Joanna Hagan, Friends and the Golden Age of the Sitcom, Pen & Sword | White Owl, August 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pen & Sword for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

There is a wealth of information about Friends, and other television shows that featured in the period in which the sit com was initially screened, between the covers of this exciting publication. Friends may or may not have been one of your favourite programs, but regardless, there is something here for anyone interested in television in the 1990s to the early 2000s. Seinfeld, Frasier, and comedies from the past such as I Love Lucy, feature; dramas, for example ER and The West Wing, are discussed; the introduction of reality shows, the first of which was Survivor, gain a mention; the start of Grey’s Anatomy and its enduring popularity are referred to. Importantly, the process of creating and producing a sit com is provided in detail as episode after episode of Friends is laid out, familiar situations and analysis featuring side by side.

The way in which the material is woven together is the strength of this work, with Friends usually the pivotal point from which the additional information extends, building an engaging look at this Golden Age from the perspective of one of its most popular examples from 1994 to 2005. Other sit coms, and their particular focus and idiosyncrasies – some successful, some not - are contrasted with significant effect. The attention to other sit coms provides valuable insight into the field of work in which Friends competed. Moving more widely into the dramas also in the field is also instructive, providing awareness of the range of television choices available while Friends maintained its impetus.

The analysis of the show, with its successes, faults, challenges, and story lines often dealt with in detail, and always with respect for the work of the writers and actors is impressive. But details about these aspects of Friends is not the only perspective. Joanna Hagan is adept at drawing out the importance of scheduling, competitors, the role of producers and the networks, and the essential role of ratings in maintaining a program in prime time and scheduled for particular days. So, too is the role of leading in programs shown to have an immense impact on the way in which audiences responded.

But, for me, the real interest lay in the way in which the stories were developed and told. There is nothing that resonates as much as this part of the book. The characters are brought to life, and the storylines and topics engender the laughter, angst, appeal and sometimes querying on the page as they did on the screen. Hagan has written an engaging book, with its clever weaving of the detail about Friends with a television history of the time. I really enjoyed reading it.

A rather interesting work on a key period in the history of American television, but which lost me a little at times. As a Frenchwoman, many of the sitcoms that were sometimes discussed were completely unknown to me. I ended up reading it "diagonally", focusing more on the passages about "Friends".

Good deep dive into friends and sitcoms from that area. I loved the crossovers between other sitcoms with the focus generally being on friends.

I absolutely loved this. It's a sad read with Matthew Perry's passing recently, but a really special treat as a friends fan! It's a great insight into the world of sitcoms, how successful the show truly was, and what made it so golden. It makes me want to rewatch the series for the hundredth time!

I am a huge Friends fan, I can and will quote the series at random and at will. This was such an enjoyable thesis-style recount of the series, going into it in depth season-by-season.

It discusses the fun and exciting storylines (Monica and Chandler's relationship, Emma's birth), but also the lack of representation on the screens in terms of people of colour, and Matthew Perry's struggle with addiction throughout the show. It was such an interesting read, and I even managed to learn some tidbits I hadn't known.

I also really enjoyed the look into other big sit comes of the time, such as Fraiser, Seinfled, or newer players in the game like Scrubs or Will and Grace. Reading about their impact on television and pop culture as a whole was really informative.

However, there were some faults. More than once an action or quote was attributed to the wrong character, and something like this can be very easily researched and corrected. Courteney Cox's name is also misspelled the entire way throughout this book.

Overall it was a good read, but with some quibbles for me.

A fascinating book about one of my favourite tv shows ever. Loved reading about the behind the scenes for this show.
Brought back so many happy memories of watching this series and the additional information about other shows was great too.

A well written analysis of Friends and the sitcoms that ran during this period. It delves into what worked, impact and the problematic elements of the show.

Thank you Pen & Sword and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

Okay, people, I have a confession. I was late to the "Friends" party. Like, *really* late. As in, I just finished binge-watching all ten seasons for the first time *ever* late. (I know, I know, where have I been?!) I was excited when I saw this book pop up on NetGalley and I decided to pair it with my "Friends" marathon. I had to pace myself with this book - I didn't want any spoilers!

What I loved most was how Hagan puts "Friends" into context. It wasn't just some random sitcom that appeared out of thin air. She talks about the evolution of sitcoms in the 90s, bringing back so many memories of shows I used to watch (and some I'd totally forgotten about!). Remember "Frasier"? "Mad About You"? "Dharma & Greg"? Hagan takes you on a trip down memory lane, reminding you of all the gems that graced our screens back then.

What I appreciated most was how Hagan dug into the nitty-gritty of why *Friends* worked so well. She explains how little things—like syndication deals and prime-time slots—played a huge role in its success. It contextualizes *Friends* within the broader landscape of television, weaving in shows like *Seinfeld*, *Frasier*, and *Scrubs* (flashback to me binge watching Scrubs on my laptop while stuck at an airport during a flight delay!).

There were discussion points on the the problematic aspects of "Friends." The lack of diversity, the fat-shaming of Monica, and some of the questionable storylines...it dove into the characters, the writing, and the cultural impact of the show.

I found the book to be engaging and informative, enough history sprinkled in to feel like I was learning but lots of references to each episode that paired well with me watching the show alongside it. Plus, if you’re a 90s kid, this book is packed with blasts from the past that bring you back to the good ol’ days when you actually had to wait a week for the next episode AND watch the commercials.

✨ Publication date: August 30, 2024✨

Friends was a revolutionary sitcom with a large fan base following. Originally I thought this was a book just about friends. However, there were a number of well loved and breakout sitcoms during the Friends 10 year run.

This book is a bit of an analysis on Friends throughout the years (season by season) and goes through some of the changing dynamics of the cast and fan base.

Other sitcoms mentioned include Seinfeld, Everyone loves Raymond, Fraser, 3rd Rock from the Sun, etc.

The book was very data driven throughout with heavy analysis on TV rating etc. The author also focuses on the how problematic Friends was and it doesn’t age well. However, most of their supporting information includes things like electronics (pagers, faxes) and other things that to me actually make it iconic. Of course they weren’t using iPhones, they didn’t exist.

This was an interesting read, I found myself skimming a bit over the analysis and data though. It got a bit overwhelming at times. This is a 3 star read for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #joannahagen #friendsandthegoldenageofthesitcom

I like a lot of readers, am a huge fan of the tv show Friends. It provided me a lot of comfort during difficult times and I thought this book would as well.

However, it was more of an analysis of the show then anything else, and felt like I was reading someone’s English homework than a published and researched novel. I don’t really have anything else to say about the book then that.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

As a long-time Friends fan, I was reluctant that this book would give me any new insights. I was wrong! I really enjoyed this in-depth look that not only gives new tidbits of Friends trivia, but also situates the show within the context of the television landscape at the time. You hear about how Friends got on the air and how it competes against other shows on the network and on other networks, too. It's an interesting look at the dynamics at play in the entertainment industry. There are investigations into the things that worked well on Friends and the things that don't hold up so well later on (racism, fat shaming, etc.).

I wanted more of a discussion about how Friends changed the landscape of sitcoms television. It has a lasting legacy and changed the game for how television presents stories. I would have like to see it organized by the impact it had thematically (on television viewership and advertisers, on sitcom tropes, on celebrity guest stars, on being a cultural phenomenon). Organizing it by each season of the show makes it feel like a retelling of the series and not so much about its impact on the sitcom genre as a whole.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As an enormous fan of the hot show Friends I was excited to read a book celebrating the 30th anniversary of the show. I was thoroughly disappointed however.
Not only does the author fall back on cliched information that has been known to Friends fans for years, she also spends about half the book talking about the other shows that were being broadcast in this period of time. While a comparison here or there might be interesting, an in-depth look at shows like Frasier or Will&Grace is not what I signed up for.
The author continuously claims Friends is very much stuck in its time, and that many parts of the show haven’t aged well. This is an opinion I did not expect to come across in a book celebrating a series.

If you have never even seen the show- which is highly improbable- this book may give you some ideas about what you can expect. For fans of the series I’d say: skip this one.

Review of Friends and the Golden Age of the Sitcom

Friends and the Golden Age of the Sitcom offers an engaging exploration of one of television's most beloved series and its impact on the sitcom genre. The book is well-researched and provides insightful context about the era in which Friends emerged and how it shaped the comedy landscape.

The author effectively highlights critical themes and character dynamics, making it a nostalgic read for show fans. However, while the analysis is thorough, it sometimes feels repetitive, covering ground seasoned viewers may already be familiar with. Additionally, some sections could benefit from a deeper exploration of the series' cultural implications beyond its immediate plotlines.

This book is a solid read for die-hard fans and those interested in television history, but it might not offer enough new insights for casual readers.

Thanks, Netgalley and Pen & Sword | White Owl, for the free copy for my honest review!

My thanks to Pen and Sword Publishers and NetGalley for a copy of “ Friends And The Golden Age Of The Sitcom” for an honest review.

As a big fan of “ Friends “ and several other US sitcoms made around the same time, this was a perfect read.I knew a lot of the information before but I thought the book was interesting and entertaining .
Ive just started rewatching the series ..yet again…. But it’s bittersweet now with the passing of Matthew Perry.
A must read for a “ Friends” fan

As a massive Friends fan, I thought this book looked like it was right up my alley. It is good and there's a lot of information in there, broken down by episode, which was fun to read. It is however very fact heavy which was difficult and I found myself skimming through these bits.

I found that some of the facts were incorrect and there were some errors that indicated that the author should have done a bit more research.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Just finished reading this and it may be my favorite book of 2024. The book goes back and forth between sharing all the important information and little known facts about Friends but it also goes into depth about the tv industry around that time. I learned a lot about the tv industry history from early 1990s to 2000s here. Any fan of Friends will LOVE it as the main topic but tv buffs will learn a lot and get a better understanding of the industry at that time. Must read.

Arc Review:
Overall Rating: 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was more of an analysis of the show then anything else, and I don’t really have anything else to say about the book then that.

Thank you NetGalley

This book was really not what I expected.

For me, personally, this book was really hard to get through. There are pictures at the end, and I feel like they would have helped if they were placed as the book progressed instead.

The whole book felt like an academic paper with statistics and examples, but there is no easy way to check anything since the resources mentioned are quite generic.

All in all, while the information was interesting at times, I don't think I enjoy reading books wrote in this format in my spare time.

Friends is one of my all-time favorite shows, so of course I had to read this! There have been several books that have examined the show's 10-year run, but this was a bit different, in how it really looked at the evolution of sitcoms overall, and how Friends fit into and drove that evolution.
 *
I don't think I learned all that much about Friends from this book, but honestly I already knew quite a bit :) (I probably learned more about Scrubs, which was ok because I also love that show!) But it was certainly interesting to look back at how primetime TV changed through the 90's and early 2000s.
 *
While there's a ton of nostalgia, and it was fun to be reminded of episodes I loved, and other shows that were popular, it does read somewhat slow. For such a short book, it took a surprisingly long time to get through. Many chapters felt like long lists of TV shows more than anything else. 
*
If you're interested in how TV has evolved, how the sitcom fits in with the growing popularity of reality TV, game shows, and procedural shows, then this is a great one to read! Maybe not the best if you want to learn more about Friends, but still fun to read.