Friends jumped the shark

Results spread widely among the 200-plus episodes in the past 10 years. Top vote-getting episodes:

... With the Prom Video (Feb. 1, 1996). Home video shows Monica and Rachel's senior prom.

... With the Embryos (Jan. 15, 1998). Phoebe undergoes procedure to become a surrogate mother.

... Where Everybody Finds Out (Feb. 11, 1999). Phoebe uncovers Chandler and Monica's relationship.

... When No One's Ready (Sept. 26, 1996). No one's ready to leave for Ross' black-tie affair.

... Where Ross Finds Out (Nov. 9, 1995). Ross kisses Rachel for the first time.

... With All the Resolutions (Jan. 7, 1999). Ross wrestles with leather pants.

Source: USA TODAY and USATODAY.com survey, 962 respondents

I have always thought that Friends jumped the shark after season 5, so I feel vindicated by this poll (All of these episodes are pre-season 6).

To be fair, some parts of post season 5 Friends were enjoyable such as the Ross/Charlie/Joey/Rachel Quadrangle and comedy-wise, the show didn’t start to really really go downhill until season 7. Otherwise it was unfathomable to me that I was seemingly the only one who noticed the near static character development, and the increasingly far-fetched plots.

For example,

Monica = louder and much more much consumed with her mild to moderate obsessive-compulsive disorder

When I watch episodes like “The One Where Joey Speaks French”, I literally cringe. Not only is it very un-funny watching Joey (Matt LeBlanc) butcher the French language, but it’s fucking encouraging and contributing to xenophobia in the USA (Aside from WWI & WWII, I really don’t understand why people don’t like the French as opposed to say…. the Americans).

And of course, that awful awful Ross & Rachel reunion in the Friends Finale.

Yet somehow, after season one, Friends was consistently in the top 5 for ratings.

Meanwhile, shows like Angel and Family Guy got awful ratings leading to their eventual cancellations (in the case of Family Guy, TWICE!)

At the same time, a great and critically acclaimed show like Arrested Development has to rely on grass-root campaigns just to stay afloat because FOX might not renew the show for a third season. (saveourbluths.com) (getarrested.com)

Vic, how would you describe the majority of Friends’ audience?

“These are the kinds of people who shovel food into their mouths for hours and can't tell you one thing they just ate. They seem incapable of analysing or even detecting the subtlies of things, and even contemplating doing such things hurts their head just a bit too much.”