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Series finale signals end of iconic decade

By Laurie Lo

May 5, 2004 9:00 p.m.

So no one told you life was going to be this way, that one day
you would tragically witness the end of an iconic television show
that has defined an entire decade for sitcom fans.

Granted, there were many signs it was time to move on, but this
does not lessen the sadness, except perhaps for NBC’s
competitors.

Who could possibly express the influence “Friends”
has had over the millions of people who religiously watch the
series? The impact of its initial success was so sudden that soon
everyone was wearing “the Rachel” and speaking
“Friends” lingo: Could you BE any more excited for the
“Friends” series finale?

“The societal impact of “˜Friends’ has been
tremendous,” said sociology Professor Steve Sherwood.
“It reinforces the strong American ethic of individualism
while it also reaffirms the ritualistic process of forming
relationships.”

With the finale tonight, there is rising speculation as to how
the memorable characters will fare now that they must leave the
comfort of six behind. Will fickle Phoebe ever settle and find true
love? Will Joey finally grow out of his adolescent mentality? Will
Rachel be trading in her Central Perk coffees for Parisian
lattes?

“I think Ross and Rachel will end up together,” said
Connie Kim, a third-year political science student. “It would
be an insult to the audience if they were not.”

Part of the success of “Friends” is that the
producers have always given the audience what it wanted. Meanwhile,
the audience wanted more, whether scenarios included crashing
weddings or betting on marriage over a craps game.

Looking at past finales of other popular sitcoms, there are
obviously a myriad of ways the producers could approach this
significant television event.

Producers at NBC could take a leap of faith and model the finale
after the equally successful series “Seinfeld.” But
here “Friends” may want to err on the side of caution,
as the last episode of “Seinfeld” was generally
considered to be less than stellar: The episode looked to past
characters (or random cameos in the

case of Geraldo Rivera) for laughs rather than

focusing on the chemistry of the characters themselves.

“The “˜Seinfeld’ finale was trying to do too
much,” Sherwood said. “The directors should have stuck
to what the series was known for, and not crazy antics.”

Or, there’s the method exemplified by
“Cheers.” The series managed to keep its audience
engaged with surprises, but never allowed them to take away from
the final episode’s sentiment. The producers decided not to
have Sam and Diane reunite, but instead focused the finale on the
bar, the foundation of the series.

“I think the “˜Friends’ finale will be a mix of
both of these types of past finales,” Sherwood said.
“Yet, more importantly, I don’t think the actual
content of the end matters. No matter what, the finale will be
consistent in reaffirming the importance of friendship.”

And if the impact on its fans is not enough, there is also the
void that must be filled after the series says its farewell,
especially with rival networks smelling blood in the water.

Shows like “Friends” and “Seinfeld” have
already spawned a number of copy-cat shows featuring attractive,
young singles who discuss nothing and everything all at once. But
these second-raters never seem to garner the status that made the
original formula so successful. After all, no one wants to watch a
poor copy.

“Shows like “˜Coupling,’ which catered to the
same idea, did not work because “˜Friends’ is a one-time
deal,” said Laura Weil, a third-year economics student.
“What makes “˜Friends’ different is its ability to
be mature, yet stay funny.”

However the producers at “Friends” decide to end the
show, they will certainly not have to convince people to watch how
the culmination of 10 years of friendship will play out.

There, the most mused over question left to be answered still
remains: Will Rachel and Ross find true love once again?

After all, by now we all know there is no denying your one,

true lobster.

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Laurie Lo
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