Friends From College - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Your Media Topic!

[biakbiak]

They hated this show on the TV Avalanche podcast which given that i am convinced Alan Sepinwall lives inside my head I am probably not going to like this show which is disappointing. I will still check out a few episodes because I love the cast but will not have high expectations.

[Mya Stone]

On 7/10/2017 at 5:22 PM, biakbiak said:

They hated this show on the TV Avalanche podcast which given that i am convinced Alan Sepinwall lives inside my head I am probably not going to like this show which is disappointing. I will still check out a few episodes because I love the cast but will not have high expectations.

Fwiw, I kind of liked the pilot. I mean, I liked it as much as I cringed at the horrible choices being made. I really do like the cast, so I'm willing to give this a far shake. I'm on episode 2 now and it's holding up. Still cringing at the horrible choices. Still liking it. I'm not watching it as a comedy, if that makes any difference. And I really like the soundtrack. 

[biakbiak]

19 minutes ago, Mya Stone said:

Fwiw, I kind of liked the pilot. I mean, I liked it as much as I cringed at the horrible choices being made. I really do like the cast, so I'm willing to give this a far shake. I'm on episode 2 now and it's holding up. Still cringing at the horrible choices. Still liking it. I'm not watching it as a comedy, if that makes any difference. And I really like the soundtrack. 

Oh I will check it out despite that Sepinwall  used this as an example of why he shouldn't stick with shows when he doesn't like them. I just can name on one hand the number of shows I disagreed with him about so I might bail early!

[Mya Stone]

1 minute ago, biakbiak said:

Oh I will check it out despite that Sepinwall  used this as an example of why he shouldn't stick with shows when he doesn't like them. I just can name on one hand the number of shows I disagreed with him about so I might bail early!

I'm on episode 3 now. The guest stars are given complete comedic breakouts. I adore Forgetting Sarah Marshall so much I'm in this for the long haul. This is like watching all of the most embarrassing choices the characters in that make for 30 straight minutes. 

[NeenerNeener]

Kate McKinnon is a hoot but I don't think I've hated a set of regular characters this much since Seinfeld. I'm on episode 3 or 4, I'm not really sure which, and when this episode ends I'm out.

[shoregirl]

Everyone is so unlikable which i guess is a testament to their acting because i really like this cast. But I really want to reach through my tv and slap everyone except Billy Eichner because everytime he seems to be hiding his disdain for these people I'm right there with him. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I watched all 8.  Meh.  I liked the ACTORS; Keegan, Annie, Fred and Billy were my favourites.  I loved Annie's clothing (forget her character's name).  She was so glamourous.  But the show itself is just a bunch of assholes.  I can't reconcile it.  I thought Keegan and Annie showed a lot of chemistry and I wish the show was just about them, having friends.  Yes, I watched the entire thing, and I watched all of Glow, too, not really feeling like I even liked the show!  They're just easy and addictive watches.  It's like this new Netflix thing.

I hate how Seinfeld is always thrown in as an example of a show with immoral characters.  None of them remotely were adulterers.  None of them did anything close to what the people on this show did.  

While Glow has a good 80's soundtrack, Friends from College has an incredible 90's one.  Besides Kate McKinnon, these two actors have good cameos as well.

 

Seth Rogen and Ike Barinholtz

Edited July 16, 2017 by Ms Blue Jay

[Rinaldo]

I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not enjoying this show. At all. And yet when each episode finishes, I choose to watch another.

And then I have to stop watching in the middle of episodes. The one with the injections and the big one has to be perfectly timed... I quit 10 minutes in, because from the setup, I just knew Keegan was going to mess it up. And then a day later I returned to continue, but had to stop again when it became clear that things had gone south and they were going to need to wreck Billy and Fred's once-in-a-lifetime dinner splurge. I just can't take that much cringing. (I could take it in a zany farce but this isn't being played as farce.) I'm about to start again, heaven help me, and this time I hope to make it to the end of the episode. Will I then have the fortitude to just stop watching this?

The problem is... the cast. I just have so much goodwill built up toward them all, they're favorites, and I wish them well. (Yes, even now. They're doing what the script requires, like the professionals they are.) So I guess that's why I keep watching.

[EarlGreyTea]

Glad to see I'm not alone. I like the premise a lot, but wow if this is not one huge unlikable bunch. I almost didn't make it past the first episode. Everyone was so over the top and loud. I think part of the reason they were practically screaming dialogue, especially in the pilot, was because the cast was trying its hardest to establish that this was a group of friends who know one another backwards and forwards with their in-jokes and stories. I'm not really buying it, though.

Are late thirtysomethings considered millennials?  I think I would have bought their messy lives more easily had they all been 10 years removed from college instead of 20. Because I'm a firm millennial at 29 and this arrested development shtick ain't cute, and I feel like I'm the target audience. But I guess I'm also not a huge fan of grown ass adults in their late thirties making decisions like they're in their early twenties. That's what eventually turned me off from Grey's Anatomy, the whole "high school with scalpels" mentality.

And yet there's some truth to high school and college mentalities not quite leaving you (forming workplace cliques, for instance, or spreading gossip around the office, or constantly competing with your friends). And most people DO form their deepest relationships and friendships in college, and basing a show on that premise is interesting. My best friend in the world was also my freshman year roommate. So I'm sticking with the show for now. There's something about it that I find immensely watchable.

Also I loved Annie Parisse's turn in the HBO miniseries The Pacific as Lena Basilone (a real life person), who is about as far from her character in this show as you can get. She gave Lena real grace and dignity. I'm glad she's getting to stretch her wings in different roles.

Edited July 16, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[Kel Varnsen]

Watched the first episode and liked it. It was weird, not really funny situations but the way people reacted made me laugh out loud more than a few times. Like the cast and so far like the characters (although i typically don't have a problem -with shows where most if not all the characters are jerks - Archer is my favourite show).

Interested in watching more partially because i am curious why Keegan Michael Key would cheat on Cobie Smulders with someone not only less attractive than Cobie Smulders, but also much more annoying. What's the deal with that?

Also Cut Your Hair by Pavement is an awesome and classic song.

Edited July 16, 2017 by Kel Varnsen

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 hour ago, EarlGreyTea said:

Are late thirtysomethings considered millennials?  I think I would have bought their messy lives more easily had they all been 10 years removed from college instead of 20. Because I'm a firm millennial at 29 and this arrested development shtick ain't cute, and I feel like I'm the target audience. But I guess I'm also not a huge fan of grown ass adults in their late thirties making decisions like they're in their early twenties. That's what eventually turned me off from Grey's Anatomy, the whole "high school with scalpels" mentality.

Many definitions of Millennials puts the oldest at around 33-35.  So no.  They're young Gen Xers.

A great hint is that the entire soundtrack is 1990s built around their college experience.  As one of our oldest Millennials, the soundtrack to my college experience was the 2000s.  

Being college age around 1990s = Gen Xers, Reality Bites, grunge, apathy, all that stuff.

Like I said, I really enjoyed Annie Parisse in this, but what is with her voice?  It distracted me soooo much in the early episodes. I thought she was doing a schtick.  But it sounds like (unless she was sick) she has this naturally croaky, squeaky voice.  Just thought I'd ask.

42 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Interested in watching more partially because i am curious why Keegan Michael Key would cheat on Cobie Smulders with someone not only less attractive than Cobie Smulders, but also much more annoying. What's the deal with that?

I agree with you that Cobie is devastatingly beautiful and definitely more conventionally attractive than Annie.

However, two things

1)  I end up finding Annie's character a lot more appealing than Cobie's
2)  I've watched many men in my day cheat on beautiful women with much less attractive ones.  I've never seen looks being the factor in making a man stay.  

As for this particular situation,

Spoiler

Annie and Keegan's characters have been having sex with each other since college and they both marry other people, but keep having sex throughout.

Edited July 16, 2017 by Ms Blue Jay

[EarlGreyTea]

2 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Many definitions of Millennials puts the oldest at around 33-35.  So no.  They're young Gen Xers.

A great hint is that the entire soundtrack is 1990s built around their college experience.  As one of our oldest Millennials, the soundtrack to my college experience was the 2000s.  

Being college age around 1990s = Gen Xers, Reality Bites, grunge, apathy, all that stuff.

Thanks. I actually kind of wish they had made them younger, to make their messiness a bit more believable for me. Maybe I'm overestimating the maturity of people in their late thirties. Great music though.

I'll also add on a different note that the farther I get into the series, the more it resonates. People you connect with in your early twenties aren't necessarily on the same life track as you, and often you drift apart because of kids or moving or whatever. It's painful and hard but it happens pretty often. I'm surprised this group is still so tightly knit, though I suspect that'll be tested as the series goes on.

[Rinaldo]

30 minutes ago, EarlGreyTea said:

I'm surprised this group is still so tightly knit

I'm always surprised by that in such stories (see also The Big Chill, Friends, etc.). I made some good friends in college, and we stay in touch to some extent, but it's not like we have to be around each other, or even are able to -- life put us all on different tracks. I'm also bemused by how such groups always (on the screen) have a definite fixed number of members (usually 6, it seems), no more. Real-life circles of friendship seem a lot more fluid and indefinite than that.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Ha, I think they just do that to make casting easy.  It'd be hard to make a television show about how friendship really is, or perhaps less interesting.  Six, or a number close to that, is attractive for these shows to attempt to make the number of women and men in the cast even.  HIMYM, 70's Show, Friends, Community, etc.  It's just the logistics of running a show....   I like how this show had 'extras' outside of the 'core' friend group, like Billy's character, Annie's character's husband, and Marianne's date.  That's more realistic.

For those who have watched all of it, I think it's funny that

Spoiler

they made Lisa, Annie's character, and Fred's character all potentially in love with Keegan's.

 Although, I have witnessed that in real life.  Is there really something so special about Keegan's character.  Kind of funny to see such a neurotic, sort of wimpy guy be this apparent super-lover.

Edited July 17, 2017 by Ms Blue Jay

[STOPSHOUTING]

OK, I know the critics hated on this pretty hard and I wouldn't say I loved it, but I liked it. I watched the whole thing in two days and laughed out loud several times, particularly at Fred Savage, who was really quite funny.

 

Spoiler

The Wolf Trials unconscious gleaning thing was quite good and Savage definitely had some of the show's best moments: the tacky wine shirts realization, "Guys!", forgetting his BF on the party bus, tap dancing, etc. Kate McKinnon and her boy toy plus Fogo de Chao obsession were hilarious and Billy Eichner's "How, you sleep on someone's couch?" after they broke into the pharmacy was perfect.

 

Yes, I love so much of this cast, which definitely helped. Did I like these characters? Umm, no, they're awful, self-destructive, tools with a serious case of arrested development. But that's not unusual. Seinfeld -- and a dozen other shows I can name -- was ALL awful people doing awful things with no real world consequences. 

 

Honestly, my biggest gripe was that, while I think Smulders and Key have great chemistry and are a believable couple, what is up with making the show about "Friends From College," and then casting actors with age gaps of more than a dozen years? It wasn't just Smulders, Jae Suh Park also seemed way too young to have been in college with these guys. 

I was also one of the three people on earth who basically enjoyed Married, too, so ...

Edited July 17, 2017 by STOPSHOUTING

[bourbon]

I binged the whole thing this weekend, and I thought it was disappointingly bad. I read some not terribly flattering reviews, and thought, "How bad can it possibly be?" And now I know.

They trotted out every unbelievable cliche and trope for this one, including...someone blurts out embarrassing secret in front of a roomful of strangers! people caught having sex in compromising situations! whacky experimental theatre! I can't believe these people were ever friends let alone still friends. And they are all utterly unlikeable. When Billy Eichner is the most likeable character, there is something wrong. I don't mind shows about unlikeable people. Veep comes to mind. But there has to be something else to hold interest. Goodness knows it isn't the writing. 

That said, the cast was wonderful. I adore Keegan-Michael Key. He should be a huge star. And the rest of the cast is strong playing some...interesting characters. (But Marianne? Why are they even friends with Marianne?) And I watched the whole thing and would probably watch a second season. It's so close to being good. With some tweaks, some more intelligent, insightful writing, it could be really, really good. But it isn't. 

[Rinaldo]

I finished all eight. (Heaven knows why, see my previous comment...) Ugly, bleak, unpleasant. No need to belabor it. Some (many) series are disappointing in a mediocre, forgettable, life-is-too-short way. This one is disappointing in an actively off-putting, deliberately hostile way.

On a note of irrelevant statistics, I had been thinking that the core 6 didn't look sufficiently equal in age to be college classmates. But in fact they're all within about a decade of each other, close enough for acting purposes. Cobie Smulders seems to be youngest (36), appropriately for "Froshie." (I say "seems" because Jae Suh Park isn't admitting to a year of birth, though as her TV credits go back to 2000 I can figure that she's in the ballpark too.) The surprise to me was that Keegan-Michael Key is oldest; as I haven't been aware of him as long as some of the others, my brain had filed him away as younger.

[Refresh]

I finished them all too. Not what I was expecting, because I expected it to be funny. 

It it really is a study in cliche.

My thought. The creators went to Harvard. I think there's this stereotype of Harvard people (though I know a few and they're mostly lovely) that they're a certain way. Let's say...obnoxious, elitist, competitive, and successful? It's a stereotype. So this is taking that stereotype to the unlikable extreme. I think they're doing it ironically? Do I care? 

 

Add to that to the predictable storylines, it was really disappointing. 

 

Music was good! This is my peer group by age so at least they nailed that. Pavement was ever present during my college years. 

[dansez]

I kind of liked the pilot, I had to power through most parts of episode 2, and just finished episode 4. There's some cringing but also some laughs from me. And Fred Savage's tap game is strong. I'm in for the full season. 

[Armchair Critic]

Keegan makes me cringe too much. Ironically I just finished watching My Crazy Ex Girlfriend which also had a lot of cringeworthy characters. Why do I do this to myself? ;)

[teddysmom]

This was def not as good as the initial trailer led me to believe. It had the Max tap dancing figuring out the plot to the book stuff, and I was ALL IN. 

Spoiler

I knew Anastasia would turn up at Sam's b day party 

It does seem like Ethan and Cobie (I can't even remember her character's name) love someone other than their spouse. 

Spoiler

Also who lets kids drive an SUV? She's not 15. She's like what 8? 

Keegan Michael Key REALLY needs to dial back the goofy voices.  It was obnoxious as hell on this show, and then I caught him on Playing House and he's doing the same thing. Dude, that's okay if you're on a sketch show, but knock it the fuck off.  IT IS NOT THAT FUNNY. 

Very disappointed.  I thought since Stoller was creator/ exec producer on The Grinder, this would be a lot funnier. 

Edited July 17, 2017 by teddysmom

[Rinaldo]

I don't think they're even trying to be funny most of the time. And (trying to be fair) I think the choice to have KM Key do his goofy voices here was a character reflex that's intended to be obnoxious and distasteful; none of his friends seem to enjoy them, though they'll indulge him sometimes.

But none of it works, everybody's horrible. Max (Fred Savage) seemed to be relatively the most endurable of them, but then in the last episode he was revealed to be utterly incompetent at his job. So... it's like Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage in American half-hour chunks. Totally indigestible.

[heatherchandler]

17 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Many definitions of Millennials puts the oldest at around 33-35.  So no.  They're young Gen Xers.

A great hint is that the entire soundtrack is 1990s built around their college experience.  As one of our oldest Millennials, the soundtrack to my college experience was the 2000s.  

Being college age around 1990s = Gen Xers, Reality Bites, grunge, apathy, all that stuff.

Like I said, I really enjoyed Annie Parisse in this, but what is with her voice?  It distracted me soooo much in the early episodes. I thought she was doing a schtick.  But it sounds like (unless she was sick) she has this naturally croaky, squeaky voice.  Just thought I'd ask.

I agree with you that Cobie is devastatingly beautiful and definitely more conventionally attractive than Annie.

However, two things

1)  I end up finding Annie's character a lot more appealing than Cobie's
2)  I've watched many men in my day cheat on beautiful women with much less attractive ones.  I've never seen looks being the factor in making a man stay.  

As for this particular situation,

  Reveal hidden contents

Annie and Keegan's characters have been having sex with each other since college and they both marry other people, but keep having sex throughout.

What???  I don't find her disgusting or anything, but devastatingly beautiful?  I will have to disagree with you on that.  She is very plain, imo.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Ok.  

Edited July 17, 2017 by Ms Blue Jay

[CofCinci]

I love the soundtrack. I'm the same age as the characters and it takes me back to another time/place.

[Armchair Critic]

I wonder if 

Spoiler

They will do the trope of Cobie's character being pregnant and not knowing who the father is?

[Kel Varnsen]

On 2017-7-16 at 7:15 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:

I agree with you that Cobie is devastatingly beautiful and definitely more conventionally attractive than Annie.

However, two things

1)  I end up finding Annie's character a lot more appealing than Cobie's
2)  I've watched many men in my day cheat on beautiful women with much less attractive ones.  I've never seen looks being the factor in making a man stay.  

As for this particular situation,

  Reveal hidden contents

Annie and Keegan's characters have been having sex with each other since college and they both marry other people, but keep having sex throughout.

Yea don't get me wrong hotness of one person over another is not really the kind of thing you can sustain a marriage on , but the Lisa character seems way cooler and more fun to be around, and less annoying then the Sam character. Although I am 4 episodes in and they have dialed back Sam's annoying traits a lot since the pilot. Also yes Cobie Smulders is super pretty. Back after the first season of HIMYM the cast was going to do some kind of live show at the Montreal Comedy festival. I had tickets and for some reason they cancelled the show, and to this day it bugs me, partially because from what i have read she is even better looking in real life.

Also after 4 episodes i am seeing more how cringey and annoying these people. It's still funny to me though even if they are assholes who i would hate to spend time with.

The music is awesome though, i haven't heard that Fade Into You song in years, and it worked perfectly. Totally the music of my youth.

The age difference thing doesn't bother me that much. Maybe it is just a Canadian thing, but when I was in University (around the same time as these people would have been) not everyone was 18 in first year. Having people a few years older or more was not at all uncommon.

[CofCinci]

6 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

I wonder if 

  Hide contents

They will do the trope of Cobie's character being pregnant and not knowing who the father is?

Well, if the baby has snaggleteeth, we know it's that one dude's kid and not her husband's. Seriously, I've seen that guy on TV for like 20 years. Why won't he go to a dentist?  It's gross. 

[Rinaldo]

44 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Cobie Smulders is super pretty. ... from what i have read she is even better looking in real life.

Look out for the live-on-stage video recording of the recent production of Noël Coward's classic comedy Present Laughter, starring Kevin Kline. Cobie Smulders made her Broadway debut in it, and from all reports made a big success of it, holding her own in a strong cast (and carrying off an upper-class English accent). It'll be streamed online later this year, and eventually aired on PBS.

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 hour ago, Kel Varnsen said:

The music is awesome though, i haven't heard that Fade Into You song in years, and it worked perfectly. Totally the music of my youth.

Kel, it's been pointed out that "Fade into You" is the song maybe most used in television and movies.

http://www.vulture.com/2013/09/overused-song-mazzy-star-fade-into-you.html

http://flavorwire.com/418541/the-20-most-overused-songs-in-movies-and-tv

http://flavorwire.com/418541/the-20-most-overused-songs-in-movies-and-tv

Oh man, it seems the accompanying video has been removed.  Maybe it's elsewhere online.

IMDB has a list of things it's been used in

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1567938/

Edited July 18, 2017 by Ms Blue Jay

[sweetcookieface]

Quote

 

What???  I don't find her disgusting or anything, but devastatingly beautiful?  I will have to disagree with you on that.  She is very plain, imo.

 

Clearly a matter of personal taste. I, like you, have long been befuddled by comments about how gorgeous Cobie Smulders is. I think she's pretty, but I wouldn't say she's obviously more beautiful than the Sam character. More youthful? Sure. (Although I think all the characters look like they could be late-30s to early-40s.) I do think Sam has a somewhat striking look, and gives off a certain sense of confidence and sophistication, whereas Cobie's character seems more down-to-earth, both in terms of appearance and personality (although we've seen that she can be pretty high-strung, so perhaps that's not the best description).

Quote

 

OK, I know the critics hated on this pretty hard and I wouldn't say I loved it, but I liked it. I watched the whole thing in two days and laughed out loud several times, particularly at Fred Savage, who was really quite funny.

 

I guess I'm in the minority with you. I know it's not a comic masterpiece, but I was entertained enough to watch all eight episodes, and thought there were some genuinely funny lines/moments sprinkled throughout. I suppose it helps that I'm a '98 Harvard grad, although I didn't love (or even like) college and don't have anything resembling their friend group (I've really only kept up with one college friend, who hated Harvard as much as I did). Anyway, some of the highlights for me were the coke-fueled cram session; the IVF misadventures (probably TMI, but as someone who's gone through something similar, I can relate to the stress of perfectly timing the "trigger shot"); Felix's frustrated retort - "you're sleeping on a couch!!!" - when Ethan offers to pay for the glass door he just shattered; the "pit kids" (a very Cambridge-specific reference); and the eleventh hour montage reveal about Wolf Trials that's mentioned above. Honestly, I think the soundtrack alone would have been enough to keep me watching. And perhaps it's my residual Kevin Arnold love speaking, but I really enjoyed Fred Savage in this.

[teddysmom]

Quote

And perhaps it's my residual Kevin Arnold love speaking, but I really enjoyed Fred Savage in this.

If you like Fred Savage, check out The Grinder. It's on Netflix.  It's hilarious. 

[xander874]

I am still tight with my college friends, so I related a bit to this show. But, yeah these people are a bit self-involved. And when Billy Eichner is the voice of sanity, something is wrong.

Love the cast a lot (I remember Anee Parisse playing wacky Julia on As the World Turns many years ago).

Quote

 Why won't he go to a dentist?  It's gross. 

I agree. Nat Faxon is very attractive to me, but then he opens his mouth...yikes!

[RedMal]

I don't know if this was supposed to be more of a comedy or a drama, but I didn't find it funny or touching. I laughed when McKinnon was on screen and Chris Elliott is always great.

I don't have a problem with characters being awful people, if it's done right. Like in That 70's show, where everyone were total jerks to each other all the time, but they still managed to be entertaining, funny and I cared about those characters. I had nothing when watching Friends from college. Keegan especially was frustrating and annoying as fuck. Sure, I've had quite dislike towards him ever since he first appeared on MADtv, but there have been some roles (like Keanu) where I thought he did a good job. In this, he was just devastating.

Greg Germann and Billy Eichner were the only ones I could actually find something to root for.

I'm sure they tried, but there just didn't seem to be any resemblance of a heart. Everything was shallow and too over the top to care.

[Nellise]

I hadn't read anything about this and watched the pilot. I liked most of the actors in other things so thought it might be ok. But it felt off from the beginning, and then when they said they were all from Harvard I checked out. Rich Harvard grads causing relationship problems for themselves because they can't talk to each other is about the least interesting premise to me these days.

[Kel Varnsen]

I am 6 episodes in now and I think I have had a bit of a shift in my opinion on the whole Ethan/Lisa/Sam thing. Sam went from annoying to at least tolerable, and now I find Ethan super annoying (although still kind of funny in a David Brent kind of way). I mean the way he responds to not getting his way is super childish, and he seems kind of dumb (his personality is to the point where I am not sure what either woman see in him). At very least he seems not smart enough to get into Harvard (Harvard of the era they were there was also the era of Good Will Hunting). I also don't think he is smart enough to keep up a 20 year affair without his wife catching on so what is up with that. Especially since she seems way smarter than him.

Then again if he and Sam had such a connection, why didn't they stay together. I hope we get some insight into that.

So far this show has a ton of potential. Hopefully if it comes back for season 2 it will be like a Parks and Recreation thing where a show starts out as decent then sees a huge improvement. Of course coincidentally Billy Eichner and Keegan Michael Key were both on Parks and Rec. 

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Is there a rule that when you are writing a show for Netflix or HBO or any non-network channel, that you MUST, within the 1st 2 minutes, have a sex scene and throw in 20 curse words?  I know I'm the last remaining person on earth who doesn't swear like a sailor (I also don't have any tattoos) ... I just don't get it, and I don't need it.

Quote

They trotted out every unbelievable cliche and trope for this one

And this.  Watched just 1 episode.

I think Colby can look absolutely beautiful, but can also look plain.  Great characteristics to have as an actress.  To me she has classic and symmetric features.

[Kel Varnsen]

Speaking of dumb-dumbs what's the deal with Nat Faxon's character being the slacker with rich parents? I mean i know the rich kid whose parents buy his way into an Ivy League school is a huge trope, but does it actually happen?  It's not like Harvard needs money what with their $37 billion+ endowment. So unless his parents donated an international airport would they really let him in vs someone who was smart and could actually contribute?

[msani19]

20 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Then again if he and Sam had such a connection, why didn't they stay together. I hope we get some insight into that.

If they did give insight, I missed it. No idea why this has been going on for all this time. Such a long time and none of the friends knew except the actress one? But only because Sam told her? It's absurd.

Along with almost everyone did not like this at all. Watched all 8 episodes with the hopes that the next one would clear things up, address some lingering questions, settle into a decent rhythm, literally hoping for anything. It’s amazing that such a solid cast could be failed so spectacularly.

I did not find one redeeming quality in any of them. They were so selfish in their own ways. I’ll excuse Marianne (the actress one, I just checked) because we saw so little of her to get a sense of her personality or character. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I have a firm grip on any of them and I spent 4.5 hours with these horrible people.

I have no idea why Ethan & Sam have been having an affair for this long. WHY???? Sorry, you ARE bad people. Absolutely you are BAD PEOPLE!

Why are these people friends? Besides college what bonds them? They never indicated that they get together regularly to catch up. I still have a small close set of friends from college, I understand that bonding. We work really hard to maintain the friendships because time, distance, our own families, work, new friends, other stuff happens.

The situations are beyond ridiculous. One of the ones that still has me so annoyed is the one where Ethan/Sam get the ticket. Who the hell MAILS a ticket? You get the stupid thing on the spot. Additionally, no place writes the reason for the ticket on the FRONT!! I mean what the hell. That whole scenario went on for way too long and there was no payoff to it. There was no point almost anything that was happening.

 

I’m unclear about one thing, did they go to Harvard or something? Cause that wasn’t really clear or ever bring it up. Can anyone confirm that for me? /sarcasm

[Cheezwiz]

So, I'm halfway through this series, on Episode 4. I have no idea why I keep watching this, because I really, REALLY hate all of the characters on the show. I mean ALL of them - including Fred Savage's Doctor partner who is supposed to be the voice of reason. In fact, I'm not even going to be as charitable as some of the other people who posted upthread: I don't even like any of the actors playing the characters.

These aren't flawed characters who sometime screw up and make bad choices. Everyone on this show is just incredibly, impossibly dumb. And all of them are assholes.

The only things that have made it worthwhile for me were Kate McKinnon's cameo, and the nostagia-bomb 90's tunes that pop up on the soundtrack. I guess I'll keep hate-watching until the end. No idea why I'm doing this to myself.

The episodes are like unpleasant weird-flavoured peanuts that I can't stop eating.

[TheNewJanBrady]

I actually liked this more and more the more it went on. It probably doesn't hurt that I'm a year older than the characters and literally just watched the same IVF video (and the filming for Marianne's apartment exterior was done in my neighborhood, not that they showed much Brooklyn porn).

The biggest standout to me was Fred Savage. Anything he touched was gold, from the all-nighter to Mmmbop.

My biggest problem was the one some of you have raised: If Ethan and Sam are in love, why did he marry Lisa? Perhaps Sam wasn't willing to commit back then? She refers a lot to having made bad choices. I bet we'd find out in a season 2, but the reviews might not be good enough to warrant one.

Edited July 22, 2017 by TheNewJanBrady

[Giuseppe]

On 7/20/2017 at 8:05 PM, msani19 said:

Why are these people friends? Besides college what bonds them?

That was my biggest issue with this show. I did not get a real sense of chemistry amongst most of the characters. Like someone upthread asked, why are they friends with Marianne? Her personality/interests seemed so far removed from the rest of them. I know that the flashback device is overused on TV shows these days, but it would've been nice to see just HOW these guys all became so close while in college, because right now I just don't get it.

That said, I thought the show was ok. There were a couple laugh out loud moments, but overall nothing special. If there's a second season, I'll probably still watch, but I really hope we get some backstory on these guys.

[NYCNJbear06]

Binged watch half of the series and on the fence about it.  I think I had more moments where I hated it than liked it.  Finally dawned on me what I hate about it – Keegan. I loathe his character or do I loathe his acting.  Loved him on Key and Peele  but here not so much.  The voices he was doing became annoying as did his goofy spastic approach to everything.  He’s played this role before and I am wondering if he just doesn’t have a huge range. 

What ticked me off maybe the most was a subtle little scene where the woman the Keegan is having the affair with calls Keegan’s wife by the pet name that she doesn’t like and when she asked her not to call her that she joked and said no she would always call her that.  Ummm bitch you have been sleeping with your “friends”  husband throughout the ENTIRE course of their marriage and you can't find it within your shady cheating ass to do the one thing that she asked. WTF?!??!

Ironically, I liked Billy Eichner in this, shocking.  His man on the street character grates on my nerve but in this I found him likable and funny.   I’ll probably watch the entire season but doubtful I’ll be back for season 2. 

Edited July 25, 2017 by NYCNJbear06

[EarlGreyTea]

7 hours ago, NYCNJbear06 said:

Binged watch half of the series and on the fence about it.  I think I had more moments where I hated it than liked it.  Finally dawned on me what I hate about it – Keegan. I loathe his character or do I loathe his acting.  Loved him on Key and Peele  but here not so much.  The voices he was doing became annoying as did his goofy spastic approach to everything.  He’s played this role before and I am wondering if he just doesn’t have a huge range.

This sums up why his character is damn near unwatchable for me. I had no idea if the weird faces and constant spazziness were part of the character, or whether it's just Keegan, but apparently it's the latter? I can see how it would serve him well for a sketch show, but not here (IMO). The character is the type I would absolutely loathe in real life, and apparently that extends to onscreen as well. I think he's trying too hard, but I think most of the cast is trying too hard in their respective roles and trying too hard to force camaraderie. I think it boils down to a lack of cast chemistry. You either have it (the cast of Friends, say, or the cast of The Big Bang Theory) or you just don't (this show). I just don't buy them as a group of long term friends.

Having said all that, I love Fred Savage and Annie Parisse, so for their sake I hope the show gets another season.

Edited July 24, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[larapu2000]

My favorite parts were the 90's nostalgia music (Ahhh, A Long December will always remind me of that one particular freshman crush in the winter of 1996-7), the montage with Fred Savage to MmmBop and then MmmBop slowed down to make it a tragically sad song, and, of course, Fred Savage tap dancing.  

And that's it.  

[Irlandesa]

Well I watched and agree with most of the criticism.  Still, I'd watch a second season.  I still love the cast.  And binging this was so easy.  Four hours and done. 

As a group, the chemistry was hard to feel.  I actually believed in the connection between Sam and Lisa a heck of a lot more than the dynamic between Ethan and Sam. Max and Ethan could be decent as well.  Nat Faxon had the most chemistry with everyone overall.  As a result, I thought the third episode was the best of the series which surprised me because I did not think I would have selected the "everyone gets high" ep.  Maybe that's just a reflection of the rest of the storylines. 

On 7/24/2017 at 10:59 AM, NYCNJbear06 said:

Finally dawned on me what I hate about it – Keegan. I loathe his character or do I loathe his acting.

I like Keegan a lot in many venues.  I think his style even worked really well on Playing House because there was a lot more zany going on there.  His zany didn't work in this show. I don't know if it's because of the character he was supposed to be playing or if it was because of the overall feel of the show but it stood out as not quite fitting in even during some of the most chaotic moments where "zany", theoretically, should be on the menu.  The voices were written into the script as a character thing. I don't know if it was original to the script or if they threw that in after the rehearsal period when they thought it'd be funny.  It wasn't.  It was weird. 

I also don't think he added much humanity to the character. I don't know if it was performance or writing but I think his character sort of ended at horrible person.  Sam, his partner in the affair, was also horrible but I felt Annie Parisse's performance gave her some dimension. Overall, it was by far the weakest storyline which became a big problem since the show decided to focus so much attention on it. Way too much attention. If there's a second season, they just need to drop it. 

[jumper sage]

On 7/14/2017 at 8:19 PM, shoregirl said:

Everyone is so unlikable which i guess is a testament to their acting because i really like this cast. But I really want to reach through my tv and slap everyone except Billy Eichner because everytime he seems to be hiding his disdain for these people I'm right there with him. 

I am with most of you where I watched because I like most of the actors but then at the first episode I wasn't sure I was still in and then I noticed I was on episode 5 sooooooo..  I have to admit the death of the bunny was hysterical and rewatched that scene over and over.  Eichner?  Who does he play?  Not the gay doctor?   Just looked it up he plays the fertility doctor but not the gay surgeon married to the character played by Fred Savage.

[Irlandesa]

9 hours ago, jumper sage said:

  Just looked it up he plays the fertility doctor but not the gay surgeon married to the character played by Fred Savage.

They're one and the same.  Max's (Fred Savage) boyfriend is Billy Eichner, a fertility doctor. 

Edited July 28, 2017 by Irlandesa

[jumper sage]

Thanks @Irlandesa.  Normally I can't stand Eichner but I am enjoying him here.  I am stuck on the wine trip.