"Friends" - A Tribute & A Farewell

In 1994, TV changed for the better with the advent of a new sitcom series from Warner Brothers called "Friends". For the following 10 years from this point on, TV improved vastly, particularly on our Monday nights. Worldwide, over a 100 million people tuned into it. Beginning such crazes like the "Rachel Hairdo", and sayings like "I'm soo over that" and "Ohhh myyy goddd", it would soon go on to become the highest rating TV show of all time and reigns the number one television show.

Set in New York, it circled around 6 characters who are close-knit friends in their 20's living in their Manhattan apartments who deal with such things that concern young adults like dating, relationships, marriage, sex, children amongst other things that come with life itself. Whilst on the side, these three men and three women gather frequently at each other's apartments or the sofa at Greenwhich Village's "Central Perk" coffeehouse.

First of, Monica Geller (Courtney Cox Arquette) the chef has an obsession with neatness and perfection in her life. During the series, she marries Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) whose incredibly dry wit leads him to never be at loss for words. His sarcasm is pure gold at times and provides comic relief in its purest. Across the hallway in their apartment building, is Joey Tribioni (Matt LeBlanc). A womanising actor who works on "Days Of Our Lives", he comes from an Italian background who is lovable in his own way and it could often be pondered if he has more of a love for his food than women. Monica's ex-roommate, Phoebe Buffet (Lisa Kudrow) is the offbeat, waif, eccentric, eternally optismistic folk singer and massage therapist who is the utimate dumb blonde. Monica's hapless brother, Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) is the nerdy man-boy who works as a paleontology professor and has been divorced three times and use to be romantically invovled with Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston). Rachel is incredibly popular girl with great looks where every girl wants to be her, and every man wants to be with her. (On a sidenote, she's my idea of an intelligent woman whom I would like to settle down with at some stage).



I tried in vain to find some script excerpts and guides but in a huge anti-piracy busy, Warner Brothers has combed most internet servers and taken down the scripts from each season. But if you happen to be true "Friends" fan, some great memories from the show will come to mind with their hilarious circumstances and one-liners.

Never did I batter an eyelid when the final of "Buffy" went to air. Nor did I do the same with "The Practice" very recently, albeit Noah's death in "Home & Away" a little while back. But, as soon as "Friends" started, the tear jerking began for me with that accompanying ear throbbing. It was time to say goodbye to what could be, a big part of my life.



Explaining further before you consider me a sufferer of C.O.S. (Celebrity Obsession Syndrome), "Friends" became a show that I could relate a lot to in my life. It's my idea of life. To have friends in close proximity to me where you can share those good and bad moments of life with means an insatiable priceless amount to me. The idea of that security, that supportship, companionship, and above all, friendship grows more important to me as I grow up. Not to mention, the shows setting of New York City grabbed my strong interest in the place and consequently let me fantasize what it would be like when I get there. Also I have friends of my own who can be likened to these 6 characters, especially the one who looks like Chandler. (Hah - you know who you are). Or the fact I myself has even been likened to Chandler's character traits, although it says here I'm more like Rachel. Go figure. Or maybe I grew up experiencing my teenage years with a strong attachment to the show because of what I could relate to the show myself in my own life at the time. Or the fact that I discovered the show from a girl I got with at my cousin's 16th birthday party that I had my first kiss with and subsequent sexual encounter of the first kind. Better still, Ross's longing to be with Rachel throughout the entire show perpetuates my own wanting to be with a certain female friend in my own life.
For whatever reason it was, it became a part of my life and routine viewing on a Monday night. Just wasn't the same without watching it. I wasn't alone either, my parents began to enjoy it as well and together it was one of those rare moments we watched TV together and enjoyed the lives of each of these characters

It was TV at it's best. The fact it was the highest rating and all time number one TV show, goes to show a lot have similar sentiments to me. Watching the final episode for the first time a bit over a week ago - and yes, I have watched it more than once and yes, it has taken me a week to settle down from it all; but watching it with teary eyes on that night it was a chapter in my life I was saying goodbye too, along with many other viewers. For us, they weren't just six characters in a sitcom we watched, but utimately, over those magnificent last 10 years, they had become our friends too.



Goodbye and Farewell "Friends", you will be sadly missed.