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AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: Although the first season of Friends takes a somewhat bumpy path to establishing its characters, each of these six friends still has undeniable appeal.
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Critic Reviews for Friends: Season 1
All Critics (20) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (7)
Friends isn't a sitcom. It's a soapcom, a soap opera masquerading as a situation comedy.
From the first episode, each of the six leads carves out a unique spot in the show without coming across like caricatures.
First episodes can be very tricky to get right, but The Pilot gets you immediately invested in these characters and their friendship.
Looking back, the first season of Friends is the only one that seems dated.
There are certainly glimmers of what the show would go on to embrace...but there are also times when the series gets too goofy for its own good, like giving Ross a pet monkey.
The first season, at least, is highlighted by well-constructed characters, dialogue that is both smart and snappy, and situations that are...unlike most sitcoms I do have the displeasure of catching these days...funny.
Audience Reviews for Friends: Season 1
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