What do you think is the worst sitcom?
I think Friends is one of the most overrated and worst sitcoms ever. Sitcoms like Seinfield and that 70s Show are much better, and as someone who's not a fan of sitcoms in general I can still agree with this. Why it was so popular I'll never know (but hey so are movies like Twilight and the "Scary Movie spinoffs", so go figure.)
I haven't watched Friends religiously so take what I say with a grain of salt, but here are my main gripes with the show.
*Characters are too dysfunctional, but show tries to hard to "make you like them" - It won't be a sitcom without dysfunction, but the show portrays the characters as too dysfunctional, yet at the same time wants you to think of them as "just a typical group of friends" who you can relate to. Just for comparison shows like Home Improvement did a better job - as in the characters had their own quirks and issues, but were still likable. Seinfield also managed to do a better job - I can't explain why, but I think it's because even though they were all dysfunctional, the show wasn't going out of its way to try to make you think they're "normal" either.
*Juvenile humor doesn't fit the show - the juvenile raunchy antics (ex. Joey and Chandler) fits a sitcom like That 70s Show a lot more since it deals with a bunch of immature HS kids and is somewhat believable. But in this show the characters are portrayed as adults with respectable careers, yet still behaving way too much like 13 year old kids. And again you're supposed to "like them" or relate to them in some way - just doesn't work.
*Relationships are creepy and mismatched - the entire thing about them being a "group of friends" who keep hooking up, having babies, and swapping out partners within their circle of friends just has a weird incestuous vibe. Ross and Rachel is probably the most cringeworthy couple in TV history. Sure Seinfield had George and his messed up relationships, but again the problem is this show couldn't stay consistent - on one hand the relationships are totally messed up, but at the same time the show's trying to make you want to see the characters "wind up happily ever after".
*Feels like it's just copying Seinfield - To me the characters in Seinfield were a lot better developed, and their quirks and personalities felt natural and original. To me Friends felt like there was very little consistency with the characters and their personalities, and it was just trying to shoenorn in every stereotypical 'dysfunction' it could find, most of which were ripped off from better shows like Seinfield.
I think Friends is one of the most overrated and worst sitcoms ever. Sitcoms like Seinfield and that 70s Show are much better, and as someone who's not a fan of sitcoms in general I can still agree with this. Why it was so popular I'll never know (but hey so are movies like Twilight and the "Scary Movie spinoffs", so go figure.)
I haven't watched Friends religiously so take what I say with a grain of salt, but here are my main gripes with the show.
*Characters are too dysfunctional, but show tries to hard to "make you like them" - It won't be a sitcom without dysfunction, but the show portrays the characters as too dysfunctional, yet at the same time wants you to think of them as "just a typical group of friends" who you can relate to. Just for comparison shows like Home Improvement did a better job - as in the characters had their own quirks and issues, but were still likable. Seinfield also managed to do a better job - I can't explain why, but I think it's because even though they were all dysfunctional, the show wasn't going out of its way to try to make you think they're "normal" either.
*Juvenile humor doesn't fit the show - the juvenile raunchy antics (ex. Joey and Chandler) fits a sitcom like That 70s Show a lot more since it deals with a bunch of immature HS kids and is somewhat believable. But in this show the characters are portrayed as adults with respectable careers, yet still behaving way too much like 13 year old kids. And again you're supposed to "like them" or relate to them in some way - just doesn't work.
*Relationships are creepy and mismatched - the entire thing about them being a "group of friends" who keep hooking up, having babies, and swapping out partners within their circle of friends just has a weird incestuous vibe. Ross and Rachel is probably the most cringeworthy couple in TV history. Sure Seinfield had George and his messed up relationships, but again the problem is this show couldn't stay consistent - on one hand the relationships are totally messed up, but at the same time the show's trying to make you want to see the characters "wind up happily ever after".
*Feels like it's just copying Seinfield - To me the characters in Seinfield were a lot better developed, and their quirks and personalities felt natural and original. To me Friends felt like there was very little consistency with the characters and their personalities, and it was just trying to shoenorn in every stereotypical 'dysfunction' it could find, most of which were ripped off from better shows like Seinfield.