Friends Reunion on HBO Max is out today - tell me your thoughts!

[Anonymous]

It looks like Joey really does like food in real life.

[Anonymous]

I think the whole "we're such good friends in real life" was so forced. We all know that they're not, why even pretend? I'm pretty sure the only two that really are are Courtney and Jennifer. It's sort of telling that they've been together only one other time, and they were each paid MILLIONS to appear together for one evening/day.

Matt LeBlanc genuinely seemed happy to be there; he was sweetest of them and genuinely seems to have fond memories of his time on the show.

I got the impression Jennifer was acting a part the entire time. All the tears, it seemed a bit much. It felt like she was playing to the cameras/audience.

Matthew Perry was a mess. He's on something and/or just generally not doing well. The cast seemed uncomfortable around him, except for maybe Matt LeBlanc.

The Lisa Kudrow/Lady GaGa thing was horrible. And how have we not discussed how Lisa mumbled under her breath - "I like it better when I sing alone" - was that supposed to be a joke?

I liked the part where they talked about casting the show best - I wish they'd done more of a documentary of the show. I found the behind the scenes stuff the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole "we're such good friends in real life" was so forced. We all know that they're not, why even pretend? I'm pretty sure the only two that really are are Courtney and Jennifer. It's sort of telling that they've been together only one other time, and they were each paid MILLIONS to appear together for one evening/day.

Matt LeBlanc genuinely seemed happy to be there; he was sweetest of them and genuinely seems to have fond memories of his time on the show.

I got the impression Jennifer was acting a part the entire time. All the tears, it seemed a bit much. It felt like she was playing to the cameras/audience.

Matthew Perry was a mess. He's on something and/or just generally not doing well. The cast seemed uncomfortable around him, except for maybe Matt LeBlanc.

The Lisa Kudrow/Lady GaGa thing was horrible. And how have we not discussed how Lisa mumbled under her breath - "I like it better when I sing alone" - was that supposed to be a joke?

I liked the part where they talked about casting the show best - I wish they'd done more of a documentary of the show. I found the behind the scenes stuff the best.

I believe they are all friends. Don’t you have friends like that? People you were close with early in life, like teens or 20s, who you rarely see these days but when you do, there is no awkwardness. You just pick up where you left off as if you saw each other yesterday. They spent 10 years on that show. I am sure it was a foundational experience in their lives.

[Anonymous]

It seemed to me like the women all keep in touch and then Matt Leblanc sometimes does too. I have seen the women (incl Lisa kudrow) on IG over the years. I think schwimmer doesn’t, but he’s doing fine and it’s not awkward. You have people like that in your life - no negativity but just not someone you have kept in touch with. Matthew perry was awkward and it was clear that people have not been in touch with him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, this "reunion" just made me feel weird, because the show WAS SO WEIRD!

CC and Jen A. were so cringy it hurt to look at them. My God, what are they thinking?? Jen came across as fake and forced happy- EW EW EW.

Poor Matthew Perry- the guy is in rough shape, and it was hard to watch. I felt his pain thru the TV.

Lisa Kudrow is 57 years old- the oldest of the cast and she looks the best by far!! she has not screwed up her face, but she did not want to be there at all.

LeBlanc may be fat but he looks good- cute face, just needs to lose the pounds. He seems genuine and sweet.

David is odd looking, but was engaging and articulate, he seemed like he really wanted to be there, the others did not.

It was SO SO awkward when Matthew Perry said "I never hear from anybody, seriously" because he was not joking.

What a train wreck. I wish I never saw it- it changed the way I think about these actors and the show.

Sex and the City reboot- take notes!

+1

There is also a "Frasier" reboot in the works, I'm sorry to say (and I'm a big fan of "Frasier"). No. No no no no. At least reboots like "Frasier" and I guess "Sex and the City" (?) are actual, scripted sitcoms where the actors have to work and not just be interviewed, but still. I'm cool with the idea of following characters later IF you have some writing that really works but I don't think I'm up any of these reboots and certainly not for painful interviews like the "Friends" reunion was. At least with "Psych" they produced two new TV movies within five years of the series' end, with character advancements. But this stuff of returning 15 or more years later seems like nothing but using nostalgia for cash (both SATC and Friends ended in 2004!!). And going back solely for money-grubbing interviews that undermine the past work is beyond sad. "I wish I never saw it" above is right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole "we're such good friends in real life" was so forced. We all know that they're not, why even pretend? I'm pretty sure the only two that really are are Courtney and Jennifer. It's sort of telling that they've been together only one other time, and they were each paid MILLIONS to appear together for one evening/day.

Matt LeBlanc genuinely seemed happy to be there; he was sweetest of them and genuinely seems to have fond memories of his time on the show.

I got the impression Jennifer was acting a part the entire time. All the tears, it seemed a bit much. It felt like she was playing to the cameras/audience.

Matthew Perry was a mess. He's on something and/or just generally not doing well. The cast seemed uncomfortable around him, except for maybe Matt LeBlanc.

The Lisa Kudrow/Lady GaGa thing was horrible. And how have we not discussed how Lisa mumbled under her breath - "I like it better when I sing alone" - was that supposed to be a joke?

I liked the part where they talked about casting the show best - I wish they'd done more of a documentary of the show. I found the behind the scenes stuff the best.

Yes! A good documentary would be interesting--talk to the creatives behind the show, too, not just the cast members. An honest documentary with behind the scenes stuff, casting, some discussion of how the massive popularity of the show actually affected both the show and the actors personally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole "we're such good friends in real life" was so forced. We all know that they're not, why even pretend? I'm pretty sure the only two that really are are Courtney and Jennifer. It's sort of telling that they've been together only one other time, and they were each paid MILLIONS to appear together for one evening/day.

Matt LeBlanc genuinely seemed happy to be there; he was sweetest of them and genuinely seems to have fond memories of his time on the show.

I got the impression Jennifer was acting a part the entire time. All the tears, it seemed a bit much. It felt like she was playing to the cameras/audience.

Matthew Perry was a mess. He's on something and/or just generally not doing well. The cast seemed uncomfortable around him, except for maybe Matt LeBlanc.

The Lisa Kudrow/Lady GaGa thing was horrible. And how have we not discussed how Lisa mumbled under her breath - "I like it better when I sing alone" - was that supposed to be a joke?

I liked the part where they talked about casting the show best - I wish they'd done more of a documentary of the show. I found the behind the scenes stuff the best.

Yes! A good documentary would be interesting--talk to the creatives behind the show, too, not just the cast members. An honest documentary with behind the scenes stuff, casting, some discussion of how the massive popularity of the show actually affected both the show and the actors personally.

+1 yes!

[Anonymous]

It was messy and boring. Not worth the wait.

[Anonymous]

There was a running joke on Episodes where Matt was trying to get Jen to take his calls. The joke was that they were all avoiding him. It was pretty funny. He is the only one from a very working class background out of the group.
(There was a similar shtick on Curb Your Enthusiasm about Seinfeld avoiding Larry David.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t remember Julie getting with Russ. Rachel dated Russ briefly. Did we ever see Julie again after they didn’t get the cat?

Sorry, I just looked it up - apparently it is an end credits scene that I had completely forgotten

You will see the ending on TBS but not Nickelodeon at Night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a running joke on Episodes where Matt was trying to get Jen to take his calls. The joke was that they were all avoiding him. It was pretty funny. He is the only one from a very working class background out of the group.
(There was a similar shtick on Curb Your Enthusiasm about Seinfeld avoiding Larry David.)

+1

He is th moat realistic and down to earth. I’m sure they are all geateful, but he is easily the most endearing.

[Anonymous]

I believe Perry was joking about not seeing everyone. He did a skit on Ellen with Aniston and Cox. He appeared on Cougar Town with Cox, he appeared on Web Therapy with Kudrow (I believe all were on Web Therapy at different times except Aniston) and he and Cox have beee to lunch with Cox posting selfies on IG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole "we're such good friends in real life" was so forced. We all know that they're not, why even pretend? I'm pretty sure the only two that really are are Courtney and Jennifer. It's sort of telling that they've been together only one other time, and they were each paid MILLIONS to appear together for one evening/day.

Matt LeBlanc genuinely seemed happy to be there; he was sweetest of them and genuinely seems to have fond memories of his time on the show.

I got the impression Jennifer was acting a part the entire time. All the tears, it seemed a bit much. It felt like she was playing to the cameras/audience.

Matthew Perry was a mess. He's on something and/or just generally not doing well. The cast seemed uncomfortable around him, except for maybe Matt LeBlanc.

The Lisa Kudrow/Lady GaGa thing was horrible. And how have we not discussed how Lisa mumbled under her breath - "I like it better when I sing alone" - was that supposed to be a joke?

I liked the part where they talked about casting the show best - I wish they'd done more of a documentary of the show. I found the behind the scenes stuff the best.

I believe they are good friends in real life. But the reason for not doing a re-boot is the same reason they don’t see much of each other. When single your friends are your family. But as you grow older and start families, those friends become secondary. Life gets filled with commitments and work. Little time to see friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also felt badly for Matthew Perry. He seemed anxious and fragile. I didn't get the feeling that he was drinking or using illegal drugs though. I think he has mental health issues and is on heavy duty psych meds.

It wasn’t just the slurring it was the dead-eye gaze. He’s not well and that came across clear as day for the viewer and must have been so very obvious in person - who knows what was edited out. People with mental health issues that are being effectively managed and treated aren’t showing up like zombies.

He looked/sounded horrible in the interviews but looked better on the special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter and I had Friends on yesterday as we were doing some mindless work. It was the time period around the wedding/Rachel’s surprise pregnancy. Ross started seeing Mona. She was very cute and a better match for him than Rachel

I was actually mad when they forced them together with a kid and the stupidity in the finale. They no longer made sense.

I would have been pissed if Ross and Rachel did not end up together. It's escapist entertainment. I want the happily ever after.

DP. In my opinion the writers drew out the Ross-Rachel thing for so long that I didn’t care about them getting together in the last episode. If you try so many times with someone and it never seems to work, maybe it’s just not meant to be!