Friends
Summary
It has been 20 long time since the serial finale ofFriends , and the ending to one of the biggest situation comedy of all sentence look a little different now . Although the two - part finale , " The Last One , " is often regard as one of thebest instalment ofFriends , the payoff of the ending does a lot to deliver an uneven episode . There are a few things which could be improved in the finale , but this is usually ignored .
TheFriendsfinale does a few things very well . It ties up the show ’s biggest plot line , including Ross and Rachel ’s relationship and Monica and Chandler commence a kin , and it also provides a memorable final vista as the characters all say goodbye to the apartment which became a symbol of the show . It will audience satisfied back in 2004 , but the intervening years have allowed fan to reassess the finale in a raw light .
Friendsis currently uncommitted to pour on Max , formerly HBO Max , in the United States .
Courteney Cox takes to Instagram to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Friends serial closing curtain , which wrapped up the show ’s 10 - season run .
10Friends Should Have Ended Sooner
The show hit its peak much earlier
There are still some great second as the showstarts to envelop thing up , but the beneficial seasons ofFriendscame much earlier , around the centre of its run .
Friendswas already on a down slope by the time the serial publication finish come around , and it probably could have come a little earlier . There are still some great moments as the showstarts to wrap thing up , but thebest seasons ofFriendscame much to begin with , around the middle of its tally . After about eight season , the characters suffer some of their deepness and the jokes do n’t quite have the same consistency .
Friendscould have ended with Ross and Rachel having their child , but the show resist this happy terminate just as much as Ross judge to draw out forth from the obvious determination that he and Rachel had found the arrant prison term to be together . Despite the enduring popularity of the serial finale , it could have been better if it had happened a few seasons earlier , whileFriendswas still in its better year .
Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury
9Some Jokes Haven’t Aged Well
Friends is a product of its time
It would be excessively harsh to judge an old show by mod standards , but some of the dated humor means that the finale is a little less enjoyable to rewatch today .
The series finale ofFriendsaired 20 class ago , so it ’s only born that some of the jokes are n’t as funny when consider through a more modern lens . They were widely consider to be satisfactory at the fourth dimension , and it would be overly harsh to judge an former show by modern standard , but some of the dated humour means that the finale is a little less pleasurable to rewatch today . Fortunately , none of these jokes affect the plot , so they can be easy ignored .
In world-wide , Friendshas a few instant that are questionable by today ’s standards , as does almost any show from so long ago . The series finale is no exclusion . Phoebe make a comment about Ben , Ross ' son , throwing like a girl , and there are a brace of other jokes which reinforce harmful gender stereotypes . There ’s nothing so problematic or offensive that it truly damage the bequest of the episode , but it ’s worth acknowledging it was written at a clock time with somewhat unlike posture .
Friends is the popular sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, released back in 1994 and ran for ten seasons. The show follows a group of six twentysomethings through their lives in New York City and their time spent between their two apartments and their local coffee shop. The show features the group navigating tricky relationships with one another and comical misadventures.
Though the six main actors in the Friends cast have had successful careers since the sitcom cease , they ’ll always be remembered for their characters .
8Phoebe & Joey Don’t Get What They Deserve
The two forgotten friends are only there as supporting characters
Phoebe has to drive Ross to the aerodrome to trail after Rachel . She ’s a secondary character in his fib , while she should really be the main fiber in her own story .
The finale concentre on two main storyline : the birth of Chandler and Monica ’s similitude , and the climax of Ross and Rachel ’s beloved narrative . This mean thatthe episode treats Phoebe and Joey as an afterthought , which total up how their characters developed in the final few seasons ofFriends . With the rest of the friendship group pairing off into romantic relationships , Phoebe and Joey are the awkward leftovers , and the writers do n’t always know what to do with them .
Phoebe and Joey are one of thebest pairings onFriends , but the finale does n’t give them anything interesting to do . Joey ’s biggest emergence is that the new chick and duck’s egg get mystify in the foosball table , which does n’t equate to what everyone else is lead through . Phoebe ’s role is arguably even worse , as she has to drive Ross to the aerodrome to chase after Rachel . She ’s a secondary character in his floor , while she should really be the main character in her own story .
7Joey Doesn’t Grow Up
Every character moves on with their life except Joey
Joey is left with the chick and the duck in an number of mercy from Chandler , who realizes that Joey is the odd man out .
The ending to Joey ’s story is so disappointing because it highlights how piffling he has developed as a character . Other character become more mature and picture out what they want from life over the course of the 10 seasons ofFriends , but Joey is left behind . If anything , he revert , as his character seems to become less well-informed and more of a punch phone line by the time the show wraps up .
Unlike Monica , Chandler , Rachel and Ross , Joey ends up alone inFriends . He ends the show in much the same way he started it . His calling has had a few more victories and his roommate has moved out , but he ’s go forth with the bird and the duck’s egg in an act of clemency from Chandler , who realizes that Joey is the rummy human beings out . The underwhelmingFriendsspinoff series , Joey , also did n’t do much to give his character the proper send - off he merit .
6Mike Hannigan’s Character Is Wasted
The seventh friend is reduced to a brief cameo in the finale
Mike walks in , says he wants to have babies , and leaves . This is not a fitting end for a lineament who helped revitalize the show in its tardy time of year .
The one expectant development in Phoebe ’s story in theFriendsseries conclusion is that Mike and her agree to have kids after seeing Monica and Chandler ’s Twin Falls for the first time . This is a immense life decision , but the show brush over it so rapidly that it is easy to bury about . This could be a giving resolution to Phoebe ’s arc , but the show speedily move on to deal with its bigger concerns .
This brief conversation is also the only metre in the finale that Mike Hannigan makes an appearance . He walks in , tell he wants to have baby , and leaf . This is not a fitting end for a character who help revitalize the show in its later season , and it ’s also a huge waste of Paul Rudd ’s potential . Mike became screw as the seventh phallus of the friend group , but moments like this make it seem as though he was just a plot of ground gadget to tie up Phoebe ’s story without too much trouble .
Many rise stars who audition for supporter appeared in the series later on or gain fame by star in other sitcom or pic .
5Friends Doesn’t Make Use Of Its Side Characters
Gunther is the only side character with a memorable moment in the series finale
Some side fibre have their story resolve in early episode , but others , like Jack and Judy Geller , could have made an appearance .
Mike is n’t the only side character who does n’t get enough concealment time in the series finish . The episode focus on the core grouping so much that there is no time for other lover - preferent characters to get in on the action . On one hand , this take a shit sense , becauseFriendscan impute so much of its winner to the six main histrion and the brilliant interpersonal chemistry they develop over the old age , butthere are also plenty of less important persona who serve make the show what it is .
Friends’best side charactersare mostly forget in the series close . Some of them have their stories resolve in earlier episodes , like Janice and Estelle , but others , like Jack and Judy Geller , could have made an appearance . Gunther attain one big contribution to the finale as he concede his love for Rachel in Central Perk , and it ’s one of the instalment ’s best moments . deplorably , other characters were n’t give way a chance .
4The Finale Is Unusually Slow
The plot gets in the way of the show’s natural rhythm
Friendsis so concerned with tying up its major plot lines neatly that it does n’t have a lifelike flow to its finale .
TheFriendsfinale is break into two parts , and this odd data formatting create an off episode . The big problem is thatFriendsis so concerned with tying up its major plot of land line of merchandise neatly that it does n’t have a natural flow to its conclusion . It almost seems as though the intact installment was written in reverse , with some plot point shoehorned in just to keep thing moving toward the ending , even if they are n’t necessarily the natural beat that make signified to the characters .
Friendsis usually able to strike the right counterbalance between humor and worked up storytelling , without ever have one overpower the other . The finale is a little off kilter by comparison , and jest are pretermit into moments that do n’t really require them . When these jokes do n’t quite domain , it derails the narrative . There are also a few scenes which end without any kind of clout strain . This would n’t be an issue in most shows , but it sense strange inFriends .
3The Storylines Are Completely Disconnected
Friends could have brought its characters together in a more meaningful way
The finale was the show ’s probability to bring all six characters together , but they drop most of the episode break off into brace or threes .
Although some sitcoms weave complex plots that compound the independent account with the barn - plot of land of an installment , Friendsusually stay fresh affair relatively simple . One of the show ’s big military capability is that it has six main character who fans want to see , so each episode can recite two or three unrelated story without any of it feel like filler . However , this formula becomes a job in the finish , as the disconnected plots do n’t experience like a big finish for the show .
Friendsoften deviate from its expression for the show ’s boastful instant . For object lesson , when everyone goes to Las Vegas , their narration intertwine and play off of each other . The finale was the show ’s chance to bring all six characters together , but they drop most of the instalment conk out off into couple or threes . Rachel and Monica scarcely spend any time together , despite the grandness of their friendship , and the three male graphic symbol also do n’t get any scenes with one another .
One specific Friends plot line necessitate Ross and a girlfriend would have changed his complicated journey with Rachel had it not been scrapped .
2Rachel Wouldn’t Be Able To Get Off The Plane Twice
The emotional climax of the episode requires viewers to suspend their disbelief
TheFriendsfinale is tolerate to get away with a few logical leaps , because the audience desires a happy termination .
Rachel eventually had to get off the plane forFriendsto get its glad closing , but this major plot point take a shit very little signified . After Phoebe inadvertently stimulate the passengers to walk off the plane , it ’s unlikely that Rachel then would have been allowed to get off the plane after boarding for the second time , whether or not this even have sense as a fictitious character move for her .
TheFriendsfinale is allowed to get off with a few logical saltation , because the interview desires a felicitous conclusion . This also mean that Monica and Chandler can be surprised by the fact that they are experience two babies alternatively of one . Erica ’s quality is just empty - lead enough for this plot of ground dot to make sense , but it ’s another moment which would n’t work with a less forgiving consultation .
1Rachel & Ross Probably Shouldn’t End Up Together
Their happy ending might just lead to more drama
The liberal contention which hangs over the series close ofFriendsis that the episode implies that Rachel bend her back on a dream problem in Paris to get back together with Ross .
Ross and Rachel ’s relationship inFriendsset the blueprint for slews more will - they - won’t - they relationships in sitcoms , but it was always assumed that they would finally end up together . However , in retrospect , the iconic TV twain may not be the best fit for each other after all . TheFriendsfinale seems like a glad close at first coup d’oeil , but 20 eld later , it ’s a piffling less clearly - slice .
The vainglorious disceptation which hangs over the series finis ofFriendsis that the instalment implies that Rachel turn her back on a dream job in Paris to get back together with Ross . Romantics might regain this admirable , but it ’s a pity to see Rachel torpedo her calling for a serviceman who has maltreat her in the past times . It could be argue that Rachel deserves better , and a fresh scratch in a new country would have been the gross way to start the next chapter in her life .
Friends is the popular sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman , free back in 1994 and ran for ten seasons . The show follows a radical of six twentysomethings through their life in New York City and their time spent between their two apartments and their local coffee shop . The show features the group navigating sly family relationship with one another and risible misadventures .
