Friends Reunion [HBO Max]

pixelburp

I used to bare James Cordon no ill will. He seemed enthusiastic and game but then he went to the US and started popping up EVERYWHERE there. He went from harmless to superficial and obnoxious on no time, while the yanks appear to have an infinite appetite for his style.

To the reunion? Meh, I might have been more interested if it was a proper, Some Years Later revival, the vast struggling to cope with middle age and being past their "peak".

gmisk

Lisa Kudrow looks unreal and natural.
She is a really fun actress and picks interesting things as well. Excellent in that recent British show Feel Good.
The comeback is also seriously underrated.

Not massive friends fan so won't be watching it.

James Corden cannot stand the site of him. Anything I have heard about him as a person is not good either.

Shybride2016

Does anyone know when it’ll air here and on what channel? Massive Friends fan here & looking forward to watching it. Not sure what the point is of having those guests on who had nothing to do with the show but hopefully it’ll make sense when it’s broadcast.

CastorTroy

Seems Sky is the favourite to show it but no confirmed broadcaster yet as of 2 days ago
https://deadline.com/2021/05/friends-reunion-sky-favorite-uk-rights-hbo-max-1234758139/

I know they have celebrities to attract viewers, but this is a special where that kind of thing wasn't needed

JP Liz V1

Pussyhands wrote: »

What the hell? Jennifer Anistons face looks like a computer generated image.

Must be the Aveeno and Evian :P

MisterAnarchy

pixelburp wrote: »

I used to bare James Cordon no ill will. He seemed enthusiastic and game but then he went to the US and started popping up EVERYWHERE there. He went from harmless to superficial and obnoxious on no time, while the yanks appear to have an infinite appetite for his style.
.

He was always obnoxious.

Why dont they just make a few new episodes.

Shybride2016

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

He was always obnoxious.

Why dont they just make a few new episodes.

I’m glad there’s no new episodes. There’s no way they could pull it off to be as good as the original IMO. (There’s plenty of original episodes I’d love to delete from my brain too btw, not saying it was all amazing!).

The cast photo looks airbrushed and photoshopped to bits too. Hate the way they think that looks any way good.

CastorTroy

I noticed Matthew Perry was very quiet in that trailer. Think he only some once.

Shybride2016

CastorTroy wrote: »

Seems Sky is the favourite to show it but no confirmed broadcaster yet as of 2 days ago
https://deadline.com/2021/05/friends-reunion-sky-favorite-uk-rights-hbo-max-1234758139/

I know they have celebrities to attract viewers, but this is a special where that kind of thing wasn't needed

Thanks. Looks like I’ll need to get Sky in the next week or so!

Yeah nobody wants to hear from random celebrities, the main cast and maybe some of the guest stars and Gunther!! That would be perfection!

Shybride2016

CastorTroy wrote: »

I noticed Matthew Perry was very quiet in that trailer. Think he only some once.

I’m trying to avoid all trailers but I don’t think Matthew Perry is well at the moment. He’s struggled with addictions hasn’t he? Hope he’s ok.

ancapailldorcha

Shybride2016 wrote: »

I’m trying to avoid all trailers but I don’t think Matthew Perry is well at the moment. He’s struggled with addictions hasn’t he? Hope he’s ok.

Quite badly apparently. He doesn't remember making a good few of the middle seasons at all.

I don't really get the point of this to be honest. A load of celebrities I have no interest in, nostalgia and clearly Matthew Perry doesn't want to be there based on the trailer.

ancapailldorcha

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Quite badly apparently. He doesn't remember making a good few of the middle seasons at all.

I don't really get the point of this to be honest. A load of celebrities I have no interest in, nostalgia and clearly Matthew Perry doesn't want to be there based on the trailer.

Think you answered your own question.

ancapailldorcha

Deleted User wrote: »

Think you answered your own question.

Yeah.

If I felt nostalgic, I'd just rewatch the series on Netflix to be honest. Less James Corden that way.

Shybride2016

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Quite badly apparently. He doesn't remember making a good few of the middle seasons at all.

I don't really get the point of this to be honest. A load of celebrities I have no interest in, nostalgia and clearly Matthew Perry doesn't want to be there based on the trailer.

For me anyway it’s pure nostalgia and I can’t believe it’s 20 years already since it finished. I’m looking forward to hearing what they have to say about it all now that they’ve had such a long time away from the madness of it all.

Pussyhands

Kinda hard to believe how old it is.

Finished 17 years. Episodes started when I was just 3 yet I still love it.

Such a different time, no social media...being able to send people off just before the departure gates. Even watching the early episodes knowing they weren't huge stars. Some of the script wouldn't cut it today..i.e fat ugly naked guy would never be allowed now...better times imo

Matthew Perry's speech does seem slurred, noticed after I read it in one of the papers. Hope he's ok.

Penn

I'd rather just watch a loop of this for two hours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0z18rM68D8

ancapailldorcha

Shybride2016 wrote: »

For me anyway it’s pure nostalgia and I can’t believe it’s 20 years already since it finished. I’m looking forward to hearing what they have to say about it all now that they’ve had such a long time away from the madness of it all.

I always find attempts to tap into nostalgia deeply underwhelming whether it be special reunion episodes or stuff like this. That said, I get what you're saying but surely the answer is to just have an interviewer, the original cast and maybe some of the sets and props where feasible.

I don't see what adding James Corden or other unrelated celebrities achieves. I might watch it if it ends up on BBC iPlayer, Netflix or something but I find the wheeling out of the cast so long after the show just a bit depressing.

JackTC

I just knew James Corden would somehow worm his way into this. Same with Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.

David Beckham is a random one.

ancapailldorcha

James Corden's Reddit AMA is always worth a check:

https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/bqy5zf/i_am_james_corden_alongside_ben_winston_and_five/

the_pen_turner

Surely this is only going to be the 6 remanising about a few clips and a few stories from behind the scenes. Then the rest is random celebs waffling on about how great the show is and what they remember about it.

I cant see this being anything other than a disappointment

seamus

Yeah, I think the Americans love James Corden. It's the British accent (that's gotten more pronounced since he went over), the chubby baby-face and the "meticulously scripted but pretending it's not" interview style that the yanks love.

This is a big nostalgia seller for HBO max. People loved the show so much that they really invested themselves in the characters, and basically they "miss" not having them around.
It's why most of the cast had real difficulty getting AAA films afterwards; they were so massively typecast that it was hard for people to see past them being their Friends characters. Getting cast as a lead in TV work was especially a problem, and it happened at the worst time - as TV entered a new golden age of scripts and shows.

Aniston seemed to fare the best, probably because she kept doing other film work during Friends, and she's the best comedy actor out of the lot of them. But you still wouldn't say she did any smash hits, just a couple of top-quality comedies and cult classics.

Shybride2016

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I always find attempts to tap into nostalgia deeply underwhelming whether it be special reunion episodes or stuff like this. That said, I get what you're saying but surely the answer is to just have an interviewer, the original cast and maybe some of the sets and props where feasible.

I don't see what adding James Corden or other unrelated celebrities achieves. I might watch it if it ends up on BBC iPlayer, Netflix or something but I find the wheeling out of the cast so long after the show just a bit depressing.

That’s the danger for me, I’m such a big fan it’ll take a lot to go wrong for me not to enjoy it but I have zero interest in what any celebs have to say about it, I’d rather just hear from the cast and it would’ve been more interesting to have fans from around the world talking about it I think as it was such a global hit. I’m so glad they’re not doing new episodes anyway as I don’t think they would work at all.

ancapailldorcha

Shybride2016 wrote: »

That’s the danger for me, I’m such a big fan it’ll take a lot to go wrong for me not to enjoy it but I have zero interest in what any celebs have to say about it, I’d rather just hear from the cast and it would’ve been more interesting to have fans from around the world talking about it I think as it was such a global hit. I’m so glad they’re not doing new episodes anyway as I don’t think they would work at all.

That's how I'd have done it. Have the cast, a friendly, charismatic host and maybe a few of the guest starts and then allow some fans to have some interaction perhaps but make it all about the six main cast members.

I feel like when something is done, it should be left alone. It's depressing seeing Arnie, for instance constantly appearing in Terminator films though he does put maximum effort in. It's not the same and it never will be.

Shybride2016

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

That's how I'd have done it. Have the cast, a friendly, charismatic host and maybe a few of the guest starts and then allow some fans to have some interaction perhaps but make it all about the six main cast members.

I feel like when something is done, it should be left alone. It's depressing seeing Arnie, for instance constantly appearing in Terminator films though he does put maximum effort in. It's not the same and it never will be.

Someone like Paul Rudd would’ve been a good choice IMO as he was a guest star and would be a great host. Ah well! Here’s hoping James does a good job. I don’t mind him as much as other people seem to but he’s just everywhere and doesn’t have any connection to the show.

CastorTroy

Shybride2016 wrote: »

Someone like Paul Rudd would’ve been a good choice IMO as he was a guest star and would be a great host. Ah well! Here’s hoping James does a good job. I don’t mind him as much as other people seem to but he’s just everywhere and doesn’t have any connection to the show.

Yeah Paul Rudd would be good. Until they go to show a clip from Friends and they instead show Mac & Me

JP Liz V1

CastorTroy wrote: »

I noticed Matthew Perry was very quiet in that trailer. Think he only some once.

He was in the news recent enough for dating app site Raya

the purple tin

I wonder how much the guys will be getting paid for this.
IIRC they were on a million dollars each per episode when it finished!

JP Liz V1

Shybride2016 wrote: »

Someone like Paul Rudd would’ve been a good choice IMO as he was a guest star and would be a great host. Ah well! Here’s hoping James does a good job. I don’t mind him as much as other people seem to but he’s just everywhere and doesn’t have any connection to the show.

Mike Crap Bag

feelings

2.5 million each apparently.

the purple tin wrote: »

I wonder how much the guys will be getting paid for this.
IIRC they were on a million dollars each per episode when it finished!

Shybride2016

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

He was in the news recent enough for dating app site Raya

Yeah I heard something about that alright. Seems to have backfired on the girl involved when apparently you set your age range you’re interested in so she obviously made her upper age limit high enough. Apparently she was trying to make out he was a sleazy older man but his messages didn’t seem too bad compared to what others seem to send!

Shybride2016

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Mike Crap Bag

Princess Consuela Bananahammock 🀣🀣🀣

shadyslimshady

I think without Matthew Perry in it the show would of never been a success. One of the greatest characters in a sitcom ever.
Ross was decent in it as well.


I watched them all but the three female actors just annoyed the hell out of me, especially Phoebe.

ancapailldorcha

shadyslimshady wrote: »

I think without Matthew Perry in it the show would of never been a success. One of the greatest characters in a sitcom ever.
Ross was decent in it as well.


I watched them all but the three female actors just annoyed the hell out of me, especially Phoebe.

I always think of Chandler as the comic relief. He's such a great character so it's a shame that Perry never had much of a career outside the show.

I didn't mind Monica and Rachel had some moments. Phoebe's just irritating most of the time, especially in the episode I watched this week where she just badgers Ross for Sting tickets.

I've never been able to decide if I think Courtney Cox is attractive or not.

Shybride2016

shadyslimshady wrote: »

I think without Matthew Perry in it the show would of never been a success. One of the greatest characters in a sitcom ever.
Ross was decent in it as well.


I watched them all but the three female actors just annoyed the hell out of me, especially Phoebe.

I used to love the whole Ross & Rachel thing but omg watching it now I think he’s an absolutely awful person! So many red flags in their relationship.

I think by the end of it they were all pretty much caricatures of their characters unfortunately but Matthew Perry definitely contributed a lot to the one liners and jokes in a lot of the scenes. Must dig out the DVDs that had all the behind the scenes bits.

Shybride2016

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I always think of Chandler as the comic relief. He's such a great character so it's a shame that Perry never had much of a career outside the show.

I didn't mind Monica and Rachel had some moments. Phoebe's just irritating most of the time, especially in the episode I watched this week where she just badgers Ross for Sting tickets.

I've never been able to decide if I think Courtney Cox is attractive or not.

“oh my god, The Police are coming here?!”

ancapailldorcha

Shybride2016 wrote: »

I used to love the whole Ross & Rachel thing but omg watching it now I think he’s an absolutely awful person! So many red flags in their relationship.

I think by the end of it they were all pretty much caricatures of their characters unfortunately but Matthew Perry definitely contributed a lot to the one liners and jokes in a lot of the scenes. Must dig out the DVDs that had all the behind the scenes bits.

I think the show lost something after the London episodes but I can't quite put my finger on it. I sort of went from a focus on multi-episode arcs to self-contained ones which were wrapped up in each episode.

I like Ross, especially when he's being stingy or greasy. Boring much of the time but Schwimmer is just so good at it, especially the physical comedy.

shadyslimshady

Chandler and his awkwardness with women were always the greatest scenes.

Shybride2016

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I think the show lost something after the London episodes but I can't quite put my finger on it. I sort of went from a focus on multi-episode arcs to self-contained ones which were wrapped up in each episode.

I like Ross, especially when he's being stingy or greasy. Boring much of the time but Schwimmer is just so good at it, especially the physical comedy.

He’s a great character outside of his relationship with Rachel. I’ve had a whole new viewing experience now that I’m not 14 anymore lol

The two episodes I actively avoid rewatching are the ones where Chandler & Monica get engaged. The cringe is just beyond any sort of bearable level for me.

Interesting about the multi-arc episodes I never really thought about that before but it does make sense. I think after 5 seasons things are bound to start veering in any show really and seasons 6-8 aren’t that great but I remember liking season 9 and 10, and bawling at the last episode.

Shybride2016

shadyslimshady wrote: »

Chandler and his awkwardness with women were always the greatest scenes.

Gum would be perfection 🀣

retro:electro

Shybride2016 wrote: »

I used to love the whole Ross & Rachel thing but omg watching it now I think he’s an absolutely awful person! So many red flags in their relationship.

I think by the end of it they were all pretty much caricatures of their characters unfortunately but Matthew Perry definitely contributed a lot to the one liners and jokes in a lot of the scenes. Must dig out the DVDs that had all the behind the scenes bits.

I’m a huge Friends fan and to this day still laugh out loud at every episode, but willingly admit that they dumbed down every character from seasons 7 to 9 and by season 10 they were all just phoning it in. Joey especially, he was written as if he has special needs in seasons 9 & 10, and they completely ruined him. Monica and Chandler both turned into huge irritants after they got married. I feel like Rachel, Ross and Phoebe were the only consistent characters. It peaked at season 6 for me.

I’m looking forward to this reunion and somewhat glad just an interview. I think anything other than that would have been quite tragic to see. Also for all the work Jennifer and Courtney have had done, Lisa looks the best. Ross has morphed into Russ :pac:
Adore Matthew Perry. Hope he is okay.

ancapailldorcha

Shybride2016 wrote: »

He’s a great character outside of his relationship with Rachel. I’ve had a whole new viewing experience now that I’m not 14 anymore lol

The two episodes I actively avoid rewatching are the ones where Chandler & Monica get engaged. The cringe is just beyond any sort of bearable level for me.

Interesting about the multi-arc episodes I never really thought about that before but it does make sense. I think after 5 seasons things are bound to start veering in any show really and seasons 6-8 aren’t that great but I remember liking season 9 and 10, and bawling at the last episode.

I used to hate the show because when I was in school and people wouldn't stop talking about it. I started watching the E4 reruns when I was a bit older and got into it a bit then. I'm going through it properly on Netflix now.

The earlier ones were better but it's still watchable. 20+ episodes a season for 10 seasons is a long run.

retro:electro

I really could not care less about David Beckham or Cara Delevigne’s opinion on anything. Why are they in this? Annoying.

Shybride2016

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I used to hate the show because when I was in school and people wouldn't stop talking about it. I started watching the E4 reruns when I was a bit older and got into it a bit then. I'm going through it properly on Netflix now.

The earlier ones were better but it's still watchable. 20+ episodes a season for 10 seasons is a long run.

Absolutely. Ah I loved it from the very first episode way back when. Watched all the reruns, had all the VHS tapes (yes I’m that old!), replaced with DVDs and now thanks to Netflix I can watch it anytime with zero effort. I really hope they keep it on there.

Shybride2016

retro:electro wrote: »

I really could not care less about David Beckham or Cara Delevigne’s opinion on anything. Why are they in this? Annoying.

I don’t even know who Cara is and why she’s famous enough to be on the programme. Showing my age!

Agent Coulson

The host and the so called celebrity guests have turned me completely off the idea of watching this now.

I would have preferred a simple round table with the 6 of them answering questions sent in by fans and reminiscing about the show and guessing where their characters would be now in life 20 years later.

JP Liz V1

shadyslimshady wrote: »

I think without Matthew Perry in it the show would of never been a success. One of the greatest characters in a sitcom ever.
Ross was decent in it as well.

I watched them all but the three female actors just annoyed the hell out of me, especially Phoebe.

I think I went through of phase of liking each, them being my favourite, it was a well casted cast, great chemistry and wit even from non comedic actors, apparently Adam Sandler was trying to get Aniston on SNL as a regular but she had got the Friends role

I think no matter what other roles they have they will always be associated with this, their biggest role

It had some great guest stars, watched Danny DeVito as a stripper episode recently, very funny, loved Brad Pitt too in it

JP Liz V1

Shybride2016 wrote: »

I don’t even know who Cara is and why she’s famous enough to be on the programme. Showing my age!

Model, Big Eyebrows, Actress, Bisexual, British, she must just be a fan

CastorTroy

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Model, Big Eyebrows, Actress, Bisexual, British, she must just be a fan

I know her from Suicide Squad and Carnival Row

Homelander

retro:electro wrote: »

I’m a huge Friends fan and to this day still laugh out loud at every episode, but willingly admit that they dumbed down every character from seasons 7 to 9 and by season 10 they were all just phoning it in. Joey especially, he was written as if he has special needs in seasons 9 & 10, and they completely ruined him.

I actually think it's the character of Joey that drags down the later seasons. Most of the other characters are more exaggerated versions of their previous personalities, but they're fine in the main.

Joey though. Goes from being a well-meaning but somewhat dim guy to being an outright invalid with the mind of a child.

It's the completely random inconsistency that really gets me. One minute he's his "old" self - dim but perfectly capable of emotional intelligence and proper conversation. The next he's acting like a literal 5 year old child.

The later seasons have some great characters and content but the Joey thing always really irritates me. I really don't see how the writers thought it was a good idea to do that to him.

Even in season 10 he flip-flops between being relatively normal and apparently being special needs, often from episode to episode.

JackTC

Homelander wrote: »

I actually think it's the character of Joey that drags down the later seasons. Most of the other characters are more exaggerated versions of their previous personalities, but they're fine in the main.

Joey though. Goes from being a well-meaning but somewhat dim guy to being an outright invalid with the mind of a child.

It's the completely random inconsistency that really gets me. One minute he's his "old" self - dim but perfectly capable of emotional intelligence and proper conversation. The next he's acting like a literal 5 year old child.

The later seasons have some great characters and content but the Joey thing always really irritates me. I really don't see how the writers thought it was a good idea to do that to him.

Even in season 10 he flip-flops between being relatively normal and apparently being special needs, often from episode to episode.

Joey trying to learn French is a particular dark point. Then there's the not sharing food or not letting Emma have his toy Hugsy (or even him having a toy for that matter)

They really destroyed his character. Peak Joey was when he dated that actress from the play (Dina Meyer) or when he started on Days of our lives.