I'll Be There For You: The One about Friends

As a Friends fan and someone interested in how things get done in Hollywood, I thoroughly enjoyed this.

This was the perfect read after finishing a rewatch of “Friends”. It felt like a behind the scenes after the last credits. As a non-American watcher of the show, it was interesting to know what was happening in America while the show was ongoing, how it was perceived, and why certain things happened (or not) on screen. Plus I enjoyed the discussion about how the show aged as far as social issues are concerned ( Black & Asian representation, slut-shaming, Lgbtq+)

I love Friends, and wanted to love this book, but the info about the show was very surface-level. Even so, I was tempted to give this book four stars. But the last two chapters were awful. The writer clearly had an agenda and felt compelled to shoehorn in a “Me Too” segment which added nothing and really came over petty. She also threw some shade at Jerry Seinfield, who she obviously doesn't like, and just had to get some barbs in there. (She says he's said awful things lately about Bill Cosby and autism. If she did the slightest bit of research, she would know that Seinfeld is autistic and that he didn't defend Bill Cosby.)

Criticizing a show that is beloved is fine. I enjoy a long hard look at things we love. But criticizing it for being made in 1994 and not 2018 is very weird.