The Reruns Keep Us Going

For those of us who are extremely disenchanted by the Friends we have seen the last two seasons, I think I know why we keep hanging on, hoping for a better tomorrow (or next Thursday, as the case may be). Every night, there are Friends' episodes from past seasons aired in syndication. We can still see Chandler's rapier wit before his character went on permament vacation (I guess he never returned from Yemen). We can still see Ross when he was a sympathetic character (as opposed to being a raving lunatic half the time). We can still see Monica when she was healthy both mentally and physically (she actually frightens me now, I'm talking nightmares). We can still see Rachel, when she had at least some redeeming qualities besides her looks. We can still see Joey and Phoebe when they were...well, I guess these two really haven't changed that much (are they too stupid for character growth or what?).

The point is, even though I have come to not enjoy the new episodes anymore, I keep watching because every night I am reminded just how good this show used to be, and perhaps could be again.

In article , [email] (Propomatic) wrote:

If you think they're stupid, maybe that accounts for you not getting S7.

Tennant Stuart

the last two seasons, I think I know why we keep hanging on, hoping for a better tomorrow (or next Thursday, as the case may be). Every night, there are

guess

sympathetic

still

she

Joey

that

anymore, I

used to

I couldn't agree with you more, friends has dipped since season 4 and allthough some people may argue this, they should have ended it while it was still funny. Although we get a few funny episodes every now and then, they are let down by the crappy episodes the rest of the time.

Owen

In article , "Owen Shiers" wrote:

THANK GOD that you didn't get your wish Owen. You can shut yourself away with your 97 perfect episodes of "Friends" while the rest of us enjoy the brilliant classics that came in Seasons 5, 6, and 7 so far, that you would have denied the rest of us. I'm looking forward to the rest of Season 7, as well as Season 8 and many more after that with a bit of luck.

Tennant Stuart

On Wed, 13 Dec 2000 00:26:47 GMT, Tennant Stuart wrote:

I second that, Tennant! :)

If we hadn't had season 5, 606, 615, 616, 622 - 625, 703, 706 (!!) and several others, the series wouldn't have been the same.

You know, there are two legitimate points of view.

It is legitimate to think that the show is still good.

It is legitimate to think it's gotten shallow and crass.

It's OK to feel either way. It is a real shame, however, that people are being ridiculed or scolded for not liking the show anymore, Tennant, you are getting to be out of line.

Claire wrote:

Can I stand in Tennant's new line?

Appy

In article , [email] (Appy50rider) wrote:

Awww, thanks Appy! :)

But Claire is right to say that people can enjoy the show how they wish.

Tennant

In article , Claire Abraham wrote:

I don't wish to ridicule or scold anyone, Claire, that is so not my intention. Please don't feel so defensive about our debate.

However I reserve the right be piqued at those few who wish that half of the show had never happened, depriving some hundreds of millions of people of several years of innocent entertainment.

Tennant

On Wed, 13 Dec 2000, Claire Abraham stated this considered view. Waking from my doze, I hastily scrawled -

Hey Claire, I think that's a little strong.

ISTM a legitimate question as to why you keep watching a show if you don't like the direction it's taking.

The answer to your question is that some people love the show based on the strength of previous seasons, and consequently keep watching with the hopes that it will somehow become funny again. The question some of us keep asking ourselves is "what if the show suddenly becomes entertaining again with the next episode?" If it does, we want to be there to enjoy it again. This was the whole reason I started this thread, to explain why those of us who dislike the show's current content would keep watching.

What is so hard to understand about this motivation?

In article , [email] (Marita) wrote:

Thanks for your support, Marita. :)

Absolutely. If nothing else, if we hadn't had season 5, there would have been no 502, 503, 505, 508, 514 (!!), 517, 519 and several others either.

Tennant

Well, I'd have to disagree with you, because in Norway, we're watching reruns (and we will for another 10 months), and Chandler is almost at his prime, comically speaking. This is his golden age, because, from now on, there's just downlhill. Yesterday was The one where Ross starts flurting again (I'm not sure about the real title), and it was very funny. So I do believe that Chandler lost himself in Vegas...

Every night, there are

see

guess