Review of Friends: Series 3 Boxset

Introduction

By now it was clear that Warner Bros. had a hit on their hands - the popularity of Friends was growing by the second.

The third series has some more notable moments, in particular the time when Ross and Rachel took a break, and the consequences that followed. The humour is now much more relaxed and constant, and you actually want to see what happens to the characters now.

Video

It is presented in 4:3 Fullscreen, which is normal for a TV-DVD transfer, but that doesn`t mean it`s necessarily good. The palette is OK, and there is the odd compression sign, but on the whole it is a fairly good print slightly sullied by the odd flaw.

Friends doesn`t revolve so much on visual comedy as say, a spoof, but there is plenty for your eyes to lap up. The situations the characters get them into is humourous, and there are some great set-pieces in the third series.

Audio

A DD 2.0 track is on offer, which is sufficient for this, being a dialogue-driven feature. The main audio stream is crisp and clear, and the ambience level is just right, but the audio has been marked down for the abscence of a DD 5.1 track.

The scripts are all sharp, and as mentioned above, put the characters into some great comedic situations (such as when the gang assemble a giant poking device...don`t ask).

Features

Yet again, the main extra is a music video of "I`ll Be There For You" by The Rembrandts, which is an extended version than that of the opening credits. The six stars participate (visually not singing) in the video, which adds some authenticity to it. Apart from this incredibly thin extra, there is episode (not scene) selection, and static menus. Disappointing.

Conclusion

Again, this boxset is a must for fans of the sitcom, and the formula that will shoot this to pop culture status is now more evident than before. As usual, the acting is good, and the scripts are all sharp, and the characters more rounded.

Recommended.