Ok it's a quarter to three in the morning, and I can't stop thinking about this...

How much longer do you think they're going to continue with the "Friends" series? Fans made a big fuss when Ross and Rachel got together because they said it departed from the whole "Friends" concept, so Ross and Rachel broke up. Now that Chandler and Monica are actually married, that's even less Friends-y than the whole Ross and Rachel thing, and I think if that show has yet another divorce it's gonna cause a big thing, ESPECIALLY if it's between two of the main characters. I mean, seriously, how are they going to remain super-close good friends after something like that? It's possible but it's not a story that everyone is going to buy.

So they have to stay together to remain friends. But what about Monica? The whole Monica-Richard breaking up fiasco happened because Richard didn't want to have more kids. So Chandler and Monica are going to have to have kids unless Monica completely changes her position... but then if she doesn't care, why did she break up with Richard?

So, now Ben's not the only baby. But since little Bing I assume is going to live with Monica and Chandler, he's going to be around a lot more than Ben is. Perhaps Monica and Chandler will find a pair of lesbians to hand him off to, but I doubt that will happen. So what are they going to do? It's going to be hard to keep the show going the way it is if Monica and/or Chandler always has to be home taking care of the kid. At least with Ben, if he wasn't there the audience just assumed he was with Carol and Susan. With Baby Bing (that sounds so cute!) I suppose they could hire a baby-sitter, but if they do that too much they'll look like negligent parents... and if they take the kid everywhere then the show just won't be the same.

So my question is... what do you think the writers are going to do to figure this out and continue to have a good show? (No debating the "good" in this thread! If you want to bash "Friends" start your own thread!)

?

quote:

---

Ok it's a quarter to three in the morning

---

FIrst of all, LadyC, I think you should get some sleep

Monica's pregnant?? What happened to Rachael's baby? Perhaps they're moving away from the whole Friends/single scene and going towards another market? If they did have them break up, maybe they would have one of them killed off and replaced with a new "friend" .. although that probably wouldn't go over well with the viewers either. Oh, I don't know!!! The longer it stays the happier I'll be.

I enjoy watching Friends, there's not much brain power involved in watching it and you get a laugh, perfect after a heavy day.

originally, the friends characters had stated that unless all six of 'em were going to stay in the series, that it would end. now i have heard on the news, well gossips, that Lisa Kudrow is leaving and not only that but that the rest of the cast are not indeed going to leave as they had previously stated.

isn't that as far removed from friends as they could be!! now i'm not friend-bashing LadyC, i promise, i love them, have loved it ever since the first series started!!!!

i feel that they are moving away from being 'single' friends to being coupled ones - and yes therefore going for a new market. i have a fear that it will deteriorate and become totally pants - they have managed to keep the humour and fun going this long, but how much longer can it last..? isn't the humour based on the fact that they are all single and struggling to find the perfect mate. will they now move on to the couple dilemmas and will that work as 'Friends' humour..?

No, I don't think Monica's pregnant yet. I haven't been following the series that closely. I'm just speculating that since Monica has been insistent on having children in the past, and broke up with Richard over it, then now that she's married she'll, uh, wish to become pregnant.

Maybe I should get some sleep But now it's 6am and I have to leave for class in 45 mins.

I hate public transportation... *sigh*

AWWW Well thanks a lot!! we are a year behind here , so I now know what will happen .LOL!!!

I don't watch the series very often as it pales in comparaison to Fraiser or Seinfeld for me. The French version is really bad too. But, I have noticed that they are all separating into couples.
Isn't this art imitating life though?
In many circles of friends in real life you have people who suddenly realize that they'd make a great couple and they get together and either get it out of their systems or stay together and have kids or get divorced!

Isn't this inevitable in real life? (You should go to bed, I've already been up since three thirty and I'm trying to wake up so take advantage of it!)

Or don't real groups of friends kind of put their seal of approval on your choice of a mate from outside the circle?
I seem to recall this happening all the time.
And when someone brought in a boyfriend or girlfriend from outside the group, they had to pass the tests!

At least what Seinfeld did was have the affair between Jerry and Elaine long before the series. And now it would almost seem gross to refer to it!

I agree LadyC it seems that the writers are departing from the original idea for the series. But maybe its that they are running out of original plot lines therefore they are modifying the concept to get more and newer plots going.

Now that Monica and Chandler are together and Joey is in love with Rachel where does that leave Ross and Phibi? I didnt watch it for two years while I was in Japan so when I got back to the states this year I was surprised to see tha massive changes in the concept.

At this point its still funny so praise to the writers but how long can they keep it up with such a departure is anyones guess. But we must remember that all good things eventually come to an end.

WAIT A MINUTE... Joey is in LOVE with Rachel ..!!!!?!!! STOP giving the plot away pleeeeease (LOL), we in the uk have only just got the new season and even then not on terrestrial, so i only have a few weeks to wait to find out what u already know, but others in uk have 6 months (also acknowleging what Ren33 said).

oh no, not Rachel and Joey - i so didn't want there to be anything between then, i like his: 'How YOU doin'?'. i can't cope with this - major trauma here - have to go now

[ 02-05-2002: Message edited by: allynellie ]

Oh man do I have egg on my face. I'm so so sorry to everyone who I ruined the plot for. As an ignorant American I assume everyone has seen the newest friends episodes. Once again sorry Allynellie.

I used to LOVE "Friends", back when I was in college and it was really funny. I like what someone said about "art imitating life", I mean, I have a group of friends, and just yesterday I turned around and, let's see, one is pregnant and getting married, one is soon to be engaged, etc.
The show is still good, but i think they need to quit while they're ahead. There's nothing worse than watching a good show crash and burn because it didn't know when to sever the ties.
But if they need someone to spice it up, cast me as Chandler's mistress...... I'll be happy to play that part (on or off screen!!)

that's ok FallAir (LOL), i had heard a murmur from other sources, probabaly the local papers anyway.

luv2read, i agree with u, i wish they would quit while they are ahead - i just think that they have all got hooked on the good thing.

As an American, who watches 'Friends' avidly...

I feel that I must speak forth.

I live in LA and since Hollywood is here and I follow the goings on...I think I speak from a position of knowledge.

I will always love 'Friends'.
This is a given.
The reason why is because it is a consistently funny show.
I don't care that it's no longer like it was when it started eight years ago.
I think that that's fine because people evolve.
Why have them stay static?
That's boring.
Are you telling me that you've never had feelings for one of your friends?

The contract for Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox-Arquette, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer are up this year...(seventh season).

They are currently renegotiating.
They are each getting $750,000 per episode.
and they now want $1,000,000 per episode each.
It talks fail, then the show ends.
However, not very likely.
The show is in the top five every week.
This commands top dollar from advertisers.
I think that the WB and NBC can cover the cost with
the revenues earned from advertising.

Now, on to the writers.
These guys consistently evolve the show and write very funny material.
Just enjoy the ride...why complain about it?

I just purely love the show.
and that's all she wrote.

The Lord has spoken.

Let it be said let it be done!

To reiterate allynellie's comments: JOEY IS IN LOVE WITH RACHEL!?!?!?!?!

I didn't have tv in res last year so I don't know season 7 at all, and last year kinda got me out of the tv habit so I don't watch it much NOW. That is so cute, though!

I find the Joey-Rachel business pretty desperate and unbelievable, actually -- it popped up out of nowhere, and neither the writing nor the acting has supported the idea, as far as I'm concerned. It just smacks of "Ooo, we need some new tension -- HERE'S a dynamic we haven't tried before!"

And, as most people reading this thread probably know by now, the six stars of the show have gotten their deal. Friends will be back for a ninth and final 2002-2003 season, with each star getting a cool million per episode.

Anyone else remember the days when Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Flash were neck-and-neck for being the most expensive show on television...at just under $200,000 per episode? If you do some quick math, Friends will cost at LEAST $7,000,000 per episode next year. Say what you will about Kelsey Grammer's salary, but there's only one of him on Frasier.

I'll probably be watching Friends right up until the end, though, despite my current lukewarm feelings about the show. I've stuck with it for almost eight years, so why quit now, right?

And for all the folks outside the U.S. who are troubled at hearing "spoilers" about the show, since they don't get new episodes until a year after U.S. audiences do... Well, if you're reading this thread, and you know that a good many people see the episodes a year before you do, can it really be a surprise that the most current (in terms of production, not foreign distribution) episodes and developments are being discussed? I'm thinking you don't get to cry foul about spoilers in this case, all things being equal.

But that's me.

hi there enfranklopedia

like u, i will probably watch 'friends' right up until the very last episode, as despite my misgivings about where it is going, i have watched it from the very beginning, ergo i will watch it till the end !

regarding your comment about the "spoilers" and people living outside the US, i agree with u - people can't be expected to hold on to their chat for a year so that others don't have the surprise 'spoiled' for them. when i made my comments in an earlier post in this thread (and i guess i am assuming that that was what u were making reference to), u will see that i was actually joking and explained to FallAir that i had already heard about it. i certainly didn't feel troubled about it.

i hope that clears it up, i hadn't realised that people might feel that they could not contribute to this thread with new info becos of my comments. if so, i apologise and take back my earlier comments, i had just assumed that people reading my posts would automatically understand that i actually found this a funny situation not an upsetting one.

anyway there you go, hope i've cleared it up.

aw how could anybody think you could be anything but sweet and understanding Ally.

thanx FallAir

LOL ! u r very gracious !!