Friends Reunion: The Good and the Bad By: Kelly Groome

    One of the most popular tv shows in history, Friends, recently had a reunion special. The show which ended 17 years ago, encompassed the 90's and a time before social media and technology. Actors and actresses Jennifer Aniston, Matt Leblanc, Courtney Cox, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Matthew Perry return to the set of the infamous show to discuss relive some of their best scenes. The reunion isn't another episode of Friends which many of the cast have agreed would ruin the legacy of the show, but rather a chance for fans to see their favorite cast on stage together again. The special which was originally set to air in May of 2020, was released last Thursday on May 27. Since then, fans and critics have been quick to discuss the funny and heartwarming anecdotes, but also to critic the overall point of the reunion and the host James Cordon. 

The Good

One of the most shocking revelations of the Friends reunion was the secret romance between costars David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston. The two played Ross and Rachel, the on and off couple who concluded the series together and with a child. During the interview with James Corden, the two stars revealed that during the first season of the show they were both crushing on one another. 

Another one of the moments I found to be the most sincere was when the cast walked about the recreated set of Friends reminiscing on items they stole from the set or sharing inside jokes. I think this was what fans wanted to see the most and should have been prolonged in replace of other segments of the special. 

The show also featured a remake of the episode where Ross quizzed the rest of the group about one another. The cast reenacted their roles in the episode making it feel like no time had passed. 

The Bad

Although the reunion was heartwarming to many fans, the show has also received much criticism. The James Corden interview only skimmed the surface and didn't ask the most meaningful questions. James Corden is normally a great host which is why I was disappointed about his segment. 

The show also featured guest stars Tom Selleck(Richard), Elliot Gould, and Christina Pickles(Ross and Monica's parents), Maggie Wheeler(Janice), Larry Hankin(Mr. Heckles), and James Micheal Tyler(Gunter). It was great to see each of these stars interact with the cast once again and see them on screen again. However, I was confused when the special featured stars such as Justin Bieber, Cara Delevigne, and Cindy Crawford who didn't have any previous impact on the series. I would have rather seen more stars who were actually a part of the show, rather than celebrities that would be used only to boost ratings. 

Overall, I think it was great to see the cast back on stage again for the first time in 17 years. Although the network did miss the mark on some of the segments, it was still heartwarming to see the cast reenact their roles and discuss the good times they had on the show. 

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/may/28/friends-reunion-best-worst-moments-celebrity-guests

https://www.vox.com/22453238/friends-reunion-review-hbo

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/arts/television/friends-reunion-review.html