Friends

[ViewsFromTheMiddle]

14 hours ago, David said:

I don’t think Americans do sitcoms well at all.

Friends, Frasier, Big Bang Theory and the like, poorly written and the humour is very basic where I can barely smirk.

It’s one thing Britain can do well, sitcoms. They could learn a lot from us.

Curb Your Enthusiasm says hello.

[Day]

12 minutes ago, ViewsFromTheMiddle said:

Curb Your Enthusiasm says hello.

And I say, off in the bin with that as well.

[TigerTedd]

8 hours ago, David said:

And I say, off in the bin with that as well.

I see your curb your enthusiasm, and raise you Arrested Development. 

The one thing American’s can’t quite grasp the idea of, is ‘quit while your ahead.’ The term, jumping the shark, literally came from an American sitcom, and they haven’t learned from it.

a big difference between British and American sitcoms is that British ones are written by a small team of one or two guys, it’s their personal project. It lasts for a couple of seasons, and then they move onto something else, leaving a perfect Fawlty Towers behind.

Americans have a team of writers, so every joke is perfectly crafted, and it seems far less natural. It’s undoubtedly funny, but it’s much less organic. Like a battery farmed egg, compared to a free range egg.

but I can’t not love friends. I grew up watching it, and so did my wife, despite us being on opposite ends of the planet. We can both quote lines from it and instantly know what we’re talking about.

but the good thing about British shows being so short, is that they’re easy to binge. We binged the IT crowd a couple of years ago, something inspired me recently to dig out the fast show for her next.

[Chester40]

I so wanted to hate Friends, from the dull set up of 6 good looking affluent Americans living together, to the one dimensional characters, to the soppy 'will they, won't they' love stories, to the one-liners honed to within an inch of their lives, to the cringe acting and fake sentiment...nothing was relatable or seemed amusing in any way. But through forced viewings, I eventually had to let it go and admit... it's very funny...it is. It doesn't warm my heart or have the quirkiness I prefer in my humour (ala League of Gentlemen, Peep Show) but its very well written to produce amusement largely from farce. 

Its s bit like a McDonald's, yeh there isn't a lot of substance but it definitely appeals to the masses and rather guiltily hits exactly the spot it's intended to. 

As for the comments about possible Aniston eye surgery.. Jeez... She has been retouched more times than the skirting board behind my kitchen bin!! 

Matt le Blanc came across really well I thought. Seemed a genuinely decent bloke not arsed how he looks whereas Aniston, Cox and Perry in particular looked like they had been hydrated, painted and prepared for their funerals. 

[Day]

10 hours ago, Chester40 said:

Matt le Blanc came across really well I thought. Seemed a genuinely decent bloke not arsed how he looks

He was terrible on Top Gear though.

That should have been canned when they got rid of the 3 that were Top Gear

[Carl Sagan]

On 30/05/2021 at 00:20, David said:

I don’t think Americans do sitcoms well at all.

Friends, Frasier, Big Bang Theory and the like, poorly written and the humour is very basic where I can barely smirk.

It’s one thing Britain can do well, sitcoms. They could learn a lot from us.

The prize for perhaps the worst opinion ever on the forum (and there have been many) must go to this post. The writing on some American sitcoms, especially Friends, was extraordinary. Oh to have been a part of those Writers' Rooms. No line is wasted. Three interwoven storylines in every 23 minute episode.

A problem with UK sitcoms is they're almost always the product of just one or two pens and they can't hope to compete with the depth and humour, instead tending to get by on quirkiness.

[Day]

19 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

The prize for perhaps the worst opinion ever on the forum (and there have been many) must go to this post. The writing on some American sitcoms, especially Friends, was extraordinary. Oh to have been a part of those Writers' Rooms. No line is wasted. Three interwoven storylines in every 23 minute episode.

A problem with UK sitcoms is they're almost always the product of just one or two pens and they can't hope to compete with the depth and humour, instead tending to get by on quirkiness.

Oh come on, admit it, they are terrible. Friends was extraordinary in that it was so popular for how bad it was 

[Carl Sagan]

35 minutes ago, David said:

Oh come on, admit it, they are terrible. Friends was extraordinary in that it was so popular for how bad it was 

You're all right. I refuse to play along! Could you *be* more obviously fishing?

[Day]

14 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

You're all right. I refuse to play along! Could you *be* more obviously fishing?

Absolutely no fishing here, I’m stunned you’re sat there defending the writing of Friends. It’s atrocious, and I mean atrocious.

Kind of show my teenage sister at the time would sit there and absorb without having to engage any brain cell.

Sorry, but I need more depth to my sitcoms.

Give me some classic British sitcoms over that tripe any day.

[ColonelBlimp]

Friends? What a pile of poo. 

I can understand girls watching it but blokes? Weird.

[Leeds Ram]

On 30/05/2021 at 00:15, ariotofmyown said:

Agree with that, "jokes" are so obvious and the characters so one dimensional. Although I hardly seen any of it and most of that comes from the Friends version.

Something like Modern Family seems streets ahead.

Maybe it's nostalgia but I've always enjoyed friends. I don't think it's fair to call the characters one dimensional really, well at least not in the early seasons where they all have their insecurities, foibles and difficulties. The latter seasons unfortunately does fold these characters into a more 'one dimensional' arc where they mostly end up together which never feels quite right either. 
 

Friends for my money is also a much funnier show than Modern Family with a lot more memorable and funny moments. I've always found Modern Family just quite saccharine tbh, kind of like the later seasons of Friends but the overly mushy sentimental element runs throughout the show. 

[r4derby]

Having watched Friends for a long time, I’m looking forward to watching the reunion. At first I wanted a new episode, not just a catch up. But having seen the cast, they’re now too far removed from their characters. Having seen the trailer for the reunion, I’m more interested to watch it and see what they are going to do with it.

This seems like it was made for the fans. If you didn’t like Friends when it was on, you probably won’t like this. If you didn’t watch it and weren’t fussed, similarly with this one.

[Leeds Ram]

13 hours ago, David said:

Absolutely no fishing here, I’m stunned you’re sat there defending the writing of Friends. It’s atrocious, and I mean atrocious.

Kind of show my teenage sister at the time would sit there and absorb without having to engage any brain cell.

Sorry, but I need more depth to my sitcoms.

Give me some classic British sitcoms over that tripe any day.

I don't think it's fair to call the writing atrocious; it flows well, interweaves stories that mix it up and generally has punchy dialogue that works. I think there's a difference between 'bad writing' (George R R Martin for instance can't write dialogue to save his life) and 'heft' to your storyline which then friends isn't your kind of thing.

But if you're wanting real 'heft' then why would you want to watch a sitcom? The format isn't really designed for it and it's not the point of the shows either- they're supposed to be easy, funny, occasionally soppy and ridiculous. I've always found a lot of the point with sitcoms is that you can just sit there, chill out and have a laugh with some mates. If I want depth, I'll get reading some Hilary Mantel, Dickens, Dostoyevsky or Hanya Yanagihara. 

[Wolfie]

Used to love Friends & enjoy watching the shows now if there's nothing else on.

I can't see me watching the reunion show, just because it's presented by that livelihood-stealing James Corden.

[SSD]

Friends is one of them shows the more you watch it, the more you understand why people really enjoyed it. Not my favourite show at all, missus loves it and I can put up with it. 

I'd rather watch it than Big Bang Theory, overrated horrible show. I've tried to like it, the constant canned laughter makes me cringe.

Edited June 1, 2021 by SouthStandDan

[DarkFruitsRam7]

1 hour ago, Leeds Ram said:

Hanya Yanagihara. 

A Little Life fan?

[Leeds Ram]

3 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

A Little Life fan?

yeah and the people in the trees ? Both are very depressing books though lol 

[BaaLocks]

On 30/05/2021 at 00:20, David said:

I don’t think Americans do sitcoms well at all.

Taxi? M*A*S*H? The Munsters? Happy Days? The Simpsons? South Park? Cheers?

[Day]

19 hours ago, Leeds Ram said:

I've always found a lot of the point with sitcoms is that you can just sit there, chill out and have a laugh with some mates.

I agree. But there has to be some substance there or even actual funny moments to enjoy.

Friends had neither and I’m amazed we have so many people here trying to defend it. ?

[Gaspode]

2 hours ago, David said:

I agree. But there has to be some substance there or even actual funny moments to enjoy.

Friends had neither and I’m amazed we have so many people here trying to defend it. ?

You just stick to those good old British sitcoms matey. It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Love Thy Neighbour, Citizen Khan and Mrs Brown's Boys - they must be right up your street.....?