"Friends" - Is anyone planning on watching the reunion show next week?

[MerryHolidays]

This is perhaps the only time ever I will cite "People" magazine, but I read the story and watched the trailer...it's depressing from what I saw.

I know some folks don't like the show, but I thought it was pretty good for what else was showing in the mid 90s - mid 2000s. It's not the aging of the cast that bothers me, but something just seems sad about this. Of course, all of them are so fabulously wealthy, so perhaps it's my imagination.

David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow seem to have changed the least.

https://people.com/tv/friends-reunion-exclusive-go-inside-the-emotional-hbo-max-special-with-the-6-stars/

[hlthe2b]

1. I saw the video of Matthew Perry--obviously slurring his words and under heavy influence of ???

That's depressing to me. Hard pass.

[MerryHolidays]

2. Yeah, that really bothered me.

He was my favorite...maybe that's what makes me sad to see this.

[underpants]

10. I read about it. I'm guessing it's a permanent result

Like he’s had a stroke or fell or something. He’s 51. Ugh.

[jimfields33]

3. I'll watch. It was the great night of friends, Seinfeld and ER

My friends used to have Thursday night viewing parties. They all in their 50’s (who isn’t. Lol). so it will be different but I’ll give it a try.

[Ocelot II]

4. Ick, no. I thought the original was stupid, tiresome and unfunny.

[MerryHolidays]

8. We did watch it live (actually, my parents got me hooked on it)

For me, it was the perfect chemistry among the six of them that made it appealing. A similar chemistry was there between Marty McFly and Doc Brown in the "Back to the Future" trilogy. If someone else besides Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd had played those roles, the movie wouldn't have been the same.

But I was also a huge fan of "Cheers", and I did see many times where "Friends" borrowed rather liberally from "Cheers". I can't name the specific episodes, but there were a number of times.

[Rorey]

5. It's on HBO Max?

I have the no frills basic cable, so I guess I'll watch it sometime in the future if it's offered elsewhere.

[MerryHolidays]

6. I believe so

But, like with all things, there are legit ways around that: https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/how-to-watch-friends-online-stream-free-1169424/

[House of Roberts]

9. As far as I'm concerned

HBO can shove Max up their apphole. I don't pay for cable, then HBO, only to be told I have to watch something on my friggin IPhone when I have a 61 inch TV to watch everything I have time for already.

[Faux pas]

7. ...

[Boxerfan]

11. Friends don't let friends watch Friends.

That's my standing policy.

[Bleacher Creature]

12. I'm torn.

I was a huge fan at the time and still watch reruns. I want to see a reunion episode that catches up with the characters. I get that the show was about a bunch of friends at a particular time in their lives, so a full reboot isn't possible, but that's not a reason why they couldn't do a one episode reunion - like a Thanksgiving episode. This is basically just a glorified interview.

[MerryHolidays]

13. Good point...this is better suited for 60 Minutes! nt

[Shermann]

14. I liked Friends but this is just a Q&A for cash nt

[mac2766]

15. I, like many MANY millions of people, loved (and still do) the show, but...

I absolutely refuse to pay to watch it. I suppose I'll be able to see it on Netflix or Prime in a year or so.

I can wait.

[TexasBushwhacker]

16. My 24 year old co-worker will be watching

She LOVES it! I watched it sometimes way back when, but it really hasn't aged well.