Friends - Series finale 5/6/04 (1 Viewer)

[Chuck L]

I am an oddball here on this one...

I have never, in the ten years that it has been on watched a complete episode of this series. Had no appeal to me.

I simply went to Walmart, came back home, showered, 'play-time,' and then went to bed.

Glad that many of you all enjoyed it.

 

[Michael Martin]

Agreed. I gave up on the show for good after Season 6. The few times I bothered to watch the show after that merely confirmed my decision. The finale, while having some funny lines, overall was extremely predictable, and emotionally lacking any real impact. Part of me was hoping for Ross and Rachel NOT ending up together, just for something different.

 

[Michael Hughes]

NBC screwed us Tivo owners again, the show was supposed to end at 9:59, and it was still going after 10pm. I missed the final 30 seconds because of it.

I really hate NBC

 

[andrew markworthy]

We're all talking about this as if it's the very last episode. It isn't - there's the 'what happened to them one year on' show coming up later this year.

I can't say I'm remotely surprised by any of the content of the final episode. We won't get it in the UK for another three weeks (we tend to start new series in January in the UK and to do a bit of catching up, some weeks we get two episodes back to back), but chances of not finding out the ending before then were zilch, so I figured I may as well look at this thread.

Whether you love it or hate it, Friends is going to be the iconographic comedy of its time. Rivals to the title such as Seinfeld and Frasier have their adherents, but those shows just don't have the broad-based appeal of Friends. It's the I Love Lucy for this generation, complementing the Sgt Bilko role taken by The Simpsons.


Just be grateful you haven't got the BBC to deal with - I've regularly missed the end of programmes by anything up to half an hour.

 

[teapot2001]

The people who had a problem with Tivo not recording the entire show should have received a message about it a few days ago. The message about the time problem was right there when I opened the main menu.

~T

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I liked this episode.

 

[Patrick Sun]

FYI:



My post was first, and the merging threads function will always go by time of creation, so that's why your post was after mine.

Plus, the standard operating procedure is that episodes can be discussed without spoilers once the episode has aired (or while being aired) on the east coast, and it's up to folks on the west coast to exercise some self-restraint to opening threads for shows aired or in the process of being aired.

 

[Holadem]

I disagree. JFK is the larger airport, hence the assumption. More, JFK and LGA are the perennial NYC airports, EWR is often the last choice. It may be just as close or closer, but it's not in the city, it's in another state, you have to cross the Hudson into (brrrr...) New Jersey. Psychologically, it makes a big difference.

My opinion anyway, which to be fair, may be heavily influenced by my reliance on public transportation.

--
H

 

[MickeS]

That message did not directly address the issue of "Friends" spilling over into "ER" (other than a general hint to pad the show a few minutes). NBC have been notorious for screwing up their schedule by letting "Friends" spill over (and it ALWAYS starts one minute before the hour), but they have not delayed the start of "ER" before. Not even once, in at least the past few years.

To deliberately run over with several minutes in the last episode (the actual show time was just under 48 minutes, which means it could NEVER have fit in the hour slot it was assigned) is contemptuos towards the viewers.

Fortunately I obtained a copy of the show elsewhere and with better quality to boot. When "Frasier" ends next week, I only watch "Will & Grace" on NBC. I almost wish that would end too so I could give up on this network altogether, for the way they've been treating the viewers over the last few years.

/Mike

 

[Jordan_E]

*throws in a couple pennies*
I didn't have that "Whhaaaat?" feeling the way I did after the Seinfeld finale, and I guess that's a good thing. Actually, I was surprised that I was feeling a little melalcholy going into the final episode(s). I'm going to miss the Thanksgiving episodes in the future, Janice's 'Oh my GAWD!', and the fact that this series followed me through some good times in my life. Yeah, it's only a TV show, but...

 

[Patrick Sun]

Well, not only was the final episode 48 minutes, but the ad rates for this final episode were in the $2 million range per 30 second spot, so you know NBC was going to run over into ER's timeslot to scoop in the extra ad revenue/moola.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

That's what you say, and because this is a "Friends" thread, most people here would agree. However, if you were to post this on a Seinfeld, Frasier, or other popular TV show board, everyone would disagree. Different strokes for different folks. Also, as far as those other shows not having the "the broad-based appeal" of Friend, I'm sure many would also disagree. When years pass by, and only the history books remain to judge these shows, then and only then will we know what society really thought. Until then, it's simply fan induced hysteria over a popular show that's called it quits after a long journey. Reminds me of the fan hysteria immediately after shows like Seinfled, Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore, and M*A*S*H* finished their run.

 

[Mike Slade]

I think with a big event like this, you have to plan to pad recordings a few minutes. That way you are garaunteed not to miss anything. And it's also pretty much given that NBC will not start and stop right on the hour.

As for the show, i enjoyed it. And I thought the final shot was perfect.

 

[Chad Seymour]

My Tivo cut it off right at the scene when Monica was having the dresser moved out. I had to call somebody to find out what happened next. Grrrrrr.....

Chad

 

[LeRoy Gonzalez]

Well at least here in Chicago, NBC had a scrolling marquee every few minutes during the recap show. It clearly stated that the Final Friends would end at 9:06. I was able to pad my tivo.

 

[MickeS]

At least it makes me feel better that I didn't watch any of the commercials except for the Spider-Man 2 trailer.

/Mike

 

[Patrick Sun]

I thought the Harry Potter 3 trailer was pretty good too.

Anyone else watch the Friends gang on The Tonight Show last night?

Courtney's voice is so much lower than Monica's. It was strange, but she'll be a mom soon. Lisa had dark hair for a movie she's filming currently. Jennifer is taking a break, but starts filming in July. David is doing indie productions, will try to direct an episode of "Joey". Matt is doing the "Joey" show. Matthew is supposedly working on a project to feature him and his father (the original face of "Old Spice" aftershave).

 

[Malcolm R]

Me too. Though I was glad that the finale focused on the six main characters rather than trying to incorporate a bunch of "special guest star" casting, I was hoping for at least a mention of Marcel, and perhaps a cameo by Janice. Though I suppose you start incorporating a few, you feel like you should include them all (the parents, Ross's lesbian ex, Ursula, Ben, Phoebe's brother and the triplets, etc.).

At least they gave props to Gunther.

 

[LanieParker]

The Jay Leno show with the cast was pretty boring.

 

[LarryDavenport]

Why is it that whenever a Friends thread opens on the HTF, people have to chime in and say "I haven't watched the show in 10 years because it sucks" or, "it hasn't bean good since season X"? Why bother to crap on those of us that like it? I don't go into the Babylon 5 thread and call you nerds!

Friends has become my favorite sitcom of all time. So it wasn't edgy. Good. When I've had a bad day I can count on Friends to cheer me up.