I don't care if Chevy Chase is gone. He always seemed like a shallow gimmick of a character, racist old guy with an overbearing father. All the other characters showed other sides of themselves, Pierce always would look like an ass and then appeal for sympathy. As long as Annie, Abed, Troy and Jeff stay the show will still be good. The only problem in my eyes is how they tackle the community college aspect, how do they keep them together after they graduate? Unless Jess becomes a lawyer for the school, Britta is a psychologist/teacher or whatever, Shirley opens up her sandwich shop and Troy and Abed make movies or something. I'd watch it still if they weren't students. In the third and second season they didn't really spend that much time in class or in the study room.
Last edited by vektor; 11-23-2012 at 10:56 PM.
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Friends is not a classic, and is one of the worst shows ever. Sorry can't let that slide.
Let what slide exactly? Like the show or not you can hardly dispute that it wasn't a classic sitcom. 63 Primetime Emmy nominations, and an average of around 20 million viewers a season for 10 years. I don't think the Flintstones is the best animated show of all time, but I'm not going to sit here and claim it wasn't a classic animated show.
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Let what slide exactly? Like the show or not you can hardly dispute that it wasn't a classic sitcom. 63 Primetime Emmy nominations, and an average of around 20 million viewers a season for 10 years. I don't think the Flintstones is the best animated show of all time, but I'm not going to sit here and claim it wasn't a classic animated show.
Successful, yes highly successful.
Flintstones is a classic, can you name be a better post-apocalyptic show about man's attempts to recover the pre-nuclear war lifestyle........?
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Let what slide exactly? Like the show or not you can hardly dispute that it wasn't a classic sitcom. 63 Primetime Emmy nominations, and an average of around 20 million viewers a season for 10 years. I don't think the Flintstones is the best animated show of all time, but I'm not going to sit here and claim it wasn't a classic animated show.
depends if you consider things like Justin Bieber or Lil Wayne a classic. Friends was popular, absolutely, but classic I do not think so. It was abhorrently formulaic and it had a laugh track (both combined really made it just a show going through the motions); joey is stupid, monica likes clean things, ross is a nerd that is clueless, rachel was a typical dumb bimbo, phoebe was insane and chandler was the funny guy. That's all the show ever was.
Seinfeld was a classic, they had more original ideas in one episode than I ever remember from friends. The reverse episode, the episode where Kramer is a serial killer, Kramerica industries, Fusili Jerry, when Elain meets the mirror image of George, Kramer and Jerry, the soup nazi... and on and on. That was a classic show, nearly every episode had a unique concept. (this is all obviously just my opinion). There are a ridiculous amount of cultural idioms that Seinfeld single-handedly created. Friends was the same thing over and over again, will ross get with rachel... again? time for some comedic interjections from the goof troop, cue the laugh track.
depends if you consider things like Justin Bieber or Lil Wayne a classic. Friends was popular, absolutely, but classic I do not think so. It was abhorrently formulaic and it had a laugh track (both combined really made it just a show going through the motions); joey is stupid, monica likes clean things, ross is a nerd that is clueless, rachel was a typical dumb bimbo, phoebe was insane and chandler was the funny guy. That's all the show ever was.
Seinfeld was a classic, they had more original ideas in one episode than I ever remember from friends. The reverse episode, the episode where Kramer is a serial killer, Kramerica industries, Fusili Jerry, when Elain meets the mirror image of George, Kramer and Jerry, the soup nazi... and on and on. That was a classic show, nearly every episode had a unique concept. (this is all obviously just my opinion). There are a ridiculous amount of cultural idioms that Seinfeld single-handedly created. Friends was the same thing over and over again, will ross get with rachel... again? time for some comedic interjections from the goof troop, cue the laugh track.
I'd disagree on that. They had some quality character arcs for a half hour sitcom, the show didn't take itself seriously and I'd say they had a pretty strong cast. I was never a big Friends fan, but can certainly see the value in it. I think you're selling it quite short, simply because it was not your taste. Seinfeld also had the liberty of never having to worry about continuity or any type of story or character development. I love Seinfeld, but I don't see any reason to compare the two.
There are a billion sitcoms on tv. Friends found a way to be arguably be the most popular of all time and has found life well after it's season just like Seinfeld.
One thing that is similar in Seinfeld and Community is the way both shows started. Seinfeld had this little sprinkle of Elaine/Jerry relationship drama in season 1, George was a much more honest every man character and Jerry really didn't have that ironic/sarcastic side that played so well off George in later seasons. Show really started to find it's groove, celebrated the fact that it was unlike any other sitcom, George became the worst human being alive and the show could get away with the most bizzare storylines and episodes.
Much like Community. We've seen such a change from the pilot and season 1. Certain character attributes have been heightened greatly and it took awhile for the show to find it's rhythm. It was suppose to be Troy and Pierce with the hilarious bromance over Troy and Abed. Britta was a strong female lead and Troy was a jock. Funny how shows change over time and how much fine tuning happens when the audience is involved. The Office Season 1 to Season 2 is another great example.
I'd disagree on that. They had some quality character arcs for a half hour sitcom, the show didn't take itself seriously and I'd say they had a pretty strong cast. I was never a big Friends fan, but can certainly see the value in it. I think you're selling it quite short, simply because it was not your taste. Seinfeld also had the liberty of never having to worry about continuity or any type of story or character development. I love Seinfeld, but I don't see any reason to compare the two.
There are a billion sitcoms on tv. Friends found a way to be arguably be the most popular of all time and has found life well after it's season just like Seinfeld.
I'm not saying there weren't story arcs at all, but from a storytelling perspective they had very little in the ways of actual unique concepts. Seinfeld created colloquial terms that people don't even know were from Seinfeld, each episode had a unique idea and there were most definitely story arcs in Seinfeld. Just not as many as in Friends. It's not that it didn't meet my tastes, I'm all for artistic variety and what not, I'm not the biggest Seinfeld either but it's just that from a societal aspect Seinfeld was way more impactful and "classic" if you consider how much it actually shaped the language, idioms and colloquialisms of North American culture. The show single handedly ingrained things like "yada yada yada", "no soup for you", "hoochie mama" and the ever hillarious "shrinkage" into the minds of Americans.
Friends was more around the formula, it worked, but for the most part it was the same formula over and over again as where Seinfeld rarely if ever stuck to a formula which is why many regard it as one of the best shows ever, I'm not even a huge tv watcher, just jumping in on the conversation. Personally I like Community better than both of them because of how much of a risk they are willing to take with their new ideas, things like the paintball episodes and the AC repair man conspiracy were awsome
There are a billion sitcoms on tv. Friends found a way to be arguably be the most popular of all time and has found life well after it's season just like Seinfeld.
Woah there, M*A*S*H anyone?
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I'm not saying there weren't story arcs at all, but from a storytelling perspective they had very little in the ways of actual unique concepts. Seinfeld created colloquial terms that people don't even know were from Seinfeld, each episode had a unique idea and there were most definitely story arcs in Seinfeld. Just not as many as in Friends. It's not that it didn't meet my tastes, I'm all for artistic variety and what not, I'm not the biggest Seinfeld either but it's just that from a societal aspect Seinfeld was way more impactful and "classic" if you consider how much it actually shaped the language, idioms and colloquialisms of North American culture. The show single handedly ingrained things like "yada yada yada", "no soup for you", "hoochie mama" and the ever hillarious "shrinkage" into the minds of Americans.
Friends was more around the formula, it worked, but for the most part it was the same formula over and over again as where Seinfeld rarely if ever stuck to a formula which is why many regard it as one of the best shows ever, I'm not even a huge tv watcher, just jumping in on the conversation. Personally I like Community better than both of them because of how much of a risk they are willing to take with their new ideas, things like the paintball episodes and the AC repair man conspiracy were awsome
Seinfield was great. I don't see Friends as any less of a show because of how great Seinfield was. Don't find the need to compare the two either in that great of detail. All I said was Seinfield also had the luxury of not having to worry about continuity at all or any ongoing storylines or character arcs. It's a brilliant show, it's one of my all time favorite shows, Seinfield is great. I'd argue that Friends was still a good show for most of it's run. Every show eventually jumps the shark when on for that long, much like the later seasons of Seinfield. And I feel as if Friends did have enough character development and long enough story arcs that it was not them trotting out the same thing for 9 seasons. You're clearly not a fan, that's okay.
If you look at total viewers or performance vs. competition (which does more to account for the fact that they were from different eras), Friends comes out ahead of M*A*S*H in terms of popularity.
Seinfield was great. I don't see Friends as any less of a show because of how great Seinfield was. Don't find the need to compare the two either in that great of detail. All I said was Seinfield also had the luxury of not having to worry about continuity at all or any ongoing storylines or character arcs. It's a brilliant show, it's one of my all time favorite shows, Seinfield is great. I'd argue that Friends was still a good show for most of it's run. Every show eventually jumps the shark when on for that long, much like the later seasons of Seinfield. And I feel as if Friends did have enough character development and long enough story arcs that it was not them trotting out the same thing for 9 seasons. You're clearly not a fan, that's okay.
just a discussion, there are much worse shows than friends. I remember laughing quite hard at the episode of Friends where Ross is hitting on his cousin (Denise Richards) and he blurts out "I haven't had sex in a really long time". Seinfeld however did have continuity, they often referenced Jerry and Elain's relationship and while it did take them a long time Jerry and George came up with a show that NBC produced. As well Jerry slowly (very slowly) became more and more successful as a comedian (getting spots on late night shows, he earned enough money to buy his dad a fancy car and he started flying first class everywhere and taking limousines).
The idea of Seinfeld was that it was supposed to be about the life of Jerry before he got his show, George was Larry David and there was a Kramer in real life. Most of the episodes in Seinfeld were based on a real story, someone on the show once said that the episode they were shooting was too unrealistic and Larry David quipped that it actually happened to him so it can't be that unrealistic.
I'm currently re-watching some episodes. I'm on the paintball war. I can't believe this show is on the verge of cancellation. This is just brilliant tv.
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Uh oh, looks like season 4 will be ending in a cliff hanger... That's not good considering it's doubtful the show will be back for a 5th season... Unless the writers know something we don't? I find it impossible to believe that NBC would renew Community after all the comments they have made about wanting to change their style of comedy...
