to not understand the fascination with the Friends TV show?

[whataloadofoldshit]

I don't get it? Can someone explain. The fake laughing audience, rubbish story lines. Everyone seems to love it but me? Why?

Comedy is very subjective, there is no programme that everyone will find funny. Haven't watched it in a while but Friends does have some great lines in it.

I think British sitcoms are never anywhere near as funny as American as they can only afford two writers whereas American sitcoms have about fifty.

squoosh hmm.i didn't know that, why can't they afford more than two writers??

I adore Frasier and the nostalgia over Friends, I watched it with my own mates, It makes me think of simpler times. Now complicated in my life back then.

I never got Ally Mcfuckingbeal though or Dawsons Creek!

NOWT complicated.

Money Gunznroses. The BBC for example can't afford anywhere near the same amount of money to develop a show as a huge American tv channel can.

So quirky British things like Green Wing are great but when they try to make a maisntream sitcom it just falls very flat. Not Going Out for example.

I see, but how do they afford shows like downton abbey, game of thrones etc which are huge in popularity. Sorry if it seems obvious, i know zilch about the television industry.

It's entertaining for popcorn on a Friday night. I was just a kid when it first came out and then a teen when it ended. So I sort of grew up with it, and kept up loosely with the story line. I was happy to see how everything finally worked out in the end.

In college, DH would hang with my friend and watch nothing but Friends. Now I can't stand it. I have more episodes memorized than I care to admit.

I see, but how do they afford shows like downton abbey, game of thrones etc which are huge in popularity. Sorry if it seems obvious, i know zilch about the television industry.

Green screen. It's how you put characters in different settings. TV shows don't rely on just sets and props anymore. If they can do it digitally, sometimes it's cheaper.

Things like Downton Abbey where there's not alot of SFX it's easy enough to find actors looking for work where you can pay them a little the first season and pay them more when the show picks up and they renew their contracts.

They also have investors and producers backing their shows. If they make above a certain amount it keeps going. If not, it fizzles out and gets canceled.

I see, but how do they afford shows like downton abbey, game of thrones etc which are huge in popularity. Sorry if it seems obvious, i know zilch about the television industry.

Game of Thrones is an American show so the money comes from HBO. Something like Downton Abbey is certainly expensive to make but considered worth it as they can sell it to multiple overseas markets thus recouping the cash and making a huge profit too I'd imagine.

Sitcoms are more difficult sell to overseas market.

Always loved Friends and now if there's nothing else on, you can always find a channel that's showing it.

The other American comedies I never got though, Frazier (something that boring 'old' men watched - also known as my Dad...), Will & Grace (boring) and I'm sure there were others that I just didn't see the point of.

I watched Friends from my mid-20s and always wanted to have 5 friends just like them - it looked like they always had so much fun (and great hairstyles...).

Squoosh and bulbasaur thank you. Like they say, 'you learn something new on MN everyday'.

Americans don't do comedy very well unless Larry David is involved IMO.

This, definitely. I think because I'm a cynic and Friends is just a bit too twee.

I loved the first three series, but I kind of lost interest after that to be honest. It was of its time for sure, and I don't think it's aged very well.

I also disagree with the poster who said American sitcoms are better. I don't think any of them can hold a candle to the classic British ones.

It is pretty hard to come up with a formula that resonates so well with so many people. I don't think anything else has come close in comparison.

How I Met Your Mother has tried really hard to be the new Friends, failed in my opinion.

The Big Bang Theory is probably the closest in terms of success, has certainly modelled itself on a lot of the Friends themes.

Pivot!

I agree on HIMYM, I really just cant get into it, same with TBBT.

hangingbasket like someone said earlier! it's all very subjective and down to personal taste.

Personally I think British comedy is awful and much prefer American comedy. The British classics are in their own class of awfulness, BUT I realise that's just me, they have a huge following. No one's preference is more valid.

I never really 'got' Friends and I didn't find the cast that likable. I preferred HIMYM but that went through phases of being good and then being a bit shit.

The Big Bang Theory was brilliant when it first started as it was so different. For me the joke was the 4 socially awkward guys, three of whom were desperate to get laid and the other one couldn't understand why.

Now it's all about the couples and feels like just another American sitcom tbh.

With regard to British vs American sitcoms, for me both have had their moments (or series) of brilliance and both have certainly produced a lot of rubbish in between. But as others have said it's down to personal taste.

I also think sometimes when something is very popular some people can get almost angry towards people for liking it so much. (Not that the OP is doing that here).
I have seen some very strange threads on here about GOT from people who clearly don't enjoy it and seem a bit cross that others do.

It's a combination of pure nostalgia, plus appreciating the humour. You probably can't really come to it now and expect to have the same connection as people who grew up with it.

I loved it in its heyday, but also loved Seinfeld.

Never thought HIMYM was even vaguely funny, and have never seen TBBT.

I've never found American comedies to be particularly amusing and some of that was probably down to friends. At school it was raved about so much that I didn't find it lived up to the hype. I find when things are repeating constantly that I can't gain context and just blanket ignore.

Frasier is something I find amusing when I come across it.

Friends was filmed in front of a live studio audience but I'm not sure that some of the laughter is put in afterwards.

If you ever watch the out takes you can tell the it's the audience but the finished episodes are polished I think.

Frasier is an American comedy...

I don't think you can really generalise by country. Some American comedies are great, some are mediocre, some are shit. Same with British. Mainly because the humour is varied, as is the quality of writing.

The Ross is a grade A wanker speech was actually started by me. TSC and I found common hatred for him.