The first four or five seasons are pure gold, and the later seasons are mostly good as well despite some terrible storylines (the Joey/Rachel romance, the Tag character, etc.). 

Chandler Bing (before he got with Monica) was one of the funniest characters ever.

Also, Rachel was funniest when acting all crazy or aloof - like when obsessed with that Joshua guy, or right before she had her baby.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I love it.  It's one of our go-to things to turn on whenever it may be on.  Have always loved it.  Something enduring about it.  I've seen these episodes a million times and will not likely ever get tired of them.

There are probably a handful that I don't like as much, but some that just really get me.  The prom video episode, I really liked.  When they realize what Ross was willing to do for Rachel and she just gets up, without a word, walks to him, and just lays it on him.  When I first saw that (fun fact - I saw that when it first aired) I was like "that is one of the greatest moments in all of television".

Chandler Bing Miss Chanandler Bong

[KevShmev]

It's hard to top two specific episodes:

-The one where the guys win the apartment from the girls.  "Big Fat Monica!"

-The one where everyone knows about Monica and Chandler, and he and Phoebe have a battle of wits to see who can go further with the other before giving in. 

[Jaffa]

-The one where the guys win the apartment from the girls.  "Big Fat Goalie!"

FTFY.

[KevShmev]

Oh shit, I can't believe I goofed that one up.

But yeah, that episode is the bee's knees.

Oh, and the outtake of Ross playing the bagpipes for the whole group (minus Joey) is awesome.  Them all cracking up at Phoebe trying to mime along to Celebration is hilarious.  Oh, and the outtake of "PIVOT!" is also hysterical.

[Jaffa]

No worries.  =D

I think the episode that made me laugh more than any other was the one where Joey's fridge broke and he was trying to blame it on everyone. 

But that series has a ton of great episodes.   

[theseoafs]

Friends is the worst show.

[Jaffa]

Friends is the worst show.

You are, indeed, multiple oafs. 

Yes!  My mission is complete!  =D

[Implode]

My friend is in love with the show. I think it's okay to watch; the stories are nice, but I almost never find anything funny on the show. I don't see how my friend can crack up after almost every line of dialogue. I'm  missing something. But that being said, I'm still okay with watching it.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Big fan.  Always loved the show.  The first four or five seasons are pure gold, and the later seasons are mostly good as well despite some terrible storylines (the Joey/Rachel romance, the Tag character, etc.). 

Chandler Bing (before he got with Monica) was one of the funniest characters ever.

Also, Rachel was funniest when acting all crazy or aloof - like when obsessed with that Joshua guy, or right before she had her baby.

Agreed. Seasons One - Five are amazing, and then the quality dips a bit. The Joey/Rachel relationship is probably the worst plot line of the series. Also, the idea that Rachel would move to Paris even though a comparable job, the father of her child, her family and her friends are in New York always felt a little wrong to me.

[voncorn]

-

[Kosmo]

Appreciated!

My sense of humor has sort of delved into darker and drier territories, so the show doesn't really make me laugh out loud anymore like it used to, except for Chandler who still makes me chuckle. It's one of these shows where you can watch the same episodes over and over and over and still enjoy them.

[AcidLameLTE]

I think the worst episode had to be the one where Joey spoke French.

I lose brain cells just thinking about it.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I think the worst episode had to be the one where Joey spoke French.

I lose brain cells just thinking about it.

Yea! There are a lot of moments like that later on in the series.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Je te code bleu!

[Zantera]

Great show. Like mentioned, not the best show or anything thought provoking, but just a show you can watch and relax to. I have many fond memories of watching it over the years, and I will always have warm feelings towards it.

[AcidLameLTE]

I have to admit that it didn't age very well with me.

I'd probably still watch an episode every now and again if it was on...and from the earlier seasons.

[Ryzee]

I likes me the Friends television program.

So I'm gonna do something like so, feel free to follow suit if you wish:

Hottest girl: Rachel

Hottest guy: check out Ross in the epi where he puts on that Frankie Say Relax shirt that he took back from Rachel- dude is lookin pretty ripped!

Funniest girl: Phoebe

Funniest guy: Chandler until he gets with Monica.  Then it's Joey.


Best episode:  It's been mentioned but the one where the guys win the apartment from the girls playing that quiz game.  I think it's actually called "The One With the Embryos" or something like that.  I'm also partial to the one where Ross & Rachel get hammered in Vegas ("Hello Vegas?  Yes we need more alcohol, and also, we need more beers.")

[jingle.boy]

*appreciates*

Will comment later.

[Gadough]

This show is the latest victim to what I call the "Nick at Nite effect." I ignore a show while it's current, and then when it's added to the Nick at Nite lineup, I start watching it and wonder why I never gave it a chance before.

[tofee35]

The genius of this show was incorporating 6 characters and multiple story lines into a half hour show. They did it each show while keeping an ongoing plot throughout the series. Movies like Valentines Day and New Years Eve tried to do something similar with multiple story lines and characters, but i don't think it worked too well.

Friends was like I Love Lucy was in the 50's-60's (or so I've been told). It was the show to watch that everybody could relate to and fans will never get sick of it.

-Tof

[theseoafs]

Friends is the worst show.

You are, indeed, multiple oafs. 

Yes!  My mission is complete!  =D

[jingle.boy]

3rd favorite sit-com of all time (behind Cheers and Seinfeld).  Given I was right in that age bracket when it started, I could totally relate to it.  Followed it from episode 1.  And in all honesty, the later years were better than Seinfeld's last years.  Joey was my favorite character by far.  It's odd, while I know off the top of my head the top Seinfeld episodes, I can't really pinpoint the top Friend's episodes.  Maybe because they were just more consistent.  Seinfeld had episodes that were out of this world, but also had some stinkers.  Much more polarizing in quality than Friends.  Friends was just awesome start to finish.

On second thought, I would have to say the "Commando" episode has to be up there.  "It's a rented tux Ross, I'm not goin commando in another man's fatigue's".

And I'll voice what Coz did already.  Check the thread title before laying a dump in here.  It's an "appreciation" thread, not a "discussion" thread. 

[KevShmev]

I think the worst episode had to be the one where Joey spoke French.

A lot of Joey's stories were really stupid once he and Chandler stopped living together.  Plus, they made his character dumber in the latter years of the show, and while he was still funny at times, other times he was just annoyingly dumb.

[reneranucci]

I think I started one of these a few years ago. Wanted to revisit it.

Let's appreciate the show Friends. Is it the funniest show ever? No. Is it the best written show ever? No. Does it have plot points that make no sense? Yea. It's a flawed show, but I love it because it's about the easiest show to watch ever. It's just six characters and you watch them live their lives. Great show to watch to relieve stress or relax over.

Anyone else a fan?

Very well put, and agreed 100%. That's the greatest virtue of the show. I always want to watch it if it suddenly appears on my TV, independently of the mood I'm in or if it is the 10th time I watch the episode. I'm doing a run of the whole series (watched from season 6 to season 9 and now I'm on season 1) and there are episodes that never give me a chuckle, but I just find the story very entertaining.

The best things: 1. Chandler and Ross are really good characters 2. They explored a lot of subjects with the stories and the show never grew stale 3. There is a large number of episodes that are absolutely stellar and a small number with no redeeming qualities (I just watched the one where Chandler gets stuck with a supermodel on an ATM machine room during a blackout, it's hilarious).

I must point out the 3 worst things, though: 1. Overly stupid characters like Joey are irritating and the worst type of characters in sitcoms, ever. 2. The female characters are weak. Phoebe is awful most of the time, and Rachel and Monica became a one-trick phony after season 6. 3. The Ross-Rachel story was incredibly well done during most of the show but the series finale was disappointing.

[jingle.boy]

mmmm Jill Goodacre!!!!  That's the one where Ross is friend-zoned, and Paulo shows up.

"And now I'm chewing someone else's gum!"

Yeah, that's another favorite of mine.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Remember when you where a kid and your Mom would drop you off at the movies with a jar of jam and a little spoon?

[Super Dude]

I've been rewatching it with my girlfriend the last few months (slow going, but enjoyable nonetheless). Chandler had some of the best lines in the earlier seasons.

"Gum would be perfection."

[Super Dude]

By the way, I don't understand why haters feel that they have to come in and bash the show for no reason other than to share that they hate it.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Because some people aren't happy unless they're taking a shit all over someone else's enjoyment of something.  Someone always has to come in and be "that" guy.  Irritating as fuck.

[reneranucci]

mmmm Jill Goodacre!!!!  That's the one where Ross is friend-zoned, and Paulo shows up.

"And now I'm chewing someone else's gum!"

Yeah, that's another favorite of mine.

I've been rewatching it with my girlfriend the last few months (slow going, but enjoyable nonetheless). Chandler had some of the best lines in the earlier seasons.

"Gum would be perfection."

Super moldel: Is there somebody you'd like to call?
Chandler thinking: Yeah, the 300 guys I went to highschool with.

[Jaffa]

That whole episode was amazing. 

[Zook]

Because some people aren't happy unless they're taking a shit all over someone else's enjoyment of something.  Someone always has to come in and be "that" guy.  Irritating as fuck.

I can't stand Protest The.... Oh wait...

Yeah, Friends was pretty funny. We used to watch the re-runs way back when. I always enjoyed it, and Chandler was my favorite character.

[theseoafs]

By the way, I don't understand why haters feel that they have to come in and bash the show for no reason other than to share that they hate it.

Don't look at me, I was doing a favor to Jaffa.