“I’ll be there for you…” For many of us, hearing this phrase brings to mind one image and one image only: Friends. The powerful comedic writings of David Crane and Marta Kauffman that are behind this iconic TV series captured the attention of millions over its ten year run. What was it about their style that created such loyal viewers? It’s more than brilliant comedic writing-it’s a signature, a style, an overall theme of love and success that surrounds the Friends series as well as their other creative works including Jesse and Victoria’s Closet. So many people are able to relate to the characters in any one of their series-and that’s why they’re successful. I mean you can’t start to recall a memory or enter into a conversation without relating something to a Friends episode. This is why Crane and Kauffman appealed to me-because they knew how to get a viewer reaction. Following a brief profile, I will discuss the elements that reappear within their body of work which includes storylines that privilege friendship, love, success-intertwined with comedy.
Longtime friends, Kauffman and Crane have been a writing team now for over twenty-five years. Before they caught their big break creating and writing for one of the most popular television sitcoms of all time, Crane and Kauffman started off collaborating with composer Michael Skloff and produced several off-Broadway musicals. From there, Crane and Kauffman dabbled in several short-lived sitcoms and started their own production company. In 1994 they came up with the innovative idea for Friends, writing and co-producing the TV series until its end in 2004. The sitcom was a quick hit as it touched upon a search for love and success that seemed to connect with audiences. During the production of Friends, Crane and Kauffman also wrote and co-produced Jesse (1998-2000) and Veronica’s Closet (1998-2000). As soon as the cheerful melodies and the opening credits light up the screen, viewers can identify Crane and Kauffman’s signature: a strong bond of friendship and love with a comedic twist.
On the Friends commentary tracks, Crane and Kauffman state that as writers and producers of the show, it was essential to make the characters truly come alive and relate to audience viewers. It is evident throughout their creative works that not only are the characters relatable, but they exude a sense of compassion for each other. Crane and Kauffman use the theme of friendship and its positive benefits that a solid friendship can provide. This was quite evident throughout the second season of Jesse as the main character finds her way out of complicated situations through the help of her friends. In “Jesse’s Flat Tyre,” Jesse finds herself struggling to raise her son own her own. Her friends offer her advice and support in this situation, helping Jesse to feel more secure and confident as a mother. “The Rock” also exhibits power of friendship as Jesse cheers up her friend by uncovering a former spark in her friend’s love life at a class reunion. Despite whatever situation Jesse is in, she always finds a way to be there for friends and vice versa. This notion is also present in Friends. “The Pilot” episode of Friends truly embodies this theme as Rachel, after her leaving her fiancé at the altar, moves in with her friend, Monica. Although Monica and Rachel haven’t spoken since high school, Monica is willingly to put that aside and help out an old friend. This exhibits the strong foundation that their friendship is based on and demonstrates the importance of friendship throughout the series.
Following the success and failures of characters with a comedic storyline seems to be another signature style of Crane and Kauffman. A common theme throughout their work is that with success comes failure, but your friends are always there to pick you up-and in this case with a clever joke. Veronica’s Closet features Veronica as the head a successful lingerie company; however, she learns quickly that she can’t have everything. With a rocky marriage and scrutiny in the public spotlight, she finds comfort from her top business executive and good friend Olive. Olive always offers Veronica a shoulder to cry on. This is similar to the constant career struggles of Friends character Joey. Throughout the series Joey is constantly trying to land-and keep acting jobs. “The One with Joey’s Big Break,” features Joey in Las Vegas for a major movie role, but finds out last minute that the movie production has been put on hold due to a “money issue.” Upon receiving the news Joey is extremely sad, but is surprised by a gift of balloons from his friends. Although he is still disappointed, he is happy that his friends support him. With the ending of each episode, Joey always has his friends to come home too with encouraging words.
Conquering love and relationships also seems to be a reoccurring mark of Crane and Kauffman. Friends, Jesse, and Veronica’s Closet all open their series with characters dealing with broken relationships and turning to their friends for emotional. Season one of Jesse focuses on a recently divorced, single mother trying to raise her son and distance herself from her ex-husband. Her friends offer her advice and reminders of why she is no longer married to her ex-husband when he returns and tries to win her over. An example you’re probably more familiar with the first several Friends episodes in season one where Rachel and Ross and both coming out of a break-up. Emotionally broken, Ross and Rachel find comfort in each other’s friendship and eventually conquer their most important relationship-their own. Veronica’s Closet opens with Veronica gathering the strength to leave her husband and contradicting her “picture perfect’ lifestyle that she is known for. In this scenario, Veronica’s love relationship to conquer is the one with herself. I often wonder if these similar relationship scenarios were self-inspired by the creative duo.
Works Cited
Bright, K.S. (Executive Producer). (1994). Friends [Television series].
New York: National Broadcasting Company
Friends. (2009). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org
Jesse. (2009). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org
Locate TV. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.locatetv.com/tv/jesse
Marta Kauffman. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/188332/Marta_Kauffman
Reich, A., Cohen, T. (Writers), & Bright, K.S. (Director). (2003). The one with Joey’s big break. In K.S. Bright (Producer), Friends. New York: National Broadcasting Company.
Veronica’s Closet. (2009). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org
The Fab Four
14 years ago
I definitely agree with the three motifs you mentioned. I especially like how you described how Crane and Kauffman like to follow the success and failures of their characters which I believe makes them relatable as we all go through ups and downs in our lives. I wonder why the other two shows were short-lived? Do you think Crane and Kauffman had a difficult time creating characters that seemed like they genuinely cared for each other and formed a family like unit? Or that maybe the characters didn't seem relatable?
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE the show Friends. I have never heard of Jesse and Veronica's Closet but now i feel compelled to go out and watch a few episodes now that I know Crane and Kauffman were behind the creation. I wonder what was wrong with the concept of the first show that did not make it as popular and recognizable as Friends? Maybe the cast wasn't as likable...
ReplyDeleteAlso, I am curious to as if there are any similar elements of mise en scene that Crane and Kauffman used in both shows? Either way the reoccurring themes that you pointed out are right on. How they managed to create ten seasons of Friends all with similar motifs/themes seems amazing! Best part about their work w/ Friends is that it never gets old and the show could always make the audience laugh even years after the show has stopped producing new episodes.
I definitely agree with you about how compelling Friends is because of its characters and how they are so relatable. Almost anyone can find a quality in a character on Friends that they can find in someone they know (I know I have!)
ReplyDeleteAlso going along the lines of wondering why the other two shows got cancelled did you look into other factors besides themes and characters. I thought it was interesting that both shows were created around the same time (and also during the same time as Friends was being filmed) so maybe it just has to do with the quality of the program. Also since these shows were created around the same time the themes of friendship and love were something that audiences were no longer interested because they alerady had the show Friends. I would love to see episodes of Veronica's Closet and Jesse sometime just to how similar/different it is to the show I know and love so much!
Like everyone else, I am a Friends fan. I too believe that everyone can relate to one of the characters on friends. I think this might be the reason why Friends made it compared to the other shows Veronica's Closet and Jesse. On Veronica's Closet the show in my opinion was centered for more of a female audience. Unlike, Friends that had the ability to capture but a female and male audience. Do you think it could be a reason why the other to shows did not make it? Also, I think friends was more humor related as opposed to Veronica's Closet. I have only watched a few episodes of the show but that is the sense that I grasped. I personally have never even heard of the show, Jesse. So reading you blog I got to learn about that and it sounds interesting. I would be curious to try and rent a season of it. It is just so weird to me that two producers that made Friends such a hit and success, failed with there other two show ideas. Maybe producing them at the same time they put more energy into Friends? We will maybe never know.
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