Quote: john tregorran @ 24th September 2019, 7:44 AM

Men don't actually watch it though,do they?

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Behave yourself, John!

I'm pretty sure millions of Australian men must love Friends, as well as millions of Australian women.

I've been watching sitcoms for a good many decades now and I can honestly say I have never seen anything that has even come close to Friends in terms of the number of quality jokes (dialogue, actions, facial expressions, plot twists - everything) per minute and per episode.

In Britain, a sitcom tends to be written by one or two writers whereas in the USA it's not unusual to employ an army of writers on a sitcom.

Writing good jokes is rather like firing bullets: a few good men (or women) are never going to outshoot a good army!

Strangely, Friends is the most popular TV show in Britain among school-age audiences of all genders despite none of them being alive when the show first aired.

It might not be everybody's cup of tea but, let's face it, not even tea is everybody's cup of tea.

The fact however remains that, whichever way you look at it, millions of boys, girls, men and women all over the world love Friends.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 24th September 2019, 9:54 AM

Behave yourself, John!

I'm pretty sure millions of Australian men must love Friends, as well as millions of Australian women.

I've been watching sitcoms for a good many decades now and I can honestly say I have never seen anything that has even come close to Friends in terms of the number of quality jokes (dialogue, actions, facial expressions, plot twists - everything) per minute and per episode.

In Britain, a sitcom tends to be written by one or two writers whereas in the USA it's not unusual to employ an army of writers on a sitcom.

Writing good jokes is rather like firing bullets: a few good men (or women) are never going to outshoot a good army!

Strangely, Friends is the most popular TV show in Britain among school-age audiences of all genders despite none of them being alive when the show first aired.

It might not be everybody's cup of tea but, let's face it, not even tea is everybody's cup of tea.

The fact however remains that, whichever way you look at it, millions of boys, girls, men and women all over the world love Friends.

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It actually causes me physical pain to agree with you on this one, but Friends is a great show with broad mass appeal, and is particularly appealing to younger audiences.

Quote: chipolata @ 24th September 2019, 6:31 AM

Happy 25th to Friends, which apparently premiered on Septwember 22nd twenty-five years ago. Definitely one of the great American sitcoms, and one of the last great American popular sitcoms that was actually good.

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I read somewhere that this was supposedly the Best Sitcom. It may be the most popular sitcom but that doesn't make that the best.

I have good memories of watching Friends with my mum in the 90s and even now episodes from season one don't feel dated. It was consistent throughout all ten years and not many sitcoms can boast that. It dipped in season 8 and 9 but the last season was a strong ending and it's probably the most syndicated live action sitcom in history and will continue to attract new audiences so it has a lot going for it in the Best Live Action Sitcom Ever category.

Quote: john tregorran @ 24th September 2019, 7:44 AM

Men don't actually watch it though,do they?

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I read something years ago that suggested men only watched it to impress their girlfriends who then dumped them when they realised their blokes were perving over Jennifer Anniston more than them.

Best??? A harmlessly fun light hearted US sitcom but not in the same league as Cheers, Frasier, Taxi, Roseanne. imo.

Quote: Chappers @ 24th September 2019, 11:00 PM

I read somewhere that this was supposedly the Best Sitcom. It may be the most popular sitcom but that doesn't make that the best.

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Well, labelling something the best is always subjective and controversial (although I think there is a very good case for Chipolata being the best BCGer by quite some margin) it's just a very good show. I personally think Larry Sanders, Seinfeld, Thirty Rock, Parks and Recreation are better, but Friends is still a damn fine piece of work that has stood the test of time.

In comedy, it's relatively easy (and indeed common) for people to agree which programs and which performers are popular.

It's also relatively easy for people to come to a broad agreement about which programs and performers are the most popular.

Popularity is one thing but such is the subjectivity of comedic "quality" that I don't think there's ever going to be complete (or even substantial) agreement about which comedy program or performer is the best.

Indeed, it's perfectly possible in some comedy-based groups for the most talented performer to be the least popular.

It's a funny old world.

As Jerry Seinfeld has said, Friends is just Seinfeld with beautiful people. Like MASH, Friends foundered in its final seasons, often forcing drama over the comedy, especially when Radar left and instead of finding a replacement, they just promoted Matt Le Blanc to carry Harry Morgan's clipboard.

I personally love Friends, Joey and Ross made me laugh the most I still miss it. Heard there might be a reunion soon?

Quote: My Family fan @ 17th January 2021, 10:45 AM

I personally love Friends, Joey and Ross made me laugh the most I still miss it. Heard there might be a reunion soon?

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Oh no! I do hope not. It's not a patch on My Family!

Quote: Chappers @ 17th January 2021, 11:21 AM

Oh no! I do hope not. It's not a patch on My Family!

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Oi! Don't you dare drag My Family into it.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 17th January 2021, 3:05 PM

Oi! Don't you dare drag My Family into it.

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It's my family. Not yours!

Quote: My Family fan @ 17th January 2021, 10:45 AM

I personally love Friends, Joey and Ross made me laugh the most I still miss it. Heard there might be a reunion soon?

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If it wasn't for the lockdown the reunion would probably be completed by now but it had to be postponed. Hopefully they are going to resume it within the next few months and it will be released by the end of the year. It's not a new episode but all six are involved.

Quote: Chappers @ 17th January 2021, 5:33 PM

It's my family. Not yours!

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Ooh, you cow, and we all know what your Betty did during the war with them Yanks. Yers, you didn't think anyone knew about that in the street, did yer. Our Wally saw her, dirty bitch - in broad daylight too.