The "Friends" finale was pretty satisfying, I thought. Better than "Seinfeld"'s, but not as good as "Cheers." The Ross/Rachel stuff was contrived (who, in New York, doesn't ask "which airport?" before leaving?), but since there was only one logical conclusion, I'll forgive the writers. A few observations:
- I guess we've come a long way since 9/11, when the most popular sitcom on TV can put a scared-crowd-running-off-an-airplane scene in its finale. I mean, a year ago I remember cringing at the "get out of the cockpit" scene in "Beavis & Butt-head Do America."
- I'm generally in the Jennifer-Aniston-was-hot-before-she-stopped-eating camp, but her outfit in the finale? Damn. That said, Courtney Cox's pregnancy couldn't have been more obvious, and the strategy of using babies to block her stomach didn't work. Ironic, for such a thing to happen to a character who was so baby-hungry for ten years. But does the world really need another generation of Arquettes?
- Nice to see the long-underappreciated Pearl Jam song "Yellow Ledbetter" immortalized forever.
- I thought the part where all six of them put their keys on the table was poignant, but for some reason it was played for laughs.
- Who knew they lived at the corner of Bedford and Grove? All this time I thought it was the Upper West Side- you mean Central Perk isn't near Central Park? They don't seem like West Village types- none of them are gay, for instance, and aside from Ross' lesbian ex-wife, none of them know any gay people either.
- And finally, I saw the Jay Leno post-show. I haven't watched "The Tonight Show" with much regularity since the Lewinsky year- is Leno always this bad? That monologue made me long for the wit and comical sophistication of Peter Vecsey.
At any rate, "Friends" was a great show- created by two Brandeis alumni, natch- and I'm going to miss it. MUCH more than "Sex and the City." Its demise, after all, may finally mean the end of my lifelong NBC-on-Thursdays habit, and I can't imagine I'm the only one.
UPDATE: Speaking of which, this from the NYT roundup of "Friends parties":
Under the skylight sat some New Yorkers of the same age as the Friends, subject to the accepted maxim among young New Yorkers that it is possible to find a job, an apartment and a steady date in the city, but not all three at the same time.
Quite a sage piece of wisdom, except that it's from a "Sex and the City" episode. Oddly enough, one of the few things out of Carrie's mouth I ever actually agreed with.
Posted by Stephen Silver at May 7, 2004 01:39 AMum, dude, ross is gay as the hills.
and you mean you don't agree with dick? b/c that's the thing that has gone into and comeout of carrie's mouth the most ...
Posted by: LilB at May 7, 2004 10:22 AMNice "Friends" comments. But I'm posting to let you know that PTI (my favorite sports show that I also don't get to watch now that I've started working) is reaired on ESPNews at 6:30 EST (I live in NYC).
Posted by: at May 7, 2004 11:20 AMNice "Friends" comments. But I'm posting to let you know that PTI (my favorite sports show that I also don't get to watch now that I've started working) is reaired on ESPNews at 6:30 EST (I live in NYC).
Posted by: Mike Lee at May 7, 2004 11:20 AMI find it difficult to consider Friends a "great" show. I have to admit I have seen only 5-6 shows, but the word that comes to mind is "insipid." The themes were sophomoric at best, and the characters(with an occasional exception)were irritating. My sister insisted my wife and I watch last night's show with her. While it might have been satisfying to fans, I thought it was ho-hum. However, I loved the choice of Jorma Kaukonen's 'Embryonic Journey' as the closing music. It fit with the theme of birthing and new beginnings--the new twins, the duck and chick from the foosball table, life changes for all the characters, etc. I wonder how many of Friends' younger audience know the song, its title, or its significance?
Posted by: DBrooks at May 7, 2004 11:33 AM