Yeah, but I aolng with many others feel that Frasier has gone south this season, while Friends has remained consistent and even gone up since then. I'd say that they may have an ok shot this year, unless Frasier goes again or something stupid like Ally McBeal gets the award.
According to the news setion of the UK mag Heat, the other stations in America are bringing out the big guns against Friends now, and it has scared the suits at Warner Bros to such an extent that if the ratings don't go up they will be asking the cast what they contridute to justify their $500,000 wage per episode-or something like that. :\
It's not as if WB can change the contract or anything. They're obligated to continue to pay the cast members as indicated in the contract. The stars of Mad About You were still paid a million dollars an ep even when their show tanked.
The hour-long season opener aired here last night.
As a drama it was a somewhat interesting, but as a comedy it was worse than "TOW Joey's Fridge", since it didn't even manage to make me smile.
For me there was little credibility in the plot, and I was particularly annoyed to see that Daphne's execrable brother is still around. And the ending was *so* predictable. However there was a nice continuity with Frasier recalling being jilted by Diane Chambers.
Any spoilers about the rest of the season are welcome.