Canter Bridge

Season Two is still not the big machine humming at full throttle, but it was evident that Jennifer Aniston and crew were definitely on the way to something big. The writing and acting is a bit more confident than the debut season, and Chandler comes into his own in a strong supporting role.

‘Mr. Heckles’ emerges as one of the delightful cameos of the show, just in time to die. We learn some basic background about several of the characters as the show’s writers feel their oats. Phoebe, for example, is from time to time tormented not only by the memory of her late mother, but also by her very much alive husband—surprise!—and father.

Joey and Chandler fight it out like good roommates do, but find a way to put the pieces back together again, leaving us all grateful that Eddie is gone for good. Ross and Rachel find each other in a serious way. Carol and Susan tie the knot, so we end the season as convinced as we can be that Carol is a mere sidelight and is not coming back to Ross.

Oh, and family dysfunction? Can any group of human beings have a less promising family background, as Chandler might ask it? The more we know about the homes that Phebes, Rachel, Chandler, and Monica come from, the more amazing it seems that these human beings can still stand erect?

Maybe that goes as far as any single element to explain the growing appeal of these six friends. In a generation of badly gutted family experience, these six individuals pursue some semblance of normality in spite of everything, and – with a little help from their friends – look almost set to achieve it.

The patterns they seem intent on establishing for their own lives don’t lead to optimism, but we sure did love them as they tried to figure stuff out.