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Poll: Is The Big Bang Theory the new Friends??
View Poll Results: TBBT the new Friends???
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YASSSS
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41 |
41.00% |
NOOOO
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59 |
59.00% |
Member Since: 4/25/2011
Posts: 41,661
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Quote:
Originally posted by Big Smoke
they aint getting paid like the cast of Friends though.
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They got paid a million per episode during its last seasons.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 12,120
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And if we want to talk about Stereotypes Lets talk about Rachel Green the rich girl who never had to work for nothing, finally being pushed by controlling Monica to destroy her Credit Cards, Lets talk about Nerdy Ross who said he would rather miss SEX than stop doing science, lets talk about Joey the macho man who is hot and dumb. All these TV shows place out sterotypes lets not single out anyone
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 11,302
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Quote:
Originally posted by JessicaVanessa
And if we want to talk about Stereotypes Lets talk about Rachel Green the rich girl who never had to work for nothing, finally being pushed by controlling Monica to destroy her Credit Cards, Lets talk about Nerdy Ross who said he would rather miss SEX than stop doing science, lets talk about Joey the macho man who is hot and dumb. All these TV shows place out sterotypes lets not single out anyone
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CLOCK ha
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 12,120
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sazare
Yes, award shows like those. Good job for citing examples.
Award shows in general exist solely to appease the general public. This also includes the Grammys, the Oscars, and the Golden Globes. The Kids' Choice Awards are as indicative of quality as any of those awards shows are.
No serious critic would actually say TBBT is the best comedy on television right now, network or otherwise.
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The only bad review the show ever got as a season was the first one. Keep trying, you mentioned Awards shows, so I give you Award Shows receipts.
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Member Since: 5/18/2012
Posts: 27,141
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HIMYM was Friends 2.0.. and King Barney and Queen Phoebe >>>>>>>>>>>>>
TBBT albeit Hillarious and insanely successful.. has little to no emotion in it!! and Friends and HIMYM were both sitcoms that made u cry at times.. TBBT doesnt do that!
if anything, its the new TwoAndAHalfMen
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Member Since: 1/11/2012
Posts: 14,421
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I can't stand The Big Bang Theory
I think Friends is more commercial than Big Bang Theory. Friends was TV anyone could easily get into. Big Bang Theory had a target demographic. It's popular, but not like Friends.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 12,120
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Quote:
The Stereotypes of Characters on the Television Series Friends
Abstract
In today’s society, there are so many different stereotypes that are placed on people depending on the way they act or speak. Many of these categories can be seen throughout the TV series Friends, created by David Krane and Marta Kauffman in 1994. The six main characters provide substantial examples of six different stereotypical groups, and through studying their characteristics and behavior, the classifying factors and traits of each group can be determined.
The Stereotypes of Characters on the Television Series Friends
One of the most popular and longest running sitcoms of all times, Friends is not only a comedic form of entertainment, but also a perfect exhibit of many typical stereotypes that society places on individuals. The six main characters of the series can each be classified into a common, though not always accurate, stereotypical group. A stereotype is defined as a “simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group” (“Stereotype”, 2007). Though there are a countless number of stereotypes existent in society, on Friends, there are six prominent groups: the ‘dumb blond’, the ‘nerd’, the spoiled ‘daddy’s girl’, the homosexual man, the ‘neat freak’, and the actor. The characters of Phoebe, Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, and Joey are all accurate representatives from each of these groups. Throughout the ten years of episodes, the show has provided a wonderful display of the social hierarchy as viewed through the stereotypical eyes of many people in modern day society.
Phoebe Buffay can definitely be considered the “dumb blonde” of the group. She often makes unintelligent remarks, and completely ridiculous statements. A recent definition of the term ‘dumb blonde’ states that “the archetypical dumb blonde, while attractive and popular, lacks both common sense and academic intelligence, often to a comedic level” (“Dumb Blonde”, 2007). This definition perfectly suits Phoebe, who often finds herself in situations where she appears to exhibit these characteristics. For example, although she is in her twenties, Phoebe still believes in Santa Claus, and one of her goals to accomplish by age thirty was to travel one mile on a hippity-hop, a child’s plaything (Bright, 1994, “Ball). Recently, blondes have become subject to many jokes, innuendos, and promiscuous phrases that relate to both their attractiveness and intelligence (or lack there of). The reason for this can be attributed to women like Phoebe, who, despite their actual intelligence, appear rather dim most of the time. In The One Where Heckles Dies, Phoebe and Ross get into an argument about the theory of Evolution. Ross, being a paleontologist, obviously supports the widely-accepted theory while Phoebe does not. Ross equates not believing in evolution to not believing in something as concrete as gravity, to which Phoebe says “Oh, okay, don’t even get me started on gravity” (Bright, 1994). Since gravity has been proven to exist, the friends all look at her with skepticism. She claims that she doesn’t feel so much pulled down to the earth as she does pushed. Clearly, Phoebe has no idea what she is talking about, yet proceeds to argue anyway, which eventually makes her come across as rather stupid. It is moments like these that define Phoebe as a ‘dumb blonde’. It is clear that even Phoebe herself recognizes this stereotype, for at one point she states “I may play the fool at times, but I’m more than just a pretty blonde girl…” (Bright, 1994, “Sweater”). One of the most stereotypical characters on the show, Phoebe Buffay encompasses everything that defines the term ‘dumb blonde’.
Without a doubt, Dr. Ross Gellar is the ‘nerd’ of the bunch. Everything about Ross, from his tweed jackets with suede shoulder pads to his love of dinosaurs to his over enunciation of words, fits the typical definition of the nerd or geek stereotype. Referring to Paleontologists, Ross himself comments that they “as a group are not the coolest” (Bright, 1994, “Barbados”). Ross is definitely very intelligent and mature, but to his friends, this is viewed as geeky. ‘Nerd’ is a derogatory term that can today be defined as someone who “passionately pursues intellectual activities or esoteric knowledge rather than engaging in more social activities, such as organized sports” (“Nerd”, 2007). When he was a boy, Ross created his own superhero named ‘Science Boy’ whose power was a “superhuman thirst for knowledge” (Bright, 1994, “Mugging”). That, plus the fact that his backpack had a sticker that said “geology rocks” can more or less sum up Ross’ childhood. It seems that he was often made fun of and picked on. Ross was also in his high school marching band (Bright, 1994, “Princess”)- an act of social suicide. The term ‘marching-band geek’ has survived the high school population for generations, and ultimately defines members of the band as complete losers. The fact that Ross was in this group only accentuates his already established reputation of being a nerd. In addition, Nerds are commonly picked on for their lack of athletic ability. Similarly, Ross has almost no athletic ability himself. During one episode Ross finds an old report card of his and begins to read it out loud to his father. “History: A; Science: A; Math: A”. When he reaches gym class, however, he hastily puts the report card away and changes the subjects. This reveals that Ross must have been very poor at sports and athletics since he was clearly embarrassed by his grades in physical education. Shortly after his report card incident, Ross’ father finds his old makeup kit, which Ross tries to justify as a “Clown Kit” (Bright, 1994, “Rosita”). It is clear that Ross Gellar perfectly fits the archetypal definition of the word ‘nerd’.
Perhaps the most well-known character of the series, Rachel Greene represents what many would call a “spoiled daddy’s girl”. She always gets her way, is constantly praised (and supplied with money) by her parents, and can be quite selfish to an extent. In high school, Rachel was Captain of the cheerleading squad, and known as one of the snobbiest, yet also the most popular, girls in school. It is clear that Rachel and her father are very close, and that she is very much so a ‘daddy’s girl’. She still calls her father by the name ‘Daddy’ all they way through her early thirties. Her father, in return, is very overprotective of her, especially when it comes to the men that Rachel dates. At one point, Rachel’s father actually threatens to kill one of Rachel’s boyfriends (Bright, 1994, “Stripper”). After she moves to the city by herself, Rachel’s parents try to bribe her to come home. Rachel complains to her friends about how her father offered to buy her a new Mercedes convertible- if she moves back home (Bright, 1994, “German”). The average father probably would not buy is daughter a top-of-the-line car out of the blue, but since Mr. Greene obviously spoils his daughter, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. Rachel’s behavior and personality can be compared to that of many modern day celebrities, most notably Paris Hilton and Nichole Richie. They both embody everything it means to be spoiled and snobby, yet are endorsed by so many people in society. Rachel, perhaps a bit less extreme than Hilton or Richie, still portrays a very stereotypical character.
Chandler Bing has a bit of a colorful personality, and can fit more than one stereotypical description. The most prominent, however, is the one defined by his so-called ‘quality’. Many friends, coworkers, and especially women often mistake Chandler for being gay. He is the typical image of a homosexual man. He often makes homosexual-esque remarks, and dresses very nicely (a quality usually associated with gay men). One example of this is when Chandler finds out that a woman beat him out for a job position by sleeping with someone on the decision panel. Accidentally, he exclaims “Oh! I would have slept with him!” (Bright, 1994, “Lottery”). It is remarks like these that earned Chandler his reputation. Homosexual men are generally stereotyped as being effeminate, which is a quality that Chandler definitely possesses. His voice often gets high pitched and squeaky for no particular reason. Chandler also has many interests that can be classified as gay. He owns two copies of the Annie soundtrack, and loves the movie Miss Congeniality (Bright, 1994, “Barbados”), both of which are very feminine. Not to mention that show tunes and Broadway music are definite generalized interests that are placed on all gay men. Though homosexuality is very controversial in today’s society, on the show it is viewed as more of a comical joke, though not in a demeaning or discriminatory way. Chandler possesses many gay qualities, although his sexual orientation remains straight.
Although many words could classify Monica Gellar, perfectionist is definitely the first that comes to mind. In every aspect of her life, Monica is all about perfection and cleanliness; her apartment is always spotless and she cleans anything and everything. More than just a typical ‘neat freak’, Monica is utterly obsessed with cleanliness. Though her character may be a little bit dramatized compared to the real world, the writers still establish quite a comical form of healthy obsession through Monica. In The One Where Chandler Gets Caught, Monica can be seen in her apartment vacuuming the floor. When she is finished, she pulls out a smaller vacuum and vacuums the large vacuum with it. Then, she wishes that there were an even smaller vacuum to clean that one (Bright, 1994). This is just one example of Monica’s extreme love of cleanliness and compulsive need to clean. It is normal to want a clean apartment, but Monica takes cleaning to the extreme. She is overly concerned with cleanliness and perfection, and sometimes lets that get the best of her. In The One With the Tea Leaves, Monica explains to Phoebe how the dry cleaner is like Disneyland to her. She proceeds to go watch the electric clothing racks which she calls “the dance of the clean shirts” (Bright, 1994). It is very quirky how much she loves cleaning, but luckily for her, her friends find in endearing.
The character of Joey Tribbiani displays the most distinct stereotype of the group: the actor. He is “oversexed, undereducated, and constantly looking for work”, an image associated by most people to young actors in today’s society. With a leading role on Days of Our Lives, Joey considers himself a soap-opera star. Simple-minded as he may be, Joey could be considered somewhat of an idiot savant when it comes to romance. Like most celebrities, Joey never has trouble finding women, and is notorious for being a ladies man. As Chandler puts it, “Sure, a hot girl is at stake and suddenly he’s Rain Man” (Bright, 1994, “Baby-sits”). There are not many people who would turn down the chance to date a celebrity, regardless of their personality or intelligence. Joey takes full advantage of this fact in his quest to pick up women, but once the women get to know Joey, they rarely stick around for a second date. Actors as a whole are generally considered incompetently educated or unintelligent, considering the fact that no true education is required to pursue a career in acting. Joey Tribbiani proves this point quote well. His lack of intelligence is clearly evident when he introduces himself as Dr. Drake Ramoray, the star of “The Days of Our Lives”. Ross quickly points out to him that the actual name of the show is “Days of Our Lives”, and that there is no ‘the’ in the title (Bright, 1994, “Barbados”). Joey thinks Ross is kidding, and shrugs him off. The most extreme and exaggerate example, however, is perhaps when Joey offers to write a recommendation for Monica and Chandler for an adoption agency. Worried that he won’t sound smart enough, Joey decides to use a thesaurus on every single word in his letter. When he proudly shows Monica and Chandler the completed letter, Monica tells him that they can’t use it because he signed it “Baby Kangaroo Tribbiani”. Also in the same letter, he changes the sentence ‘they are warm, nice people with big hearts’ to “they are humid prepossessing Homo sapiens with full sized aortic pumps” (Bright, 1994, “Baby-sits”. Clearly, intelligence is not Joey’s forte, but that is just a typical characteristic that is associated with typical modern day actors anyway.
Throughout the ten years of the Friends series, each of the main characters can be categorized into a particular stereotype of modern society. Through their adventures, experiences, and foibles, each of the characters represents a different group of the stereotypical hierarchy that the show inadvertently portrays. Phoebe, Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, and Joey all create a perfect balance of different personalities and characters that helps the show connect to its viewers and to reality.
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An Essay was writing about FRIENDS stereotypes...so don't come for Big Bang Theory's
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 12,120
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Quote:
Originally posted by ethaniel
I can't stand The Big Bang Theory
I think Friends is more commercial than Big Bang Theory. Friends was TV anyone could easily get into. Big Bang Theory had a target demographic. It's popular, but not like Friends.
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I hated TBBT too...until I got into it after watching Re Runs on TBS If you give it a chance you might like it.
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Member Since: 5/18/2012
Posts: 27,141
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and while i'll say that TBBT has a more interesting fresh plot .. but Friends writing and script was better. plus friends has an incredible Replay value.. which TBBT doesnt so much!
not to mention in friends each charachter had a huge fanbase and awards or not, had an impact of their own.. but TBBT so kany times revolves only around sheldon with the remaining cast being used as no more than props for him. this is the one thing that has bothered me alot! its a sheldon show and the other charachters are really just okay.. (well now its the sheldon and amy show)
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 3,852
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I love both shows, but, Friends >>> The Big Bang Theory. And it'll always be that way.
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Member Since: 9/1/2013
Posts: 338
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I get that Friends is a classic, but I think The Big Bang Theory is so much better.
Sheldon alone >>> most of the Friends cast
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Member Since: 1/11/2012
Posts: 14,421
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Quote:
Originally posted by JessicaVanessa
An Essay was writing about FRIENDS stereotypes...so don't come for Big Bang Theory's
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That uses character traits from them in like Season 1-2. Over the seasons, they all changed greatly (except Joey). If you think of Rachel as "spoiled daddy's girl" by Season 10,
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Member Since: 5/10/2010
Posts: 6,255
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Sure, why not though I prefer Kaley to that annoying Aniston woman.
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Member Since: 11/15/2011
Posts: 13,901
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excuse me? this is blasphemy!
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Member Since: 10/21/2009
Posts: 2,703
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No and Friends is miles better than TBBT.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 2,148
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what? friends was bull compared to TBBT
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Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 2,198
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No. Friends will always be superior and more global. Nothing will ever touch it, ever.
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Member Since: 9/4/2011
Posts: 29,960
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This show is so damn overrated and the audience it appeals to...
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 61,634
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SO many pressed bitches here. HIMYM is just stupid, TBBT is the new Friends.
/endthread
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Member Since: 11/2/2010
Posts: 20,295
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I've never really enjoyed Friends, let alone most American sitcoms, with the exception of The Big Bang Theory and Curb Your Enthusiasm. I do think that TBBT was (and still is, to some extent) an excellent show, especially in the first five seasons, however season 6 really dragged it down. That season they focussed too much on character development and as a result it felt forced and unnatural. For example the Shamy relationship. Scenes that spring to mind are the scene when Amy's ill and Sheldon applies Vaporub to her chest and spanks her. The writers portray him as some sexually oblivious nerd in this example, but several episodes later suddenly he's contemplating having sex with her? As there are so many writers and episodes to fill, the show's lost its way, forgotten what made it funny and as a result characters are losing their personality and becoming "normal". I think the writers need to take some time out, reflect and then come back in two years with a more streamlined season. Season 7 has yet to air here but the reception has been quite good so hopefully the writers have upped their game.
I don't think I answered your question. But only having seen a few episodes of Friends, I'd say yes.
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