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Friends: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]
Genre | Television, Comedy |
Format | Box set, Widescreen, Surround Sound, Blu-ray, NTSC, Dolby |
Contributor | Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc |
Language | English, Spanish, French |
Number Of Discs | 21 |
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From the manufacturer
Friends: The Complete Series
Friends: The Complete Series is presented via a 1.78:1 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer; one created by going back to the original 35mm film elements and remastering each season from the ground up. The results, though, vary rather dramatically and give way to a host of minor but, when heaped one atop another, compounding issues. First, let's deal with the original 35mm negatives and the series' original photography. Softness abounds, grain can be unwieldy, and detail is only as revealing as the episodes allow. Friends is classic catalog television, pure and simple. Even in the mid-to-late '90s, the thought of high definition TVs, much less one in every family room, was something of a pipe dream; certainly nothing executive producers felt the need to account for when it came to squeezing the most out of their budgets. Like most shows, it was shot for 1.33:1 standard definition mass consumption and DVD-level scrutiny, nothing more. ("The Pilot" is an even bigger mess. Don't panic.) Remaster or no, Warner Bros. can't turn water into wine, and I have no intention of docking the presentation for its inherited shortcomings. Other more disconcerting problems arise as the series progresses, the worst of which plague the third, fourth and fifth seasons. The majority of these problems could have been addressed with some tweaking, especially since, as it stands, "tweaking" is exactly what caused them to manifest in the first place. Over the course of the show's ten seasons, color and contrast run the gamut (from pleasant and natural to dull and yellowed, to bright and vivid, to overbearing, then steadily back to natural), fleshtones are sometimes muddy or over-saturated, primaries are problematic early on and too vibrant on occasion as the series nears its end, crush hinders shadow detail as black levels bottom out, and intermittent compression artifacts, faint and fleeting as they are, pop up every now and again. Obvious noise reduction is also in play. There are scenes and entire episodes where it's applied with such an uncharacteristically heavy hand that it wreaks havoc on midrange shots and numerous closeups. Other digital techniques have been used to normalize and stabilize aspects of the series' 236-episode photography too; just none that lead to nearly as many mishaps.
All that being said, I'll be the first to admit -- and celebrate -- the fact that Friends has never looked better than it does here. Colors may be uneven when accelerating from season to season, but they're also lovely and satisfying overall, particularly in later seasons as the series barrels into the 21st century. Contrast becomes more consistent too, as does delineation and detail. In early seasons, when edge definition and fine textures deliver, it's in spite of everything that's working against them. Later, edges and fine textures deliver in conjunction with the rest of the image, as clarity becomes more generous and impresses accordingly. The series' grain, meanwhile, ranges from mild to heavy, with stops at muddled and soupy in between, but never becomes a sizable distraction. Removing it completely would have been detrimental, so kudos to Warner for sticking with their commitment to the 35mm remaster. (Now if only the noise reduction applied to the image wasn't so unforgiving.) The technical encode is also proficient (barring the aforementioned artifacting, which is thankfully in very short supply). All 200+ episodes are given ample room to breathe and I have yet to notice much, if anything, in the way of substantial banding, aliasing, shimmering, flickering, ringing or film-element damage. Perfect? No. Terrific? Still cold. Great? Getting a wee bit warmer. Good? Worth the cost of admission? There you go. Friends wasn't primed to produce a knockout Blu-ray, and yet its video presentation is arguably the highlight of the set. How's that for a conundrum? In the end, reasonable fans will be pleased, videophiles will grumble, some will think I'm being far too kind, and still others will think it all looks better than reviewers are giving it credit for.
The Complete Series doesn't include any lossless audio option, putting all of its faith in a solid but by no means ideal 640kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track. Just don't rush to jump to any conclusion. It isn't the track's lossy nature that spoils things. I'll even go so far to say a lossless mix wouldn't have improved the discernible quality of the ensuing sonics all that much. (Key word: discernible.) No, the real problem here is that the show's unexpectedly full and energetic sound design could have used further remastering and adjustment, as several lingering issues bring it down half a notch. While matters indeed improve over the course of Friends' ten seasons, everything from air hiss to distortion, errant noise and other flare-ups interfere with dialogue, effects and live studio audience outbursts; things that could have been eliminated or at least minimized had the audio been given more attention.
That doesn't mean the Dolby Digital track is a misfire or a loss. Far from it. Distractions creep in, sure, but the finer qualities of the mix shouldn't be so readily dismissed. Voices are largely bright, clear and intelligible, prioritization is savvy, LFE output is decidedly decent (albeit rarely pushed to any extreme), the rear speakers are quite active, and dynamics get the job done. Music and ambience are better than average too, pans and directionality were more satisfying than I anticipated, and I was continually surprised by the relative immersiveness of the otherwise stock sitcom soundfield. There's still a general thinness inherent to most episodes, the studio audience laughter often sounds canned, and further remastering work could have possibly brought earlier seasons more in line with later seasons. But as catalog television goes, it could have been a lot worse.
Product Description
Friends: The Complete Series (Blu-Ray) All the laughs, all the loves, all the lattes - all yours! Settle in with the hilarious and acclaimed series about a family based on friendship. Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross were always there for each other. Now they're here for you in the complete 10-season set of the original broadcast episodes. Special features include hilarious gag reels, The Rembrandts - "I'll Be There For You": Official music video and much more!
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 1.78:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Product Dimensions : 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 3.37 Pounds
- Item model number : 883929248919
- Media Format : Box set, Widescreen, Surround Sound, Blu-ray, NTSC, Dolby
- Run time : 80 hours
- Release date : November 13, 2012
- Actors : Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry
- Dubbed: : Spanish
- Subtitles: : Spanish, English, French
- Language : English (DTS 5.1)
- Studio : WarnerBrothers
- ASIN : B008D19WBQ
- Number of discs : 21
- Best Sellers Rank: #34,116 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #2,075 in Comedy (Movies & TV)
- Customer Reviews:
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Top reviews from the United States
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I know the controversy surrounding the release of this set, but it honestly does not phase me. When I first saw the episodes when they aired, these were the versions I saw. When the DVD set came out, yes, it was a wonderful bonus to have the extended episodes...but that was it, a bonus. I intend to keep my DVD box set of the complete series, so I can revisit the extended episodes as I wish...but the difference in picture and sound on these blu ray discs is amazing...just like seeing them again for the first time.
As of this writing, I have only watched 2 of the first season episodes. I have watched the bonus disc in its entirety.
What's in the box:
First off, the box is made of a VERY sturdy, thick glossy cardboard. The cover is a lenticular cover which shows the cast in the first season at one angle, and the last season at another angle. This box is held shut by magnets and opens like a chest. When opened, you will find a glossy 40 page episode guide inside with a synopsis of each episode, photos from the episodes, and some cool extra photos. Underneath this booklet, there is another very sturdy cardboard book that houses the 21 discs. There are 2 discs per page with the bonus disc being by itself on the last page of the book. The book is also held closed with magnets as the box is. A ribbon is attached to the inside of the box with these items resting on top of it, so pulling the ribbon raises the items up for easy removal.
What's on the bonus disc:
Friends From the Start: Approx 30 min, features the creation/origins of "Friends" with many of the creators of the show discussing how the show started, casting, creating the sets, etc.
When Friends Become Family: Approx 30 min, again featuring creators discussing how everything came together and how the show exploded into the culture
Legacy of Friends: Approx 12 min, focuses on the impact that "Friends" had and still has, and shows some emotional footage of the filming of the last episode and tearing down the set
Producer's Cut of "The One Where Rachel Tells Ross": Approx 24 min, this is the originally planned/filmed episode that was filmed prior to the 9/11 attacks, featuring a sub-plot where Chandler makes a joke about having a bomb as he and Monica are about to board the plane for their honeymoon.
Original Script for "The One Where Rachel Tells Ross", just as described
Music Video for The Rembrandts' "I'll Be There for You"
Short clips of "Friends" on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", approx 15 min. Features clips of David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry on "Ellen", each appearing individually
Short clips of "Friends" on "The Tonight Show", approx 23 min. Features the men of "Friends" first, sitting with Jay Leno on a recreation of the Central Perk set, discussing the ride of being on the show. The women appear next, then the men are brought out for a full reunion. This was filmed not long after the airing of the final episode, so it's not anything new.
Previously Unreleased Gag Reel, approx 8 min.
I, for one, am thrilled to have bought this. I think some people may be confusing "broadcast" with "syndicated", so just for the record, these are the original broadcast episodes. There is nothing cut from when they originally aired. The episodes on the DVD had footage ADDED to them that was never shown before. Again, I will keep my DVD box set to watch the extended episodes from time to time, but the blu rays will be my main "go to" for the show as they look and sound fantastic in high def.
I have uploaded photos of the box and contents.
I know the controversy surrounding the release of this set, but it honestly does not phase me. When I first saw the episodes when they aired, these were the versions I saw. When the DVD set came out, yes, it was a wonderful bonus to have the extended episodes...but that was it, a bonus. I intend to keep my DVD box set of the complete series, so I can revisit the extended episodes as I wish...but the difference in picture and sound on these blu ray discs is amazing...just like seeing them again for the first time.
As of this writing, I have only watched 2 of the first season episodes. I have watched the bonus disc in its entirety.
What's in the box:
First off, the box is made of a VERY sturdy, thick glossy cardboard. The cover is a lenticular cover which shows the cast in the first season at one angle, and the last season at another angle. This box is held shut by magnets and opens like a chest. When opened, you will find a glossy 40 page episode guide inside with a synopsis of each episode, photos from the episodes, and some cool extra photos. Underneath this booklet, there is another very sturdy cardboard book that houses the 21 discs. There are 2 discs per page with the bonus disc being by itself on the last page of the book. The book is also held closed with magnets as the box is. A ribbon is attached to the inside of the box with these items resting on top of it, so pulling the ribbon raises the items up for easy removal.
What's on the bonus disc:
Friends From the Start: Approx 30 min, features the creation/origins of "Friends" with many of the creators of the show discussing how the show started, casting, creating the sets, etc.
When Friends Become Family: Approx 30 min, again featuring creators discussing how everything came together and how the show exploded into the culture
Legacy of Friends: Approx 12 min, focuses on the impact that "Friends" had and still has, and shows some emotional footage of the filming of the last episode and tearing down the set
Producer's Cut of "The One Where Rachel Tells Ross": Approx 24 min, this is the originally planned/filmed episode that was filmed prior to the 9/11 attacks, featuring a sub-plot where Chandler makes a joke about having a bomb as he and Monica are about to board the plane for their honeymoon.
Original Script for "The One Where Rachel Tells Ross", just as described
Music Video for The Rembrandts' "I'll Be There for You"
Short clips of "Friends" on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", approx 15 min. Features clips of David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry on "Ellen", each appearing individually
Short clips of "Friends" on "The Tonight Show", approx 23 min. Features the men of "Friends" first, sitting with Jay Leno on a recreation of the Central Perk set, discussing the ride of being on the show. The women appear next, then the men are brought out for a full reunion. This was filmed not long after the airing of the final episode, so it's not anything new.
Previously Unreleased Gag Reel, approx 8 min.
I, for one, am thrilled to have bought this. I think some people may be confusing "broadcast" with "syndicated", so just for the record, these are the original broadcast episodes. There is nothing cut from when they originally aired. The episodes on the DVD had footage ADDED to them that was never shown before. Again, I will keep my DVD box set to watch the extended episodes from time to time, but the blu rays will be my main "go to" for the show as they look and sound fantastic in high def.
I have uploaded photos of the box and contents.
The HD transfer is simply beautiful and surprisingly so considering the vintage of the original airings.
The episode booklet is a nice touch and is better than the average "booklet" included with most TV show collection sets. It's a high quality softcover book and is put together well.
I certainly understand why a lot of reviewers want the extended versions of the episodes. It's human nature to want "more" rather than less but personally I actually prefer the original episodes that were aired, in the correct format as they were intended for TV.
The original length episodes have a better pace and are leaner and more effective in my opinion. The extra gags certainly don't contribute to the plots and if anything dwell a little too long on minor occurrences which bog down the plot with cheap one liners. Keep it moving I say :)
And on this point I have yet to concede any "extended" or "directors cuts" (Blade Runner probably being the only exception) to being better than the original featured movie/tv episode.
More often than not I walk away thinking the editor was right culling down redundant scenes and tangents that don't really add anything to the story.
But I digress, at the end of the day at approx. $150 this boxset will reward the viewer with hours of laughter and joy at an affordable price.
So for those of you not willing to wait for the extended versions that may or may not be released I say jump on board and start enjoying this charming and witty TV show and take comfort in knowing that it's a nice box set that has had a lot of thought put into it.
Yes these are the episodes as they originally aired and not the extended versions that were on the DVD seasons, but you really don't miss it. There are couple of episodes where you feel like there was something missing and you can't quite put your finger on it, but the episodes don't feel incomplete when the end credits roll.
If you're a fan of the show and feel the price is worth getting all 10 seasons, by all means get this Blu-ray set. You won't be disappointed.
I have been watching this almost daily and I am on season eight. I'm holding off watching the special features disc until I have seen all the episodes. So I can't comment on that just yet.
The only negative thing I can say, and I remember reading this in other reviews, sometimes if you fast forward or rewind, the picture gets "jittery" when play resumes. I'm fairly certain this will only happen on some Blu Ray players, but I figured out how to avoid this. Of course there is the obvious: don't fast forward or rewind, but if you must, (I have a Sony 3D Blu Ray player and this worked every time) I hit the home button then play again, and the picture was fine and it also picked up right where I left off. A little annoying, but not a deal breaker.
Sound and picture quality are great! And the special features are pretty good. Just don't expect to see any "Where are they now?" documentaries.
Top reviews from other countries
I would highly recommend this for any FRIENDS fanatic. If you’re just looking for a way to watch all the episodes, there are cheaper box sets out there, but this one is more of a “collectors” item and in my opinion, worth the higher price tag.
I won’t go on and on about the show because chances are if you’re looking to buy this (and haven’t lived in a cave for the last 25 years) you know what this show is about. Chandler is the absolute best though, I will say that, lol. I also won’t talk too much about the picture/audio quality because A) I’m not qualified for such comments honestly, and B) this show was originally shot from 1994-2004 so don't pop in a disc and expect it to be like a 4K Marvel movie or something that’s going to blow your mind with its clarity lol.
I’m so pleased with this set and highly recommend either for yourself or any FRIENDS fan in your life. You/they will not be disappointed.
Your wallet may want to push you towards a cheaper set, but it’s a moo point. You know, it’s like a cow’s opinion. It doesn’t matter.
Reviewed in Canada on May 10, 2020
I would highly recommend this for any FRIENDS fanatic. If you’re just looking for a way to watch all the episodes, there are cheaper box sets out there, but this one is more of a “collectors” item and in my opinion, worth the higher price tag.
I won’t go on and on about the show because chances are if you’re looking to buy this (and haven’t lived in a cave for the last 25 years) you know what this show is about. Chandler is the absolute best though, I will say that, lol. I also won’t talk too much about the picture/audio quality because A) I’m not qualified for such comments honestly, and B) this show was originally shot from 1994-2004 so don't pop in a disc and expect it to be like a 4K Marvel movie or something that’s going to blow your mind with its clarity lol.
I’m so pleased with this set and highly recommend either for yourself or any FRIENDS fan in your life. You/they will not be disappointed.
Your wallet may want to push you towards a cheaper set, but it’s a moo point. You know, it’s like a cow’s opinion. It doesn’t matter.
購入目的は英語の学習用でしたが、日本版は価格が高いことと、US版のパッケージが気に入ったためこちらの商品の購入を決めました。
アマゾンではフレンズのブルーレイが何種類か扱われていていますが、レビューは共有らしく、中にはimport版を購入して偽物が届いたと言う書き込みもあり商品が届くまで不安でしたが、届いたものは見事US版でした。
PS3で再生でき、また吹き替え、字幕共に日本語があり大変満足しています。
The video is good, though not great. It's rather contrasty in the first season. I only started watching the series so I'm still on season 1. FYI I have a Sony 800 series 4k blu-ray player and a Sony Bravia XBR-X900E 55 inch 4k TV.
But the series commentaries and extras are wonderful, as are the series themselves. This is timeless and beautiful creation with adorable and wonderful characters. I never get tired of it and already own the series on DVD. This will be my 4th time going through the entire series.
Reviewed in Canada on May 25, 2018
The video is good, though not great. It's rather contrasty in the first season. I only started watching the series so I'm still on season 1. FYI I have a Sony 800 series 4k blu-ray player and a Sony Bravia XBR-X900E 55 inch 4k TV.
But the series commentaries and extras are wonderful, as are the series themselves. This is timeless and beautiful creation with adorable and wonderful characters. I never get tired of it and already own the series on DVD. This will be my 4th time going through the entire series.