Check virtually any list of the most popular television sitcoms of all time, and Friends is likely somewhere near the top. The long-running show provided a glimpse at an idealized version of New York life that has fans still re-watching on repeat nearly three decades later.
While many members of the Friends cast really did become real-life friends from their long work together, things weren’t always rosy on the set — especially in later seasons.
‘Friends’ ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004
One thing that makes Friends stand out is its longevity. The ’90s were a popular time for sitcoms. Set aside the likes of Will & Grace, Living Single, Roseanne, and The Nanny, Friends was certainly not alone in capturing the attention of a nation.
Despite this, Friends has set itself apart for its long-lasting appeal. Even Seinfeld — one of the most popular sitcoms of all time — has been unable...
While many members of the Friends cast really did become real-life friends from their long work together, things weren’t always rosy on the set — especially in later seasons.
‘Friends’ ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004
One thing that makes Friends stand out is its longevity. The ’90s were a popular time for sitcoms. Set aside the likes of Will & Grace, Living Single, Roseanne, and The Nanny, Friends was certainly not alone in capturing the attention of a nation.
Despite this, Friends has set itself apart for its long-lasting appeal. Even Seinfeld — one of the most popular sitcoms of all time — has been unable...
- 9/6/2023
- by Suse Forrest
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Patty Lin, a former TV writer whose credits include “Breaking Bad,” “Friends” and “Desperate Housewives,” has a problem with Hollywood’s lionization of so-called “auteur showrunners” — such as her former boss, Vince Gilligan.
Lin, in an interview with Salon after the release of her memoir detailing much of her career, put the blame for the “hero worship” of such writers and producers in meta terms. She said that this sort of creatives makes for a good story — and an easy one — versus the tediousness of a collaborative leader and team.
“This idea of everybody heralding the ‘auteur genius showrunner,’ we’ve got to get rid of that,” Lin said. “That sort of worship is part of the toxic culture in Hollywood. I think it makes a great story. It’s very simple and clean, and it’s not as shiny as a story about a bunch of people in a...
Lin, in an interview with Salon after the release of her memoir detailing much of her career, put the blame for the “hero worship” of such writers and producers in meta terms. She said that this sort of creatives makes for a good story — and an easy one — versus the tediousness of a collaborative leader and team.
“This idea of everybody heralding the ‘auteur genius showrunner,’ we’ve got to get rid of that,” Lin said. “That sort of worship is part of the toxic culture in Hollywood. I think it makes a great story. It’s very simple and clean, and it’s not as shiny as a story about a bunch of people in a...
- 9/2/2023
- by Jeremy Bailey
- The Wrap
Desperate Housewives delivered no shortage of drama, both on and off the screen. The soapy ABC series was known both for its juicy plotlines and feuds among the cast. The on-set tension even extended to those who weren’t in front of the camera, according to writer Patty Lin, who worked on the show in its first season.
‘Desperate Housewives’ writer can’t understand why the show was so popular ‘Desperate Housewives’ | ABC/Peter “Hopper” Stone
Lin was a seasoned television writer who’d previously worked on Freaks and Geeks and Friends when she landed a job on the “darkly funny” Desperate Housewives in the spring of 2004. Hollywood was buzzing about the show, which had been created by Marc Cherry. Lin accepted the gig without a second thought, despite some early “warning signs,” she recalls in her new memoir, End Credits: How I Broke Up With Hollywood.
Despite high hopes for the show,...
‘Desperate Housewives’ writer can’t understand why the show was so popular ‘Desperate Housewives’ | ABC/Peter “Hopper” Stone
Lin was a seasoned television writer who’d previously worked on Freaks and Geeks and Friends when she landed a job on the “darkly funny” Desperate Housewives in the spring of 2004. Hollywood was buzzing about the show, which had been created by Marc Cherry. Lin accepted the gig without a second thought, despite some early “warning signs,” she recalls in her new memoir, End Credits: How I Broke Up With Hollywood.
Despite high hopes for the show,...
- 8/29/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In her new memoir, “End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood,” former TV writer Patty Lin revealed that her time writing on Season 6 of “Friends” was marked by a cast who didn’t really want to be there.
They “seemed unhappy to be chained to a tired old show when they could be branching out,” Lin wrote of the sitcom’s ensemble, which included actors Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc. “I felt like they were constantly wondering how every given script would specifically serve them.”
“They all knew how to get a laugh, but if they didn’t like a joke, they seemed to deliberately tank it, knowing we’d rewrite it,” she continued on her workplace difficulties, published in an excerpt via Time on Monday. “Dozens of good jokes would get thrown out just because one of them had mumbled...
They “seemed unhappy to be chained to a tired old show when they could be branching out,” Lin wrote of the sitcom’s ensemble, which included actors Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc. “I felt like they were constantly wondering how every given script would specifically serve them.”
“They all knew how to get a laugh, but if they didn’t like a joke, they seemed to deliberately tank it, knowing we’d rewrite it,” she continued on her workplace difficulties, published in an excerpt via Time on Monday. “Dozens of good jokes would get thrown out just because one of them had mumbled...
- 8/24/2023
- by Benjamin Lindsay
- The Wrap
According to one former television writer, working on “Friends” wasn’t all that friendly.
Patty Lin, whose credits include “Breaking Bad,” “Freaks and Geeks” and “Desperate Housewives,” opened up about her turbulent tenure on the juggernaut NBC sitcom in her upcoming memoir, “End Credits: How I Broke Up With Hollywood” (via Time).
“The ‘Friends’ writing staff was cliquey, more so than at any other show I would work on. They reminded me of the preppy rich kids in my high school who shopped at Abercrombie & Fitch and drove brand-new convertibles,” Lin wrote of her former co-workers.
Lin, who is Asian, joined “Friends” in its seventh season and was the only person of color in the writers room at the time. She wrote that she often struggled with “imposter syndrome” and “wondered whether I was hired for ‘Friends’ because of the diversity program or because I was the right person for the job.
Patty Lin, whose credits include “Breaking Bad,” “Freaks and Geeks” and “Desperate Housewives,” opened up about her turbulent tenure on the juggernaut NBC sitcom in her upcoming memoir, “End Credits: How I Broke Up With Hollywood” (via Time).
“The ‘Friends’ writing staff was cliquey, more so than at any other show I would work on. They reminded me of the preppy rich kids in my high school who shopped at Abercrombie & Fitch and drove brand-new convertibles,” Lin wrote of her former co-workers.
Lin, who is Asian, joined “Friends” in its seventh season and was the only person of color in the writers room at the time. She wrote that she often struggled with “imposter syndrome” and “wondered whether I was hired for ‘Friends’ because of the diversity program or because I was the right person for the job.
- 8/24/2023
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
The One Where the Cast Had No Constructive Criticism and Left a Writer Bitter About Working With Big-Time Celebs. As detailed in her upcoming book (excerpted in Time), “End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood”, writer Patty Lin had more troubles with the Friends gang than Mr. Heckles, saying the core cast’s reactions to scripts were far from friendly.
Lin – who wrote season seven’s “The One with the Engagement Picture” and “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs” – said that when it came to script reactions, the Friends cast “rarely had anything positive to say, and when they brought up problems, they didn’t suggest feasible solutions. Seeing themselves as guardians of their characters, they often argued that they would never do or say such-and-such. That was occasionally helpful, but overall, these sessions had a dire, aggressive quality that lacked all the levity you’d expect...
Lin – who wrote season seven’s “The One with the Engagement Picture” and “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs” – said that when it came to script reactions, the Friends cast “rarely had anything positive to say, and when they brought up problems, they didn’t suggest feasible solutions. Seeing themselves as guardians of their characters, they often argued that they would never do or say such-and-such. That was occasionally helpful, but overall, these sessions had a dire, aggressive quality that lacked all the levity you’d expect...
- 8/24/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
It wasn’t all fun and games on the set of “Friends.”
Screenwriter Patty Lin, who worked for one season of the hit sitcom, wrote in her memoir “End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood” (via Time) that the cast was “unhappy” in later seasons. Lin joined “Friends” for its sixth season in 2000 after having written for “Freaks and Geeks.”
She wrote that the “novelty” of working with the “Friends” cast including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc “wore off fast” due to their respective attitudes towards the series.
“The actors seemed unhappy to be chained to a tired old show when they could be branching out,” Lin penned, adding that the actors would “deliberately tank” jokes they didn’t like.
“They all knew how to get a laugh, but if they didn’t like a joke, they seemed to deliberately tank it,...
Screenwriter Patty Lin, who worked for one season of the hit sitcom, wrote in her memoir “End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood” (via Time) that the cast was “unhappy” in later seasons. Lin joined “Friends” for its sixth season in 2000 after having written for “Freaks and Geeks.”
She wrote that the “novelty” of working with the “Friends” cast including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc “wore off fast” due to their respective attitudes towards the series.
“The actors seemed unhappy to be chained to a tired old show when they could be branching out,” Lin penned, adding that the actors would “deliberately tank” jokes they didn’t like.
“They all knew how to get a laugh, but if they didn’t like a joke, they seemed to deliberately tank it,...
- 8/24/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Patty Lin, a former TV writer, is opening up about her experience working on the hit sitcom Friends and says that she did not have the best experience.
After working on Freaks and Geeks, Lin had the opportunity to write for the hit NBC sitcom in the year 2000. The thought of writing for big stars like Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer is what excited Lin initially but she says that faded away quickly.
“The novelty of seeing Big Stars up close wore off fast, along with my zeal about breakfast. The actors seemed unhappy to be chained to a tired old show when they could be branching out, and I felt like they were constantly wondering how every given script would specifically serve them,” Lin wrote in her memoir End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood (via Time).
She continued, “They...
After working on Freaks and Geeks, Lin had the opportunity to write for the hit NBC sitcom in the year 2000. The thought of writing for big stars like Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer is what excited Lin initially but she says that faded away quickly.
“The novelty of seeing Big Stars up close wore off fast, along with my zeal about breakfast. The actors seemed unhappy to be chained to a tired old show when they could be branching out, and I felt like they were constantly wondering how every given script would specifically serve them,” Lin wrote in her memoir End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood (via Time).
She continued, “They...
- 8/24/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
"Freaks and Geeks" is now airing on IFC, and we thought we'd take this opportunity to revisit the show that launched a thousand bromance movies. Every week, Matt Singer and Alison Willmore will be offering their thoughts on that night's episode.
Episode 12
"The Garage Door"
Written by Gabe Sachs & Jeff Judah & Patty Lin
Directed by Bryan Gordon
"You'll never be friends. Maybe in, like, two years, but you're never really going to be friends again until Nick gets another girlfriend, and then you're just going to want him back, and then this whole thing's going to start over again." -- Kim
Alison: Romantic concerns rule this episode of "Freaks & Geeks," which offers a spectrum of relationships starting, progressing and ending. There's Ken's crush on "tuba girl" Amy (Jessica Campbell, best known as Tammy "Who cares about this stupid election?" Metzler), there's Daniel's new turn-the-other-cheek strategy with Kim and there's Nick...
Episode 12
"The Garage Door"
Written by Gabe Sachs & Jeff Judah & Patty Lin
Directed by Bryan Gordon
"You'll never be friends. Maybe in, like, two years, but you're never really going to be friends again until Nick gets another girlfriend, and then you're just going to want him back, and then this whole thing's going to start over again." -- Kim
Alison: Romantic concerns rule this episode of "Freaks & Geeks," which offers a spectrum of relationships starting, progressing and ending. There's Ken's crush on "tuba girl" Amy (Jessica Campbell, best known as Tammy "Who cares about this stupid election?" Metzler), there's Daniel's new turn-the-other-cheek strategy with Kim and there's Nick...
- 9/17/2010
- by Alison Willmore
- ifc.com
"Freaks and Geeks" is now airing on IFC, and we thought we'd take this opportunity to revisit the show that launched a thousand bromance movies. Every week, Matt Singer and Alison Willmore will be offering their thoughts on that night's episode.
Episode 8: Girlfriends and Boyfriends
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
Written by Patty Lin and Paul Feig
Originally aired January 17, 2000
"It was the worst five dollars I've ever spent. And I wish I could get that five dollars back." -- Harold Weir
Matt: This week's episode is all about biology: while the geeks learn about plant cell structure with their lab partners (and Sam tries to forge a relationship with his crush, Cindy Sanders (Natasha Melnick)), Lindsay considers going all the way with Nick. And after last week's brief flirtation with lightness and broader humor, "Freaks and Geeks"' takes a sharp turn back toward the dark side.
By...
Episode 8: Girlfriends and Boyfriends
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
Written by Patty Lin and Paul Feig
Originally aired January 17, 2000
"It was the worst five dollars I've ever spent. And I wish I could get that five dollars back." -- Harold Weir
Matt: This week's episode is all about biology: while the geeks learn about plant cell structure with their lab partners (and Sam tries to forge a relationship with his crush, Cindy Sanders (Natasha Melnick)), Lindsay considers going all the way with Nick. And after last week's brief flirtation with lightness and broader humor, "Freaks and Geeks"' takes a sharp turn back toward the dark side.
By...
- 8/20/2010
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
"The Dark Knight," "Slumdog Millionaire," "Doubt," "Frost/Nixon," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" are among the nominees in the Adapted Screenplay category for the WGA's (Writers Guild Awards) 61st Anniversary awards show.
Winners will be announced February 7th, and will be held simultaneously between two ceremonies -- West Coast at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and the East Coast at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.
What about "Milk" or "The Wrestler?" Click Read More to see full list of nominees!
Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features
Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen, The Weinstein Company
The Visitor, Written by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films
The Wrestler, Written by Robert Siegel, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay...
Winners will be announced February 7th, and will be held simultaneously between two ceremonies -- West Coast at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and the East Coast at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.
What about "Milk" or "The Wrestler?" Click Read More to see full list of nominees!
Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features
Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen, The Weinstein Company
The Visitor, Written by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films
The Wrestler, Written by Robert Siegel, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay...
- 1/7/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Genre vets Marc Guggenheim (Eli Stone), Drew Goddard, Brian K. Vaughan (Lost), Marti Noxon, Zack Whedon, and Danny Strong (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) have been nominated by their peers. The Writers Guild of America, West and the Writers Guild of America, East announced their nominees for outstanding achievement in television, radio, news, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2008 season to be honored at the upcoming 2009 Writers Guild Awards on February 7, 2009, in Los Angeles and New York.
Television Nominees
Dramatic Series
Dexter, Written by Scott Buck, Daniel Cerone, Charles H. Eglee, Adam E. Fiero, Lauren Gussis, Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, Melissa Rosenberg, Tim Schlattmann; Showtime
Friday Night Lights, Written by Bridget Carpenter, Kerry Ehrin, Brent Fletcher, Jason Gavin, Carter Harris, Elizabeth Heldens, David Hudgins, Jason Katims, Patrick Massett, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, John Zinman; NBC
Lost, Written by Carlton Cuse, Drew Goddard, Adam Horowitz, Christina M. Kim, Edward Kitsis, Damon L.
Television Nominees
Dramatic Series
Dexter, Written by Scott Buck, Daniel Cerone, Charles H. Eglee, Adam E. Fiero, Lauren Gussis, Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, Melissa Rosenberg, Tim Schlattmann; Showtime
Friday Night Lights, Written by Bridget Carpenter, Kerry Ehrin, Brent Fletcher, Jason Gavin, Carter Harris, Elizabeth Heldens, David Hudgins, Jason Katims, Patrick Massett, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, John Zinman; NBC
Lost, Written by Carlton Cuse, Drew Goddard, Adam Horowitz, Christina M. Kim, Edward Kitsis, Damon L.
- 12/14/2008
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
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