The Last One Part 1 - Dan Silverstein
Some things you shouldn’t mess with. And for years, script writers have been ignoring this golden rule and
producing the commercial beast known as the ‘spin-off’, but more on that later. For now, this review
concerns a Friends fan script with a difference - this is a script of the last *ever* episode of the show. And
yes, it does sound like the type of thing I would write. Actually, this script is the third to last episode ‘The
Third To Last One’, if you will, and as such, it sets up a number of plot-lines to be concluded in further
scripts. Monica is going out with a geeky boyfriend so that she doesn’t get evicted from her apartment,
Rachel has been sacked, Ross and Carol are back together, Joey has been offered a film role, Chandler is
facing the fact that he might be living on his own in the future, and Phoebe has *big* problems. But does it
stand out from the myriad of unfunny Friends fanfics? Yes, but there are problems. The opening scene is
great - no doubt about it. Chandler is Chandler, and he is funny, and the rest, well, who cares? But as the
script moves on, things start to look down. One of the best things about the show is the way that it never let
serious matters get in the way of gags. Here, the jokes are noticeably missing at points when they are sorely
needed, meaning we are left with Soap Opera. One example of this is the ending - a melodramatic
cliff-hanger which *should* have been followed by one of those ‘over the credits’ comedy romps we all
know and love. Perhaps Dan is trying to make the show a little more sophisticated. Sure, it’s good - but
there are little twinges of doubt here and there. And why is the whole thing a hypertext link? [4/5]
The Last One Part 2 - Dan Silverstein
Or, ‘The Second To Last One’. This script moves along at a startling pace - too fast, if you ask me - and is a
continuation of the last script (duh) which means that there are no new plot threads, just plot twists.
Actually, paradoxically, nothing really happens while a lot happens. Huh? Well, characters spend most of the
time discussing what happened last time, while we also get the eviction of Monica and Rachel, and the line
most fans have been waiting for from the first episode of Friends. Here’s a point: Ross never leaves bed
(okay, two different beds) throughout the episode. The result is less of a Friends script, and more of a
section of film - not enough happens to make it a self contained story. Still there’re some nice lines. [3.5/5]
The Last One Part 3 - Dan Silverstein
‘The Last One: The Last One’. This isn’t perfect. ‘A lot’ isn’t one word, Dan, and neither is ‘no one’. The
party scene seems a little tacked one. Psychotic roomie Eddie was nowhere to be seen. I could delve
*really* deep, in my usual manner, and nit-pick ‘til my heart’s content. But this is the wrap up episode - the
last ever episode of Friends. It’s funny to think of this as such - after all, this is only a fan fiction when it all
comes down to it. But, behold the power of good fan fiction; towards the end; I actually found myself
thinking “I’m going to miss this show’. The whole thing is good, but come the end it is amazing. This is
Emmy award winning TV people - and it makes me proud to be a part of a community that can produce
something so full of emotion as this. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry, and you’ll feel sorry for the thousands of
Friends fans who’ll never read this. You don’t need a television for classic Friends, my friends. Open your
eyes. Open your imagination. Read this, and say goodbye to Central Perk; say goodbye to Rachel, Ross,
Chandler, Phoebe, Joey and Monica. For this is as good as the end is ever going to be. And the best thing is
that this is only the beginning. Nice one, Dan. [5/5]
Chandler & Monica: Business & Pleasure - Dan Silverstein
So here we are, at the beginning of a fan fiction series every bit as historic as ER Holdridges’s run on ‘My
So-Called Life’. For those not in the know, this is a ‘textcom’ about the lives of Chandler Bing and Monica
Geller, who are now shacked up together. This means that this is a spin-off - but will it be a ‘Simpsons’ or a
‘K9 And Company’? Well let’s compare it to one of the best spin-off series ever: Frasier (I’m sure that Dan
wouldn’t mind that). They both follow on from insanely popular sitcoms, they both have accrued large and
loyal followings and, well that’s about the end of the similarities. C&M concentrates on two of the main
characters in Friends; F takes one minor character from Cheers as its star. C&M starts in exactly the same
place as its mother show; F is set in a completely different state. CAM has scope for using many familiar
characters from the mother show; F relies on a new set of characters. C&M has a small main cast; F is very
much an ensemble show. And, unfortunately, F is far funnier than C&M. That isn’t to say that C&M *isn’t*
funny - it’s better than any number of American sitcoms, but it isn’t as funny as ‘The Last One’ - yet. Say
it’s on a par humour wise with ‘Caroline In The City’, which I rather enjoy. Character wise, we know and
love Monica and Chandler, but can they really be expanded into new and exciting characters? Probably not -
they are too familiar to us. It’s good to see Gunther finally taking centre stage, and I hope that Dan and co
will do something special with him. Plot wise we’re off to a good start, with a dual story which covers
Chandler’s resignation and one of Joey’s old girlfriends holing up in his room, but it’s a little conventional.
Friends was built upon a tower of kookiness, and it seems that Dan is trying to domesticate this with his
spin-off. C&M is a little too normal to prove a classic, for the moment. But hey, this *is* the pilot. Let’s see
how this will turn out. [3.5/5]
Chandler & Monica: Patient & Waiting - Dan Silverstein
Now we’re cooking. Patient & Waiting introduces some original characters who look set to be interesting -
but the main thrust of this plot is a classic case of ‘I’m not talking to you’ which could easily have fallen
from any classy sitcom. Anything that manages to start off with sexual fantasies and end up with a good old
gawp at a nose ring has got to be okay, and believe me when I say that there are a number of great lines (the
magnet one is marvellous!). Not perfect, but things are already starting to pull together. [4/5]
Chandler & Monica: Fish & Chips - Danny Silverstein
Monica is strewn between two evils when she hires a new waiter, and Chandler finds himself being replaced
by a sinister newcomer two the office. Okay, I liked this script - it could easily have come from a pro, ratings
leading sitcom. So, you may enquire, why hasn’t it been awarded a gold award? If it’s that good, surely it
should be among the cream of fan fiction? Well, it is among the cream (check the score) but not the *cream*
of the cream, as [5/5] stories should be. Having said that, I still would like you to read it if you like Friends
fan fiction, because it is great. The characters are all laid out, the quirkiness has been upped, and the humour
is spot on (yes, I did find the lesbian plot in ‘Business & Pleasure’ to be too pedestrian (!), but the almost
science fiction plot concerning the ‘new’ Chandler - and it’s hilarious conclusion - is a solid piece of sitcom).
My main complaint is the ‘Superman’ gag, which seemed really out of place and did tend to stick in the
throat. A great ‘show’. I’m expecting to dole out wads of Gold Awards pretty soon. [4.5/5]
Chandler & Monica: Before & After Part 1 - Danny Silverstein
Oh, is *this* a treat, or what? Not only is this the first part of the first C&M two-parter; not only does this
story feature the first appearance of the ‘looks nice but is utterly useless in overseas sales’ opening title
animation, but this story features all six of our Friends - count ‘em! And, thankfully, it’s a stormer of an
episoide. Part is concerned with Ross and Joey’s acting in a Mafia comedy; the other, with a massive
comical misunderstanding of Frasier proportions. Some of you may be a little sceptical about this fanfic,
being, as it is, as blatant of a crowd pleaser as you can get. The big thing about C&M is that it exists outside
of the world of Friends, meaning that the other four characters from the source show needn’t show up in any
story. When they do; well, it isn’t C&M any more, is it? It becomes a novel Friends fan fiction, set some
time in the future (Hell, I did it with my MSCL fanfic). But it’s got a great set of plot lines, and it’s funny.
You can’t take that away from Danny. By the way, Rachel gets the best line by *far*. [5/5]
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