doodledee

Unless you've been hiding in a cave with Osama bin Laden, isolated from communication with the outside world and surviving on water, grubs, and maybe the occasional domino's cheesy dot, I'm guessing that you're probably just as jaded and cynical as I am about the media's carpet-bombing campaign in support of tonight's final episode of Friends. Or maybe you're not, who knows.

Sure, it probably represents the end of some sort of "era", though exactly which era that is seems to be somewhat debatable. Maybe the Era of Lazily Written Jokes About Doin' It? Or maybe the Era of $500 Casual Sweaters On a Sitcom? Or the Era of Really Old Characters Named Phoebe Trying to Act Young and Hip But Instead Just Looking Kind of Sad?

Lordy, let's hope so, because all that stuff got old 5 seasons ago when they ran out of real story ideas. So much of it is cheap and easy and shallow and gross and how it manages such widespread critical and fan appeal totally escapes me.

But whatever. I'll be watching. Just like I do every week for reasons that I'll never understand. And pretty much all the people I know will be watching, too. I suppose that's how Friends stays #1 in the ratings all the time, eh?

There was an interesting story over the weekend somewhere that talked about how goofy it was that in an era where reality shows dominate so much of what people watch, a show like Friends, so far removed from reality, is the hottest thing going. I thought that was a neat point. Then again, I think they did the 'real' Friends type deal on Real World 1 and it totally sucked. So there.

'Friends' Says Farewell on NBC Tonight [y!]
Friends Finale Exclusive Features and Downloads - I finally found my new wallpaper! [nbc]
E!'s Friends Mega Tribute [e!]
'Friends' Writers Lewd Talk About Aniston, Cox [smokinggun]