This morning I was watching the opening theme music to an episode of Friends, when it suddenly seemed blatantly, obscenely obvious how the popularity of this series has functioned.
FRIENDS. It’s not selling you entertainment, not drama, not comedy. It is selling you friends. The name is no accident - it is exactly what it says it is: it offers you safe, reliable, loyal friends who will be there for you every evening at 7:30pm or whatever. The theme music shows happy, good-looking people hugging each other, laughing, being amusing and having a friendly rapport. Hey, these are great guys, great company! And the theme music croons at you: “I’ll be there for you, when the rain starts falling… I’ll be there for you, cos you’ll be there for me too.”
It couldn’t be spelt out any more clearly - this is the ultimate sitcom, because it is the ultimate in no-risk, virtual friendship. They won’t show their distaste if you fart audibly. They won’t ever try to tell you that you should get your life together and stop complaining. They won’t mind if, on occasion (just on occasion), you stand them up because you go out to see other people. But this won’t happen too often - cos who wants to go out and make other friends when you’ve got Joey, Ross, Phoebe, and that other one?
As for those “real” friends, as they call them - well, who bothers with all that these days? It’s just too inconvenient, what with work and all… and when you try having real friends, you always have to think up things to do with them, then it turns out they don’t like visiting the Immigration Museum, and that was your last semi-plausible idea. It’s just not worth it.
But Friends, well, they’ll be there… for… you…, cos you’ll be there… for… them… too. Every night at 7:30pm.
After all, what else are sitcoms for?
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