How I Met Your Mother vs Friends

[Spot's Meow]

Carcazoid wrote:

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Ms. Chanandler Bong.

I was hoping someone would come along with this. The episode that's from (The One With the Embryos), where they have the trivia contest over the apartment, is probably my favorite Friends episode.

[RoJoHen]

Spot's Meow wrote:

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I was hoping someone would come along with this. The episode that's from (The One With the Embryos), where they have the trivia contest over the apartment, is probably my favorite Friends episode.

That is easily one of the best episodes of any sitcom ever.

Rachel: "He's a transpons--transponster!"
Monica: "THAT'S NOT EVEN A WORD!!!"

[the G-man]

I'd put them as about equal. Both had some great seasons and both of them ran too long.

[Guy Gardener]

I still think that The Bings is a viable spinoff.

Goon is treading water.

Drown Goon! Drown!

Chandler trying to live happily ever after with Monica while secretly have an affair with Janice who lives next door.

[Goji]

I'm probably alone in this, but I can't stand "Friends".

I've never seen the other show, but if it has Neil Patrick Harris, that's a point in its favor. I didn't vote in the poll though.

[Bisz]

On the one hand I love HIMYM and on the other I was never a fan of Friends so the choices were pretty easy for me... and it seems I'm in the majority. Hmm, I must re-evaluate my position

[Beagleman]

HIMYM, both cast and writing. I liked Friends quite a bit but in retrospect and in comparison to HIMYM I find most of it's characters either annoying or unlikeable...

[scnj]

I don't know yet. HIMYM appeals to me with all of its continuity porn, but it all hinges on how they end it. If I'm channel flipping, I'll still watch Friends if I see it's on, but I can't guarantee the same for HIMYM yet.

Also, Scrubs eclipses both, in terms of humour and emotional connection. Neither Friends or HIMYM made me tear up, but Scrubs managed it twice.

[Geckothan]

Friends hasn't aged that well for a 90s sitcom (compared with Frasier, for example). HIMYM obviously doesn't have that issue right now, so it's impossible to compare them fairly. I prefer HIMYM myself, though. I can watch that show all day, but Friends gets annoying after 2-3 eps in a row (maybe it's just because Comedy Central always seems to have the same episodes on every time I watch it on there?).

[FPAlpha]

scnj wrote:

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I don't know yet. HIMYM appeals to me with all of its continuity porn, but it all hinges on how they end it. If I'm channel flipping, I'll still watch Friends if I see it's on, but I can't guarantee the same for HIMYM yet.

Also, Scrubs eclipses both, in terms of humour and emotional connection. Neither Friends or HIMYM made me tear up, but Scrubs managed it twice.

Well.. as with most shows the early part of Scrubs was awesome but got less so as the show progressed (with some exceptions). But the first 3 or 4 seasons are better than both other shows combined mainly due to the comedy which was completed by some truly sad moments.

Plus they had the most awesome supporting characters ever.. Ted, Todd and the Janitor were just hilarious and i had stomach aches several times for laughing so hard

[JarodRussell]

Definitely Friends. HIMYM is nice, but Friends beats it on every level.

[EmoBorg]

Geckothan wrote:

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Friends hasn't aged that well for a 90s sitcom.

I would beg to differ on that. Friends is still fresh even though it's first season aired 18 years ago. I don't know whether HIMYM will still be that fresh in 18 years time.

I don't think that the cast of HIMYM has the closeness that the cast of Friends had. The Friends cast were being paid different amounts in season 1 and season 2 before they decided to enter into collective bargaining for equal pay. Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer had their pays reduced to match the lowest paid cast members.

I read that Jason Segel plan to leave HIMYM after this season to further his movie career and the cast of HIMYM still get paid different amounts after 8 seasons.

[FPAlpha]

EmoBorg wrote:

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I would beg to differ on that. Friends is still fresh even though it's first season aired 18 years ago. I don't know whether HIMYM will still be that fresh in 18 years time.

I don't think that the cast of HIMYM has the closeness that the cast of Friends had. The Friends cast were being paid different amounts in season 1 and season 2 before they decided to enter into collective bargaining for equal pay. Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer had their pays reduced to match the lowest paid cast members.

I read that Jason Segel plan to leave HIMYM after this season to further his movie career and the cast of HIMYM still get paid different amounts after 8 seasons.

I wouldn't read too much into that. The Friends salary thing is pretty much unique and shouldn't be a benchmark on how close a cast is.

A much better gauge for me would be to watch the gag/blooper reels for each show.. when people mess up or goof around you can really see how comfortable they are with each other and having seen them all for each show (yeah.. i love bloopers reels ) i can say that each cast seems pretty much comfortable and close with each other (and HYMIM is far more racy at times ).

As a contrast watch the gag reels for Community.. especially the ones from the later seasons and see how they react to Chevy Chase. You can feel that the others are not really including him in their antics that much and try to keep a distance.. anyone who's familiar with the background workings of the show knows why that may be the case.

[Vanyel]

Friends and as proof I offer this:



And for bloopers I offer my all time favorite blooper:

[Vanyel]

I also think there is a bit of the age of the cast that I can relate too. I'm approximately the same age as the characters and went through life a bit like they did. Finding my way and love with my friends.