Hello everyone! This is my first opinion on Mouthshut! I hope you like it!!! I am not sure how far this series is in India, but over here in UK we are watching the latest episodes. So if you don’t want to know some of the storylines that are coming up, then don’t read this opinion yet! :-)
Now in Series 8, I must admit that I love it now more than ever before, despite the public opinion that Friend’s has lost it’s touch.
However, I did lose interest during the last series as I felt it was losing its touch and the humour was not as it used to be…
But now, in its 8 Series, I have the same passion for Friends as I did when it first started although my interest escalated to great heights during the Ross and Rachel romance. Oops…Ross and Rachel..Who? If you don’t know much about this American sitcom (Where have u been? Mars?!), let me give you a short overview and a quick introduction to the characters…
In A Nutshell
Friends is about a group of six 20-something friends(!) who share apartments with eachother and all the action mainly focuses on the two apartments that are opposite each other. It is set in New York City and the main hangout for the Friends is the trendy Starbucks-style coffee bar called Central Perk.
The sitcom follows the lives of the six individuals and has tackled a range of issues in its own unique and humorous way.
The Characters
Chandler is the comic of the group. He is analytical of everyone and is always cracking jokes at others’ expense and usually it’s to get himself out of awkward situations. He had never been successful with women until recently when he married Monica. Prior to marrying Monica, Chandler used to live with Joey across the hall and they are the best of friends. Chandler used to be Ross’ roommate at University too.
The Italian Stallion of the group, Joey is not known best for his intelligence! He a dopey but loveable charmer and unlike Chandler, Joey has always been popular with the ladies. He is an aspiring actor but unfortunately his biggest break has come in the form of being a character in the soap opera Days of Our Lives and being a bum double for Al Pacino!
Joey is now sharing his apartment with Rachel and has developed feelings for her, leaving him in a major crisis as he is not sure how she feels about him and she is also carrying Ross’ baby.
Monica is Ross’ sister and recently married Chandler after a series of failed relationships behind her. She takes on the Matriarch-type role of the group with her natural maternal qualities which includes her passion for cooking (which, incidentally is her profession) and her obsession for keeping things tidy!
She was tormented as a teenager for being overweight but over the years she slimmed down and found confidence in herself.
Wacky and sweet, Phoebe only ever sees the goodness in people and situations and possesses a very carefree attitude. She has a twin sister called Ursula who is troublesome and very unlike Phoebe. Her real mother committed suicide and at one point, Phoebe believed a cat was her mother’s reincarnation! Phoebe was also a surrogate mother of triplets for her brother and his wife.
Her song ‘Smelly Cat’ is one of the show’s classic trademarks and she sings other eccentric songs composed by herself at the Central Perk which usually leaves her audiences slightly baffled!
Rachel is laid back slick and trendy. She is Monica’s former roommate and is the ex-wife of Ross whom she married by accident (they were drunk!) after an on-off romance that kept viewers hooked. Rachel is now pregnant with Ross’ baby and is sharing an apartment with Joey after her and Phoebe’s apartment was ruined in a fire. She works as a junior executive for Ralph Lauren.
His first wife left him and announced she was a lesbian, but the situation was even more complicated as she had a baby by him(Ben), which she has been bringing up with her lover.
Ross is witty and intelligent but at the same time is very sensitive and a bit of a romantic. There has always been a spark between him and Rachel and now she is expecting his baby. Ross has been married three times!
The Last Word
The success factor of Friends is the characters. Each character has personal traits that we can all relate to in some way or another. They are the backbone of the show and it would be hard to imagine the show without any one of them. Full credit should go to the actors who have brought the six characters to life and have made them their own. The six actors have tried other projects whilst being in the show and have all tried their luck with Hollywood movies. The most successful of the six has been Courtney Cox for her performances in the Scream movies.
I have recently regained the same passion and enjoyment that I had watching the show when it first started and that is mainly due to the gripping storylines that have recently made the show compulsive viewing ever since the whole Ross and Rachel romance. The story that has been keeping me hooked is the possibility of a romance between Joey and Rachel who are my two favourite characters in the show. Rachel’s impending pregnancy with Ross’ child is also making interesting viewing.
Friends was the ultimate sit-com of the nineties and has made its mark in television history. It has been a trendsetter and has moved accordingly with the times. I will miss it dearly when it ends in the next series as I have followed it from the beginning and feel as if I have grown up with the characters, as I am sure many others feel.
This show has become such a phenomenon that many famous stars literally queue up to make an appearance on it! Friends boasts an impressive list of guest stars including Bruce Willis, Elle McPherson, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Jean-Claude Van Damme, George Clooney.
I would definately recommend everyone to watch this show if they do not already!!
s0h@iL