Friends vs. Wings: Popular Show I Hate vs. Fantastic Show that Does Poorly

[icecream]

I just finished watching a large chunk of Antenna TV's 30th anniversary Wings marathon, 24 episodes. It is easily the most underrated 90s sitcom ever. Overall quality wise I would give Frasier an edge, but it was stronger, in first-run episodes anyway, and got a bunch of Emmy awards. Wings of course comes from the same producers as Frasier and Cheers (until I saw Wings didn't know Frasier's Roz Doyle character came from a Wings producer), but always seems to live in their shadows. Cheers I like to an extent, but Wings is easily better than Cheers. Wings is a mostly well cast show. Tim Daly and Steven Weber have great chemistry as brothers Joe and Brian Hackett. Crystal Bernard is excellent playing Helen Chapel. Is someone playing cello for her or is she doing it herself? What was played in part 1 of the series finale was excellent, as well as other times she played like the audition for David Ogden Stiers. Rebecca Schull is a marvelous actress playing Fay Cochran. I find it odd that this is the only role listed for her in my primetime directory. It is common for those who start acting young to lose interest later. But she had to have been pretty old on Wings, for a first-timer anyway. Recently deceased David Schramm plays Roy Biggins well. Thomas Haden Church was so good at dim-witted Lowell Mather. While Wings was still good in its last two seasons, it lost a step when he left for Ned and Stacey (that show sure ain't worth much). This was the original cast, then they had two additions in season 3 and season 4. One of them was a big success and the other one was a dud the producers dropped at the end of season 5. Tony Shalhoub deserved Emmy consideration for Wings like he has gotten for Monk and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, didn't even get a nomination on Wings. Farrah Forke, on the other hand, was an ok actress at best. Farrah doesn't ruin the show like many cast additions on other shows, but was nowhere near the other actors' quality on Wings. Then there is John Ritter's widow Amy Yasbeck who joined after Alex left as Helen Chapel's sister Casey, which set up an elaborate double house burning and fraud investigation arc at the beginnings of season 7 and 8. Friends is the most popular sitcom from the 90s and is the show that popularity can't be killed with TBS airing it 6 hours a day. The only 90s sitcom that passed Friends is Seinfeld, which I like but not as good as Wings. In recent years though, Seinfeld's modern popularity has sadly dropped off. Looking at the Friends core cast of 6, Jennifer Aniston I have never understood her appeal. Courtney Cox I did not like on Family Ties, and was never interested in seeing Cougar Town. Alex P. Keaton's first girlfriend Ellen Reed, who was played by eventual real life wife Tracy Pollan, was much better there. Lisa Kudrow is better than the other Friends actresses, her dim-witted waitress on Mad About You was spun off onto her Friends twin sister role. But she still isn't on the level of the Wings cast. David Schwimmer, I don't recall seeing him on anything else. I like Matt LeBlanc's current show Man With a Plan, but he is no Wings caliber cast member. Matthew Perry could not pull off the The Odd Couple remake CBS aired a few years back, it was nothing like the 70s version. Writing wise, Wings was funny there as well, Friends wasn't. Wings had a gorgeous theme song the first 2.5 seasons. Theme song is the only part of Friends I like, but it was allowed to keep that theme the whole run I am assuming. Because NBC scheduler Preston Beckman and a lot of his cronies hated Wings, he made them get rid of their theme song partway through season 3. I wish it had been part of the whole run.

[Charley Knox]

Just stop by to cast another vote in favor of Wings over the over-rated Friends. I have always hated that stupid show!

[cfr1970]

Paragraphs catsrule....please make paragraphs for easier reading!

That said, I believe Friends is SO overrated. And not only that, it's very dated. When I watch it, it's like entering a 1990's time capsule. Wings has much more of a timeless classic sitcom feel and doesn't feel dated.

Also, the characters are more bearable on Wings than on Friends. Sometimes you just want to backslap those Friends characters.

[TSMIV]

Why would you compare these two shows? They don't have much in common except they were on the same network. Wings was a good show, but no where near as funny as Friends. Wings was so colorless from the sets to the clothes. It might as well have been filmed in B&W. As for theme song, I love Friends, but never liked the theme song. Wings theme music was nothing special just public domain (i.e. free) classical. Wings has been pretty successful in re-runs, but it would do better if it got a remastering treatment like Friends and Seinfeld. That's true for a lot of shows from the 90s.

[Bonniegirl]

Casting my vote for Friends ! I like both shows but I like Friends better than Wings !!

[cfr1970]

Since both are 90's sitcoms about young single people, I think they can be compared to each other.

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

Casting my vote for Friends ! I like both shows but I like Friends better than Wings !!

Not me! WINGS all the way!

[RetroGuy2000]

I watched Wings when it was originally on, and in syndicated repeats. I enjoyed it, but I prefer Friends.

Wings had a really neat set that I don't think we've seen the likes of before or since. Sure, we've seen airport terminals in other sitcoms, but I don't think we've ever seen an airport hangar in addition to the terminal. Additionally, the main cast really was likeable, and Lowell was very funny.

While Courteney Cox was the best-known cast member at the beginning of Friends, the ten-year will-they-won't-they Ross/Rachel romance storyline ended up being the central focus of the series, and I felt like that was what put the series above other sitcoms prior to it, and during its run. I always rooted for those crazy kids to get together, and when they finally did, in the last episode, it felt quite satisfying. Their journey was one worth telling, although I feel like both Monica and Ross slowly became caricatures of themselves during the last few years of the show. I also felt like Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry were both hilarious from the very beginning.

Ultimately, I have to agree with Bonniegirl on this one. Still liked Wings, though.

[MA]

I'm going to have to go with Friends. I haven’t really seen that much of Wings though except for when going on vacation in the summer (the beach house I stay at has Antenna TV), so I don’t have much of a say for the show.

[Chocolate Moose]

did not watch either of them. why am i even on this thread?

[icecream]

Originally Posted by TSMIV

Wings theme music was nothing special just public domain (i.e. free) classical.

I totally disagree. The Wings theme song is gorgeous. Classical music gives you culture, I am a talented violinist who has been in several orchestras.

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by catsrule

I totally disagree. The Wings theme song is gorgeous. Classical music gives you culture, I am a talented violinist who has been in several orchestras.

The theme song from Wings / music is really pretty!

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

The theme song from Wings / music is really pretty!

I LOVE the Instrumental theme from S1 & 2. I adore the show.

[TSMIV]

Originally Posted by catsrule

I totally disagree. The Wings theme song is gorgeous. Classical music gives you culture, I am a talented violinist who has been in several orchestras.

I don't dislike like the music from Wings, I just think it's an odd choice for a goofy sitcom. I also think the "I'll be there for you" for Friends is weird. It's bubblegum pop that sounds like it belongs on a kids show.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by catsrule

David Schwimmer, I don't recall seeing him on anything else.

He played Robert Kardashian on FX's "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" and had a recurring gig on the new "Will & Grace".

He was also the lead on AMC's "Feed the Beast", but it was canned after one season in 2016.