Six friends finding themselves in comically disasterous situations could be the next cure to your boredom. Review by Khadijah Islam.
Friends shows us that six diverse friends and an infinite number of iconic jokes is the key to a great sitcom we’ll be watching for years. It truly deserves a ‘best comfort show’ award, because we all know we’re going to be pivoting back to our sofas for another marathon soon. With their orange sofa and gigantic mugs, we got to enjoy watching them navigate their way through their messy adult lives, since no one told them life was gonna be this way…
Even after 17 years, the show remains timeless. Friends lasted a whopping ten seasons, airing from 1994 to 2004, giving us ten years of classical comedy. Writers David Crane and Marta Kauffman created 236 episodes and the show’s success made it one of the most popular TV shows of all time, as it was also nominated for 62 Prime Time Emmy Awards.
The show is known for pouring pop culture references like rain, as today we see them slapped onto t-shirts, pillows, mugs and anything else in sight.
Makeup Revolution even launched a Friends themed make up collection last year (which absolutely emptied my bank account). There’s just something I find fun about wearing a lip gloss shade named after Chandler, while watching him on my TV screen. The main focus of the series was on the beauty of their friendships, their complicated careers and their blossoming romances.
The characters play an integral part on what makes Friends an outstanding show, as they all had characteristics that made them relatable. Whether it’s Ross’s hilarious rages, Phoebe’s quirkiness and Monica’s dire need for perfectionism, we can identify with at least one of them.
The sarcastic Chandler Bing is my personal favourite out of the gang, for his sardonic sense of humour, and even his fear of confrontation (to the point where he even lied about moving to Yemen just to avoid it!). Matthew Perry’s portrayal of Chandler was superb as he couldn't fail to entertain me. His use of witty humour as a defence mechanism, is like looking in a mirror for me. Could he be more relatable?
Lovable yet dim-witted ladies’ man, Joey Tribbiani. How's he doing? Another character who carried the show to success. Matt Le Blanc’s hilarious portrayal shows the irony of his charm, while still being the butt of many jokes, causing us to appreciate his character as much as he appreciates pizza. David Schwimmer’s potrayal as Ross Geller with his dramatic and comical facial expressions is something I also consider iconic.
We can see that the show’s friendships had kept fans tuning in for 10 seasons straight, as Phoebe and Joey’s friendship was always a pleasure to watch. Particularly when she tried to teach him French which he failed miserably, and when they set Ross and Rachel up on terrible blind dates. Their close bond was shining throughout the series, which made them a hysterical duo.
As for romantic couples, Monica and Chandler’s marriage that came with a twist of comedy added a touch to the show that we needed. Seeing two polar opposite characters transitioning from friends to partners showed us huge character deveolpments and built good story lines.
Last but not least, the relationship that went through the hectic will-they-wont-they journey from the pilot episode to the series finale, Ross and Rachel bought us drama that screamed complications and excitement. Their on-and-off relationship came with a whirlwind of emotions, making us smile one minute and cry in the next. Even in 2021, we’re still stuck on the heated debate of whether they really were on a break.
Overall, Friends not only provides us with the comic relief we need in life but still gives us the life lessons that are still relevant today, such as the importance of valuble friendships.
Psychology studies even explain why we tend to rewatch TV shows repetitively, as we find comfort and safety in them. It explains why most of us will come running back to our sofas to watch them dancing around that fountain once again. They weren’t lying... They really will be there for us.
