Friends is rare indeed,,,

OK... now I know *lots* of fans are not satisfied with Season 6... and I am one of them, I admit it. We've put up posts and sent emails discussing each and every little detail... we've analyzed storylines and characters for hours... and I'm a prime example. But now, I'd like to take this opportunity to err... kick myself in the ass.

Now this is not meant to be offensive to anyone who's been complaining about this season... or saying that you should stop it. (I know I sure won't!) Plus, I'd hate to come around here and not find dozens of constructive critisisms everywhere... this is merely an attempt to give you a different point of view... that might cheer you up a bit.

Tonight I found myself with an hour of spare time. (So rare!) And with this time, I figured I might as well do what nearly every other lethargic American does on a weekday night... watch TV when nothing's on. And I just so happened to come across "Just Shoot Me". Believe me, I wish I could.

I was absolutely horrified to witness such an crime. They call this thing a sitcom!

The writing and dialogue was terrible! The most off-beat, already used, cheesiest jokes being spit out from actors that made my dearest "Friends"' acting look even more amazing in contrast- if that's possible. And what I believe was to be a guest character... some girl named "Cindy", made Janice look like a dream. (Picture Janice gone blond, with a serious caffeine addiction, and combined with... I don't know... Barney?) The only person who got in a good line now and then... though never made me laugh out loud... was David Spade. Figures.

And to think of all the other horrid and unfunny shows hitting your TV screen in the future and (gulp) *right now*! Ever caught "Caroline Tn The Whatever" or "Third Rock" or ABC's dreaded Friday sitcoms. And soon... (hopefully at least a few more years from now)... Friends will end. What are the chances we're ever going to find a show that great again? And what are the chances of us ever finding another Seinfeld? Of all the American sitcoms on television right now I'd say only 5 or 6 are funny...though none of them, in my mind, even COMPARE to Friends. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- So... let us be ever thankful and feel blessed that we still have Friends... even if it isn't for long. Now that I am done, let's get back to being critics... but with an air of awareness. -Alyssa

P.S. If you ever get the chance... try the remaining that are decent. 1. Everybody Loves Raymond (It never really was to my liking but A LOT of people watch it and I trust their judgement more than mine.) 2. Frasier (Ditto with #1... I suppose I'm too young to judge this show properly. It's most popular with 25 and up.) 3. Will & Grace (Very unique cast... it's easy to get addicted to this show.) 4. Freaks & Geeks (It's not really considered a sitcom but I've seen it and it is very amusing. A lighter version of The Wonder Years. It gets high praises from critics but not high ratings. I hope time will remedy that.) 5. The Sopranos (This show is worth ordering HBO for.) 6. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Yes, it is very funny. Once you learn all the basic plotlines one of the funnest things to do is watch these wonderful characters constantly out-wit each other.)

[email] [email]

[email] [email]

AlyssaPhoebs wrote:

Who is about as funny as a fence post.

This is what books are for.

In article , Jonathan Roberts wrote:

I'm a subscriber to the Larry Niven mailing list, where many of the fans are complaining that his latest few books are nowhere near as good as his earlier work - while a few brave souls point out that this is because the author has now matured & puts greater emphasis on characterisation.

Sounds familiar?

One big difference - Dr.Niven himself is a contributor to the list!

Tennant Stuart

Tennant Stuart wrote:

I've not read a Niven book in years, though I devoured everything of his I could find when I was younger.

If the writers of <Friends> WERE putting greater emphasis on characterization I wouldn't have any objections.

It's always kinda neat though to find a new author and have a large body of work to consume.

I was put off somewhat when I read that Niven had signed a letter in the 60s urging the US government to use nuclear weapons in Vietnam. What a mess on top of the existing mess that would have been -- we'd have vets with radiation illness in addition to the problems with Agent Orange and all the crap they took when they got home... (I should note here that my father's cousin died there).

i totally agree ows

Actually, Just Shoot Me is one of the few sitcoms I actually like. And their "unlikeable" character, Finch, didn't begin as a gentle and kind person who got "improved" four years into the show. It makes a difference to me. I also like Frasier, the Drew Carey show when Mimi isn't in the room, and Will and Grace.

One of the reasons why I am much less enthusiastic about Friends is that, in my mind, it *has* degenerated to the crassness level of Just Shoot Me and others. It used have heart, and it *really* doesn't anymore. It's too bad when a sitcom is kind of soulless, but it's worse when it used to be endearing, and *deliberately* killed that gentleness because the Producers didn't think their Emmy-nominated, top ten show was funny enough when it had heart.

Friends is beginning to have the same caliber of jokes. Except for Courteney, this cast is saving those jokes with unusually good delivery. if that's

I thought Cindy was more interesting than Janice.

Third Rock is truly dreadful.

And

It comes on at eight oclock the same night.

In article , "AlyssaPhoebs" wrote:

<lots of intelligent argument snipped - go read it>

Third Rock From The Sun - uggh!

Just Shoot Me - watched a few episodes, not too bad, actually liked one that was a pastiche of King Lear, most were hackneyed & badly need rewriting.

Seinfeld - good acting & writing but the *plotting* is contrived, and most of the characters are unpleasant, no way would these people be friends. Best part is Jerry's standup routines that book-end the show.

Caroline In The City - can't help liking the two women in this, though the writing is patchy - Paramount in the UK have refused to buy the last season, so the ratings must have been poor.

Frasier - at first it was quite good, occasionally brilliant, but for the last two seasons it's lost its way, often descending into farce which is fine if done well, and here it's not. R&R fans should be grateful that they're not Niles & Daphne fans.

Friends - to repeat what others have said, it's far superior even on a bad day. I'm *not* going to list my least favourite episodes (apart from the clip show) but suffice to say that none of them are in Season 6. Most are are either very funny or tell an amusing but good story, a score are quite brilliant, and two are so !!!!! they reduced me to quivering jelly... ;-)

Tennant

Hellooooo!!! After getting drunk in Vegas, Tennant Stuart doodled cat whiskers on his/her face and miaowed this little lot at a statue...

I'm a fan of both - I just don't keep track of Frasier in general like I do Friends, though.

TO The Morning After and TOW Everyone Finds Out... at least one of those is right. :)

Tina

In article , [email]

IIRC, N&D predates R&R, but it's a fairly common theme.

Also, Jane Leeves revealed in a Paramount Channel special Frasier Weekend that Daphne is oblivious to Niles' affections.

Tennant Stuart

On Wed, 2 Feb 2000, Tennant Stuart stated this considered view. Waking from my doze, I hastily scrawled -

Bastards!

Fortunately I've seen most of S4 as someone taped it for me.

In article , Paul Hyett wrote:

Ah Paul, we judged them too harshly - Paramount have given in to our campaign on Mailbox (their interactive teletext service) and have now bought Season 4 of Caroline In The City. It makes its UK premi�re in June. They have also bought Season 4 of Mad About You, which starts this month. They have also bought Season 4 of Married With Children, so I guess they should have quit while they're ahead! :)

Tennant

season 4? Didnt that show go off the air like 3 years ago after 10 seasons worth?

In article , William Pora wrote:

We are talking about the Paramount Comedy Channel. MWC has already been broadcast on Sky One. However the final season of Caroline In The City has never been shown in Britain, so we fans are full of trepidation.

Tennant

On Tue, 2 May 2000, Tennant Stuart stated this considered view. Waking from my doze, I hastily scrawled -

Don't you mean anticipation?

In article , Paul Hyett wrote:

Nope. Trepidation.

Tennant

On Wed, 3 May 2000, Tennant Stuart stated this considered view. Waking from my doze, I hastily scrawled -

Why trepidation? I've seen some of S4 and there's nothing to be trepid about!. :)

In article , Paul Hyett wrote:

Good! I look forward to agreeing with you when I've seen S4 for myself, but unfortunately I've been reading the CitC spoilers... :(

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote in message ...

Thank god for that, Tennant. I'm not alone in thinking, then, that Married With Children is just not funny. I was beginning to think maybe it was me.

In article , "Ian Gibbs" wrote:

You & I are not MWC fans, but many people are. Paramount say that they renewed the show because their ratings for Seasons 1-3 were so good.

Paramount decided *not* to renew Caroline in the City because their ratings for Seasons 1-3 were rather poor, and because the show took a turn for the worse in Season 4 resulting in bad ratings in the USA.

However, the channel is very accessible & viewer friendly, compared with their peers, and they gave in to a year of campaigning by me and many others to be allowed to judge the final season for ourselves.

Tennant

Not just you. I hate it and always have.

~Act

On Tue, 2 May 2000, Tennant Stuart stated this considered view. Waking from my doze, I hastily scrawled -

WHERE did you dig that post up from - it's almost 3 months old!

In article , Paul Hyett wrote:

:)

MONICA: Well, when you first met Barry, you flitted off to Vail.

RACHEL: Would you, just for once, not remember every-little-thing!!

(414 "TOW Joey's Dirty Day")

Tennant

LOL

~Act

"Fun" ROBERT COAKLEY wrote:

I think it was more the actors than the situation -- you just want to like Lea Thompson (or other things).

Times <Friends> has actually gone to location shots have been interesting. I'd like to see more of that.

It's also got Damned Good Writing. The characters do at times suffer from Heinlein's Syndrome -- which is when the various characters might as well be the same person talking to him/herself -- but mostly it's a good thing to watch. Just seems to fly by, though -- I'd expect they get more words in each episode than the average sitcom.

Jonathan Roberts wrote in message news:[email]...

Amy Pietz, Malcolm Gets, Eric Lutes, and Andy Lauer were all a pretty talented bunch. Perhaps they *were* better than the situation, as some have said about our favorite Friends this season.

think

audience

Frasier filmed its 100th episode in Seattle. I'm hoping Friends may shoot a Very Special Episode on location in New York City.

SportsNight has only one real flaw, similar to The West Wing. One character says something, another repeats it back questioningly, and the first character repeats it again assuredly.

Bobby C.

On Wed, 2 Feb 2000, AlyssaPhoebs stated this considered view. Waking from my doze, I hastily scrawled -

Nooooo! Just Shoot Me is great!

I'd watch it even without Laura San Giacomo's great... personality. :)

S7's ratings have slumped a bit in the UK though.

I like this too, but it's not (yet) appeared on terrestrial TV in the UK, only on Cable.

Buffy rocks!

AlyssaPhoebs wrote:

Well, I know exactly how you feel, but I'm confident there are some very talented writers, producers, and directors that are just waiting for their big break. When "Cheers" ended, I felt the same as you do now. I was depressed for weeks. But then "Friends" came along, and even though I didn't start watching "Friends" until 1997, I love it, although it does seem to be slipping in quality. . .

The talent on the show seems to generally degrade, yet the salaries rise. The actors/actresses don't seem to have that same "exuberance", or fire in their heart to do a great job. For instance - Courtney Cox's hair doesn't look like *anybody* I know, Jennifer Aniston is looking less and less like a "neighbor" and more like, well, a tv-star, and everybody is becoming (subtly) less and less "animated". It's harder to personally relate to this "group" of friends.

Actually, the one that I "killed an hour on" that I thought was amusing was "Felicity". I still don't watch it regularly, but I was amused for the one show I did see. But I agree totally with the media -- SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE CUT HER HAIR!! I knew that the instant I heard she did, months ago.

Well, I *like* season six, but there's no other comedic show that comes close to Friends for me. However, there is this new show, Once and Again, that I adore right now.

AlyssaPhoebs wrote:

I'm an Ally fan, so I don't watch it.

I'm so over this show. I watch Charmed instead.

I like it too.

I like this show, but perhaps a bit overrated.

Is this show a comedy? There's also Sex and the City.

The fourth season, frankly, stinks. The new love interest for Buffy is lame and boring, Xander and Giles do NOTHING, and Willow has become a real self-absorbed B!@~&^. Thank goodness for Anya.

Lewis.