Illjwamh

After watching the Friends reunion last week, I got a craving to rewatch the series. I used to love this show; I watched it all the time in syndication back in the day, but the finale happened to be the spring before I moved away to school for the first time and as a result I haven't watched it in 17 years. I am a Friends cicada. This is also the first time I've been older than any of the friends ever were through the entire run of the show, whereas before I was always younger than them except in flashbacks. I'm watching it again now on HBO max and am experiencing all kinds of thoughts and feels. I'll talk about each season as I get through them. Anyone else who wants to join in, feel free. Season One – 8.5/10, Friends in its purest form -Super Nostalgic -Tone-setting -So many establishing character moments (Monica's OCD, Chandler's snarkiness and hatred for Thanksgiving, Rachel trying to get a job, Ross losing poker on purpose, Joey's terrible play, anything Phoebe does) -Iconic stories and jokes (Joey's VD, The W.E.N.U.S., the butt double, trying to see each other's boobies/pee-pees, Nana dies twice) -Some of the most memorable guest characters (Paul the Wine Guy, Mr. Heckles, Steve the stoned guy, Jill Goodacre, Paolo, Fun Bobby, Nora Bing, Young Ethan) -Establishment of some of the best recurring characters (Jack and Judy Geller, Janice, Carol and Susan) -Rachel adjusting to independence -Ross adjusting to singlehood -Truest “young adults in the city” vibe -The monkey Top 3 episodes (ascending): 3. The One With The Birth 2.The One Where Underdog Gets Away 1. The One With All The Poker Bottom 3 episodes (descending): 3. The One With The East German Laundry Detergent 2. The One With The Evil Orthodontist 1. The One With Two Parts: Part One

https://www.egscomics.com/comic/balance-027 Ooh! This just screams wacky hijinks! I am very on board. Also, we all agree those first two silhouettes are Cranium and Wolf, right?

The only real changes I've noticed with Firefox so far are cosmetic.

Boo to all of you. It's great and I'm going to keep talking about it. Season Two - 9.8/10, Peak Friends -Still nostalgic -All six main character backstories fleshed out (through flashbacks and conversations w/ characters from their pasts) -Ross and Rachel (with not one but two pay-offs!) These two are both regularly cited as among the best episodes of the entire series -Smelly Cat -Strong emotional moments like the death of Mr. Heckles and the prom video -More memorable supporting characters like Richard and Gunther (and Janice again) -Big time guest actors like Tom Selleck, Julia Roberts, Brooke Shields, Charlie Sheen -Monica loses her job, establishing that the status quo can be shaken -Dr. Drake Ramoray Top 3 episodes (ascending): 3.The One Where Ross Finds Out 2.The One Where Heckles Dies 1.The One With The Prom Video Bottom 3 episodes (descending): 3. The One With Five Steaks And An Eggplant 2.The One Where Eddie Moves In 1.The One With Russ

Well that's not effing creepy AT ALL.

https://www.egscomics.com/comic/balance-025 I like Knight's attitude here. He's had something of a wake-up call. Also, I can't wait to meet agents Castle and Pawn.

I liked the party storyline as a whole. There was a lot of good character development, and it solidified Diane not only as crucial to the narrative but also as a member of their friend group. The downside is Dan's pathological fear of ambiguity. I get wanting to make sure readers and characters understand what's going on, but he tends to go overboard on details, to the point of even taking time to explain in-story how and why certain characters are sitting where they are and how and why they switch seats. As if someone reading the comic would be completely thrown by seeing Ashley sitting on the couch in one strip and on the beanbag in a later strip. Sometimes people move.

If I hadn't grown up watching it, I probably wouldn't have much interest in it now outside of curiosity toward a piece of TV history. That said, there are definitely still parts of it that make me literally laugh out loud.

And now, at last, I'm caught up once again. Mon. May 3, 2021 Grace: 970 Catalina: 67 Emissary: 24 Wed. May 5, 2021 Emissary: 25 Grace: 971 Fri. May 7, 2021 Emissary: 26 Grace: 972 Will of Magic: 16 (1st appearance since 2018) Mon. May 10, 2021 Emissary: 27 Grace: 973 Fri. May 14, 2021 Grace: 974 Emissary: 28 Elliot: 1058 Mon. May 17, 2021 Grace: 975 Emissary: 29 Rhoda: 71 Wed. May 19, 2021 Grace: 976 Emissary: 30 Rhoda: 72 Fri. May 21, 2021 Emissary: 31 Grace: 977 Elliot: 1059 Cheerleadra: 99 Mon. May 24, 2021 Emissary: 32 Grace: 978 Wed. May 26, 2021 Mr. Verres: 138 Grace: 979 FULL COUNT:

Fri. Apr. 2, 2021 Elliot: 1050 Cheerleadra: 97 (1st appearance since 2017) Mr. Verres: 137 Mon. Apr. 5, 2021 Nanase: 678 Fox: 12 (1st appearance since 2015) Wed. Apr. 7, 2021 Nanase: 679 Ellen: 738 Elliot: 1051 Susan: 605 Tedd: 893 Fri. Apr. 9, 2021 Tedd: 894 Nanase: 680 Agent Knight: 1st appearance Chicken Guy: 1st appearance Mon. Apr. 12, 2021 Agent Knight: 2 Chicken Guy: 2 Wed. Apr. 14, 2021 Agent Knight: 3 Chicken Guy: 3 Fri. Apr. 16, 2021 Sybil: 6 Arthur: 40 Mon. Apr. 19, 2021 Tedd: 895 Elliot: 1052 Grace: 964 Wed. Apr. 21, 2021 Tedd: 896 Elliot: 1053 Grace: 965 Fri. Apr. 23, 2021 Grace: 966 Elliot: 1054 Cheerleadra: 98 Tedd: 897 Mon. Apr. 26, 2021 Grace: 967 Elliot: 1055 Tedd: 898 Wed. Apr. 28, 2021 Elliot: 1056 Tedd: 899 Grace: 968 Fri. Apr. 30, 2021 Tedd: 900 (3rd) Elliot: 1057 Grace: 969 Rhoda: 70 (2021 debut) Amanda: 95 (1st appearance since 2014) Dr. Germahn: 15 (2021 debut) Emissary: 23 (1st appearance since 2017) FULL COUNT:

Mon. Mar. 1, 2021 Ellen: 737 Diane: 340 Nanase: 676 Ashley: 288 Elliot: 1047 Grace: 962 Sarah: 761 Jeremy: 60 (1st appearance since 2019) Thu. Mar. 4, 2021 Ashley: 289 Elliot: 1048 Sarah: 762 Tedd: 889 Susan: 603 Justin: 528 Mon. Mar. 8, 2021 Tedd: 890 Grace: 963 Elliot: 1049 Nanase: 677 Ashley: 290 Diane: 341 Susan: 604 Wed. Mar. 10. 2021 Mr. Verres: 137 (1st appearance since 2019) Tedd: 891 Fri. Mar. 12, 2021 Arthur: 39 (2021 debut) Sybil: 5 (1st appearance since 2018) Jay: 13 (2021 debut) Wed. Mar. 31, 2021 Tedd: 892 FULL COUNT:

Mon. Feb. 1, 2021 Susan: 594 Diane: 332 Tedd: 882 Justin: 522 Sarah: 756 Grace: 957 Wed. Feb. 3, 2021 Sarah: 757 Diane: 333 Susan: 595 Fri. Feb. 5, 2021 Susan: 596 Diane: 334 Nanase: 670 Justin: 523 Mon. Feb. 8, 2021 Diane: 335 Susan: 597 Justin: 524 Grace: 958 Tedd: 883 Fri. Feb. 12, 2021 Grace: 959 Susan: 598 Tedd: 884 Sarah: 758 Elliot: 1043 Ashley: 283 Justin: 525 Diane: 336 Nanase: 671 Mon. Feb. 15, 2021 Susan: 599 Nanase: 672 Tedd: 885 Wed. Feb. 17, 2021 Susan: 600 (7th) Nanase: 673 Ashley: 284 Fri. Feb. 19, 2021 Grace: 960 Tedd: 886 Sarah: 759 Elliot: 1044 Ashley: 285 Susan: 601 Nanase: 674 Ellen: 735 Justin: 526 Diane: 337 Wed. Feb. 24, 2021 Tedd: 887 Ashley: 286 Diane: 338 Nanase: 675 Justin: 527 Susan: 602 Ellen: 736 Elliot: 1045 Grace: 961 Sarah: 760 Fri. Feb. 26, 2021 Tedd: 888 Ashley: 287 Diane: 339 Elliot: 1046 FULL COUNT:

I bet you thought you'd won, didn't you?

Maybe just a general comment thread to discuss the events that have transpired in the interim. Though unless more people start coming back, there may not be anyone to discuss it with.

Now let's get started on this year. Maybe I'll even get caught up before the forum vanishes again. Fri. Jan. 1, 2021 Tedd: 874 (2021 debut) Mon. Jan. 4, 2021 Tedd: 875 Elliot: 1037 (2021 debut) Wed. Jan. 6, 2021 Elliot: 1038 Grace: 950 (2021 debut) Tedd: 876 Susan: 586 (2021 debut) Mon. Jan. 11, 2021 Tedd: 877 Grace: 951 Susan: 587 Wed. Jan. 13, 2021* Grace: 952 Elliot: 1039 Tedd: 878 Sarah: 751 (2021 debut) Susan: 588 Justin: 520 (2021 debut) Ashley: 278 (2021 debut) Diane: 326 (2021 debut) Nanase: 668 (2021 debut) Ellen: 733 (2021 debut) Fri. Jan. 15, 2021 Tedd: 879 Grace: 953 Elliot: 1040 Diane: 327 Ashley: 279 Justin: 521 Susan: 589 Mon. Jan. 18, 2021 Susan: 590 Diane: 328 Ashley: 280 Ellen: 734 Nanase: 669 Elliot: 1041 Tedd: 880 Grace: 954 Sarah: 752 Wed. Jan. 20, 2021 Susan: 591 Zeus: 23 (1st appearance since 2018) Grace: 955 Sarah: 753 Diane: 329 Tedd: 881 Ashley: 281 Mon. Jan. 25, 2021 Elliot: 1042 Ashley: 282 Grace: 956 Diane: 330 Susan: 592 Sarah: 754 Wed. Jan. 27, 2021 Diane: 331 Sarah: 755 Susan: 593 Raven: 116 (1st appearance since 2018) *This is, as far as I know, the earliest that the entire main cast have all made their first appearance. I could go back to check I suppose, but who has the time, honestly? FULL COUNT:

Time for a 2020 final wrap-up. This entire year was one big bottle episode, more so than any year before it, including Grace's birthday in 2006. Characters Introduced This Year None (This has never happened before) Characters Returning After a Year or More (Parenthesis indicate year of most recent previous appearance) Dr. Germahn (2010) Noriko (2013) Larry (2018) Rich (2018) This Year's Count (Main characters bold, new characters italic) Diane: 97 Tedd: 88 Elliot: 66 Justin: 64 Susan: 56 Grace: 55 Nanase: 53 Ashley: 52 Sarah: 48 Ellen: 36 Jay: 4 Catalina: 2 Arthur: 2 Noriko: 2 Sam: 2 Dr. Germahn: 1 Liz: 1 Rhoda: 1 Pandora: 1 Larry: 1 Rich: 1 Luke: 1 Camdin: 1 *At only 13, this is the fewest number of non-main characters ever **Jay is the only non-main character to appear this year outside of flashbacks or fantasy sequences ***This year still has a larger total cast (23) than 2009 (22) in which four of the current main characters did not appear (Tedd, Sarah, Diane, Ashley). ****At 97, Diane is as close as anyone's gotten to 100 since the first two years of the comic. In 2013, Elliot, Nanase, and Ellen all hit that exact same number. *****Diane's 2nd time taking the top spot.

You were off by a month.

Wed. Dec. 2, 2020 Diane: 320 Susan: 581 Tedd: 867 Fri. Dec. 4, 2020 Susan: 582 Tedd: 868 Diane: 321 Noriko: 5 Mon. Dec. 7, 2020 Tedd: 869 Diane: 322 Susan: 583 Wed. Dec. 9, 2020 Ashley: 273 Elliot: 1032 Fri. Dec. 11, 2020 Ashley: 274 Elliot: 1033 Mon. Dec. 14, 2020 Elliot: 1034 Ashley: 275 Wed. Dec. 16, 2020 Ashley: 276 Elliot: 1035 Fri. Dec. 18, 2020 Ashley: 277 Elliot: 1036 Mon. Dec. 21, 2020 Tedd: 870 Susan: 584 Diane: 323 Justin: 519 Nanase: 666 Wed. Dec. 23, 2020 Susan: 585 Tedd: 871 Diane: 324 Mon. Dec. 28, 2020 Ellen: 732 Tedd: 872 Larry: 35 (1st appearance since 2018) Rich: 27 (1st appearance since 2018) Nanase: 667 Diane: 325 Wed. Dec. 30, 2020 Tedd: 873 Pandora: 120 (2020 debut) *Can I just say I think it's funny that a character is making their debut for the year on the very last day? FULL COUNT:

Mon. Nov. 2, 2020 Diane: 309 Tedd: 857 Wed. Nov. 4, 2020 Tedd: 858 Diane: 310 Fri. Nov. 6, 2020 Diane: 311 Tedd: 859 Justin: 516 Nanase: 663 Ellen: 730 Mon. Nov. 9, 2020 Tedd: 860 Grace: 949 Diane: 312 Wed. Nov. 11, 2020 Tedd: 861 Diane: 313 Fri. Nov. 13, 2020 Diane: 314 Susan: 576 Justin: 517 Nanase: 664 Tedd: 862 Mon. Nov. 16, 2020 Justin: 518 Nanase: 665 Ellen: 731 Tedd: 863 Fri. Nov. 20, 2020 Susan: 577 Diane: 315 Mon. Nov. 23, 2020 Susan: 578 Diane: 316 Wed. Nov. 25, 2020 Tedd: 864 Diane: 317 Fri. Nov. 27, 2020 Susan: 579 Tedd: 865 Diane: 318 Mon. Nov. 30, 2020 Tedd: 866 Susan: 580 Diane: 319 FULL COUNT:

Fri. Oct. 2, 2020 Sarah: 749 Grace: 947 Sam: 55 Mon. Oct. 5, 2020 Grace: 948 Sarah: 750 Wed. Oct. 7, 2020 Elliot: 1029 Ashley: 270 Fri. Oct. 9, 2020 Ashley: 271 Elliot: 1030 Mon. Oct. 12, 2020 Elliot: 1031 Ashley: 272 Fri. Oct. 16, 2020 Diane: 303 Susan: 575 Justin: 514 Nanase: 661 Ellen: 728 Wed. Oct. 21, 2020 Tedd: 852 Diane: 304 Ellen: 729 Justin: 515 Nanase: 662 Fri. Oct. 23, 2020 Diane: 305 Tedd: 853 Mon. Oct. 26, 2020 Tedd: 854 Diane: 306 Wed. Oct. 28, 2020 Tedd: 855 Diane: 307 Fri. Oct. 30. 2020 Diane: 308 Tedd: 856 FULL COUNT:

Wed. Sept. 2, 2020 Susan: 571 Diane: 298 Justin: 507 Sarah: 742 Tedd: 846 Fri. Sept. 4, 2020 Tedd: 847 Sarah: 743 Diane: 299 Grace: 940 Justin: 508 Elliot: 1024 Susan: 572 Ellen: 723 Mon. Sept. 7, 2020 Grace: 941 Tedd: 848 Justin: 509 Diane: 300 (9th) Nanase: 657 Susan: 573 Ellen: 724 Wed. Sept. 9, 2020* Tedd: 849 Grace: 942 Justin: 510 Ashley: 267 Elliot: 1025 Sarah: 744 Fri. Sept. 11, 2020 Elliot: 1026 Sarah: 745 Grace: 943 Nanase: 658 Justin: 511 Ellen: 725 Mon. Sept. 14, 2020 Tedd: 850 Justin: 512 Diane: 301 Nanase: 659 Ellen: 726 Wed. Sept. 16, 2020 Ashley: 268 Elliot: 1027 Fri. Sept. 18, 2020 Grace: 944 Sarah: 746 Mon. Sept. 21, 2020 Ashley: 269 Elliot: 1028 Wed. Sept. 23, 2020 Nanase: 660 Tedd: 851 Ellen: 727 Fri. Sept. 25, 2020 Justin: 513 Susan: 574 Diane: 302 Mon. Sept. 28, 2020 Grace: 945 Sarah: 747 Wed. Sept. 30, 2020 Grace: 946 Sarah: 748 *Thank you, Dan, for the nametags FULL COUNT:

Mon. Aug. 3, 2020 Susan: 563 Justin: 498 Tedd: 839 Sarah: 737 Grace: 933 Diane: 289 Ellen: 719 Nanase: 652 Wed. Aug. 5, 2020* Diane: 290 Tedd: 840 Susan: 564 Justin: 499 Grace: 934 Ashley: 261 Elliot: 1018 Fri. Aug. 7, 2020 Tedd: 841 Diane: 291 Justin: 500 (8th) Nanase: 653 Ellen: 720 Sarah: 738 Ashley: 262 Elliot: 1019 Grace: 935 Susan: 565 Mon. Aug. 10, 2020 Tedd: 842 Diane: 292 Justin: 501 Wed. Aug. 12, 2020 Ashley: 263 Elliot: 1020 Justin: 502 Grace: 936 Susan: 566 Diane: 293 Nanase: 654 Fri. Aug. 14, 2020 Justin: 503 Susan: 567 Sarah: 739 Tedd: 843 Diane: 294 Mon. Aug. 17, 2020 Susan: 568 Justin: 504 Grace: 937 Rhoda: 69** (2020 debut) Catalina: 66 Wed. Aug. 19, 2020 Elliot: 1021 Ashley: 264 Diane: 295 Susan: 569 Fri. Aug. 21, 2020*** Diane: 296 Justin: 505 Tedd: 844 Sarah: 740 Grace: 938 Elliot: 1022 Ashley: 265 Nanase: 655 Ellen: 721 Susan: 570 Mon. Aug. 31, 2020 Justin: 506 Diane: 297 Sarah: 741 Ashley: 266 Elliot: 1023 Ellen: 722 Nanase: 656 Tedd: 845 Grace: 939 *Technically there are ten people in dramatic shadow in panel 6 of Aug. 5, but I'm only counting the ones whose silhouettes are discernible. Thus no Nanase, Ellen, or Sarah, even though we know they must be there. **Nice ***This is where it got really confusing and I had to pay really close attention to whom everybody was. FULL COUNT:

Wed. Jul. 1, 2020 Diane: 279 Elliot: 1010 Ashley: 253 Tedd: 829 Susan: 558 Grace: 924 Arthur: 38 Dr. Germahn: 14 (1st appearance since 2010) Mon. Jul. 6, 2020 Diane: 280 Tedd: 830 Nanase: 648 Susan: 559 Thu. Jul. 9, 2020 Sarah: 733 Tedd: 831 Grace: 925 Ashley: 254 Diane: 281 Mon. Jul. 13, 2020 Tedd: 832 Grace: 926 Sarah: 734 Justin: 493 Ellen: 716 Nanase: 649 Ashley: 255 Elliot: 1011 Diane: 282 Susan: 560 Wed. Jul. 15, 2020 Tedd: 833 Diane: 283 Grace: 927 Sarah: 735 Ellen: 717 Elliot: 1012 Fri. Jul. 17, 2020 Tedd: 834 Diane: 284 Justin: 494 Mon. Jul. 20, 2020 Justin: 495 Diane: 285 Susan: 561 Tedd: 835 Wed. Jul. 22, 2020 Nanase: 650 Justin: 496 Diane: 286 Ellen: 718 Tedd: 836 Grace: 928 Ashley: 256 Elliot: 1013 Fri. Jul. 24, 2020 Ashley: 257 Elliot: 1014 Grace: 929 Mon. Jul. 27, 2020 Elliot: 1015 Ashley: 258 Liz: 25 (2020 debut) Grace: 930 Wed. Jul. 29, 2020 Tedd: 837 Diane: 287 Elliot: 1016 Ashley: 259 Nanase: 651 Grace: 931 Sarah: 736 Catalina: 65 (2020 debut) Fri. Jul. 31, 2020 Justin: 497 Diane: 288 Susan: 562 Tedd: 838 Grace: 932 Ashley: 260 Elliot: 1017 FULL COUNT:

I have exactly one year's worth to catch up on now. Mon. Jun. 1, 2020 Grace: 915 Justin: 486 Ashley: 245 Nanase: 640 Diane: 268 Thu. Jun. 4, 2020 Grace: 916 Diane: 269 Nanase: 641 Susan: 549 Tue. Jun. 9, 2020 Nanase: 642 Grace: 917 Susan: 550 Tedd: 821 Ellen: 710 Justin: 487 Diane: 270 Ashley: 246 Sarah: 728 Elliot: 1003 Thu. Jun. 11, 2020 Susan: 551 Justin: 488 Tedd: 822 Diane: 271 Grace: 918 Ashley: 247 Mon. Jun. 15, 2020 Ellen: 711 Nanase: 643 Diane: 272 Elliot: 1004 Tedd: 823 Susan: 552 Wed. Jun. 17, 2020 Nanase: 644 Ellen: 712 Ashley: 248 Sarah: 729 Grace: 919 Susan: 553 Justin: 489 Diane: 273 Tedd: 824 Elliot: 1005 Fri. Jun. 19, 2020 Ashley: 249 Tedd: 825 Diane: 274 Elliot: 1006 Mon. Jun. 22, 2020 Tedd: 826 Elliot: 1007 Grace: 920 Ashley: 250 Justin: 490 Susan: 554 Diane: 275 Sarah: 730 Nanase: 645 Ellen: 713 Wed. Jun. 24, 2020 Tedd: 827 Diane: 276 Grace: 921 Sarah: 731 Ellen: 714 Nanase: 646 Susan: 555 Justin: 491 Fri. Jun. 26, 2020 Sarah: 732 Grace: 922 Elliot: 1008 Ashley: 251 Susan: 556 Justin: 492 Diane: 277 Mon. Jun. 29, 2020 Susan: 557 Tedd: 828 Arthur: 37 (2020 debut) Nanase: 647 Ellen: 715 Diane: 278 Grace: 923 Elliot: 1009 Ashley: 252 FULL COUNT:

Fri. May 1, 2020 Grace: 907 Sam: 54 (2020 debut) Sarah: 724 Mon. May 4, 2020 Justin: 478 Ashley: 240 Tedd: 815 Grace: 908 Sarah: 725 Susan: 546 Wed. May 6, 2020 Justin: 479 Tedd: 816 Elliot: 998 Ashley: 241 Nanase: 637 Diane: 263 Ellen: 707 Fri. May 8, 2020 Justin: 480 Susan: 547 Nanase: 638 Ellen: 708 Sarah: 726 Grace: 909 Ashley: 242 Elliot: 999 Tedd: 817 Diane: 264 Mon. May 11, 2020 Justin: 481 Susan: 548 Nanase: 639 Ellen: 709 Tedd: 818 Diane: 265 Elliot: 1000! (1st!) Ashley: 243 Wed. May 13, 2020 Elliot: 1001 Justin: 482 Luke: 66 (2020 debut) Sarah: 727 Grace: 910 Fri. May 15, 2020 Grace: 911 Tedd: 819 Justin: 483 Elliot: 1002 Ashley: 244 Jay: 9 (2020 debut) Mon. May 18, 2020 Grace: 912 Jay: 10 Wed. May 20, 2020 Diane: 266 Grace: 913 Jay: 11 Justin: 484 Mon. May 25, 2020 Jay: 12 Grace: 914 Diane: 267 Camdin: 4 (2020 debut) Wed. May 27, 2020 Noriko: 4 (1st appearance since 2013) Fri. May 29, 2020 Justin: 485 Tedd: 820 *So Elliot is the first to reach 1000! Shame I couldn't have put that one up in real time; that would've been cool. **Jay used to be credited as "Smoke", but now that we know who she is, her first appearance has been backdated to Oct. 10, 2018, and that and Oct. 12, 2028 have been added to her count. FULL COUNT: