Netflix made headlines this week when it announced the infamous '90s sitcom "Friends" was leaving the streaming service.
In response, the Internet rioted. Some individuals threatened to cancel their subscription just because of the loss of the one show. Twitter was up in arms over the sacrilege of the lost of the show.
To the relief of many, Netflix came back and saved the show. In order to protect the fan favorite, the service was forced to shell out a reported $100 million in order to maintain the exclusive streaming rights.
A show that ends in Bush's first term cost Netflix $100,000,000 to hold onto. This is an absurd amount of money that is early incomprehensible. For comparison, a gold-plated Bugatti Veyron is only $10 million.
You could have ten gold Bugattis for the same price that Netflix paid for "Friends." Ten.
Maybe this wouldn't sting so much if Netflix hadn't canceled many of its original shows. "Daredevil" was sacked, despite being the service's fourth most popular show. Not only was this show a peek into the underbelly of the MCU, but it was fresh and filled with POC and actual moral dilemmas, attributes "Friends" lacks.
The comedy in "Friends" is as safe as the bumpers on a bowling lane. Some of the jokes do hit, but the entire show played it extremely safe. The writers cowered away from truly hilarious punchlines and relied on worn-out cliches that were already overplayed by the end of the first season.
Like many shows that clung to exist long after the life support should have been pulled, many later episodes felt like fillers and were as unmemorable as one of the many, many love interests on the show.
The main characters alone are yawn-inspiring. Their flat characterization, stagnant lives, and predictable storylines make it seem like every episode is one and the same. We get it: Rachel is rich, Ross is smart, Phoebe is kooky, Joey dumb, Monica is uptight, and Chandler is an ass.
Ok, that was a little bit of an exaggeration, but those basic characteristics define the majority of each person's arcs.
And don't even get me started on the outfits.
Is this recycled white bread sitcom worth $100 million? I don't think so.
Netflix could have used that money to create new and interesting content that not only entertained its viewers but inspired and educated them. Or instead, donate that whopping sum to charity and provide clean water to millions in Africa or shelters for the homeless (just saying).
Netflix should be breathing life into the entertainment industry, not beat the same dead horses. By holding on to a show such as "Friends" Netflix is following the guidelines set by the old-fashioned TV channels, something they usually pride themselves in avoiding.
Basically, what I'm saying is, "Friends" is the McDonalds of television: its easy, familiar, and millions of fo people continue to return to it despite there being better options close by. Will we ever learn? Probably not, that's why there are billions and billions served.
