by Dimitra Karagiannopoulou
Seventeen years after completing one of the most successful American TV series, the well-known cast of Friendsall returned for a special episode. Just as any reunion in real life can be uncomfortable, enjoyable, sad and humorous, so was the reunion that aired in late May of the most famous of all friends in TV history.. Some things succeeded in moving us, while others seemed a little out of order. But, let's begin from the start.
Firstly, I am still undecided as to whether I'm glad the special episode wasn't a regular episode, in which we would watch the continuation of the story of our beloved characters. Instead, it was essentially a get-together full of memories, revelations about the casting of the actors, and the current relationships between them. At the moment, I think I prefer how the episode turned out, as the bittersweet ending to the series years ago was the best conclusion, and more often than not, it is better to leave certain things to the viewer's imagination.
Yet, as a fervent fan of the series, I will dare admit that I would have preferred our favourite friends to discuss themselves on the set of the original show, perhaps instead of having a host ask them questions. James Corden as host seemed a little out of place to me, as he often seemed to overshadow, rather than highlight, the main protagonists of the series. if it were hosted by another former member of the show, (for example, like Paul Rudd, who had a recurring role as Mike, Phoebe's husband) the conversation could possibly have maintained a familial warmth, rather than being reminiscent of an interview on a talk show.
On the other hand, it was a particularly exciting time to witness how each of our much-loved actors were moved when they revisited the Friends set, which had been their home for a decade. Reviving scenes from the series, watching old funny clips together, and recounting hilarious anecdotes (especially the one about the cheat sheet required for mis-remembered lines) ), were all elements of the reunion that truly made it worthwhile. I personally found the telling the story of how each actor was chosen for each role, and how easy or difficult it was for producers to find what they were looking for particularly interesting.
What surprised me, however, is the series of celebrity guest appearances who expressed their love for the series, how much it affected them and what it taught them about themselves, while people who participated in the series in the ten years it was shown were hardly mentioned at all. For the fashion show that followed in the end, I'll let my silence speak.
Either way, Friends will always be one of my favourite shows, and while I might take a break from it for now, I'll always come back, because they'll be there for me.
