Do you think the show Friends ages well?

[GwinnettNole]

I’m not talking about the way Jennifer Anniston, Courtney Cox, etc. look... I’m talking about years since it has gone off air do you think the episodes are watchable/ enjoyable today? Unlike Seinfeld this show (Friends) is horrible nowadays IMO. In essence I say it hasn’t aged well. What do you think?

 

[Nolomite]

Yes, I do.

Any show from that era is going to look a little funny without text messaging, but other than that I think it could easily be a dozen years newer. The show ran long enough for the cast to show their age - specifically, they got older and did not dramatically improve their socio-economic status, but that is a very common TV problem as well.

 

[BelemNole]

I am more likely to watch it than Seinfeld.

 

[GwinnettNole]

I am more likely to watch it than Seinfeld.

Interesting

 

[Wendy79]

I am more likely to watch it than Seinfeld.

Same. Love Friends.

 

[nynole1]

I never liked Seinfeld, so that's an easy answer for me. Frasier is my favorite though if that counts as the same era.

 

[Manch.]

Friends was a prequel to The Golden Girls both unfunny and unoriginal. Old stale jokes and storylines.

I never liked Seinfeld, either.

The Sopranos and Law and Order were about the only two show's that I can remember that I liked during Friends 10 year old run or so, until The Shield popped up in 2002.

 

[OrlandNole]

Friends and Seinfeld on Thursday night was the greatest 1-2 punch of my generation.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Loved Seinfeld, loved friends.
I don't watch either much these days but I can't think of a show that had ( and still has) more relevancy to real life than Seinfeld. Maybe The Office?

 

[NDallasRuss]

I think both Friends and Seinfeld habe she'd pretty well.

My gauge for this is my teenage daughter who likes watching reruns of both of them. She still finds both shows funny.

 

[kooterridesagain]

Seinfeld is timeless and very well written and acted, friends is still watchable but the writing and acting definitely is showing its age imho.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Friends and Seinfeld on Thursday night was the greatest 1-2 punch of my generation.

For me it was the mid-80s Thursday nights:

Cosby Show
Family Ties
Cheers
Night Court

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

For me it was the mid-80s Thursday nights:

Cosby Show
Family Ties
Cheers
Night Court

I think those don't hold up particularly well.

Speaking of sitcom reruns, it's interesting to me how intrusive laugh tracks are in this older shows.

 

[NDallasRuss]

I think those don't hold up particularly well.

Speaking of sitcom reruns, it's interesting to me how intrusive laugh tracks are in this older shows.

To be honest, I haven't seen any of those on in years. Back in the day though, that was a tremendous night of tv for me.

 

[Manch.]

For me it was the mid-80s Thursday nights:

Cosby Show
Family Ties
Cheers
Night Court

Was just gonna post this!

 

[Wendy79]

I think those don't hold up particularly well.

Speaking of sitcom reruns, it's interesting to me how intrusive laugh tracks are in this older shows.

I've seen a few episodes of Family Ties lately. It has held up pretty well, I think.

 

[TennNole17]

Friends holds up well, as background noise standard sitcoms go.

Side note: sopranos does NOT age well. Can’t rewatch imo

 

[QuaZ2002]

I think those don't hold up particularly well.

Speaking of sitcom reruns, it's interesting to me how intrusive laugh tracks are in this older shows.

Was about to say the same thing, the laugh tracks make shows nearly watchable. Really makes you appreciate a show like The Office.

 

[Nolebra Kai]

I think it ages great. We watch 3-4 days a week.

 

[Nolomite]

both Friends and Seinfeld are great to watch in random order - Seinfeld more than Friends, since Friends has Chandler & Monica's marriage messing with the living and social arrangements. Seinfeld has very few episodes that are dependent on previous episodes, which is a massive advantage when watching it in syndication. Big Bang Theory is already a syndication darling, and they are joining regular characters at an alarming rate - for that show, a signal that they'd like to get it wrapped up and move on, but it's too much of a cash cow to just pull the plug.

 

[96Nole]

I think it definitely is holding up well. I was reading recently that is getting a bit of a resurgence with current batch of young 20 somethings. Reruns are even on MTV now. I was talking with a co-worker whose daughters (young 20's) have been watching it a lot recently.

 

[DFSNOLE]

For me it was the mid-80s Thursday nights:

Cosby Show
Family Ties
Cheers
Night Court

I think those don't hold up particularly well.

I would agree with the exception of Cheers. That bar interaction can be found anywhere in the country still today. NORM!!

 

[cjnoles9399]

Cheers wouldn't be a viable setting today. Themes in the show would revolve around whether or not they have good enough craft on tap and there's no food served in the bar so it would have to convert to a gastropub to survive. the wars with Gary's olde town tavern would be waged via social media and yelp. And could you imagine the backlash against the USPS when cliffs antics are captured on video and uploaded to YouTube?

 

[OrlandNole]

I think those don't hold up particularly well.

Speaking of sitcom reruns, it's interesting to me how intrusive laugh tracks are in this older shows.

In fairness to Russ, he was responding to my "1-2 punch" comment, not whether they stand the test of time. That said, his lineup is more like a "1-2-3-4 punch"

 

[dmm5157]

I'm not sure I've ever watched a full episode of friends. Has an odd vibe to that I've never enjoyed. The theme song is also annoying, that might be it for me.

Watched an episode of Seinfeld yesterday, looks great in HD. I think it aged just fine, a lot of the topics are still relevant today.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Cheers wouldn't be a viable setting today. Themes in the show would revolve around whether or not they have good enough craft on tap and there's no food served in the bar so it would have to convert to a gastropub to survive. the wars with Gary's olde town tavern would be waged via social media and yelp. And could you imagine the backlash against the USPS when cliffs antics are captured on video and uploaded to YouTube?

There are bars I went to 20 years ago when I was in WPB that still today have the same people sitting in the same stools. I could walk in and have a beer on the bar waiting for me before I sat down just as though I was there the day before.

 

[dmm5157]

There are bars I went to 20 years ago when I was in WPB that still today have the same people sitting in the same stools. I could walk in and have a beer on the bar waiting for me before I sat down just as though I was there the day before.

That Cheers bar vibe still exists, plenty of folks that desire that sort of thing. Not every bar, but then again that's what made Cheers different to begin with.

I love Cheers, I don't actively go looking for it but I love watching it when I catch it on.

 

[ggmike1992]

I am more likely to watch it than Seinfeld.

 

[GwinnettNole]

I'm not sure I've ever watched a full episode of friends. Has an odd vibe to that I've never enjoyed. The theme song is also annoying, that might be it for me.

Watched an episode of Seinfeld yesterday, looks great in HD. I think it aged just fine, a lot of the topics are still relevant today.

Seinfeld is #1 sitcom for me followed by Cheers. I watched Friends but I never was addicted to it like the other two.

 

[RangerNole]

In my house it has. Wife watches it all the time still and now she has my daughter watching. We often have the discussion of it was the writers that made the show. I think you could have picked a ton of different people and the show would have been a hit; she disagrees.

 

[BlizzardNole]

Friends and Seinfeld on Thursday night was the greatest 1-2 punch of my generation.

Thursday night block! Friends, Seinfeld, and ER.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Yes, I do.

Yup...and it's grabbed a whole other generation as well. My daughters (19 & 16) continue to binge the show on Netflix.

 

[alaskanseminole]

The "one-liners" are used often in this house...

 

[BelemNole]

View embedded media

Yeah, sorry. But while I watched it in the 90s I can't anymore. I just don't do "comedies" about awful people doing terrible things all the time anymore. Too much like real life to be funny to me. No Raymond or Rosanne or Larry David, etc

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Seinfeld is timeless and very well written and acted, friends is still watchable but the writing and acting definitely is showing its age imho.

This. On the button.

 

[GwinnettNole]

Yeah, sorry. But while I watched it in the 90s I can't anymore. I just don't do "comedies" about awful people doing terrible things all the time anymore. Too much like real life to be funny to me. No Raymond or Rosanne or Larry David, etc

Interesting take.

 

[runkpanole]

Yeah, sorry. But while I watched it in the 90s I can't anymore. I just don't do "comedies" about awful people doing terrible things all the time anymore. Too much like real life to be funny to me. No Raymond or Rosanne or Larry David, etc

Then, how do you tolerate the LR?

 

[MIKE_G]

Friends had its moments and was well written and acted. But it followed the standard sitcom formula. The characters were the usual nerd, diva, hunky dumb guy, etc. Seinfeld was original. It was funny, quirky people being funny and quirky. I enjoyed Friends for a bit, never have the urge to watch reruns. Seinfeld still cracks me up no matter how many times I’ve seen it.

 

[BelemNole]

Then, how do you tolerate the LR?

You'll remember I have a reputation for being, uh.. opinionated. I deal with it with scorn. Unmitigated scorn.

 

[Nolomite]

You'll remember I have a reputation for being, uh.. opinionated. I deal with it with scorn. Unmitigated scorn.

Unmitigated corn!