Friends Essay -- Television Shows Entertainment Papers

Friends Welcome to untried 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, non 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 oclock and ends at eight-thirty. It is a living, breathing, fictional frankness like a second home that isnt lived in, but lived through. Many viewers talk about the characters on Friends as if they were, in fact, close personal friends. They mark specific lines from episodes that aired years ago they know each characters life history, personality traits, compulsions, strengths, weaknesses, idiosyncrasies they even remember the names of minor characters who have appeared in exclusive ly one or two episodes (Simon B4). The show is about six singles who hang out in a New York City apartment, drink coffee, and build up jokes (Chidley 48). Although this simple premise borders on boredom, dont be fooled. NBC has shown us through shows such as Seinfeld, which paraded itself as a show about nothing, that less equals success, as furthermost as ratings and viewer approval are concerned. The key to Friends success, however, is not the inherent mediocrity of the premise. Rather, the simplicity of the premise redirects creative energy toward crafting incredibly well write 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. bulk 31 Dec. 2001 68. Academic Search elect Full Text. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 18 March 2002.The Girl Friend. Rolling perdition 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.htmlSimon, Richard Keller. Much Ado About Friends What Pop subtlety 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.