Friends and Madness
Wednesday, 7 January 2004 19:21![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
apollaOK. So I watched the entire eighth season of Friends in a day less than a week after watching all of season nine. Then I started on the first season.
I love Friends. I love it so much that we interrupt your scheduled programming (I don't know what it was, but it was probably to do with Led Zeppelin, so it's hardly a loss) to bring you ruminations upon six fictional people from New York.
Simply put, I love these people. I know a lot of non-Friends folk genuinely don't understand why that would be, and many reviews (mostly by the 'older' generation) see the six as people so odious and self absorbed that it's no wonder they don't have any other friends.
I love Ross, although he's never been my favourite. I love how much of a geek he is and how, although he'd love to be cool, he revels in his geekdom.
I love dear, sweet, dumb, beautiful Joey. He's the kind of guy who you'd hate to date but love to have as a friend, and he deserves being a big soap star because I don't think he ever expected to actually make it.
I love Monica, for all her manic cleaning and stuff. She's the kind of friend who helps you organise your life so you don't go completely off the rails. I know this because my dear Natasha is Nonica. They even have the same black hair that goes 'POOF' in humidity.
I love Phoebe because she is completely unashamed in her kookiness. She's come from the sort of background people don't always expect to get out of, be it her mother's suicide or living on the streets, and she still sees the good in the world.
I love Rachel because she should be one of those little rich girls palming off daddy/her husband but instead she changed her mind and actually worked hard to become a fairly executive person at Ralph Lauren. The girl has hidden depths of strength even though she does cry at the drop of a hat. And I actually think sometimes that she and Joey might just be perfect for each other, although their kids would be beautiful but fairly stupid.
And I love Chandler most of all. Aside from the insane background of a gay crossdressing father with his own gay burlesque show and an erotic novel writing mother, he is me. While his life has made Chandler sarcastic, just being English was enough for me. He is so like me it's insane. Just before Crimbo someone in my class turned to me and said "You remind me of Chandler from Friends. You don't mind me saying that, do you?" Not remotely, for Chandler is my hero. He never ever thought he was going to find happiness and it warms my stone heart to know he has.
And I realised something as I watched the first show last night: these guys have come so far, and I don't just mean ten years' worth of shows. Did we ever believe that Rachel could ever have a baby at all, let alone outside a relationship with Ross? Did we ever think Monica and Chandler would not only get married, but be good at being married? Did we ever think Joey would be a huge soap star in love with his friend? Of course not, but we buy it totally now because we have grown with them.
In answer to those reviewers who think the Friends are so awful as to have no other friends, that's not true. They have me and I'll be there till the end, which is approaching far too fast for me.
And congrats, although I know she doesn't read this LJ, to Courteney Cox Arquette because even we lowly fans have an idea of what she's been through to get to the point that she can announce her pregnancy. Go girl!
I love Friends. I love it so much that we interrupt your scheduled programming (I don't know what it was, but it was probably to do with Led Zeppelin, so it's hardly a loss) to bring you ruminations upon six fictional people from New York.
Simply put, I love these people. I know a lot of non-Friends folk genuinely don't understand why that would be, and many reviews (mostly by the 'older' generation) see the six as people so odious and self absorbed that it's no wonder they don't have any other friends.
I love Ross, although he's never been my favourite. I love how much of a geek he is and how, although he'd love to be cool, he revels in his geekdom.
I love dear, sweet, dumb, beautiful Joey. He's the kind of guy who you'd hate to date but love to have as a friend, and he deserves being a big soap star because I don't think he ever expected to actually make it.
I love Monica, for all her manic cleaning and stuff. She's the kind of friend who helps you organise your life so you don't go completely off the rails. I know this because my dear Natasha is Nonica. They even have the same black hair that goes 'POOF' in humidity.
I love Phoebe because she is completely unashamed in her kookiness. She's come from the sort of background people don't always expect to get out of, be it her mother's suicide or living on the streets, and she still sees the good in the world.
I love Rachel because she should be one of those little rich girls palming off daddy/her husband but instead she changed her mind and actually worked hard to become a fairly executive person at Ralph Lauren. The girl has hidden depths of strength even though she does cry at the drop of a hat. And I actually think sometimes that she and Joey might just be perfect for each other, although their kids would be beautiful but fairly stupid.
And I love Chandler most of all. Aside from the insane background of a gay crossdressing father with his own gay burlesque show and an erotic novel writing mother, he is me. While his life has made Chandler sarcastic, just being English was enough for me. He is so like me it's insane. Just before Crimbo someone in my class turned to me and said "You remind me of Chandler from Friends. You don't mind me saying that, do you?" Not remotely, for Chandler is my hero. He never ever thought he was going to find happiness and it warms my stone heart to know he has.
And I realised something as I watched the first show last night: these guys have come so far, and I don't just mean ten years' worth of shows. Did we ever believe that Rachel could ever have a baby at all, let alone outside a relationship with Ross? Did we ever think Monica and Chandler would not only get married, but be good at being married? Did we ever think Joey would be a huge soap star in love with his friend? Of course not, but we buy it totally now because we have grown with them.
In answer to those reviewers who think the Friends are so awful as to have no other friends, that's not true. They have me and I'll be there till the end, which is approaching far too fast for me.
And congrats, although I know she doesn't read this LJ, to Courteney Cox Arquette because even we lowly fans have an idea of what she's been through to get to the point that she can announce her pregnancy. Go girl!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 14:38 (UTC)But Friends in the earlier seasons is still one of the few sitcoms where I can watch episodes regularly, let alone repeatedly and still laugh just as hard as the first time I viewed them. The friends *are* self-absorbed, but if that's part of why the show's as funny as it is, that's fine with me.
TA on Chandler - aside from the parents (and gender, obviously), he is me. Responds to almost any situation with wit and sarcasm to cover for a degree of insecurity, is downright goofy at times, and also with a semi-rooted fear of ending up alone. I do think he came the furthest - just the other day I watched the one where he was deathly afraid of dying alone like Mr. Heckles, knowing that he will actually be the first of their group (along with Monica) to find that someone to spend his life with. 'Twas neat, and kind of uplifting in a way. :)
no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 15:50 (UTC)I could certainly live without Ross/Rachel or Joey/Rachel, but the one thing I REALLY don't want to happen is to have R/R, C/M and J/P cos MAN that's way too contrived.
no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 19:14 (UTC)Well, with Phoebe marrying Mike (right? - I don't really watch anymore), doesn't look like that'll be a problem. 'Course, I liked her better with Minsk Scientist Guy, but oh well. ;)
I think either R/R or J/R would be silly at this point - J/R was just too out-of-the-blue to begin with, and if R/R were to permanently hook up now, when a marriage, living together, and a friggin' baby weren't enough to before, that just looks... well, silly. If I had to choose one, I guess R/R, because that's what the writers seem to keep coming back to one way or another; they've obviously been teasing at it the whole bloody series.
I haven't even watched the last couple of seasons - I watched the Barbados ep and it was just so bad - I probably will catch the finale, though. 'Cause after all, it's still Friends. And once upon a time I really enjoyed it.
no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 20:33 (UTC)R/R... is so insane it is almost inevitable, while the thing I liked most about the J/R thing was that it was so out of the blue. I just liked that, although I found it ironic that the first person Joey really fell in love with was more or less unattainable. The thing about R/R is that it's been there since, literally Episode One and I'm sure the writers are thinking 'woah, let's like bring this to it's natural conclusion' or something. I dunno, I stopped double-guessing awhile ago.
Barbados episode was hardly great, but memorable for Monica's hair.
It's still Friends. Once upon a time (around season 6/7 I think, when EVERYONE seemed to think it was practically over) I was less enthused than I am now. I just... love it, I guess.
no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 20:56 (UTC)I really only remember him from that first New Year's episode - I liked him with Phoebe there. Mike grew on me a little in the Barbados ep (anyone who can hold their own with Monica has a bit of my respect); mainly, I like seeing that they didn't do the cliche route with Phoebe and have her end up with someone from the main group.
I'm sure the writers are thinking 'woah, let's like bring this to it's natural conclusion' or something.
Natural? Natural would have been about five or six breakups before now, lol. ;)