Friends : The Reunion brings together the original cast of the hit comedy TV series that ran from 1994 – 2004. Since ending the series 17 years ago, Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry and Matt Le Blanc – all worldwide household names due to the show’s popularity – have never been in the same TV event together until this reunion show.
Entitled “The One Where They Get Back Together Again”, this much anticipated reunion has been talked about amongst the fans and media for years and the manner in which it was handled was sensible, in the final analysis. Instead, of actually continuing the series from where it was left off, Friends : The Reunion is more of a retrospective programme with the original cast taking centrestage.
It largely works mainly due to the nostalgia factor of course. Those 10 seasons of Friends is interwoven with so many personal memories with friends and family that it is bound to pull on the heartstrings of anyone who tunes in. Which is precisely what HBO Max is banking on. The uncanny worldwide popularity of the TV series guarantees that this proposition is no risk event whatsoever.
The about 100 minutes go by quite smoothly and the audience is taken on an emotional ride by allowing themselves to relive the series through the experiences of the original cast. In this respect, it’s more like a non-scripted, reality show which then retains an air of authenticity. No cringeworthy, awkward moments – Friends : The Reunion is rather tastefully done overall.
Unlike the pseudo Seinfeld reunion which was achieved during the seventh season of Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm – a meta experience if there ever was – Friends : The Reunion is played straight and safe, which is fine, all things considered. Obviously for the original cast, this show means a big payday for them, HBO Max should get huge streaming numbers while us fans, simply get a chance to feel good about the past. We call that a bargain!
Now streaming on HBO Go.
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