Friends TV Show – The Complete Series DVD Box Set contains all season
1–10 of the smash-hit comedy in a 40 disc collection. 88 hours of
content!
A US sitcom behemoth, Friends shot out of the gate in 1994 with snappy
writing and an attractive cast. The exploits of sensitive paleontologist Ross
Geller (David Schwimmer), his obsessive-compulsive sister Monica Geller
(Courteney Cox); Monica's roommate Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), a spoiled
rich girl trying to live on her own; earthy aromatherapist/masseuse Phoebe
Buffay (Lisa Kudrow); and Monica's neighbours across the hall – sarcastic
Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and his struggling actor roommate Joey Tribbiani
(Matt LeBlanc) became a nationwide obsession, a pop-culture icon (remember
“The Rachel” haircut?) and a ratings hit for its entire run.
The first two seasons were mostly centered on the on-off saga of Ross and
Rachel, and while their relationship remained a strong presence through romantic
rivals and even a baby, the other characters eventually moved from sideshow
players into a shared comedic lead. But Friends was not without its heart. Most
of the cast had dysfunctional relationships with their parents and went through
loss, divorce, marriage, parenthood, and love triangles. The emotional
pregnancies of Rachel (by Ross) and Phoebe (surrogate to her
half-brother's triplets) won the actresses Emmy Awards, and Joey's tender
feelings for Rachel in Season 8 won LeBlanc, the most improved actor in the
series, a nomination.
Most sitcoms run out of ideas by the fifth season, but Friends gave itself a
refreshing jolt the minute Monica and Chandler wound up in bed together. Their
budding romance was not only the one of the funniest arcs of the series, but one
of the most sentimental, as they planned a wedding, struggled to have a child
and eventually turned to adoption. By seasons seven and onwards, the characters
had each “grown up” from young singletons to thirtysomethings finding
permanence in their careers and love lives but never losing the laughs.
Friends featured a parade of celebrity guests, but utilised most of the stars
as more than mere cameos: The sextet's parents were all brilliantly cast,
particularly Kathleen Turner as Chandler's drag-queen father and Teri Garr as
Phoebe's dizzy mom. Everyone from George Clooney to Sean Penn to Julia Roberts
to Bruce Willis has appeared on the sitcom, and Tom Selleck certainly enjoyed a
career resuscitation after his recurring role as Monica's older man.
But no star power ever penetrated the bond between the six stars and their
unmatchable chemistry worked for ten seasons. Even though the show is probably
repeated somewhere in the world every day, this boxed set of Friends remains
watchable over and over again – even if that theme song eventually grates on
your nerves! –Sally Giles
PACKAGING MAY VARY FROM SHOWN
40 disc boxed set.