The one where I praise FRIENDS

I was channel surfing over the weekend and came upon the beginning of a FRIENDS episode. That’s easy to do; it’s on seventeen channels. So I watched.   I was delighted to see that just a random episode of FRIENDS was smart, clever, had heart, and made me laugh out loud a couple of times. As with all FRIENDS episodes, it had three stories intertwined (not easy to do) and you could go to any one of the cast members for laughs (except Courtney Cox). But five out of six is a great average. I’ve been on shows where they’re thrilled if there’s a simple majority.

I am not alone in my enthusiasm for FRIENDS. It’s on seventeen channels showing multiple times a day for a reason. And worldwide it’s far and away America’s most popular import. FRIENDS also attracts a broad range of demographics. Original fans of the show are now middle age (sorry, but you are). And Millennials adore the program even though the episodes are twenty years old. When I asked my UCLA graduate students which current sitcoms like they liked no one could agree. One student’s favorite was loathed by another and vice versa. But then I said, who likes FRIENDS and every hand went up immediately.

That’s the series they should be rebooting, although the chances of getting that cast all back (and for a price that wouldn’t top the GNP) are slimsky and nonesky.

So think about it. When networks are looking for edgy, out-of-the-box fare, here is a classic traditional multi-camera sitcom, filmed in front of a live studio audience, sweetened by a laugh track, with a simple premise, relatable characters, and the kind of “jokes” most current TV comedy writers look down their noses at and it’s far more popular than any current sitcom today.

For many years during FRIENDS’ heyday, every network tried to copy it. There must’ve been twenty FRIENDS clones (maybe fifty). What they missed was this: FRIENDS had a distinctive voice, an 80% perfect cast, an inviting colorful look, and terrific WRITING. The late night rewrite sessions on FRIENDS were legendary. The quest for excellence was evident in every episode, including the one I just happened to catch. “Good enough” was not good enough.

And that standard of excellence extended to filming nights. FRIENDS filmed from 4 pm until generally 1 am every week. Two separate audiences were brought in. Now granted, you can only do that on a show that is wildly popular (I can't see two audiences lining up for DR. KEN when it was on), but still FRIENDS went to that effort. Jokes were rewritten on the stage.

And you see the results. Twenty years later people are still in love with FRIENDS. Look, for a show to become a global sensation the planets have to line up. The right time, the right place, and the right people. FRIENDS was blessed with all of that with everyone involved taking great care to ensure they made the most with the gift they were given. I should mention at this time I personally had nothing to do with the show. I never wrote on it, never directed it, was never married to Jennifer Aniston – so this is not me tooting my own horn.

One last thought – and this goes back to the planets all lining up – Jennifer Aniston was almost not in FRIENDS. She was in second position to another sitcom on another network she in at the time. But NBC managed to kill that show so it would get cancelled and Jennifer would be available. How did they do that? Preston Beckman, who put the schedule together for NBC was responsible and explains it this week on my podcast. How’s that for a tease? You can hear it by clicking on the big gold button right under the masthead.

Meanwhile, I'm going to go back and watch another episode or two of FRIENDS.  I'm sure it's on right now.  

from By Ken Levine