The Friends Reunion Special (May 2021) on HBO Max

[Sawyer]

And thankfully James Corden’s role was relatively minor.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Overall I enjoyed it. I would've cut the entire James Cordon part as it served little to no purpose and focused more on them on set. Cut out the celeb cameos in favor of cameos from past guests. But I teared up and they should do a Pt.2 since they skipped over sooooooooooo much.

 

[flickchick85]

I’ve seen a few things about how the reunion was “over-produced” and honestly, you probably could’ve cut a few of the celebrity cameos, but for the most part, I thought the reunion was solid.

Agreed. I thought it was lovely, and the time flew by.

Say what you will about Friends, but compared to the sets of some other mega-popular TV shows and all the drama that typically goes on, that one seemed like it was overall a really nice one to be on.

 

[Sawyer]

Agreed. I thought it was lovely, and the time flew by.

Say what you will about Friends, but compared to the sets of some other mega-popular TV shows and all the drama that typically goes on, that one seemed like it was overall a really nice one to be on.

Yeah, I feel like anytime you’ve got a show with a young-ish cast that catches fire like this one did, it’s only a matter of time before it comes out that said cast has started engaging in a**hole behavior. That doesn’t seem to be the case here.

 

[Drizzle]

I liked the reunion. I just wish Matthew Perry had more to say but he apparently had gone through a dental procedure before the reunion was taped, hence the slurred speech and all around quiet demeanor during it.

 

[Sawyer]

Not at all unexpected, but I think it’s funny that there was literally no mention of the Joey spinoff during the reunion.

 

[Dave McFly]

watching right now i am so loving it, the girls still look great wow

 

[Dave McFly]

god I forgot that I visited the Friends Central Perk set in one of the soundstages at WB stuidios back in 2014 wow

 

[samsnee]

It was fine. As a fan of the series, I think it served its purpose. It was was hard watching some of the overly botoxed faces. Matthew Perry seemed off but I read he had to have emergency dental surgery that day so that was probably it. Lisa Kudrow looked great. Matt LeBlanc seemed like a fun guy to hang out with.

The James Corden part was pointless. I forwarded through the treacly testimonial stuff because that’s not what I signed up for. Even the “fashion show” was dumb. The best parts are them just sitting around reminiscing and telling stories to each other.

 

[samsnee]

Not at all unexpected, but I think it’s funny that there was literally no mention of the Joey spinoff during the reunion.

I was wondering if Brad Pitt’s name would come up when they talked about guest stars. Props to Schwimmer for handling it well.

 

[Captain Tired]

Maybe I'm just not a big enough fan to 'get it', but I don't see the point to all the hype if it isn't even an in-universe reunion of the actual characters. Meh.

 

[Sawyer]

The reunion special has really reaffirmed for me that Lisa Kudrow is neck-and-neck with JLD for most gifted comic actress to come out of the Must See TV era.

I just wish Kudrow’s HBO-based second act had worked out as well as JLD’s did...

 

[Drizzle]

The reunion special has really reaffirmed for me that Lisa Kudrow is neck-and-neck with JLD for most gifted comic actress to come out of the Must See TV era.

I just wish Kudrow’s HBO-based second act had worked out as well as JLD’s did...

The way Kudrow slipped right back into her horrified reactions during the script read from “The One Where Everyone Finds Out” kind of made me realize that Phoebe is my second favorite character on the show after Chandler, just edging out Joey. Kudrow hasn’t necessarily had a bad career since the show ended but she deserves so much more.

 

[Holy Slapper]

I think the only scenario they might get to do a proper reunion as the characters would be a HBO Max movie where someone's child or children get married. They could fill the diversity quota that way too.

I enjoyed the reunion episode mostly too, some really touching moments.

 

[Primal Slayer]

While I am kind of glad that they stick to their guns and dont do a reunion episode, their reasons behind it are weak like SMG when it comes to Buffy. They act like they have to undo what they did in the finale...are we supposed to believe that these 6 never get together? They could easily come up with a funny scenario for a Friendsgiving/Xmas/holiday special.

 

[Sawyer]

Yeah, the bit about undoing happy endings doesn’t really track for me, but the idea that the series was about a time in your life when your friends are your family and there being no sense in doing more now that they all have their own families makes a lot more sense.

I also think we all just need to be careful what we wish for when it comes to revivals. With very very few exceptions, the likelihood that the viewer walks away disappointed is high. Once you’ve gone a certain amount of years with the project laying fallow (the actors noticeably aging, the chemistry and timing not being what it once was, the creative team not having written for the characters in awhile)... a significant portion of the magic is gone and the audience is only going to be resentful that the team wasn’t able to recapture it.

To me, seeing the cast back together again was enough.

 

[Sawyer]

Like, in the immediate aftermath of Arrested Development’s cancellation, I would’ve given anything to have the show back. Anything!

And then once I got it...

 

[flickchick85]

Yeah, I think the "we don't want to unravel the happy endings" is the nice way of saying, "it ended well, why tarnish that?" Because the odds are kind of against them with a revival actually being well-received. It's really hard for actors and writers to recapture the magic of something they did at a completely different time in their lives/careers.

I mean, Indy & Co. riding off into the sunset at the end of Last Crusade is still that series' true ending for me. Crystal Skull didn't "ruin" it per say, but it just gave it a giant annoying asterisk that I wish wasn't there.

 

[Sawyer]

I feel like the only show that has really gotten away with a revival is Twin Peaks, and that’s because David Lynch resisted every single impulse that creative teams feel going into a revival: 1.) making the same show X amount of years later, and 2.) trying to avoid acknowledging the weirdness of the entire endeavor. Lynch being Lynch, he said “Yes, it’s going to be different and yes, it’s going to be weird as hell. You saw Mulholland Drive, you knew what you were walking into.”

No one else either would approach a revival like he did or could get away with that kind of a revival.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Yeah, I can’t think of a single tv series revival sequel that made any kind of impact except for Twin Peaks. X-Files, Gilmore Girls, Arrested Development, Mad About You, 24, Will and Grace, Murphy Brown, Roseanne/The Connors, Fuller House etc.

I’d blame it on the current trends when then remember the 80s was full of baby boomer revivals; The Brady’s, The New Leave it to Beaver, Rescue from Gilligan’s Island, Bret Maverick, I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later etc.

 

[Broseph44]

I enjoyed the Reunion special a lot, thought it was very well done. I actually still to need to watch the full Fresh Prince Reunion special. I only saw the Uncle Phil tribute and cried my eyes out.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I think the Fresh Prince Reunion was overall better if for nothing else that we had the conversation between Will Smith and Janet Hubert. Friends didn't have that kind of drama obviously, or not publicly at least.

 

[Kev4000]

Am I the only one who was shocked that

Spoiler

Schwimmer and Aniston were in love with each other during the first seasons but didnt end as a couple because each of one was in a relationship? Thats the mirror of the classic Ross/Rachel-Drama. Its brave to speak something like that out in public anyway.

Tragic to see Perry in that shape, but he looked better then the recent pictures of him, so I hope he is on his way.

I would agree with Kudrow that a movie or another season would hurt the series. What would they tell us (realistic)? They would make Ross and Rachel divorce, so they can reunite again at the end. The whole premise of the series woudnt work anyway, with all in there 50s now with grown up childs and found there way of life. That was why I dont like WIll & Grace new seasons.

 

[Dave McFly]

The way Kudrow slipped right back into her horrified reactions during the script read from “The One Where Everyone Finds Out” kind of made me realize that Phoebe is my second favorite character on the show after Chandler, just edging out Joey. Kudrow hasn’t necessarily had a bad career since the show ended but she deserves so much more.

her doing that was easily one of the best parts her screams cracked me up!

 

[Dave McFly]