Au Revoir, Mes Amis

Like most people I know, I caught the last episode of Friends last night. For all the critical acclaim the show did not get over the years, it was the show that I had to see every Thursday at 8pm for the last ten years. And I still try to catch the reruns faithfully. Slate calls the series more of a soap opera with laughs, rather than a sitcom. I'd say that's a correct assessment, given the emotional ups and downs and long story lines. Not to mention the decade-long relationship between Ross and Rachel. (Okay, another wussy confession: I tear up without shame every time I see the last scene in the "Lobster" episode.)

And what a cultural phenomenon. Like it or not, Friends made an impact -- from hairstyles ("The Rachel") to catch phrases ("How you doin'", "Oh. My. Gawd"), to party games (nobody I know can beat Lisa at the show's trivia; And I'd love to see the board game version of "Bamboozled"). If nothing else, Friends was a show that made it easy for viewers to care deeply for the characters, and made us want to tune in to see what happened next. It defined NBC's "must see TV". And most of us used the show as party conversation. Viewers my age grew up with the show, and the show reflected our attitudes and ideas. And the characters grew and matured alongside us. They stretched their adolescence until they, like us, were forced to grow up.

As for the final episode, there were some funny moments, and I treasured the ending (rather, new beginning) between Ross and Rachel, even though none of it was unexpected. Except for the birth of the twins. And I made it through the episode with my manhood in one piece. I was wistful, but I didn't cry. I enjoyed the episode, even though I spent the whole time with a knot in my stomach because I was dreading the inevitable ending. But it ended just right, with the six of them leaving the apartment to get one more cup of coffee.

I'm sad to see them go, and I hope the Joey spinoff will give us an opportunity to see the characters again. Just like your real-life friends, you want to check up on them sometime. See how they're doin'.