Do you think "Joey" should've started on Friends? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 10-13-2004, 11:17 AM

There have been many spinoffs that actually start on the parent show. For example, The Tortellis on Cheers, Living Dolls on Who's the Boss, Facts of Life on Diff'rent Strokes etc. An episode that starts to introduce new characters and sets things up for a possible spinoff. Do you think Friends should've done that for Joey? Maybe in the finale, Joey announce that he was leaving NY for LA to pursue his acting career. Something like that might have helped attract more viewers to Joey when it debuted.

spunkygirl · 10-13-2004, 01:18 PM

Yeah I think they should have. Since everyone else was basically moving on, it would have seemed a natural transition for Joey

slackermonkey · 10-13-2004, 03:06 PM

No, I like it better the way "Frasier" and "Joey" set it up. Keep the shows connected without having the spinoff's setup interfere with the original show's finale.

The "Friends" finale was already too crowded as it was.

TJL · 10-13-2004, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Angela Micelli
Yeah I think they should have. Since everyone else was basically moving on, it would have seemed a natural transition for Joey

Exactly.

barwars · 10-13-2004, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slackermonkey
No, I like it better the way "Frasier" and "Joey" set it up. Keep the shows connected without having the spinoff's setup interfere with the original show's finale.

The "Friends" finale was already too crowded as it was.

Ditto.

Think about the horror that was the Three's Company finale.... serving as the finale of one show, and the pilot of another. Didn't work.

They could have thrown in a line or two about Joey leaving NY, but now this will leave more space for the first "Friend" that visits. (maybe a conversation about his farewell that we never get to see)

But what I liked about this (and Frasier as well) is that began with the title character starting a "whole new world" (to the viewers), with people he's known forever, for the most part.

barwars · 10-13-2004, 05:44 PM

Also, with the Friends finale (much like Cheers) they did move on and their lives did change, but they were still all together. There was no goodbye. They may not have seen eachother as much, but they all knew where to find them only a few miles away. If they had Joey leave, the finale would have focused too much on his departure.

spunkygirl · 10-13-2004, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by barwars
Ditto.

Think about the horror that was the Three's Company finale.... serving as the finale of one show, and the pilot of another. Didn't work.

They could have thrown in a line or two about Joey leaving NY, but now this will leave more space for the first "Friend" that visits. (maybe a conversation about his farewell that we never get to see)

But what I liked about this (and Frasier as well) is that began with the title character starting a "whole new world" (to the viewers), with people he's known forever, for the most part.

I don't know, the finale wouldn't have had to revolve around Joey's departure, they could have had him suddenly announce at the end that he was moving to CA, since he was the one who was most upset about things changing, that would have been a kind of a cliffhanger(for the Friends reunion next year) and for Joey's new show.

Joker85 · 10-13-2004, 06:03 PM

I gotta agree with Barwars on this one. The Friends finale ended just as it should have. This way "Joey" in no way interfered with their goodbye, and I doubt the cast or crew would have wanted it this way. I remember reading an interview about this time last year, where Marta Kauffman and David Crane were asked if they would let "Joey" have any influence on the finale. They both said no, they would end the show how they wanted to and the producers of Joey could sort it out. And I think thats the way to go. The first time I saw the Three's Company finale I was appalled. Finales are no time to set up a new series, esp if that series is as bad as Three's A Crowd.

barwars · 10-13-2004, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Angela Micelli
I don't know, the finale wouldn't have had to revolve around Joey's departure, they could have had him suddenly announce at the end that he was moving to CA, since he was the one who was most upset about things changing, that would have been a kind of a cliffhanger(for the Friends reunion next year) and for Joey's new show.

Friends reunion??
Why didn't anybody tell me??

slackermonkey · 10-13-2004, 06:22 PM

That was a rumor that someone started that was debunked long ago. It's not happening.

barwars · 10-13-2004, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slackermonkey
That was a rumor that someone started that was debunked long ago. It's not happening.

I was wondering.
I remember a rumor that they had taped a Thanksgiving reunion shortly after the finale, to air this year.
If they had not moved out of the apartments, that would be very interesting, if they made it tradition (think of it as one hour long episode a year)

slackermonkey · 10-13-2004, 06:40 PM

Yeah, that's the same rumor. A Thanksgiving themed reunion.

Since Thanksgiving themed "Friends" episodes are a tradition (like the Bar Wars episodes on "Cheers") it would have been a great idea except for two reasons: (a) this year would be too soon and (b) reunions tend to suck.

spunkygirl · 10-13-2004, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slackermonkey
Yeah, that's the same rumor. A Thanksgiving themed reunion.

Since Thanksgiving themed "Friends" episodes are a tradition (like the Bar Wars episodes on "Cheers") it would have been a great idea except for two reasons: (a) this year would be too soon and (b) reunions tend to suck.

So there's not gonna be a reunion? I know Entertainment Tonight and E! and all the channels reported there was gonna be

slackermonkey · 10-13-2004, 06:51 PM

Nope, no reunion. Fact.

Entertainment Tonight and E! are hardly reliable sources. They're mostly tabloid gossip anyway.

barwars · 10-13-2004, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slackermonkey
Yeah, that's the same rumor. A Thanksgiving themed reunion.

Since Thanksgiving themed "Friends" episodes are a tradition (like the Bar Wars episodes on "Cheers") it would have been a great idea except for two reasons: (a) this year would be too soon and (b) reunions tend to suck.

I think it would work if they started this year.... if they continued to have one every year from here on.

10-13-2004, 11:17 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Do you think "Joey" should've started on Friends? There have been many spinoffs that actually start on the parent show. For example, The Tortellis on Cheers, Living Dolls on Who's the Boss, Facts of Life on Diff'rent Strokes etc. An episode that starts to introduce new characters and sets things up for a possible spinoff. Do you think Friends should've done that for Joey? Maybe in the finale, Joey announce that he was leaving NY for LA to pursue his acting career. Something like that might have helped attract more viewers to Joey when it debuted.
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

10-13-2004, 03:06 PM	#3
slackermonkey the big yellow joint Senior Member Join Date: Oct 05, 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,779	No, I like it better the way "Frasier" and "Joey" set it up. Keep the shows connected without having the spinoff's setup interfere with the original show's finale. The "Friends" finale was already too crowded as it was.
	__________________ ...Derek TV on DVD Checklist: 05/09 - Scrubs: The Complete Third Season 05/30 - Joey: The Complete First Season 06/13 - Cheers: The Complete Eighth Season 06/13 - Frasier: The Complete Eighth Season 06/20 - Justice League: Season 2 07/25 - Animaniacs: Volume 1 10/?? - Scrubs: The Complete Fourth Season 12/06 - Animaniacs: Volume 2

10-13-2004, 01:18 PM	#2
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,563	Yeah I think they should have. Since everyone else was basically moving on, it would have seemed a natural transition for Joey

10-13-2004, 05:44 PM	#6
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	Also, with the Friends finale (much like Cheers) they did move on and their lives did change, but they were still all together. There was no goodbye. They may not have seen eachother as much, but they all knew where to find them only a few miles away. If they had Joey leave, the finale would have focused too much on his departure.

10-13-2004, 06:03 PM	#8
Joker85 Back in St. Olaf... Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 18, 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 481	I gotta agree with Barwars on this one. The Friends finale ended just as it should have. This way "Joey" in no way interfered with their goodbye, and I doubt the cast or crew would have wanted it this way. I remember reading an interview about this time last year, where Marta Kauffman and David Crane were asked if they would let "Joey" have any influence on the finale. They both said no, they would end the show how they wanted to and the producers of Joey could sort it out. And I think thats the way to go. The first time I saw the Three's Company finale I was appalled. Finales are no time to set up a new series, esp if that series is as bad as Three's A Crowd.

10-13-2004, 06:22 PM	#10
slackermonkey the big yellow joint Senior Member Join Date: Oct 05, 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,779	That was a rumor that someone started that was debunked long ago. It's not happening.

10-13-2004, 06:40 PM	#12
slackermonkey the big yellow joint Senior Member Join Date: Oct 05, 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,779	Yeah, that's the same rumor. A Thanksgiving themed reunion. Since Thanksgiving themed "Friends" episodes are a tradition (like the Bar Wars episodes on "Cheers") it would have been a great idea except for two reasons: (a) this year would be too soon and (b) reunions tend to suck.

10-13-2004, 06:51 PM	#14
slackermonkey the big yellow joint Senior Member Join Date: Oct 05, 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,779	Nope, no reunion. Fact. Entertainment Tonight and E! are hardly reliable sources. They're mostly tabloid gossip anyway.