”So no one told you life was going to be this way.
Your job’s a joke, you’re broke, you’re love life’s DOA.
It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear,
Well, it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year.”
”But, I’ll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour.
I’ll be there for you, like I’ve been there before.
I’ll be there for you, cause you’re there for me too.”
There is nothing significant to give as an introduction about the most loved and adored TV Series ‘friends’, everybody is very much aware of this show and how for 10 years it ruled the aura of tv series in hollywood. No matter if you are a non- holly person, or a full on holly person or an addict holly person, ‘friends’ is a show which you never want to miss. After ruling for about 10 years, the tv series was repeatedly viewed and appreciated by the audiences. Even if we talk about 2015, the show hasn’t lost its spirit and vibe.
So, here i’ll be discussing few facts that are not much known about this show.
1. Revolutionary reactions.
No doubt as it is a comedy show, the comic timings are ought to be perfect but the level of perfection which this show implies is outstanding. The reactions these characters give are not only complemented with the laughter that goes behind it but is also pushed to a stomach-aching laughter by taking into consideration the view of it. The camera is placed in several directions,the reaction is repeated each time and in which ever direction the comic ratio is more, the scene is shot there.
2. The perfect arrangement of settings.
Initially, it was not believable to me as well that the major setting of the show i.e ‘Central Perk’ is actually a normal square room, not very large in size. This room is arranged and then re-arranged each day in the mornings before the shoot. But we never realize it as its done with utter perfection ‘each day’. When the show is to be shot only in Monica’s apartment, then this same room is converted into the apartment.
3. The Characters.
Initially, the show was to be shot with only 4 characters; ROSS, RACHEL, MONICA and JOEY. Phoebe and Chandler were supposed to be just supporting characters. Later on the show was converted into a 6-friends show before its first telecast. The characters who were supposed to be the supporting ones actually supported the ladder of success which went into the show.
4. How u doin? / nothin much, juz need food!
Yes, that’s our Joey. He doesn’t share food. But do you know that Matt le Blanc too doesn’t share food? One of the facts about Matt le Blanc tells us that when he auditioned for the show, he had in his pocket only 11$ and when all of these characters got their first payments, they bought expensive items. For example, Monica got an expensive car, but what did joey get? Yes, you are right it was a good full hot plate of FOOD.
5. Oops! I forgot , but lets ask the audience!
Producers of the show were always conscious of what their audiences think about each and every scene. So, they had a crew as audience to give suggestions and comment upon each and every scene. In the first episode of ‘FRIENDS’ i.e The pilot, Monica forgets the name of the guy she slept with. Producers thought that this might be moralistically wrong and the audience might start hating her. So, they asked the crew if it has to be changed, but they relented and the scene was shot.
6. 5 hours for 1 episode.
Yes, it took 5 hours in total to shoot 1 episode of ‘FRIENDS’. But why? The reasons include the arrangement of the rooms and the scenes not only to be shot but shot carefully with the audience’s consent on each scene. Along with this, one interesting point I found out about the shooting of the episodes is that the sound of even an opening door was shot in a manner that would evoke laughter. Now I know why even the sound of Chandler banging on a table makes it so hilarious! Also, these sounds are not actually the real sound of the door or the table, it comes from the background. There is another crew for that.
7. The united ‘SIX’
As the name of the show suggests, these six actors by the 2nd or 3rd season became very close friends. When this show started, their salaries were just $22,000 but by the time they reached to 2nd or the beginning of the 3rd season, their stipend increased. But because of the popularity aspect, their salaries weren’t equivalent to which they protested. These were the only actors to ask for equal salaries while being united. They asked for an equal salary of $100,000 per episode which was by the 10th season went up to $1 million.
8. The homosexuality
The character of Chandler, as you might have noticed was very feminine in nature. In fact when Liza Kudrow read the script for the first time, she almost thought that Chandler’s character is a gay. But Matthew Perry interpreted the character in a very different way and filled it with humor rather than conforming to the gay thing. Later, the producer clarified that the character is not gay, never was!
9. ‘Smelly cat’ on guitar… Nooo!
Liza Kudrow literally hated guitar. After reading the script, she asked the producers to substitute the guitar with some other instruments. Also, she knew nothing of a guitar. But the producers didn’t agree and she had to learn some of the chords of guitar which according to the demands of the show were enough as Phoebe wasn’t herself good at it. She realized the actual value of the scenes she shot with a guitar in her hand, when ‘smelly cat’ became so popular and loved.
10. It was Monica and Joey!
The main love interest in the show, as noticed was Rachel- Ross love story and maximum of the episodes revolved around this, but do you know that initially the main love interest as decided by the producers was supposed to be Monica and Joey?
And thus, the show was a great hit! A lot of effort went into the making of it, a lot of life was inflicted into it to make it more and more adorable and humorous.
It’s no doubt a mood buster!
Author’s bio
Hey, this is Priyanka kaushik, a literature student keen on exploring the depths of it. Loves to write, express opinions, analyse and write poetry. An avid reader.
