Saying Good-bye to My "Friends"...Again

A few years back, those of us who lived for Thursday nights because of a whacky gang of buddies who graced our TV screens and made us laugh faithfully...Well, we were devestated, because their 10-year run as one of television's most popular shows ever was coming to an end.

At the time, I couldn't imagine how life could go on without Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica & Chandler. (Joey was the only one who was moving on to his own show, which flopped, and eventually I lost him too). I had followed their crazy lives from Day 1, and I couldn't imagine everything just ending all of a sudden. Would Ross & Rachel get married (again)? How would Monica & Chandler deal with raising their adopted twins? Would Phoebe & her new husband Mike have kids of their own? We did get to see Joey venture off to Hollywood, but unfortunately, without his gang back in NYC, Joey just wasn't the same & he got cancelled.

Then, I discovered TV series' on DVD. It was like the greatest gift ever. I could buy all 10 seasons of "Friends", and then I'd never be without them!!

The process started out kind of slow. First, I asked for a season for my birthday, three years ago. My loving family got me Season 10. I didn't particularly want to begin at the end, so I held off until I found Season 1 myself & purchased it. From there on, I watched each season as I got it, either as gifts for Christmas or my birthday, or when I bought them myself. It's taken a long time, but I've thorougly enjoyed soaking up every moment of my "Friends". There were a lot of funny moments I'd forgotten about, and a few episodes that I think I actually missed over the years. I also have paid more attention to how each character evolved, and how even the humour changed & became better from the first season to the last. My mom has noted that if one of the best things for people is to laugh heartily, then I get my daily dose of that from "Friends", because she often hears me burst out giggling downstairs while watching it.

So it's taken me about 3 years to make it through the 10 seasons, but now, here I am, winding down the final disc of Season 10. They're starting to wrap up storylines and I know the end is coming (if for no other reason than I can read the episode summaries on the inside of the DVD case).

It's kind of weird. I've actually stopped watching. I often would watch 2 or 3 episodes in one night, but lately, I've been avoiding it. It's like I don't want it to end again. The last time, I looked forward to that final episode, and highly anticipated watching how they were going to close things down for the gang.

Now, I know what's going to happen. I know it's going to be horrible to watch them all leave those keys on the counter as they exit Monica's apartment one last time. I know I'm going to cry - no, check that - sob as they all say good-bye.

I guess I should be comforted by knowing that once that sadness wears off, I can pop in Disc 1 from Season 1 and start it all over again. But honestly, I'm not sure if watching it end will ever get easy. All it does is remind me how much I miss Thursday nights, when Survivor wasn't the only cool show on the tube.

Back then, I had "Friends". And they were good.