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Commentary
Sitcom is fall’s Super Bowl
By Andy Rennecke
Published:
Monday, September 30, 2002
Andy Rennecke -- Staff Essay
Every year in late January, football fans are worked into a frenzy over the anticipation of the biggest game of the year.
Of course this game is the Mecca of football, the Super Bowl. People attend friends’ parties to watch the biggest sporting contest of the year, while guzzling refreshing beverages and mowing down anything that looks greasy.
This has become a traditional American custom, even if you’re not a big football fan. The commercials alone make the evening entertaining for all ages.
Another day has become an American pastime. This day is on a Thursday in late September however, and only lasts 30 minutes.
This event is the season premiere of everyone’s favorite sitcom, Friends. Now, there are two days out of the year where everyone can sit around the television for a while and just vegetate.
I myself have been a lifelong Friends fanatic.
I’ve watched the show since its beginnings in 1994, and could reel off any fact about the series that could insinuate that I may be borderline insane.
On every occasion where I’ve gone into one of these rants, I receive quite a beleaguered response.
Those who know me personally though, know that this is commonplace.
There are many Friends fanatics around college campuses, so it’s not like I’m promoting Boy Meets World here. (By the way, Topanga rules) Every time the show is mentioned, you usually hear someone say how much they enjoy the hilarity of it.
I found myself conflicted as to where I should go to view this year’s premiere.
Should I stay at home while some old friends come over to watch it, or should I travel to another cohort’s dwellings and watch it at an, “official,” party.
I chose the first option and chose to watch it with the old friends.
I felt more comfortable watching it in my roommate’s broken recliner, than possibly missing parts of the premiere due to noise levels at the party.
Fairly anal you may say? Not if you’re a fanatic my response would be. Taping shows and watching them repeatedly sometimes is an option as well.
While I was labeled a scoundrel for not attending the bash, I would have missed valuable jokes and plot twists if I had attended.
Ross and Rachel are going to end up together, but that darn Joey just keeps sticking his nose into everything.
And how is Emma going to fit in R & R’s future?
Are Monica and Chandler going to have a kid?
Is Phoebe ever going to find true love?
And will Jack Geller ever clear up that flatulence problem?
Too many questions and answers that I would’ve missed if I hadn’t been locked into the show.
Many of you will disagree with me on the premiere being just as big as the Super Bowl, but just look at the ratings. Thirty to 35 million viewers have been tuning into new episodes lately to see all the drama unfold with Rachel’s pregnancy.
While that’s smaller than Super Bowl ratings, it’s still not too shabby for a sitcom.
This could be the last year of the best sitcom of our generation.
There will never be another comedy that has affected the American public like this one has.
While rumors are floating around that there might be one more season in store, don’t buy into the Hollywood gossip.
Enjoy all of Joey’s sandwiches, Ross’s dinosaurs, Phoebe’s oh no’s, Monica’s cleanliness, Rachel’s shopping, and Chandler’s ugly dancing as long as you can.
Every Thursday at 7 p.m. will never be the same when it’s all over.
