The Friends Appreciation Thread

[gmillerdrake]

Jennifer Aniston: "Something is happening"

Yeah....it's called a cash grab   


Maybe it'd be neat and done well but honestly, no matter what they do it's not going to recapture what Friends was

Wasn't a movie or something announced months ago?

I think that was a hoax

[pg1067]

Jennifer Aniston: "Something is happening"

 

AWESOME (if true)!!!

[Cool Chris]

Jennifer Aniston: "Something is happening"

Has she landed a decent acting gig for the first time in 15 years?

[jingle.boy]

Jennifer Aniston: "Something is happening"

Has she landed a decent acting gig for the first time in 15 years?

I really liked her performance in Derailed.

[faizoff]

I really liked Aniston in Horrible Bosses, I thought she was hilarious. Also she was great in We're the Millers.

[Zantera]

I mean compared to the rest, Jennifer Aniston is arguably the most relevant out of them in 2019. I've seen Matt appear on some late night show on youtube but I feel like i haven't seen Schwimmer or Perry in a LONG time. I think a new season or movie could be fun, I would have lowered expectations but it would be nice to see where they are all at now and what happened with their lives.

[jingle.boy]

Wasn't the OJ series the biggest thing Schwimmer has done?  Both Matt's had sitcoms recently, though I never watched either.  Not sure what Kudrow has done; Cox had Cougartown for a few years, and that was pretty decent.

So yeah... Anniston is definitely the most successful of the bunch.  She delivered a VERY powerful performance in Cake.

[Chino]

Wasn't the OJ series the biggest thing Schwimmer has done?  Both Matt's had sitcoms recently, though I never watched either.  Not sure what Kudrow has done; Cox had Cougartown for a few years, and that was pretty decent.

So yeah... Anniston is definitely the most successful of the bunch.  She delivered a VERY powerful performance in Cake.

Leblanc has had great success. He hosted the new Top Gear for a few seasons as well. 

[faizoff]

Matt LeBlanc was in a show called Episodes and I think he won an Emmy for it too. I enjoyed that show a lot, he's playing 'Matt LeBlanc' and how he's doing post Friends.

[pg1067]

Wasn't the OJ series the biggest thing Schwimmer has done?

Voice acting, but still.

He's also been on the reincarnated Will & Grace, which my wife watches.

[Chino]

Schwimmer had a decent, but limited, role in Band of Brothers. I thought he was excellent in that.,

[gmillerdrake]

Schwimmer had a decent, but limited, role in Band of Brothers. I thought he was excellent in that.,

Yeah....true. He fit that role pretty well.

[Stadler]

My kid went through a Friends phase not long ago, and so I got to revisit a few episodes, and... they didn't really hold up for me.

Favorite characters:
Chandler
Phoebe
Monica (sometimes)
Joey (sometimes)

For me, Rachel and Ross are funny if the situation they are in is funny, but otherwise I find them annoying.   I REALLY do not like Ross (or David Schwimmer, for that matter). I get that the "whiny-ness" is part of the character and part of the funny, but it's still annoying to me.   

Since it's come up, I don't find Jennifer Aniston all that attractive (Phoebe, on the other hand...) so there wasn't that enamored-ness about her.

One guest appearance that I thought funny was Fisher Stevens as the therapist that Phoebe was dating.  "You and your stupid big cups, which, I'm sorry, might as well have nipples on them..." 

[hefdaddy42]

My favorite character was Chandler before he started dating Monica.
Next was Joey, then Phoebe.

I couldn't really stand any of the other characters.  Other than Paul Rudd's character.

[pg1067]

My kid went through a Friends phase not long ago, and so I got to revisit a few episodes, and... they didn't really hold up for me.

Favorite characters:
Chandler
Phoebe
Monica (sometimes)
Joey (sometimes)

For me, Rachel and Ross are funny if the situation they are in is funny, but otherwise I find them annoying.   I REALLY do not like Ross (or David Schwimmer, for that matter). I get that the "whiny-ness" is part of the character and part of the funny, but it's still annoying to me.   

Since it's come up, I don't find Jennifer Aniston all that attractive (Phoebe, on the other hand...) so there wasn't that enamored-ness about her.

One guest appearance that I thought funny was Fisher Stevens as the therapist that Phoebe was dating.  "You and your stupid big cups, which, I'm sorry, might as well have nipples on them..."

I wasn't around when this thread was started, but I love Friends.  Probably my favorite sitcom of all time.  I watched it from day 1.  I worked with a girl who had "the Rachel" haircut (before Rachel did).

Phoebe is my least favorite of the female characters and, IMO, the least attractive (Kudrow in Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion, on the other hand...).  Aniston's and Cox's early series looks were very 90s.  I generally preferred Cox toward the beginning of the show and Aniston later.  Also not a Ross fan.  He never really recovered after they made him crazy jealous in season 3 (the Mark storyline).  All the other characters range between good and great.

For me, what's lasting about the show is how the characters developed and how the writers harkened back to earlier episodes (also didn't hurt that I'm basically the same age as the characters are supposed to be.  They did a lot of "How I Met Your Mother" type things, but not in such an obvious way.  Although the show was a hit from the beginning, season 1 (from which the Phoebe dates Roger, the shrink episode comes) was fairly uneven, which isn't surprising for a new show.

[Zantera]

Chandler would be my favorite but I think Ross would be a close second. Some of the episodes I've laughed the hardest at have been because of Ross, one that comes to mind is the one where Rachel and Phoebe are taking self defense class and Ross goes to their instructor and tries to get tips on how to attack them. The episode when he goes to get a spray tan is another good one.

[Chino]

Chandler would be my favorite but I think Ross would be a close second. Some of the episodes I've laughed the hardest at have been because of Ross, one that comes to mind is the one where Rachel and Phoebe are taking self defense class and Ross goes to their instructor and tries to get tips on how to attack them. The episode when he goes to get a spray tan is another good one.

I find Ross to be pretty unbearable for most of the show, but some of my hardest laughs in the series come from him. The super white teeth, holiday armadillo, and "PIVOT!" split my sides every time.

[pg1067]

Chandler would be my favorite but I think Ross would be a close second. Some of the episodes I've laughed the hardest at have been because of Ross, one that comes to mind is the one where Rachel and Phoebe are taking self defense class and Ross goes to their instructor and tries to get tips on how to attack them. The episode when he goes to get a spray tan is another good one.

I find Ross to be pretty unbearable for most of the show, but some of my hardest laughs in the series come from him. The super white teeth, holiday armadillo, and "PIVOT!" split my sides every time.

Ross was at his best in single-episode storylines (as opposed to multi-episode arcs relating to most of his relationships with women).  The above were all great.  Add to that list the leather pants and spray tan episodes.


On another subject, one of the absolute best Joey moments was in the episode where they watch the video of Ross and Rachel hooking up (when they conceived Emma) (s8:e4).  R&R were arguing about who instigated the sex, and Ross said something like, "we don't need to argue about who came on to who," and Joey responded with "WHOM," at which point everyone else just stopped and looked at him.  After a few seconds, Joey says, with a very smug look on his face, "That's right!"  Well written and perfectly delivered.

The One Where Joey Speaks French (s10:e13) is also an absolute classic.

[Chino]

Ross was at his best in single-episode storylines (as opposed to multi-episode arcs relating to most of his relationships with women).  The above were all great.  Add to that list the leather pants and spray tan episodes.

 

For sure. .


My favorite Joey moment is when he goes to protect his meatball sub when they think they hear s gunshot during the ride along.

[pg1067]

Ross was at his best in single-episode storylines (as opposed to multi-episode arcs relating to most of his relationships with women).  The above were all great.  Add to that list the leather pants and spray tan episodes.

 

For sure. .


My favorite Joey moment is when he goes to protect his meatball sub when they think they hear s gunshot during the ride along.

Another one:

Joey:  "All right, Rach. The big question is, 'does he like you?'  All right?  Because if he doesn't like you, this is all a moo point."
Rachel:  "Huh. A moo point?"
Joey:  "Yeah, it's like a cow's opinion.  It just doesn't matter.  It's moo."
Rachel:  "Have I been living with him for too long, or did that all just make sense?"

[Stadler]

PG just gave me a thought:   I'm going to have to think about it a little bit, but as I scan down shows I liked, I'm not sure I EVER really liked the "arcs" in ANY show.  It always seemed that that's when the shows jumped the shark, when the story line sort of overwhelmed the funny.  Yeah, I know, "people gotta grow", but I have enough "growth" in my life, I don't need to watch Sheldon Cooper find a soul. 

[Chino]

Ross was at his best in single-episode storylines (as opposed to multi-episode arcs relating to most of his relationships with women).  The above were all great.  Add to that list the leather pants and spray tan episodes.

 

For sure. .


My favorite Joey moment is when he goes to protect his meatball sub when they think they hear s gunshot during the ride along.

Another one:

Joey:  "All right, Rach. The big question is, 'does he like you?'  All right?  Because if he doesn't like you, this is all a moo point."
Rachel:  "Huh. A moo point?"
Joey:  "Yeah, it's like a cow's opinion.  It just doesn't matter.  It's moo."
Rachel:  "Have I been living with him for too long, or did that all just make sense?"

That one is excellent   

I love when Chandler and Rachel are eating cake off the floor in the hallway and when Joey stumbles upon them, he crouches down, pulls a fork out of his inside pocket, and says "alright, what are we having?"   

The soup commercial audition is good too.

[Chino]

PG just gave me a thought:   I'm going to have to think about it a little bit, but as I scan down shows I liked, I'm not sure I EVER really liked the "arcs" in ANY show.  It always seemed that that's when the shows jumped the shark, when the story line sort of overwhelmed the funny.  Yeah, I know, "people gotta grow", but I have enough "growth" in my life, I don't need to watch Sheldon Cooper find a soul. 

I'd say this is the case for me as well, but there are a few that stand out as an exception with little thought.   

I loved pretty much every arch in the show Parks and Recreation, and a lot of the arcs in Curb Your Enthusiasm are what make the show.

[jingle.boy]

Seinfeld writing a Pilot for NBC would like a word with you Stads.

Joey was my favorite character.  So many great moments.  Love the time when Chandler gets him to adopt the stage name "Joseph Stalin". 

@ Pg... my favorite moment in that episode of Ross/Rachel conceiving is where Rachel tries to justify the story was told to a friend of hers by Ken Adams, and Joey immediately points to himself.  Not sure why I loved that moment, but I lost my shit.

[pg1067]

@ Pg... my favorite moment in that episode of Ross/Rachel conceiving is where Rachel tries to justify the story was told to a friend of hers by Ken Adams, and Joey immediately points to himself.  Not sure why I loved that moment, but I lost my shit.

I thought they set that up really well in the prior scenes in that episode.

[Stadler]

Seinfeld writing a Pilot for NBC would like a word with you Stads.

This is to Chino as well, but in my head I sort of rationalized Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, because I didn't really consider them having arcs.  The only ones I could think of was George's marriage, and Larry's separation, and those weren't really arcs per se, because nothing really changed.  There wasn't any real growth from any of those characters, and in fact, Seinfeld sort of bragged about that.   Not like Sheldon Cooper who basically redefined himself over the x years of Big Bang Theory.   Hawkeye Pearce went soft, even Archie Bunker went soft at the end (what was the show sans-Edith?) it's like everyone wants to be lovable after a while.   

[pg1067]

"Hi, Emma, it's the year 2020.  Are you still enjoying your nap?"

https://etcanada.com/news/566754/actress-who-played-baby-emma-on-friends-uses-chandlers-2020-joke-to-ring-in-new-year/

[jammindude]

The Brits did it better with Coupling.


....by like a million billion.

[Adami]

The Brits did it better with Coupling.


....by like a million billion.

Did what? I love coupling, but these shows have almost nothing in common.

[pg1067]

The Brits did it better with Coupling.


....by like a million billion.

Did what? I love coupling, but these shows have almost nothing in common.

This reminds me of something Rik Emmett has said in relation to the numerous comparisons that journalists and fans used to draw between Triumph and Rush.  Something along the lines of, "we were both 3-piece bands from the Toronto area, but that's about it."  Friends and Coupling were both sitcoms with a 6 member (3M & 3F) ensemble cast of (relatively) young adults.

[Zantera]

I think Coupling is funnier and better written but it's also hard to compare the two on a quality level as Coupling's number of episodes amount to just a bit more than 1 season of Friends. And yeah the comparison that its about 3 men, 3 women - all friends (some in relationships) just feels very surface level and they do feel very different I'd say.

[jammindude]

And yet, because the premise is the same (6 friends. 3M/3F, same age, hang out in the same pub/coffee house, writing that mostly revolves around their romantic relationships....etc) most of the general public will inevitably make the comparison. But I agree that once you actually watch the show, the differences abound. And those differences show Coupling and a richer and far superior product IMO.

[Adami]

And yet, because the premise is the same (6 friends. 3M/3F, same age, hang out in the same pub/coffee house, writing that mostly revolves around their romantic relationships....etc) most of the general public will inevitably make the comparison. But I agree that once you actually watch the show, the differences abound. And those differences show Coupling and a richer and far superior product IMO.

I mean, I say this as a HUGE coupling fan, but as someone else pointed out, it's really easy to say something with essentially 1 season's worth of episodes is superior to 10 seasons (or whatever Friends had). And, let's be honest here, Coupling's Fourth series was much much weaker than the first three when Jeff left the show. Friends had 236 episodes, which is basically 10 times more than Coupling. Firefly has the same issue. It's really easy to look at something with just a few episodes as amazing since it didn't really have time to fail. You give Coupling 200 more episodes and you'll get a very very mediocre show, as it was heading toward.

Again, giant fan of Coupling.

[pg1067]

Having heard a lot of comments about Coupling along the lines of what Ben wrote, I started watching it.  I think I got through the first to episodes.

My first impression was that the production value was terrible.  It looked like something produced by a college student.

In terms of writing/dialog and acting, it felt like someone said, "hey, let's make a Friends-like porno movie, but without any nudity or actual sex."  The jokes were juvenile (basically a one-trick pony), and the acting was mostly horrible.  I like Gina Bellman from her time on leverage, but she was downright awful.  The best thing about it was Susan, and that's only because she was hot.

Absolutely NOTHING about those two episodes was done "better" than anything Friends did.  Friends took a few episodes to find its groove, so I'll keep watching, but unless things improve significantly, I can't myself making it past four or five episodes.

[jammindude]

Having heard a lot of comments about Coupling along the lines of what Ben wrote, I started watching it.  I think I got through the first to episodes.

My first impression was that the production value was terrible.  It looked like something produced by a college student.

In terms of writing/dialog and acting, it felt like someone said, "hey, let's make a Friends-like porno movie, but without any nudity or actual sex."  The jokes were juvenile (basically a one-trick pony), and the acting was mostly horrible.  I like Gina Bellman from her time on leverage, but she was downright awful.  The best thing about it was Susan, and that's only because she was hot.

Absolutely NOTHING about those two episodes was done "better" than anything Friends did.  Friends took a few episodes to find its groove, so I'll keep watching, but unless things improve significantly, I can't myself making it past four or five episodes.

The first episodes are more of an introduction of characters. Sex, Death, and Nudity is the first one that made me fall out of my chair. (The giggle loop is still a running gag in my house to this day).

But it’s Steven Moffatt’s writing in seasons 2&3 especially that make it the greatest and funniest show in history to me. In fact it has passed MASH as my all time favorite show.