Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era Hardcover – September 17, 2019

This book was written for me. Friends was and is my favorite sit-com. At the time it was in its first run, this was the show that spoke to me. Though I only dreamed of living in NYC at the time, I am the same age as the actors in the show and, at the time, it seemed a reflection of my life. Whereas Seinfeld, though funny was peopled with unpleasant characters I would never voluntarily spend time with and Mad About You was about a couple, the six (at first) single friends felt like the group of people that gathered at my house every Thursday for years to eat pizza, have great conversation and watch the new episodes.As a fan, I was aware of some of the history and behind-the-scenes information that Mr. Austerlitz goes over here. Still, there was much I did not know, and he does an excellent job putting the entire story together. Starting when there was just the germ of an idea, through the hard process of putting the pilot together and getting the show started, and continuing with the highs & lows of the shows successes (and occasional failures, if we’re being honest), this book hits all the marks.Mr. Austerlitz also takes some time to discuss the show’s afterlife and its continued popularity. He doesn’t ignore the ways in which the show has aged poorly—the casual homophobia, for example—but he recognizes why young people still flock to the show. In our modern world of fractured TV, there are only a handful of shows that have retained their popularity in the decades after their cancellation. Friends is one of those and it would be a mistake for a fan to miss this book.

I am most of the way through, and as I continue, I am struck by the how deep the writers/creators developed each character’s persona and backdrop. They made these six flawed personalities not only real, but they did an outstanding job of mirroring the real world at the time. The insights explained in this book remind me of the way the MASH characters were developed and their likes, dislikes, and vulnerabilities were explored. Too many shows today do not reflect the writers’ intention to develop the characters; they’re too busy chasing ratings and instant gratification. If they focus on character development more, the accolades they seek will come naturally!

This was a fun nostalgic read. I loved reading the behind-the-scenes stories, especially from the writers and producers. For some clarity, I work as a talent agent and covered "Friends". I probably booked 20+ guest starts and recurring players during the course of the series. I wish the author had spoken with Leslie Litt, who took over as casting director during Season 2 and remained thru the end of the show's run. She has amazing stories that aren't just about the pilot casting, but the casting of the other 200+ memorable episodes.

I was very excited to read this book, but I didn’t enjoy the author’s writing style. It has the air of a college paper attempting to impress a professor with sophisticated vocabulary and fulfill a word count. While it was interesting to learn the origins of some of the plot lines, I was disappointed at the amount of factual mistakes about the show. Here are a few examples: Phoebe whistles at coma guy (false - Monica yells “woowoo”); Ross is trying to get out of his leather pants (false - he tries to get them back ON and ends up leaving pantsless); Monica and Chandler are taking a bath together in her apartment when Joey comes in to offer chicken (false - you can clearly see it’s the guys’ bathroom layout, you can see into their apartment when Joey opens the door, and why would Monica be the one to hide and not him if it’s her apartment?)

What a great and entertaining read! I'm fascinated by 1990s-era TV, but I actually didn't know that much about Friends before picking up this book. Austerlitz's narration is very accessible and absorbing, and I found reading about the show's genesis, context, critical reception, and impact totally captivating. I really recommend this for anyone interested in the show, the time period, or television history. Terrific.

Facts are mostly good, but the author drips with wokism and never misses a chance to say how there are various sexist, homophobic, etc trends in Friends. It gets on your nerves after awhile.

While it drags with a few of the chapters it is still a interesting look at the history of the show.

Girlfriend is a fan of the show, I think it was so,so.She dug the book.

I took this book on holiday with me and really enjoyed reading it. It was hard to put down. It’s definitely one for a serious Friends fan, with lots of one liners that only someone who’s watched the show a lot would know. It gives a lot of interesting insight into both the writers, producers, directors and the cast.I would echo another review on here and say that there are a handful of mistakes where the writer’s recollection of an episode/event aren’t right and it wouldn’t have taken much for those to have been spotted.I also would have liked more about certain characters or storylines and it kind of felt like a missed opportunity. There was a heavy emphasis on the Ross and Rachel saga and the show was much more than that. For example, I would love to have known how/why did they come up with Phoebe’s alter ego, Regina Phalange, who wrote Phoebe’s songs and what was the inspiration behind certain characters? The show also has several plot holes, and whilst the author acknowledges those, it would have been interesting to have the writers’ take on that.

Bought this as a Christmas gift for my Friends - obsessed sister. She loves it so far, which should tell you all you need to know! What particularly drew me to this one over the countless other Friends books is the more behind-the-scenes, fly on the wall tidbits from the people involved.I had a slight hiccup in delivery, but I contacted the seller and all was sorted out. Thanks for everything!

One of the best books about a TV series I've ever read. The author delivers a meticulous, yet entirely readable chronicle of what it took to put a hit show like Friends together and how its writers, producers and cast worked tirelessly to keep it going for ten successful years.The author had unprecedented access to the show creators, writers and producers, which means there is a treasure trove of new information within, instead of the usual rehashing of old interviews and episode recaps.The candid nature of the interviews offer insight into the creative struggles happening behind the scenes. In particular, I enjoyed hearing about director James Burrows experience shaping the show and then being moved along when there were creative differences. Such is showbiz!There is even a thoughtful and balanced chapter about the WOC writer's assistant who filed a discrimination suit (and lost).I've read several Friends books over the years and this is the best one by far. It's destined to be a must-read for screenwriters, producers, and anyone else interested in TV production for years to come.

Libro molto interessante, con diversi aneddoti della serie TV. Io l'ho trovato molto scorrevole! E all'interno del libro c'è anche una piccola sezione dedicata a foto e immagini fuori onda, molto divertente.Lo consiglio sicuramente, come regalo per gli appassionati di Friends!!!

Perfect for Friends fans