Amazon.com
This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. As its ratings following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, illustrated, Friends has matured into television’s most beloved comfort show. The peerless ensemble–Jennifer Aniston, a pre-Arquette Courtney Cox, Emmy winner Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer–makes a lasting first impression in the first season’s 24 episodes, which are presented chronologically on four discs. The perky “Pilot” introduces unlucky-in-love Monica, runaway bride Rachel, sad sack Ross, New Age ditz Phoebe, wise guy Chandler, and womanizer Joey. The focus of the first season is Ross’s unrequited love for Rachel, but we have these moments to remember: the arrival of Marcel the monkey (“The One with the Monkey”); Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe’s “cleansing ritual” (“The One with the Candy Hearts”); the escalating game of shower peek-a-boo (“The One with the Boobies”); Joey as Al Pacino’s butt double (“The One with (more…)

rhinestones

Amazon.comFriends’ peerless writing staff really spreads the wealth in this pivotal third season. Each of this seamless ensemble’s cast members was given a story arc that deepened and enriched their characters. Most devastatingly, Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel’s (freshly minted Emmy-winner Jennifer Aniston) romance is torn asunder by Ross’s jealousy (not to mention his one-night stand while the couple are, now famously, “on a break”). Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is reunited with her half brother (Giovanni Ribisi) and meets a family friend (Terri Garr; inspired casting) who drops a Darth Vader-esque bombshell about Phoebe’s parentage. Monica (Courtney Cox) begins the season reeling from her breakup with Richard (Tom Selleck, who reappears in “The One Where Monica and Richard Are Friends”), but rebounds with Pete (Jon Favreau from Swingers), a millionaire (“He’s the perfect guy,” she states. “He has everything. Plus he actually has everything”). Chandler is driven to increasingly (more…)