In today’s time when we have so many channels (at least around 50 ) it is quite funny that we have so little to watch...In fact there were only two serials that I looked forward to watching every week and unfortunately one of them ( Seinfeld on Zee English ) has been taken off the air !! But at least one of them is still on the air and hopefully it will continue to be so for the years to come..Ladies and Gentlemen , I am taking of the great sitcom ’’ Friends ’’ which is aired both on ’Star world’ and ’Zee English’..
This Comedy created by David Crane and Martha Kauffman is about 6 thirty something friends ( even though it started off as twenty something friends )who face life in it’s various shades in New York. It is in it’s ninth year in the U.S but I am not sure which season we are watching here in India ( Most probably the 8th season ).The show has been a huge success throughout the world and in fact it’s the number one show in America in its genre. It made it’s debut on NBC in the year 1994 and since then it has continued to rule the television rating charts along with much critical acclaim . It won the ’’ People’s Choice Award for Favorite New Comedy Series “ in its very first season and has got more than 44 Emmy nominations till date ( The Oscars of US Television ).
The show focuses on the friendship of 3 men and 3 women who frequently gather at each other’s apartments and discuss everything under the sun. The reason why the show is so popular is because like any other good comedy show it has got some great characters played extremly well by a bunch of good actors with perfect timing ( which is so important in a comedy ) and some great dialogues to match.
Characters
Rachel Green - Rachel , played by the hugely popular three time Emmy Award nominee Jennifer Aniston , is dress designer who dreams of making it big one day. Rachel is Monica’s best friend from high school and was married and then divorced from Ross.
Phoebe Buffay - Phoebe , played by the ever smiling 5 time Emmy Award nominee Lisa Kudrow is a hopeless but loveable folk singer and Massage therapist. She has a twin sister Ursula who makes an appearance every now and then.
Monica Geller - Monica , played by Courtney Cox , is a chef who is sensitive but obsessive about orderliness and neatness. She is the sister of Ross and is married to fellow ’’ Friend ’’ Chandler.
Chandler Bing -Chandler , played by Matthew Perry , is a ..er , well his profession is not known till date . He has a dry sense of humor and is never at loss for words . He is a hopeless romantic who ultimately got married to Monica.
Joey Tribbiani - Joey , played by Matt Le Blanc , is a struggling actor who has finally got a break in ’’ Days Of our Lives ’’.He is a handsome hunk whose intelligence is well , less said the better. He is however never short of ladies.
Ross Geller -Ross , played by the hugely talented David Schwimmer , is a paleontology professor who is sensitive , caring but a hopeless romantic ( divorced three times , including once from Rachel ! ). He also has a young boy from his first marriage to a lesbian !!
Facts about ’’ Friends ’’
- James Tyler ( Gunther ) was an extra in season one and he got this recurring role only because he could work on the cappuccino machine at ’’ Central Perk ’’ , the ’’ Friends ’’ hangout coffee shop .
- Some major celebrities who have done guest appearances in this comedy includes Bruce Willis , Brad Pitt , Robin Williams , Sean Penn , Billy Crystal , Julia Roberts , Van Damme , Cindy Crawford and Winona Ryder .
- Courtney Cox played the role of the star struck fan hauled on stage by Bruce Springsteen in his ’’Dancing in the Dark ’’ video before she did ’ friends ’.
- Matt Le Blanc was a successful model before he starred in ’’ Friends ’’.Some of his big campaigns included Levi’s , Coca Cola and Heinz.
- David Schwimmer has directed a few episodes of ’’ Friends ’.
-The series is in its ninth and most probably in it’s last season in the US .
All in all this is one show that I love to watch and if you people haven’t seen it then I am sure you have missed out on a great deal of laughter.
some Indian producers have hopelessly tried to make an Indian version of this sitcom but have failed miserably. It’s better if they don’t try to do it again because nothing can match up to ’ FRIENDS ’ !!