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I'll Be There for You: The One about Friends
I'll Be There for You: The One about Friends
I'll Be There for You: The One about Friends
Audiobook8 hours

I'll Be There for You: The One about Friends

Written by Kelsey Miller

Narrated by Kelsey Miller and Amber Benson

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

An InStyle 10 Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down This October
SIX FRIENDS THAT BECAME A FAMILY.
A TELEVISION SHOW THAT BECAME A PHENOMENON.

Today, Friends is remembered as an icon of ’90s comedy and the Must See TV years. But when the series debuted in 1994, no one anticipated the sensation it would become. From the first wave of Friends mania to the backlash and renaissance that followed, the show maintained an uncanny connection to its audience, who saw it both as a reflection of their own lives and an aspirational escape from reality. In the years since, Friends has evolved from prime-time megahit to nostalgic novelty, and finally, to certified classic. Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe have entered the pantheon of great television characters, and yet their stories remain relevant still.
I’ll Be There for You is a deep dive into Friends history and lore, exploring all aspects of the show, from its unlikely origins to the societal conditions that amplified its success. Journalist and pop culture expert Kelsey Miller relives the show’s most powerful moments, sheds light on its sometimes dated and problematic elements, and examines the worldwide trends that Friends catalyzed, from contemporary coffee culture to the wildly popular ’90s haircut The Rachel. Taking readers behind the scenes, Miller traces the cast’s rise to fame and untangles the complex relationship between the actors and their characters. Weaving in revelatory interviews and personal stories, she investigates the role of celebrity media, world-changing events and the dawning of the digital age—all of which influenced both the series and its viewers.
I’ll Be There for You is the definitive retrospective of Friends, not only for fans of the series, but for anyone who’s ever wondered what it is about this show—and television comedy—that resonates so powerfully.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 23, 2018
ISBN9781488205507
Author

Kelsey Miller

Kelsey Miller is a journalist and the author of Big Girl: How I Gave Up Dieting and Got a Life. Her work has been featured in Glamour, Allure, Teen Vogue, Salon, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health and other outlets.  She is the founder of The Anti-Diet Project, one of Refinery29's most popular franchises, and was the recipient of the Project HEAL Social Impact Award. She lives in Brooklyn.

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Reviews for I'll Be There for You

Rating: 3.9961832389312977 out of 5 stars
4/5

131 ratings13 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Love Friends with all my heart. Loved listening to all this facts and background stories. Great narrator. The book was a little boring at the beginning but everything felt right into place and I couldn't stop thinking out it and listening til the end.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I like that this book is about the show itself, not so much about the actors.

    Well done. No boring parts to skip.

    If you’re hoping for photos, there are none.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Really interesting and entertaining, perfectly balanced between nostalgiia,praise and critical thinking. No need to be a die hard fan of the show to get something out of this book. It dragged a little bit in the end,but overall a great read!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Not bad. A lot of summarizing of time lines, show plot, and related current events. Felt like reading an extended People.com article.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    If you have ever watched Friends then you need to read this book, it helps to pull back the curtain and tell you what happened behind the scenes.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends tell of the story behind friends from the writers to the casting to the emotional series finale. This book criticizes the show in both good and bad ways while also (based on age of the reader) makes the reader feel belittled as to infer that viewers whom were not the same age as the characters shouldn’t be able to relate to it. It feels as if the writer somewhat understands the impact in which the show has made, however uses it to question why. Ultimately it’s a good inside look into one of the greatest shows ever, mixed with a lot of author’s opinions which at some points takes away from the story.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I liked the other book about Friends more...it had way more about the creative process of putting the show together.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a fun and nostalgic listen for a Sunday; it was interesting to hear how the show came about.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    4.5 starsI really enjoyed this book, as Friends is one of my favorite shows of all time and watching reruns is like being wrapped in a warm blanket for sure. This is a must read if you are a die hard Friends fan.My only complaint is that the author didn't mention Gunther (James Michael Tyler) at all. I feel like he gets the short end of the stick in the Friends universe, for sure.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very interesting look at one of the seminal sitcoms of all times and why that is so.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It's been a while now since Friends wrapped up its 10th and last season, but you'd have to be living under a rock to not be at least moderately familiar with its cast or have come across various episodes in syndication. Back when Must-See-TV was a "thing" on Thursday nights, everybody my age watched Friends. As a show about 20-somethings in the 90's, it filled a niche and to this day, still appeals to those of us hovering at or near age 50. It's like a comfort food. We may not have led lives identical, or even close to, those of Monica, Ross, Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, and Chandler, but there was something about watching that show then, and now, that just feels like home. Hard-core, obsessive Friends fans may not enjoy this book as much as I did. I started drifting away from the show in its last few years and didn't watch as regularly as I had in the earlier years, though I was fairly familiar with what was going on. This book covers a little bit of everything, starting with the writing team of Bright, Kauffman and Crane, giving some background on where the actors were previous to their casting on Friends, progressing season by season through the show, highlighting various episodes and scenes, all the way to the "where are they now" scenario. There's also a fair bit about how and why the show was so successful back in its day, and why that probably wouldn't be the case in present day (giving specific attention to its lack of diversity, etc.). At its heart, there's nothing earth shattering in this book, although I felt it was well written. But it's great fun, I learned some things, and I loved taking the trip down memory lane. And of course, before I even finished reading, I had to immediately start binge watching from the beginning.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'll Be There for You is a well-researched mostly oral history of the TV show Friends, primarily focusing on how the show came about, how the actors fared during the whole process, and what the show meant (and still means) in American (and other) culture. It does a good job at all that, and I enjoyed it very much. (And I learned a lot of things that I think a lot of people at least a few years older than me probably just sort of absorbed in the early Friends days--I was too young to be paying attention at first). I might have wished for a little more analysis of the show as content, but the book never promises that, so. Does what it says it would and does it well.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    “The thing that mattered most about Friends was right there in that simple, one-word, unambiguous title.”I watch the complete series of Friends at least once a year. More if a major event or life catastrophe happens. There’s something about it I can’t quite pinpoint, but it makes me feel calmer, like everything will be okay even if real life is a complete disaster right now. “Some things don’t change. Friends is a reminder of that, and that’s why so many of us reach for it in times of grief or fear, when catastrophe strikes or when life seems suddenly unrecognizable.”When I heard a book was coming out about my beloved series, I jumped at the chance to get an ARC. But I was also nervous. This is something I love and have read and watched so much about already. If you are a Friends’ fan you will love this book. Not only does Miller give us great behind-the-scenes access, she also brings to light some criticism and issues with the series. I’ll Be There For You is knee deep in nostalgia but it also doesn’t shy away from any controversies Friends had (lack of diversity, etc). Like the ending of the series, this book leaves you feeling bittersweet. “The memories we made on Stage 24 are better than any dreams we ever had.”