After a bit, people just started saying dumb answers to get in the clips or maybe on the show. Because if you gave the right answer, you never were. So, Jay walking is not really a example of stupid people.
And was Star trek realistic? Or Superman? Or actually- nearly every single fucking (non-reality) show on TV?
I can’t say I hated it, but it was never something I deliberately watched. I would catch episodes if I was vegging out in front of the TV and it was the best thing on. I found it mildly amusing, but not “must see TV.”
I found Seinfeld much more interesting because all the characters, even the minor ones, were so twisted. It didn’t start out that way; I began to watch it more regularly once the sociopathic nature of some of the characters became established. (In particular I recall the third season episode where George has sex with the office cleaning lady on his desk, and when fired over expresses surprise that this is against company policy.)
I’d even include the reality shows on your list.
I never liked Kudrow’s character, but I’ve come to greatly appreciate Kudrow’s acting.
Dude… it’s a sitcom. Every sitcom is pretty much by definition, unrealistic. And getting your panties in a twist about one that started a quarter century ago is… weird.
And it was the 90s. Post Cold War, pre-Internet bubble crash was a surprisingly optimistic time, and “Friends” is kind of the epitome of that.
I felt inspired to start this thread on favorite Friends openings.
It had its moments and didn’t get too serious, which made it about as good as anything else I remember from the 90’s. The problem was that it had a bad habit of milking things for WAAAAAY too long. Off the top of my head I remember “hand twin”, “Monica used to be a real porker”, “Smelly Cat”, and “three divorces”. The only one I found consistently funny was Chandler.
There was never any point where I absolutely hated it (though that “on a break” thing really cut it close), but I don’t see what the big appeal is now. Murphy Brown at least had a butt-kicking old dame, truth to power element to it. We have plenty of avenues for overprivileged snarky white kids that don’t have laugh tracks.
My then wife was into it so I was exposed to it far more than I liked. I found the wit forced and most of the characters unbearably smug. My ex was far more in tune with the zeitgeist back then so I guessed it would be a hit.
I don’t watch it now for nostalgia… I watch it because to me it has some truly funny and holds up well. It’s not sophisticated humor; but it’s good humor. I’m near the same age as the characters in real life (I’m 56, within a year of this post all of the main cast will be in their 50s).
There are still characters I can’t stand (Ross). What a fucking cry baby. For the most part it’s still pretty funny to me.
I saw a form of it posted above; I think there’s a lot of people who ‘hate’ the show because it’s their personality to hate something because everyone else likes it.
Also, I don’t get how anyone can say it’s like Seinfeld. 
So they’re both set in NYC. Nothing else is the same. Different type of humor. What makes them the same… that they have people in them who are friends? Then it’s also like TBBT, Taxi, Cheers, 30 Rock, MAS*H, Roseanne, etc. I think that’s a silly comparison.
I think Friends is better than Seinfield which is possibly the most annoying popular show ever. That being said I never had any interest in it and didn’t laugh much at the episodes I did watch.
we do?
I don’t think “everyone” means what you think it means.
Ok, maybe ‘everyone’ is painting with too broad of a brush. But, I think the experience for urbanites who were in their 20s and being social by hanging out in their friends’ apartments isn’t uncommon. Of course, people get older, they start marrying off, having kids, moving to the suburbs, etc. so, I can see people in their 40s being nostalgic for their own ‘Friends’ era. It’s easier to be nostalgic about a Central Perk than a drive through Starbucks in some anonymous suburb.
Small group of close-knit friends, who all live in the same apartment building, and hang out at more or less one small place.
It’s like Bizzarro Friends.
Except they don’t. On either show. On Friends only 4 of the six live in the same building. Monica and Rachel’s apartment used to be the apartment of a relative of Phoebe’s and at one point Ross moved into a building across from theirs.
Only Jerry and Kramer (and formerly Paul Buchman) lived in the same building.
I get sick of these “It’s just like Friends.” comparisons. E.g., the British series Coupling got called a Friends clone and it is quite different in many key ways (such as being a ton funnier).
What’re you doing?
Eating olives.
I didn’t hate it; I loved it. Along with Frasier, one of the most consistently funny sitcoms of the Nineties.
It was definitely a product of the times. As a young 20-something in the big city, though not nearly as good looking or sociable, it was somewhat relatable for me to watch. But I mainly watched it in a social setting, as a large group would gather to watch it in the lounge at my college. It was rarely LOL funny, though laughter is contagious in a group, so I’m sure I laughed at some things that might not have deserved it. The cast was mostly good and had good chemistry. I would admit to a certain amount of nostalgia for it, but wouldn’t bother watching it now. There is one bit that still sticks with me as quite funny, both in writing and delivery…
Joey and Chandler have somehow mixed up Ross’s baby with another baby. One baby is wearing clown pajamas, and the other duck pajamas. They decide to flip a coin to decide which baby to take…
Joey: Ducks is “Heads”, because ducks have heads.
Chandler: What kind of scary-ass clowns came to your birthday?
It was kind of the perfect storm between the absurdity of the situation, Joey’s character as “the dumb one” and Chandler’s as “the sarcastic one.” (It was a very sarcastic time, so Chandler was probably my favorite…)
Didn’t hate Friends, but definitely disliked it. Tried about a dozen times to try to get into that show, not sure I ever got through an entire episode. I didn’t like the writing for several of the characters either, a typical dumb but pretty blonde, and also dumb guy that woman thought hot. I sort of caught a part of one episode where Brad Pitt appeared in one, and that one did seem funnier than usual.
Seinfeld, way out in front, I love those neurotic idiots. That, along with Everybody Loves Raymond and The King of Queens; but Friends, forget it.
Different strokes…
As to the OP, I could say the same thing about Cheers or Seinfeld. In the first, I never understand the appeal; I gave up after maybe two episodes. The later, being a fan of his stand-up, I was looking forward to enjoying, but the characters just seemed self-centered to the point of solipsism.
I consciously avoided Friends the first three years or so it was on, mainly because it was Such A Huge Thing. “How good could it be, if that many people love it?” [Snob? ME?? Take that back or I’ll have my butler slap you.] But I sat down, watched an episode of Friends, and said, “Okay, not that bad.” Another episode: “That was pretty funny, to be honest.” I don’t remember after that because I was trying to get into each character’s backstory. Luckily, it got heavily syndicated soon after.
I apologize for threadcrapping.
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Only Jerry and Kramer (and formerly Paul Buchman) lived in the same building.
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And Newman.
Disliking Friends? As Chandler might say, “Could you BE any more contrarian?”