What will happen when Friends ends?

Just a simple thought. I highly doubt everyone will continue meeting at the ATF or the UTMF. And I'm sure most web pages will no longer be updated and fanfiction no longer written. The only remaining sites will be those sites dedicated to the ACTORS... and not the show. And many of us will fall out of touch for we were never truely friendly but merely shared a similar interest. Out of everyone on the ATF I would have to say I've only gotten to know about four or five on the level where we actually send each other emails... It's just such a sad thought. To not log in everyday and debate and discuss over a topic we may not always agree on... but always find highly significant. And what's ever more sad is the possibility that this could occur sooner than desired... and I'm sure I don't desire it all... ever.

[email] [email]

All good things come to and end. In 5 billion years the sun will run out of hydrogen and implode, sending out material all over to start new solar systems. Similarly, Friends will one day totally run out of ideas, and money, and it will end. Sending its actors and crew all over to start new sitcoms and movies. ATF, UMTF, AFNA will slowly die out. First ATF, and AFNA, maybe taking as long as six months after the last new episode to totally die out, and lastly UMTF, taking up to maybe a year and a half till the C4 shows are done, and then silence. But not to worry dear readers. Just like in nature the bits and pieces of these newsgroups will fall into other newsgroups creating vibrant new communities and the cycle of nature will go come full circle once again. From decay, rebirth

(sounding more and more like a nature documentary)

ATF, UMTF, AFNA will slowly die out. First ATF,

Good thinking, billiam. BUT...

But not to worry dear readers. Just like

Can you see any of the "networks" formed on these groups just stopping dead like that? I don't think so. We'll have to form alt.pedantry, alt.literaryquestions, alt.alternativetranslations, alt.karaokebars, alt.orderJimaround, alt.obscuretelebroadcastingquestions, alt.vidcaps... it would be a lot simpler to just keep ATF and UMTF going. :)

I never pictured you as Sir David Attenborough before.... hmmm. Now you HAVE to send me a pic just to set my mind at ease! :)

Jac

nothing

In article , William Pora wrote:

Nice analogy William, but the sun is not massive enough to do that. It will swell up as a red giant, then collapse to form a white dwarf.

However, I agree the show should end if they can't keep up the quality, but the real solution is to keep the quality up and not end it (yet).

CCA has said she'll do another 10 years - 16 seasons of first class comedy will suit me fine.

If Season 6 is the usual length, then the number of HALF-HOUR SLOTS (not episodes) at that point compares with some other sitcoms as follows...

    145  Friends (after 6 seasons)
    154  Benson
    160  The Lucy Show
    164  Designing Women
    164  Mad About You
    174  Family Ties
    178  Laverne & Shirley
    179  I Love Lucy
    180  Seinfeld
    180  The Golden Girls
    189  Diff'rent Strokes
    222  Roseanne
    254  Bewitched
    257  M*A*S*H
    258  Married... With Children
    273  Cheers

Some you might scorn, but I reckon Cheers kept its quality up.

Tennant

On Wed, 9 Feb 2000, Tennant Stuart wrote:

Probably, though it's lost on this particular Sam&Diane fan ;-)

I was reviewing an old tape yesterday and happend across an NBC broadcast of an episode of "I'll Fly Away", which brought back memories, along with my very cynical feelings about the American viewing public. "I'll Fly Away" was quality television par-excellence. How such a gem could be canceled after 39 episodes while *#$(&)(%&#&%amp;%@(%)*&)@&#% excrement like "Married... With Children" can be wildly popular to the tune of 258 episodes is an utter outrage and a true testament to the stupidity and depravity of our viewing habits.

God, I'm "proud" to be an American...

James Squire wrote:

Ya, my interest subsided a bit, after 2 years after Rebecca showed up. Some were good, but the show lost it's "magic" and Sam became very 2 dimensional. But it was better by comparison than what it appears Friends is becoming.

However, Shelley Long was really out-of-character during the series finale. She looked uncomfortable, out-of-practice, and disinterested. But I loved it anyway.

I think if the writers PUT SOME EFFORT into it, FRIENDS could survive the departure of one or 2 of the main characters. Kaufman/Crane et al. would have to get off their duffs and put some labor into it, but it could be done. But I suppose it's easier to just sit back and collect your check and put in what amounts to be token effort.

Hey, now WAIT A MINUTE. I loved that *#$(&)(%&#&%amp;%@(%)*&)@&#% excrement "Married...With Children"! (The "Anti-Cosby"). Long live Al Bundy!

It ran for 258 shows because it was (gasp!) FUNNY!. I miss it. Besides, wasn't "Married..." a FOX show? NBC had others it wanted to promote, FOX was just starting out when this show first aired.

Ahhh those nostalgic days of 'in living color', 'cops', and 'married with children', Sitting in my college apartment in front of a 13" tv with scratchy reception. Watching cops beat up suspects, watching a young jim carrey act like a fool, and the no-bounds humor of al bundy and family. Such happy carefree days when i didnt have to worry about what social messages in tv.

Is it possible that perfectly good comedies like The Simpsons and Third Rock From the Sun are more to your taste than the first few years of Friends were? That might restore your carefree attitude! :-)

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

You *like* Third Rock?! :)

Tina (yes, I'm joking - but do you not like The Simpsons either, then?)

Third Rock is not to my taste. I understand that it does what it does well. I don't watch it.

In article ,

cat

Third

of

The simpsons, Friends are well known by everybody as being equally good.

==----------

World!

Servers ==-----

In article , [email] wrote:

If you read The Simpsons newsgroup (a.t.s) you would think that it is the worst show on earth though! In fact, that newsgroup is so spiteful of the show that the writers make fun of it on the program. (example being the "comic book guy" and his "worst episode ever" bits this past Sunday)

-AmR :)

In article , Anna Marie Rusedski wrote:

Since you've just put me off ATS Anna, :)

perhaps you could tell me the name of the "comic book store guy" ?

I have a friend who's always wondered this.

Tennant Stuart

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

They are indeed. My English teacher loves The Simpsons and is always trying to get me to watch it regularly - if it wasn't for a dad who *loathes* it, I would...

Tina

Well, by way of comparison: when Seinfeld was on TV, the newsgroup alt.tv.seinfeld typically had about 1500 posts on an average day. I just checked it a moment ago, and it had a grand total of 201.

I suspect the same thing will happen here.

Jim

Maybe just shoot me and south park

That makes lots of sense. (Although Maya tries to be very earnest and virtuous.) I don't really care for South Park, and a small handful of episodes I actually can't watch because of sacriligeous content. But I would love to hear "What would Brian Boitano do?" That sounds hilarous - and Boitano apparently thinks so, too.

In article , Randy Hinds wrote:

Since you were such a fan Randy, what was Peggy Bundy's maiden name?

It was always censored in Britain, as in English English it's rude.

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote:

Oooh. Oooh. Oooh. I didn't see this post yesterday. . . .

I believe that would be "Wanker". She had a very large family back in her hometown, which was in "Wanker County".

Censored? Really?

In article , Randy Hinds wrote:

!!!!!!!

You're not kidding, are you Randy?

Yes, indeed censored in Britain, with little wonder.

In Britain the term in its descriptive form is considered to be very rude, and as an insult *extremely* offensive. I might jokingly tell a good friend that he's a "bastard", but never that.

The word is not even listed in Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary, which dutifully defines all the other well-known expletives.

Does this word have an innocent meaning in American English?

Tennant

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

Really? Huh, guess this must be one of those cross-UK culture things - none of my friends would have any major beef with that... where I live, it's got about the same weight as 'bastard'. In fact, remember the guy I told you about earlier (God save the foundation!)? I'm *sure* at least one person called him that as soon as we got off stage, and he didn't take any offence to it.

Tina

name?

in her

rude,

friend

Really???? I doubt anyone I know would object to being called that in conversation - I guess if it's meant lightheartedly it's taken lightheartedly. I don't know anyone who finds it any more offensive than bastard, to be honest.

which

The verb is in Collins, and it's been on Countdown too, so it must be in the OED. :)

Jac

in

Oh, and looking closer at the page (it was creased a bit) I see that the noun is in there too - 2 definitions, the second being "worthless fellow". No mention of obscenity or taboo.

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Chambers goes from "wanion" (vengeance) to "wankle" (unstable).

Perhaps this 1972 edition needs replacing - only eleven months to go.

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote

the

Lol. My Collins goes "wanigan, wank, wankel engine, wanker, Wankie, wannabe, Wanne-Eickel, want". However, no sign of either wanion or wankle! Ho hum. I was looking at the OED earlier... can't be bothered to try opening the Encarta dictionary but I doubt it's in there. :)

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Gosh Jacqui, how do you manage without definitions of "wanion, wankle, wanle, wannel, wannion, wannish, wanrestful" ?

Tennant :)

Tennant Stuart wrote

bothered

wanle,

Do you know, I'm not sure. I knew a girl whose surname was Wannel, though, so I'm intrigued to know what that means.

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

"Wannel" & "wanle" are variations of "wandle", which IOC an adjective meaning "supple, pliant, nimble [Ety. uncertain]"

Your friend sounds like my kind of girl to me! :-)

Tennant, whose spell checker is about to give him dirty looks again!

Tennant Stuart wrote

Lol. I suppose that was about right for her, but I'm not so sure about her brother...

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Is he Jack Wannel by any chance?

"Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the wedding stick." ???

Tennant

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Gosh Jacqui, whatever did Richard say?

Ooh wait, I know the answer to that one - "4 points". :-)

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote:

No. At least I don't think I am. . . Did I miss something?

Hmmm. I guess I jokingly called my friends everything in the book, back when I was "wee but a lad". "Bastard" has an "agreed upon" meaing, but seems to have lost it's potence over the years. I get the feeling "wanker" is still sort of a "new" expletive (i.e. last 20 years or so). I'm still not sure what it "officially" means, but it's used as in "one who wanks off" (if ya know what I mean) here, but has been used in other contexts. Maybe that's why they get away with it here.

Don't have one of those dictionarys handy, but I think it means as described above. Is this definition considered innocent, in compared to calling one the product of an illegitimate union of his parents?

In article , Randy Hinds wrote:

Appears to be the same meaning, mayhap the difference is cultural.

No, quite the converse.

In any case, thankyou Randy, my curiosity lies satisfied.

BTW, did you know that "Randy" is slightly naughty in English English?

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote:

Yes, actually I did -- as in "that's quite a randy dress" or "he was somewhat randy last night". Never looked it up for real, but I think it's like a mild case of the risque, or subtly provocative.

Right?

English?

somewhat

a mild

Dunno about your first example... I don't think we'd say that. "A sexy dress", maybe. But yes, "he was randy" is valid. "Horny", "sexually frisky", that kind of thing.

Jac (who still blushes to remember a certain German lesson when we inadvertently found out what German for "randy" was....) :)

I guess in Canada we don't use that much :) I never even heard of Wanker. But then again, I'm french. JRP

Tennant Stuart wrote:

On Wed, 9 Feb 2000, Randy Hinds wrote:

Actually I think it probably remained good. I just lost interest, that's all, somewhere during the 7th season I think. For a while, the Rebecca era held my interest, but not for long.

Could be. My thing was that she just looked SO different that it was a major distraction.

Well, it was lost on me.

I don't begrudge MWC the success all that much, but from a viewing public that yawned at I'll Fly Away .... The fact that they were on different networks is irrelevant to my point. The fact that I'll Fly Away was so mistreated is nothing short of criminal. The overwhelming majority of the American viewing public apparently wouldn't know quality if it bit them on the nose.

hey, simsons is great, there's a great sense of humour in it but like any comedy it has it's down episodes + those awful colours for the scenery "awin"

In article , James Squire wrote:

Ahah - I was a Diane fan too, and thought the show could never survive without her, but Rebecca was charming in her own way... :-)

This is indeed the show I was referring to. :-(

But MWC was always bad. It didn't go wrong because it went on too long.

Cheers was often good. It didn't go wrong because it went on too long.

Be proud to be a compatriot of those who gave "Friends" to the world.

Tennant

In article <[email] stl.com>,

"Married . . . With Children" was never "wildly popular." It was always just popular enough to keep on going and going and going . . .

On Thu, 10 Feb 2000, ShadZ wrote:

Close enough.

Compared to what it deserved, I would still call that "wildly popular".

I understand why you feel that way. Talking to people here is now the #1 reason why I still watch the show.

I'm sure there are still TNG newsgroups - why not friends ? Claire Abraham wrote in message news:[email]...

and

that

desire it

the

Lauren wrote:

Welp, I used to be on a BBS in New York City which featured lots of intelligent discussion. I would have bet that the folks there would have kept in touch even in the absence of that site. As it happened, though, once it was gone everyone fell out of touch.

In article , "AlyssaPhoebs" wrote:

If anyone doubts Alyssa's wisdom, subscribe to alt.tv.mad-about-you :-(

Tennant

Have you been to alt.tv.mash? It's pretty busy.

I share your grief Joey..... I so do not want FRIENDS to end I love reading people's diffferenr opinions on ATF, but some people are just *always* critical of the show. I try to look on the rbight side of it all, and I know many others do. I really hope there will be a season 7 *hope* *pray* *hope* *pray*

Helena C+M forever !

oh.. by the way/./ here's something I thought many fo you might like to fill in !!

NAME: LOCATION: AGE: EMAIL: FAVE CHARACTER: FAVE EPISODE: FAVE COUPLE: FAVE SERIES: FAVE QUOTE: FRIENDS FUTURE? WEBSITE: FAVE FRIENDSITE? DO YOU WRITE YOUR OWN FANFIC

No, there shouldn't be, that would just spoil things. The show should not be allowed to go any further inot mediocrity. It shouldn't.

Chris.

"HeLeNa *!*" wrote in message news:89di4k$pjt$[email]...

just

fill

i'll smack you)

that well, and he's... y'know old[Galre from Monica]-er than some people but younger than some buildings.

together or getting back together

Bored.com, and Matthew Perry Online

Yes... http://www.angelfire.com/ri/mycnmseries :)

In article , "Charlie" wrote:

How do you know that season 7 or 8 won't be brilliant?

Tennant

If a 100 monkeys each could get their own show (alt.tv.friends), perhaps one day (Tue, 08 Feb 2000 09:38:12 GMT) a chimp ("AlyssaPhoebs" ) might say:

Hmm.. the due South newsgroup is still going strong even though the show's finished.. gets about 50 posts a day, mostly(ish) ontopic... sure there's otp stuff but it's quite a good NG for character discussion still (Fraser: tragic character? reasons: victoria? :))

anyhoo...

sesameslang