November 22, 2019
Although Friends ended its ten-year run more than 15 years ago, the show, centering on a group of six twentysomething Gen Xers living in the East Village, has never stopped airing and, through streaming services, has attracted a new generation of viewers who dissect episodes on social media and take online quizzes to see which character matches their personality. Combining academic insight with a fan's enthusiasm, Dunn (rhetoric & public culture, Dominican Univ.; Pursuing Popular Culture) discusses how the series changed the landscape of television; in its wake, similar shows in which friend groups took the place of the nuclear family followed, and the concepts and jokes (the "friend zone"; "Pivot!") it introduced are still part of the pop culture lexicon. Though the author reminds readers how funny the show still is, she also scrutinizes its humor. What was Friends really saying about the "slacker generation"? How did the sitcom handle race, class, ethnicity, and sexuality? Who were we laughing with, and who were we laughing at? VERDICT Serious Friends fans looking for a deep dive will appreciate this scholarly though accessible chronicle--and will enjoy arguing over whether Dunn got it right with her list of the 25 best episodes.--Terry Bosky, Madison, WI
Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2019
Dunn's in-depth look at '90s TV phenomenon Friends goes beyond fan service for a warts-and-all examination. Rather than tracing the show's development and the explosion of its stars' careers, she instead focuses on the show's cultural impact, from its place at the top of must-see TV to Jennifer Aniston's famous haircut to its centering of friendship above both work and family life that set it apart from sitcoms before it. While clearly a fan, Dunn devotes considerable page space to detailed examinations of the show's postfeminist take on gender dynamics, its problematic portrayal of characters of color, and its lazy reliance on transphobia and fatphobia for easy laughs. While those looking for a more nostalgic look at the show would be better served by Kelsey Miller's I'll Be There For You (2018), Dunn convincingly explains Friends' role as a reflection of Gen X culture, and this will be appreciated by Friends viewers who, 25 years after its premiere, are interested in a more academic, critical look at its place in pop-culture history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)