Friends forever.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

On a related topic, does every American comedy show have to have canned laughter? Do audiences need cues to know when to laugh or something or is some joker forever secretly placing that crap in every show?

At least The Simpsons doesn't suffer that.

Some is canned, some is live. It depends on the show and on what kind of scenes are being done.

I can't remember where I read this recently, but the reason a lot of shows use laughtracks is because of an awkwardness that would exist in its absence. Or something like that, I can't remember.

[Admiral Valdemar]

On a related topic, does every American comedy show have to have canned laughter? Do audiences need cues to know when to laugh or something or is some joker forever secretly placing that crap in every show?

At least The Simpsons doesn't suffer that.

Some is canned, some is live. It depends on the show and on what kind of scenes are being done.

I can't remember where I read this recently, but the reason a lot of shows use laughtracks is because of an awkwardness that would exist in its absence. Or something like that, I can't remember.

I find it equally awkward if there is laughter at an obviously lame joke. Though some of my favourite comedies adopted this idea too, but in The Simpsons if a joke isn't funny, you don't laugh. They have a good ratio (or used to) for good to bad jokes. It can work in live action too. Spaced didn't have a laughter track and it was fucking hilarious pretty much all the time.

[DPDarkPrimus]

I had fun going up to people and saying "Are you watchin the Friends finale tonight? I'm not, because I'm allergic to television shows that suck!"

I'm bitter over this because it means absolutely no one will come to the school talent show tonight.

Oi, don't bash the show, that's illegal!

I didn't bash the show. I said I hated how it's on during the school talent show.

If I wanted to bash it, I'd talk about how unfunny I found the jokes, and about how the characters are cardboard cutouts that I find no emotional atachment to.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Hehe, quite.

[Joe]

On a related topic, does every American comedy show have to have canned laughter? Do audiences need cues to know when to laugh or something or is some joker forever secretly placing that crap in every show?

Scrubs doesn't have the laugh track and it's the funniest sitcom on TV, in my opinion.

Anyway, I'll be sad to see Friends go. I've been watching it since around 1998, I'm WAY too good at Friends trivia, and even though it's started to slip within the last few seasons I'm gonna miss it.

And Frasier is ending next week too. Damn....

[Darth Wong]

Friends sucks.

The characters are flat two-dimensional cardboard cutouts, no one can name a single new or original thing it brought to the world of sitcoms, none of the characters really resemble anyone you could ever know in real life or relate to, and the show is only popular for 3 reasons:

1. Its competition is "reality TV".
2. People like the way some of the actors/actresses look.
3. Males who are afraid to admit they like soap operas.

Hell, of the few episodes that I watched, half the humour came from poking fun at Monica for being obsessive-compulsive or poking fun at Joey or Phoebe for being stupid. Real sharp comedy there, and when they try to put a little more depth into the stories, they make it into a goddamned soap opera.

[Knife]

The first couple of seasons were fun, it was kind a like Sienfield where it wasn't about nothing, but then around the third year it took a nose dive, IMO. Haven't watched it since.

I will be glad when its over, only because it will end the constant barrage of comercials about its end.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Friends sucks.

The characters are flat two-dimensional cardboard cutouts, no one can name a single new or original thing it brought to the world of sitcoms, none of the characters really resemble anyone you could ever know in real life or relate to, and the show is only popular for 3 reasons:

1. Its competition is "reality TV".
2. People like the way some of the actors/actresses look.
3. Males who are afraid to admit they like soap operas.

Hell, of the few episodes that I watched, half the humour came from poking fun at Monica for being obsessive-compulsive or poking fun at Joey or Phoebe for being stupid. Real sharp comedy there, and when they try to put a little more depth into the stories, they make it into a goddamned soap opera.

Can I get an "AMEN" with that?

As I said on SB.com:

It stopped being funny at the end of the first series.

American comedy flogged until the actors asked for too high a salary and then killed off after becoming a soap opera based in anything but reality.

Two seasons of Spaced is worth 10 or whatever it is of Friends. It's sad that it seems to be quantity over quality in that respect.

[darthdavid]

OThen again, your not worth insulting...

[Spanky The Dolphin]

One thing that has annoyed me in particular for the past few years is Chandler. Since the beginning of his and Monica's romantic relationship, he suddenly became almost hostilely protective/defensive over masculinity issues. Jesus, watching him sometimes was like reading right from a Freud essay or something.

That and he got red and fat. I liked Chandler better back when Matthew Perry was hooked on pills. I was sick of Fat Red Chandler and glad when syndication showed Funny Thin Chandler once and a while...

It's a real shame because he's my favourite character from the show. And they mostly wrecked him by the end (though he did recover a little recently).

[Joe]

I totally agree, Spanky. Chandler was the man during the first half of the series, but for the last couple seasons he's routinely been the butt of jokes.

[General Zod]

i just don't get most modern comedy sitcoms. things like friends and that one nobody loves raymond show or whatever it's called just seem so. . .bland and unimaginative. like they're all trying to copy each other.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

I totally agree, Spanky. Chandler was the man during the first half of the series, but for the last couple seasons he's routinely been the butt of jokes.

And when he wasn't he was just an ass.

[Alyeska]

Mike, that was uncalled for. This is a thread for people who like the show. If you don't like it, don't watch and and don't poison the thread for people who enjoy it.

[fgalkin]

Friends sucks.

The characters are flat two-dimensional cardboard cutouts, no one can name a single new or original thing it brought to the world of sitcoms, none of the characters really resemble anyone you could ever know in real life or relate to, and the show is only popular for 3 reasons:

1. Its competition is "reality TV".
2. People like the way some of the actors/actresses look.
3. Males who are afraid to admit they like soap operas.

Hell, of the few episodes that I watched, half the humour came from poking fun at Monica for being obsessive-compulsive or poking fun at Joey or Phoebe for being stupid. Real sharp comedy there, and when they try to put a little more depth into the stories, they make it into a goddamned soap opera.

It takes an admin to break the rules set by a supermod. I've seen several episodes of Friends, and I can't say I found them terribly funny. But I can understand what people feel when their favorite series ends.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Darth Wong]

Mike, that was uncalled for. This is a thread for people who like the show. If you don't like it, don't watch and and don't poison the thread for people who enjoy it.

If I could escape the pervasive round-the-clock TV coverage and Internet whinging about the impending end of this stupendous monument to mediocrity, I would. It's even on goddamned news radio.

As for not being allowed to say anything bad about subject when people start threads about it, that must be a new rule. I've never seen it before, and I know I don't recall making it.

[Anarchist Bunny]

Not to bash it or anything just a related subject.

http://tshirthell.com/shirts/tshirt.php?sku=a310

[Spanky The Dolphin]

You know, I'm not in the mood for an hour-long clip show and I'll just catch the finale on the repeat or something. I borrowed the recent 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea DVD from my Gender and Film instructor, so I'm going to watch that instead.

[MKSheppard]

It takes an admin to break the rules set by a supermod.

Friends sucks for a simple reason Seinfield does.

It's not really that interesting. I don't want to watch television about
a bunch of morons fucked up lives; my life is fucked up enough as it is.

I want high adventure, I want escapist fantasies......hence I was
sad when the X-Files went into the shitter. Or SeaQuest DSV for that
matter.

[MKSheppard]

I borrowed the recent 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea DVD from my Gender and Film instructor, so I'm going to watch that instead.

"That ship that flies no flag sails with the tide, and it's cargo of death shall never meet it's destination"

[Alyeska]

Mike, that was uncalled for. This is a thread for people who like the show. If you don't like it, don't watch and and don't poison the thread for people who enjoy it.

If I could escape the pervasive round-the-clock TV coverage and Internet whinging about the impending end of this stupendous monument to mediocrity, I would. It's even on goddamned news radio.

As for not being allowed to say anything bad about subject when people start threads about it, that must be a new rule. I've never seen it before, and I know I don't recall making it.

There is a difference between critiquing and proper timing. This isn't a thread for critiquing Friends even, it was created for fans who enjoy the series. That means anything said against Friends solely because people don't like the series aren't following the spirit of the thread. You didn't flame or bash it like Darth David did, hence I didn't even bother edit your post, I just commented that what you did was a violation of the spirit of the thread.

[Ubiquitous]

I used to like Friends. I remember watching it when I was very young, probably around 9 years old, every Friday night.

Then I stopped watching it.

I watched an episode of it yesterday for the first time in years. As much as I'd like to mock it, I can't do so. It made me laugh more than once, which is one up over any other US-made show [bar the excellent Simpsons]. It's always a shame when a great show ends, but you'll get over it - probably with an unhealthy diet of repeats and DVD's.

[Gandalf]

I'm on the other side of the world, so I won't get the finale of Friends for some time. I'll be sad to see it go.

The show was at it's climax in the first few seasons, it was essentially the Chandler/Joey show. Since Ross/Rachel became more than a side note it went to shit.

[Chardok]

SPOILER WARNING!!!
Wow. Just Wow. Rachel got off the plane. Joey got new birds... It was a fitting end for the series. I nearly cried. I'll admit it, I have always thought the show was funny. I love it, always have, admittedly. I really am sad to see this show go. That amd Frasier ending next week. Now all I have to look forward to is damned "Next action star". Watching this show from the beginning has given me a sense of...I dunno...I feel like they're almost a part of the family, If you take my meaning. I've watched each character grow and change, evolve and mature, along with me. Rachel from a spoiled little rich kid to a self-made successful businesswoman, Ross from an insecure unlucky-in-love whining priss to an insecure, lucky in love, doctor of palenontology (Innerbrat should like that! ) Phoebe from a strange, battered street whore to a strange....well...phoebe...Chandler began the series as a wisecracking and ended up a successful business and family man...Monica, well...she hasn't changed much, but..still...and Joey is moving on to bigger and better things in Hollywood.

Here's to hoping chick jr. and duck jr. make it to his apartment in Hollywood....I can't believe the foosball table died, either... symbolism at it's finest...

It was never too deep, always elicited a laugh, or a cry, but it was always there...simple as that. Just...always there.


Obsessed? No. I'd be the same Way if the Dolphins left Miami (CRACKPOT! ) Just...moved is all... I realize I'm not 16 anymore; not that it took this to make me realize it...it just serves to drive the point home, boys (and girls) Time marches on, waits for no man, heals all wounds, and all those lines on your face are getting clearer... End of an era.

*sigh*

I'll just go watch ER now.









Not.

[Montcalm]

In the few days to come we'll know how much people tuned on to NBC for the finale,and if M.A.S.H. will stay the champion in the highest rating series finale in history.