Friends

[groovethang]

Same here. Chandler over Richard? No way.

Actually, that is one of the things that bothered me about Friends as it went on. You had Ross and Rachel, Rachel and Joey for a brief moment, then Monica and Chandler. People, there are others outside of your immediate circle.

[johnboysmole]

I agree groovethang. That was the one thing they got right in the 10th season (or was it the 9th?). They brought in Paul Rudd to date Phoebe and their scenes were almost always funny, to me anyway. I loved it when Phoebe met his parents, when she changed her name to Princess Consuela Bananahammock (and his response "Crap Bag") and I loved his and Ross' awkward man date. I LOVE Paul Rudd, so maybe it's just me thinking he makes everything better.

[Mugsy]

I watched an E! True Hollywood Story or somesuch about Friends the other day, and it's amazing who turned down roles in the show. Man, I wish I remembered them all (it was a long list of well-known names), but a few were: Tea Leoni turned down Rachel, Courtney Cox auditioned for Rachel but instead became Monica, Leah Remini was almost Monica until CC came along. The only one offered their part outright was David Schwimmer for Ross.

[clementine74]

I hate, and I mean HATE Ross, and David Schwimmer. Not sure if this is rational or not, but I will say that I think he is a most terrible actor, and that whiny baby voice he does all the time makes my skin crawl. He is supposed to be a major douche in real life too, according to quite a few accounts.
I was "eh" on the show. If I am channel surfing and pass by an episode, it is undoubtedly one I've seen many, many times before. Like the Tobolerone one, or the two big chairs one. Very descriptive, I confess, but I am sure the fans on here will know which ones I am talking about.

[topher]

clementine74 said:

I hate, and I mean HATE Ross, and David Schwimmer. Not sure if this is rational or not, but I will say that I think he is a most terrible actor, and that whiny baby voice he does all the time makes my skin crawl. He is supposed to be a major douche in real life too, according to quite a few accounts.
I was "eh" on the show. If I am channel surfing and pass by an episode, it is undoubtedly one I've seen many, many times before. Like the Tobolerone one, or the two big chairs one. Very descriptive, I confess, but I am sure the fans on here will know which ones I am talking about.

I found my new best friend. The Schwimmer hate is on.

[india7]

I love the show, but I always thought that JA and DS were only funny in small doses. DS was, to me, really only funny when Ross was having a fit over something - the guy is hilarious when he's supposed to be really angry ("GET OFF OF MY SISTER!!!"). And really, I couldn't stand the Rachel/Ross romance - when it first started, it was just so syrupy and fluffy that it took away from the comedy. It was only funny again when they kept breaking up and getting back together. On the other hand, I LOVED the Monica/Chandler romance, because the writers fixed the R/R mistake - they enabled two characters to be head over heels in love with each other and still be funny.

And let me just echo everyone here who thinks the Ross/Monica dance routine on Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve was the funniest thing on this show! I will drop what I'm doing if I know that episode is on!

My other absolute favorite is the speed quiz:

"Rachel claims her favorite movie is..."
"Dangerous Liasons!"
"Her *actual* favorite movie is..."
"Weekend at Bernies!"

And if I can pat myself on the back a little bit? I had been saying for a full two years before they actually did it that they should get Terri Garr to do a cameo as Phoebe's mother. They look alike, they sound alike, they act the same - I had no idea how they'd pull it off, since Lily was supposed to be dead, but I thought "Okay, flashbacks?" However, a secret birth mother? Even better!

[Wol]

twodollars said:

And of course the Thanksgiving episode where Rachel makes the triffle.

That is my favorite Thanksgiving episode. When Ross squeaks out "It tastes like feet", I laugh so hard I snort.

"It tastes like feet" gets a lot of mileage around the Wol house. The Brad Pitt Thanksgiving episode is also really eerie now because he's aiming all that animosity toward JA. But I still love it that Phoebe is all hot for him ("Take off your shirt and tell us"). That and the trifle episodes are my favorites. I'm also partial to the one where Monica makes Joey a prosthetic circumcised penis out of deli meats for an audition. I'm laughing just writing that sentence.

I thought LK and MP were pretty inspired. They could take any line and make it funny. The others had to work harder. JA would drive me nuts with her "push hair out of face, clear throat, start every sentence with "Honey" acting technique.

[Deleted]

clementine74 said:

I hate, and I mean HATE Ross, and David Schwimmer. Not sure if this is rational or not, but I will say that I think he is a most terrible actor, and that whiny baby voice he does all the time makes my skin crawl. He is supposed to be a major douche in real life too, according to quite a few accounts.

I like Ross and DS, but I know what you're talking about in regards to his voice. I could not sit through the Thanksgivings Armadillo episode because his voice was so annoying.

And about the guest stars, it got to be a bit much towards the last few seasons, but unlike Will and Grace, a lot of their guests worked...Denise Richards, Julia Roberts, Brad, Marlo, Brooke, Paul Rudd, and my personal favorite, Winona "I can still hear the coconuts knocking together" Ryder.

[Deleted]

I'm another who couldn't stand Ross/Schwimmer... until he brought the funny with the leather pants. I still disliked him, but I have to admit, he's pretty good with physical comedy.

I also really dislike Phoebe in later years; she went from being super-nice, caring about her friends, loopy and carefree, to being somewhat of a bitch.

The first few seasons were absolute gold for classic '90s television. I'll still watch reruns when there's not much on, and if it's a favourite episode, I'm watching for sure!

[memememe76]

My favourite Thanksgiving episode is the football and Chandle in the box. Monica's line where she listed everyone's flaws is one of my favourites. Can anyone remember what the line was, though?

I think Friends' contribution to sitcomdon involve two things: 1) a cast that was basically equal--no standout stars; and 2) continuing storylines and storyarcs. I think that second point also led to the way of the dramady--Ally McBeal, Gilmore Girls, Gray's Anatomy, Desperate Houseives, etc.

I always preferred Pheobe with Scientist Guy.