Friends Essay -- Television Shows Entertainment Papers

Friends Welcome to "New York," where the folks are friendly, the buildings never falter, and all quarrels end with a quip. Not to be found on the East Coast, this Burbank, California-based "New York" is the setting of "Friends," the popular situation comedy that first aired on NBC in 1994. With roughly sixteen million households tuning in each week, not to mention syndication of re-runs, "Friends" has become a cultural icon. "Friends" is more than just a sit-com that begins on Thursday at eight o'clock and ends at eight-thirty. It is a living, breathing, fictional reality like a second home that isn't lived in, but lived through. Many viewers talk about the characters on "Friends" as if they were, in fact, close personal friends. They remember specific lines from episodes that aired years ago; they know each character's life history, personality traits, compulsions, strengths, weaknesses, idiosyncrasies; they even remember the names of minor characters who have appeared in only o ne or two episodes (Simon B4). The show is about six singles who "hang out in a New York City apartment, drink coffee, and make jokes" (Chidley 48). Although this simple premise borders on boredom, don't be fooled. NBC has shown us through shows such as "Seinfeld," which paraded itself as "a show about nothing," that less equals success, as far as ratings and viewer approval are concerned. The key to "Friend's" success, however, is not the inherent mediocrity of the premise. Rather, the simplicity of the premise redirects creative energy toward crafting incredibly well written dialogue to be superbly performed by a quirky, energetic, and charming cast. The humorous dialogue, the chemistry between the actors, and the charisma that emanate... ...ood Library. 18 March 2002. "A Cultural Touchstone." People 31 Dec. 2001: 68. Academic Search Elite Full Text. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 18 March 2002. "The Girl Friend." Rolling Stone 7 Mar. 1996: 34. Academic Search Elite Full Text. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 18 March 2002. Rice, Jim. "With 'Friends' Like These." March 31, 2002. http://www.sojo.net/magazine/index.cfm/action/sojourners/issue/soj9605/article/960541d.html Simon, Richard Keller. "Much Ado About 'Friends': What Pop Culture Offers Literature." Chronicle of Higher Education. 16 June 2000: B4. Academic Search Elite Full Text. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 18 March 2002. Wild, David. "Six Lives on Video Tape." Rolling Stone 18 May 1995: 62. Academic Search Elite Full Text. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 18 March 2002.