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ESPN Page 2's Bill Simmons comments on the season finales of Friends and the O.C.. I didn't actually watch the Friends finale, but I do largely agree with his bigger picture comments, if not on all the details.
To wit:
Re: why a whole lot of guys stopped watching Friends...
When I was a Freshman in college, everybody on my dorm floor got together to watch. Being the lead-in to Seinfeld sure helped, but it was a show I could care about and relate to. When it stopped being a sitcom, and became a half-hour soap opera with comedic elements, I lost a lot of interest.
My freshman year, my neighbors - the center of our social group - went through a roommate switch. "B" broke up with "K" and started dating his roommate Dave. (There were six of us on my floor.) That was it - despite his cool ass stereo and video-game set up, Dave got froze the hell out to the point where he had to move, and we hardly saw him again. So the drama where Joey proposes to Rachel when she was pregnant with Ross' kid. That stuff didn't fly for me...
On The O.C.:
The O.C. has left me very much amused. Primarily, it's because with the exception of Mischa Barton (Marissa), the cast has done a really good job with the characters, and they have a very good vibe. And on a personal level, it's neat to see a show centered around characters named Seth and Sandy Cohen.
Peter Gallagher has done an excellent job, and I just like to see a lead Jewish character, whose Jewishness is clearly a character trait, and done well. With Willow, for example, outside of an annual Christmas joke, there was nothing in her character that I recognized or spoke to me as her being Jewish. With Seth and Sandy, they have certain mannerisms and modes of thought, styles of humor and expression, but it never overwhelms. It's not the Jewish tailor with the tape measure, or the OTT Yenta, or any number of Very Special Stereotypes. They just were who they were, and the Jewishness was an underlying constant.
And the other thing I largely like is this: OC doesn't simply hold onto the flaws - the characters are flawed enough to be human, but the story consistently gets back to the character traits that make them seem capable of growth - the "quality" of the character isn't lost in the exploration of the flaws. (Though sometimes it gets close.)
Really, the OC isn't super great TV. But it's not a bad show, and it does amuse me. And I'll watch it next season.
To wit:
Re: why a whole lot of guys stopped watching Friends...
Three problems here:
1.) Nobody would ever debate between two women if one of them looks like Jennifer Aniston. Not even for a millisecond. Not even for a split-second of a millisecond.
2.) No female would ever forgive a guy for making a pro-con list that included mean comments about them. It would never happen. It would never, EVER happen.
3.) More importantly, this is a freaking sitcom! Who cares? Make me laugh!
When I was a Freshman in college, everybody on my dorm floor got together to watch. Being the lead-in to Seinfeld sure helped, but it was a show I could care about and relate to. When it stopped being a sitcom, and became a half-hour soap opera with comedic elements, I lost a lot of interest.
But there are three codes that supercede all others. Here they are:
1.) You can't be attracted to your buddy's sister.
2.) You can't be attracted to your buddy's girlfriend.
3.) You can't be attracted to your buddy's ex-girlfriend if he had genuine feelings for her.
Those three codes are non-negotiable. So when Chandler fell in love with Joey's girlfriend ... I mean, that's it. As Charles Barkley would say, first of all, they can't be friends no mo'. Joey ain't forgivin' nothin' like that. And No. 2, I can't like Chandler no mo'.
But seriously ... how can anyone get past this? Wasn't there a guy on the "Friends" writing staff who could say, "Hold on, everyone. We can't do this; we will lose our entire male viewership."?
My freshman year, my neighbors - the center of our social group - went through a roommate switch. "B" broke up with "K" and started dating his roommate Dave. (There were six of us on my floor.) That was it - despite his cool ass stereo and video-game set up, Dave got froze the hell out to the point where he had to move, and we hardly saw him again. So the drama where Joey proposes to Rachel when she was pregnant with Ross' kid. That stuff didn't fly for me...
On The O.C.:
And as we watched it ... I mean, sometimes you just know. People will always watch a show if it includes the following things:
1. Rich people doing rich things
2. An outsider watching rich people do rich things
3. A premise just ludicrous enough that you have a good time making fun of it ... and yet just believable enough that it doesn't undermine the whole show
4. At least two good-looking chicks.
5. Luck with the actors
6. A random, ridiculous fistfight for no reason
7. Just the right dose of Unintentional Comedy
The O.C. has left me very much amused. Primarily, it's because with the exception of Mischa Barton (Marissa), the cast has done a really good job with the characters, and they have a very good vibe. And on a personal level, it's neat to see a show centered around characters named Seth and Sandy Cohen.
Peter Gallagher has done an excellent job, and I just like to see a lead Jewish character, whose Jewishness is clearly a character trait, and done well. With Willow, for example, outside of an annual Christmas joke, there was nothing in her character that I recognized or spoke to me as her being Jewish. With Seth and Sandy, they have certain mannerisms and modes of thought, styles of humor and expression, but it never overwhelms. It's not the Jewish tailor with the tape measure, or the OTT Yenta, or any number of Very Special Stereotypes. They just were who they were, and the Jewishness was an underlying constant.
And the other thing I largely like is this: OC doesn't simply hold onto the flaws - the characters are flawed enough to be human, but the story consistently gets back to the character traits that make them seem capable of growth - the "quality" of the character isn't lost in the exploration of the flaws. (Though sometimes it gets close.)
Really, the OC isn't super great TV. But it's not a bad show, and it does amuse me. And I'll watch it next season.