In a word... perfection.
I have read many posts in this newsgroup about how
the finale sucked, it was too predictable, how there
were no surprises. And I agree, the final episode was
awfully predictable for any hardcore fan of the series.
I suppose Kauffman and Crane could have thrown us all
a real curve and had Monica get cancer, or Rachel's
plane go down in flames.
Get serious.
Of COURSE "Friends" had a happy ending. You can
even call it the OBVIOUS ending. Of COURSE Ross ended
up with Rachel. Did anyone really think for a second
she wasn't going to get off of that plane? The true
accomplishment of last night's series finale wasn't
*what* happened... it's *how* it happened.
The writers stayed true to the show. What else
can you expect? They did not overextend themselves
in the finale, like "Seinfeld" did. They did not try
to do too much. They wrote a perfect ending, an ending
that never let you laugh long enough to forget your
emotions, and never let you get too emotional to forget
to laugh. And that is what this series has been about
from day one. Always full of humor, always full of
emotion, but never allowing one to outweigh the other.
That was the essence of this series; that's why this
show went out at the top.
The one thing I noticed, that really stuck out
at me about the finale, was the way every time the
tears began to well up, a joke breaks the tension.
The prime example is near the end, as Ross and Rachel,
in a brilliant piece of acting by Aniston and Schwimmer,
realize how stupid they have been for the past several
years and decide to recommit to each other for good.
It's a very touching moment, and hardcore fans of this
show can't help but recognize the significance of what
is happening. Ross and Rachel are not only back
together, but they both realize that they have been
idiots not to be, and are forgiving each other for
all the sins of the past. This is serious, heartfelt
stuff.
Right before the tears start flowing, Ross
says: "Unless we're on a break." And suddenly, the
tears aren't tears of sadness. They're tears of
laughter. And once again, you realize this show
is, after all, a comedy, and it is supposed to be
funny, not sad, and it isn't just trying to be
funny... it IS funny. And this moment defines what
"Friends" has been all about for its entire,
awesome run.
The expectations heaped upon the cast and crew
of this series for last night's show were enough
to bury anyone. When it comes to criticizing "Friends,"
I'm the biggest bastard there is. But I cannot
criticize "The Last One," because it reminded me
what the show was all about. Rather than leaving
me with an empty feeling, "The Last One" left me
smiling. Smiling because I have seven (and soon
to be ten) seasons of this show on DVD, and I
can enjoy them forever. Smiling because next
season we'll have "Joey," and for some
reason I am beginning to have hope that "Joey"
might actually succeed. Smiling because rather
than try to overextend itself, try to force
unnecessary surprise twists into the plot, try
to be something it was not, "The Last One"
provided the perfect final chapter to ten
years of Thursday nights.
Deep down, we all knew where this show
was headed. We all knew Joey would end up in
Hollywood, Ross and Rachel would end up
in each others arms, Chandler and Monica
would live happily ever after. Hell, I knew
it in 1998. The magic of the series finale
wasn't about the mystery of the destination;
it was in the joy of the journey.Dan Silverstein