And now, the end is near
Heading into the ninth season of Friends, just about everyone associated with the show figured this was going to be their last season. Even fans were expecting the show to wrap when filming on the ninth season ended.
Only midway through season nine did the powers that be and the actors agree on one more season, a truncated 18 episodes for the 10th and final season.
With that possible ending in mind, writers had to be careful as they opened the season, knowing that they may be pushing toward a finale when the season drew to a close.
Getting caught up, season eight ended with the birth of Ross and Rachel's baby, Emma. Joey inadvertantly proposed to Rachel, and the new mother, obviously a little confused, said yes, prompting an interesting start to season nine.
Joey's feelings for Rachel had come out in season eight, and he knew that his accidental proposal to Rachel would certainly cause a lot of tension with everyone, particularly Ross. The...
First Half is Great
Several people have said that season 9 isn't that great, but I actually think the first half is top notch. I like that they shook up the formula (having Chandler in another city -- Ross and Rachel dealing with the baby), and Mike is a great addition. Most of the episodes from early in the season are laugh out loud funny (the one with Phoebe's birthday is a personal favorite). The problem, I think, is that halfway through this season, they decided they were going to extend into another season. So, even though the producers say they didn't want it to seem like they were dragging out storylines -- that's exactly how it comes across. The later episodes lose a lot of energy -- although the ping-pong game between Monica and Mike in the season finale is hilarious. I do hope that the 10th season DVD will have some cast commentary and interviews. There really isn't much more that Kevin Bright, Marta Kaufman and David Crane can say at this point. Definitely worth buying for the first two...
A little clarification please
Now, having just read the review of this soon to be released ninth season and a couple of the other customer reviews, I'm a bit surprized to hear people say this season was lackluster. Yes, the show had been on for eight years previous to this season, so of course it's going to go a bit stale. But considering some of the plotlines and performances, the show held insanely well during this season. Phoebe finally has a romantic love interest that lasts for more than four episodes and who doesn't immediately break for Minsk. Paul Rudd is an amazing addition to the cast in this season, and Aisha Tyler is brilliant in her role as well. The regular actors really have fit into their niche. We've finally gotten away from Ross being disgustingly whiney about everything that happens. The only character that seems to fall short is Courtney Cox Arquette's portrayal of Monica, as she becomes more and more of a type and less of an actual character. Yes, the Tulsa storyline is rather...
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