• Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
    112·
    5 months ago

    I am going to use this opportunity to bitch about Friends. I hate Friends. I hated Friends when it was originally on and I hate it now. I hated all the really unfunny jokes, I hated the fact that it was yet another show about successful white people in New York, I hated all the annoying lines people would quote, I hated the fact that women were getting haircuts based on the show and I really hated David Schwimmer.

    The only thing I didn’t hate was the theme song, which I have to admit is really good.

    I hated the video for it though. It was the Friends cast once again not making me laugh.

    • rustydomino@lemmy.worldEnglish
      11·
      5 months ago

      I used to dislike David Schwimmer until I realized it wasn’t David Schwimmer I hated but Ross. Schwimmer was amazing as Herbert Sobel in Band of Brothers and I realized that he is an amazing actor.

    • Taleya
      3·
      5 months ago

      Wouldn’t say i hated it, but that shit was totally missible

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
        2·
        5 months ago

        To me, a banal show is much more offensive than a bad show.

        There was a show years ago called Homeboys from Outer Space. It was as awful as it sounds, so obviously no one watched it and it tanked.

        But Friends just kept chugging along, doing nothing to justify its existence as a piece of entertainment but somehow insanely popular anyway. I find it as inexplicable as the popularity of some of the big influencers I’ve seen who act like they couldn’t give less of a shit to be in front of a camera.

        If you’re not going to try, don’t try.

    • i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.ca
      2·
      5 months ago

      There’s a recent YouTube video where the creator watched a bunch of Friends and calculated how much time was spent on “not jokes”.

      IIRC he found that 25% of the show was taken up by laugh tracks or cheering by the fake audience. That’s separate from the time wasted by commercials.

      That show was incredibly successful considering how little content they actually put in it.

        • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          5 months ago

          You won’t find anyone on this platform who liked the show, so I’ll answer. The appeal was that it gave people a group of friends to watch and grow with. There are a lot of lonely people in the world, and Friends filled a void for them, covering every topic that young adults face over the lifetime of the show. If you go watch any of the documentaries about friends, you will see that there are millions of people across the world who felt that Friends was a big part of their lives, and that the characters were their friends. Plus, it was fun and funny, in its own era. Many of the jokes fall flat now, and some are considered completely taboo or horribly insensitive now, but times have changed. Making fun of straight guys by calling them “gay” was completely normal back then. Ribbing people and joking about their weaknesses was too.

          Anyways, it was the first comedy show ever to present young adults in a semi-authentic manner, and give viewers a chance to watch them grow, and grow alongside them. Writing was pretty solid for the show too, and the guest appearances were fun. Everyone here hates Friends, but most people back then loved it. I didn’t watch TV at all back then, I was too busy outside, living my life, but I watched all of it several years later and enjoyed it, despite the many issues.

        • ummthatguy@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          5 months ago

          All I know is that it prevented me from watching Seinfeld because I was outnumbered by my sisters and my mother who loved that shit.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
            3·
            5 months ago

            Seinfeld was really funny to me at the time, but when I go back and watch it, all I can think about is how awful all of them are, and yet they’re also really successful (even George eventually). And again, a bunch of white people living in New York City without serious money issues. I also can’t help but notice the near total lack of people of color in Seinfeld and Friends. Those shows totally whitewash New York City, which, ironically, had a black mayor for part of the time those shows were on the air.

            • ummthatguy@lemmy.worldEnglish
              3·
              5 months ago

              Larry David was explicit that throughout the show they never learn or grow as people. They are and always will be horrible, neurotic, assholes. The whitewashing is a bit noticeable. Holds up reasonably well, though I could do without the laugh track.

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
                2·
                5 months ago

                I can’t watch shows with laugh tracks any more. Finding out that the European version of M*A*S*H had no laugh track and watching that version was amazing.

            • brbposting@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              0·
              5 months ago

              without serious money issues.

              Local comedy gives me my fill of comedy about money issues. Ever had any comedy clubs ‘round the neighborhood yourself?

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
                0·
                5 months ago

                Used to do standup regionally and hosted a comedy night at a local club. We talk about being poor because you get paid shit unless you’re big time. And even a lot of the people who get spots on the late night shows aren’t driving shiny new cars. They’re driving ten-year-old Honda Civics.

    • taiyang@lemmy.world
      1·
      5 months ago

      I also hate David Schwimmer, so I recommend the season of Curb Your Enthusiasm where he’s a complete ass.

    • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      5 months ago

      Why Schwimmer? He’s a great actor, and probably the only character on the entire show who was an all-around decent person, who was making a real attempt at success and family. The other friends were awful for always mocking him for being smart, having a great job, and marrying a woman who turned out to be a lesbian, as if that was somehow his fault.

  • taiyang@lemmy.world
    6·
    5 months ago

    If NBC had the rights, we’d have had a crossover where they are stuck in the holodeck in a recreation of Friends with their memories erased. They ultimately have to figure out its really not Friends and idk, maybe Phoebe helps them since she’s the only one who would realize it’s a simulation.

    • dumbass@leminal.spaceEnglish
      3·
      5 months ago

      This goes along with my head cannon that Pheobe is aware she’s in a TV show and nothing really matters.

  • PhobosAnomaly@feddit.uk
    4·
    5 months ago

    This picture was brought to you by the colour blue.

    Also, it’s quite a nice photo, but Nana Visitor looks like she’s just sat on something sharp there!

    • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
      2·
      5 months ago

      Sharp or fun at least.

      Im suprised Michael Dorn isn’t in this. Jake/Lofton is old enough in this shot it looks around the 4th season.

      • ummthatguy@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        5 months ago

        Sisko went cue-ball for the last couple episodes of season three, so it’s possible that the picture took place between seasons when they could not yet reveal Worf’s presence.