I did not grow up watching Friends. From the ages of 13 until I went to college I don't remember watching much tv period because high school and marching band and homework and all those things.
But then I went to college.
The 8th season of Friends premiered about a month after I first went to college and I don't know if it's something I really wanted to watch or my roommate wanted to watch or just a bunch of girls on our floor but I remember most Thursday nights that fall, we had a room full of girls all gathered around our tv together watching Friends.
This was season 8, which to this day remains my favorite season, when Rachel is pregnant and I still remember the gasps from our roomful when it was revealed that Ross was the father. Friends quickly became something I watched every Thursday.
Of course, before then I had only seen bits and pieces of episodes and quickly began to catch up with the twice a day TBS reruns. (The only time in my life that I've lived with cable is 3 years of living on campus and I mostly used it to watch Friends and Boy Meets World reruns.)
I bought the complete 10 season DVD package with some college graduation money (I used most of the rest of my gift money to pay my car insurance so I was somewhat responsible) and when finally watching the whole series in order I found there were a couple of episodes that I never caught during my years of reruns. That box set has survived many purges although when I watch episodes now I just use Netflix.
Many of my sisters have watched the show many times over, one of my brother-in-laws can even out quote me. Although I do remain the 3 time, undefeated champion of our Friends trivia nights. (It might just be a coincidence that the game we use is also mine, although I honestly have never "studied" the questions, which Matt & I did do for Star Wars Trivial Pursuit in order to beat his brother.).
We've even visited the intersection of Bedford & Grove in Manhattan TWICE to see the apartment building they use for establishing shots on the show. The never filmed with characters there but the fact that they showed this building in the majority of episodes was enough for me to want to see it. (The second visit was when we took my sister and her BFF to New York with us. My husband is not proud of the fact that he's now had to see this TWICE.)
All this to say, when this book, I'll Be There for You: The One About Friends popped up in my Goodreads feed, I added it to my TBR so fast and then immediately bumped it to the top of the list of books I was going to read ASAP.
And I found the book delightful.
It starts with the creators and how their past led them to making Friends. How each of the 6 main cast members were added to the show. How a lot of people knew there was something special about it before it made it to air. How quickly the show blew up. The backlash from it being every where. Then how it was almost done at the end of season 7, season 8, season 9, and finally finished with season 10.
I knew bits of pieces of this but didn't know how many times Friends was almost over. I just remember watching it and wanting it to go on forever.
The book talked about some of the more major plots but didn't get into a lot of behind the scenes of making the show (although I would definitely read a book that went further into deciding on plots and twists and so on). A lot about it's cultural impact and how it started and ended.
I LOVED reading this. I've seen every episode of Friends many times and immediately knew every episode or moment mentioned. The pages turned fast and I finished with a renewed appreciation for the show I've listed on every adoption profile as my favorite.
I finished the book right before Thanksgiving, when we (or mainly me but Matt will watch them too) rewatch all the Friends Thanksgiving episodes My favorites: season 6's (the one with the trifle) and season 8's (the one with Brad Pitt). It was perfect timing and made me really appreciate the show even more.
I highly recommend this for anyone who loved/loves the show. It was a delightful read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Then it will give you a great excuse to rewatch episodes on Netflix and if you think you can beat me at Friends trivia, please let me know.
Now, favorite episode? Mine is The One Where Everyone Finds Out. "They don't know we know they know we know!" It is fantastic.
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