TV fans, do not be afraid.  What you are seeing is not something from the Twilight Zone, but rather a mesh of writers’ lack of originality and creativity.

‘Friends’ (NBC) was the greatest show of all time and  I’m confident enough to say so.  It had the perfect formula for success with 3 guys and 3 girls who are all 30-something best friends living in the city, experience many adventures, hookups, breakups, and all to the sweet sound of a laugh track.  Introduce an episode of ‘Friends’ to anyone who has never really watched the show and they will instantly fall in love with Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Monica, and Chandler.

‘Friends’ aired for 10 wonderful years and there has not and will not be anything like it.  Today you will find 3 shows on major networks that are attempting to use the magical formula to recreate the perfect friend group.  However, we are not fooled and will not be swayed.

‘Happy Endings’ (ABC) premiered last night with one of the gals leaving one of the guys at the altar.  How original.  Rachel left her fiancé during the pilot episode of ‘Friends’ and on the ‘Perfect Couples’ (NBC) premiere two of the friends decide not to get married just before walking down the aisle.  ’Happy Endings’ also features 6 familiar characters that you will find uncanny resemblances to in ‘Friends’ and ‘Perfect Couples’ as well as a purple-walled apartment that will take you back to Monica’s trademark apartment.

‘Perfect Couples’ follows the ‘Friends’ path a bit less than ‘Happy Endings’ since the characters are all in relationships with each other, however ‘Perfect Couples’ seems to have taken a page out of the ‘Better With You’ (ABC) playbook, a show that I have enjoyed from the start.  ’Perfect Couples’ compares the lives at 3 couples who are all friends but are in different stages in their relationships.  ’Better With You’ also features 3 couples in different staged relationships, however the characters are related with the two girls being sisters and the oldest couple being their parents.  ’Better With You’ trumps ‘Perfect Couples’ because the characters are naturally funny and it is the only show out of the 3 that boasts a laugh track (a lost art).

There are so many similarities and comparisons between these 4 shows (as if the picture doesn’t say it all) that I could rant about the outrage all afternoon.  So I will leave you with the most important piece of information… Cammi’s official ranking:

4th- ‘Perfect Couples’ (Bad jokes and bad casting! Bleh!)

3rd- ‘Happy Endings’ (Funny moments… if you can get past the ‘Friends’ parallels)

2nd- ‘Better With You’ (Classic comedy that will make you want to hang with your sis)

1st- ‘Friends’ (Need I say more?)

After all of this confusion, I am sure that you are wanting to do something that involves a bit less creative overlap.  Well then check out Circle City Tickets for the best deals on tickets to shows to see your favorite creative music artists this summer!