Well, it's finally over. And I have to say, the final episode was quite a letdown. After knowing for more than a year that this would be the final season, the "Friends" finale seemed a very hurried, disorganised attempt at tying up all the loose ends. "Frasier", on the other hand, by all appearances, seems to have done an excellent job in that regard. Everything's been well-primed, and while the element of surprise may be slightly lacking (not that there were any surprises to speak of for "Friends"), it should end on a much more memorable and dignified note.
The hourlong retrospective before the "Friends" finale was far better, well-choreographed and with some great songs in the soundtrack. But I still wish they'd focused more on some of the supporting cast that has become as much a part of the show as any of the lead characters. I missed Gunther, Janice, all the assorted parents, Ugly Naked Guy, Susan and so many more.
And a segment on all the guest appearances would have been appropriate too, methinks. Jon Lovitz as the pothead restaurateur, Bruce Willis as Elizabeth's dad, Elle MacPherson as Joey's red-hot roommate who singlehandedly destroyed Joey's immortal "How you doin'?" pick-up line, Reese Witherspoon and Christina Applegate as Rachel's neurotic, sorority-girl sisters, Charlie Sheen as Phoebe's chicken-pox-afflicted Navy man, Denise Richards as Monica and Ross's smouldering cousin, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt as Chandler- and Rachel-haters respectively: the list of memorable cameos is well-nigh endless.
But at the end of the day, in spite of the clichéd ending, in spite of the well-below-par last couple of seasons, in spite of all the (undeserved) hype of the past weeks, I can't help feeling sad that there will never be another new "Friends" episode. Not so much for the show itself, but for the characters that I have grown to know and love. This article sums up my feelings perfectly. While "M*A*S*H" is quite possibly the best TV show ever, it's end did not affect me in quite the same way, because by the time I started to watch and appreciate it, the show had already ended. "Seinfeld" I never really liked that much - I think it tries to be too smart by half. So "Friends", and next week, "Frasier" are the ones that will be remembered and missed.
Can anyone say "box set"?
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