SPOILERS AHEAD
Friends
With 10 seasons and 236 episodes, this series follows a group of friends on their life journey. Full of love, laughter, heartbreak, and endless drama, there is never a dull moment. The first episode shows Monica Geller, a high-strung but softhearted chef, sitting with her friends in their local coffee shop, Central Perk. Chandler Bing, a sarcastic and self-disparaging IT manager; Joey Tribbiani, a small-minded womanizer and struggling actor; Phoebe Buffay, a free-spirited masseuse; and Ross Geller, Monica’s brother, and a thoughtful but self-conscious paleontologist. When Ross shares that his wife has officially moved out but wants to be married again, Rachel Green frantically storms into the café in her wedding dress. The last episode ends with the star-crossed lovers, Rachel and Ross, agreeing to continue their relationship. Monica and Chandler started their life in the suburbs; Joey will eventually move out to LA to continue his acting career; and Phoebe enjoys the married life with her husband, Mike. However, the twists and turns that occur between these two episodes make it worth the watch. This sitcom is my favorite comfort show because it is entertaining to watch even though I have seen it countless times. This show never fails to make a lousy day barrable and a good day great between Chandler’s sarcasm, Joey’s foolishness, and the overall group dynamic. If you have seen the show (and if you have not, please do), were Ross and Rachel really on a break?
My obsession with this show has recently restarted, and I would like to take this time to apologize to my roommate for it always being on when she comes home. New Girl follows the adventures of Jessica Day, a vibrant and unique teacher, and her three new roommates that she found on Craigslist. The first episode opens with Jess talking to her best friend Cece, a protective and caring model, about surprising her long-term boyfriend by returning home early; however, she discovers he has been cheating on her. In search of a place to live, she stumbles across an ad and thinks the potential roommates are women. Unbeknownst to her, these three men—Nick, a socially incompetent, sarcastic bartender; Schmidt, a driven perfectionist; and Coach, an arrogant, but socially awkward personal trainer—would soon become her best friends. Over the next six seasons, you will laugh, cry, scream, and feel just about every emotion there is until the series, unfortunately, comes to an end. Regardless, the producers did give us the satisfaction of finally getting Nick and Jess back together, letting all of the main characters experience their happy ending. I adore this sitcom; similar to Friends, New Girl is relatively realistic for how single, late-twenties adults in Los Angeles would live their lives. Schmidt and Nick consistently make me laugh, despite how dimwitted their humor is. If you are looking for drama but constant comedy, I encourage you to watch (or rewatch) this series.
The Office
You would think that making a documentary surrounding a paper company in the small town of Scranton, Pennsylvania, would be boring, but Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute prove otherwise. The entire cast has their quirks and a special place in my heart, but the bond between Dwight and Jim will always be my favorite. The pilot episode starts with Michael giving the camera crew a tour of the office; this is where the quote “people say I am the best boss” appears. The undeniable attraction between Pam Beesly and Jim Halpert is evident as they work together to prank Dwight consistently throughout the series. Now, do not get me wrong, the 9 seasons of The Office are all important; however, Michael leaving Scranton to be with Holly (his future wife) in season seven was a slight downfall for the show. Nonetheless, I have seen this show countless times, and I am still baffled about how Michael had even made it as far as he did. In the last episode, when Dwight and Angela get married, Jim’s final prank on Dwight is telling him he is not old enough to be his “bestest mensch,” which is when Michael, who I believe is Dwight’s favorite human, makes his return. Many side stories were given closer during the last episode, one of my favorite parts about this series. There are countless highs and lows in this show, even in relationships thought of as perfect. There will always be episodes that I will never get tired of watching, brainless humor that I will still laugh at, and scenes that will always stir up emotions. Whether I use it as background noise or not, I enjoy the comfort of knowing what will happen next. However, one question will forever remain unanswered in my head; is Toby the Scranton Strangler?