Friends: The Last One

This was the season that at first was not planned to occur (there were enough episodes for a good syndication run) and one that not each cast member was that gung ho about. They were already starting to get new post-show roles and their new schedules also had to be worked around. It was decided to make only eighteen episodes though multiple ones were extended, so there was the same amount of content over twenty.  Thus, there was some additional cutting to fit into syndication.  DVD episodes already has extras bits and syndication often cut off final credit scenes as is.  There is a new set, I think, that found a bit more material. 

Each season has something of a "reason" for it, such as the previous two being largely focused on Rachel being pregnant and having the baby with other subplots. So, e.g., we had the risky but fairly successful plot of Joey falling for Rachel. What was left open here really? Two basic things: Chandler/Monica for a while wanted a baby and that was not addressed. The other matter was Mike, who it was flagged was someone serious for Phoebe. The second could have been addressed if Season Nine was the final one. A couple episodes were Phoebe focused there including one of the best episodes of S10 (her wedding) but not much time was spent there really. Mike/Phoebe seemed times less of a concern than even Chandler/Janice though Mike seems nice enough. A bit bland.

One common thread here is the absence of Ben Geller though he is referenced at the hospital when Emma is born but afterwards basically disappears. It would not have been hard to at least mention him more often.  Have the child actor with his baby half-sister at least once.   Rachel's mother not being around at the hospital is clearly a matter of casting a name actress, but addressing Ross' son -- hey, maybe even reference the moms moving away which is how one explained it years later -- could have been easier. Rachel's dad does pop up in S10 in a pretty good episode. Ross continues to shine in this season. In the last few episodes, it is apparent "Monica" (who in a commentary it was noted had her own pregnancy issues) is pregnant in real life. Monica and Rachel are the ones who clearly aged, especially since Courtney Cox is older than her character anyways.

This review looks pretty good.  It references the now standard case of Janice popping up.  Always fun but yeah there seems a bit recycled here, even pretending Chandler still wants her to keep her away.  Janice in an earlier season had a serious moment when she met Rachel, talking about her marriages.  I think they could have gone another way here too. It is almost forgotten that once Chandler was stricken breaking up with her, their break-up scene other than the questionable ending (going for comedy) rather touching. I think now that they all matured some more that a different approach that touches upon that some would have worked better here.  It adds to some plot laziness though that pops up (at times late in the season) in past seasons too.

Basically, I think as originally planned, it was possible to make things work with nine seasons though (with some lame aspects) it worked fairly well.  S9 was good as a whole.  The Rachel likes Joey subplot, which even the actors didn't care too much for, easily could have been removed.  The Charlie subplot was okay enough, with some amusing moments, but that too was disposable (as were some other moments; even the Rachel/Paris subplot though the last night episode was especially touching) to fit things into one season.  The Phoebe break-up/back with Mike stuff wasn't really necessary though it did allow one more David moment.  S10 did have some good moments, all which might not have fit.  Rachel/Phoebe's siblings had nice returns. One more flashback and Thanksgiving (the first half was mostly filler), plus Emma's birthday.   And, the surrogacy handled in a bit of an abrupt manner, though Chandler shined in the episode where they were picked and the meeting of another adoptee couple was amusing.* 

Series Finale has various callbacks including a reference to Ben that was nice too but it really would have been nice if we actually saw Ben and/or his moms one last time.  The twin surprise in the commentary was as with some other moments admitted to be "because the funny" and yeah the thing that comes to mind is that Monica would have wanted to see the ultrasound pictures where that would have come out as well as other medical materials.  It is suitable that one of the people in the commentary was emotional at the end since the cast was as well.

We have the usual three episodes (the Thanksgiving episode and finale is expected; the stripper one too really with the flashback material and it being a favorite of one of the producers) of  commentary.  There are also bloopers (including the first four seasons) and interviews of some guest stars (Charlie, Amy and Mike).  Christiana Applegate was one of the three guest stars who was in that segment but she did not note that she worked with "Joey" in Married ... with Children. Time goes on -- she is basically my age and I first saw her as Kelly and she aged a lot there, in a series that ran even longer (somehow) than this one. 

There is a also a documentary with talk from not only the producers but also the stars. "Joey" as the others say goodbye (the segments taped before the last episode aired) notes more was to come, probably in reference to his spin-off.  Other than one special documentary of producing an episode on one DVD, we get very little of the cast [bloopers give us a sense] as such in these DVDs extras so this is notable.  For instance, "Ross" directed several episodes (two of Joey), and it would have been interesting to at least get a comment.  More so to get him to do a commentary track of one of the ten he directed!

As with the first season -- which is not in NYPL -- it was worth to pay about $5, this time since the library was closed.  Nice box too.  Anyway, need to find a new series. This was fun.  A reunion was scheduled this year though its release has been delayed because of ... you know. 

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* Anna Faris played the surrogate here and it is sort of an in joke since she was in a parodies franchise significantly about the films Courtney Cox were in.  She had a few appearances here, but was not too notable.  The potential here is seen in the surrogate arc in Rules of Engagement, including Audrey wanting to be part of the process and being jealous at times of the surrogate.  We get more in past seasons too, back to S1 where Monica's desire for a child was first seen, including signs (before the writers thought it would be a thing) of a special connection between her and Chandler.  The two simply work. I'm Team Chandler/Monica.