*nod* While I do not think Seinfeld was "the best show on television", neither do I think it sucked. It was actually a pretty good example of something I personally don't much care for; good enough that I enjoy many episodes ... almost despite my feelings about what I'm seeing. (It's not the sarcasm that bothers me -- it's the "What did I do to deserve this? All I did was be a selfish jerk, that doesn't mean bad things should happen to me" tone I perceived in it. And that's both personal perception and personal taste speaking, not a claim of objectivity.) I just can't bring myself to make a habit of watching Seinfeld reruns, but I get sucked into an episode of Friends I've already seen all too easily.
" I still cry when I see the one where Chandler proposes to Monica in the room filled with candles."
*nod* A few other spots for me, as well. Y'know, for moments like that to work, in addition to the "history" aspect, it really does help that the actors on Friends were comic actors[*], as opposed to comedians-who-act. It's not that comedians can't make a good show, but they make different kinds of shows than comic-actors do. (The Drew Carey Show, for example, while it has both types in the cast, has the "comedian-based" feel to it most of the time rather than the "actor-based" feel.)
[*] At least some of them are good dramatic actors as well, which is easy to forget unless you've just seen them in a serious movie within the past few days. I remember the first time I saw Aniston in a serious movie (I guess it would technically be a "romantic comedy" but it was more of a "romantic drama with a happy ending" because it didn't try for laughs), I spent the first third of it waiting for the wackiness to start because I thought that was what she did. Instead she blew me away with how she carried off a sensitive role, hitting every emotional note perfectly and really selling the character.
(no subject)
" I still cry when I see the one where Chandler proposes to Monica in the room filled with candles."
*nod* A few other spots for me, as well. Y'know, for moments like that to work, in addition to the "history" aspect, it really does help that the actors on Friends were comic actors[*], as opposed to comedians-who-act. It's not that comedians can't make a good show, but they make different kinds of shows than comic-actors do. (The Drew Carey Show, for example, while it has both types in the cast, has the "comedian-based" feel to it most of the time rather than the "actor-based" feel.)
[*] At least some of them are good dramatic actors as well, which is easy to forget unless you've just seen them in a serious movie within the past few days. I remember the first time I saw Aniston in a serious movie (I guess it would technically be a "romantic comedy" but it was more of a "romantic drama with a happy ending" because it didn't try for laughs), I spent the first third of it waiting for the wackiness to start because I thought that was what she did. Instead she blew me away with how she carried off a sensitive role, hitting every emotional note perfectly and really selling the character.