"There was some concern we didn't have a broad enough demographic in terms of the cast. It was seen as a problem that they were all young," he says, seated in his large, glass-walled, seventh-floor Burbank office, just over the road from the Warner Bros. studios where the series is filmed. "It was felt we needed an older character to appeal to older viewers, but you don't need a 40-plus actor in the cast to ensure your show also appeals to 40-plus viewers." |
| Along with Friends' appeal to all age groups, Crane believes the show's greatest assets are the cast and the fact the comedy is built around situations everyone can relate to. "The stuff we deal with is stuff every viewer has experienced at some time or another," he says. But it's the cast - TV's super-rich super-six - whom Crane showers with the greatest praise. Not everyone shares his view, however. There are plenty of industry folk in Hollywood only too eager to tell you how, as the group's popularity has grown, so too has the size of their egos. Their new contracts allow them to no longer do interviews if they don't wish. No longer are they burdened with numerous publicity shoots. Once a year is enough. But Crane isn't about to publicly ruffle the feathers of the six geese who have been laying such king-size golden eggs for the past eight years - particularly now they have just agreed to do one more season. Having stated that this would be their last year, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox Arquette, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer recently signed for a ninth and final season, for which each will receive a whopping $2 million per episode. That's $264 million of the show's allocated $340 million budget for next season. Crane insists they are worth every cent. |
| "Frankly, the cast is unbeatable," he says. "The odds of getting six people who are that talented together in one show in roles that so suit them . . . well, it's like capturing lightning in a bottle." Crane believes the success of the latest series is a significant factor in the cast's decision to sign for one more year. "Besides, it's a really great job that pays them an awful lot of money," he adds, smiling. "This sort of show doesn't come along very often for an actor, so from that standpoint I don't think it was easy for them to walk away." Crane, who lives in Los Angeles with his companion, television writer and producer Jeffrey Klarik, heads the Friends' 20-strong writing team, 12 of whom are assigned to each episode. Every Monday to Thursday, he and Kauffman are locked away in the writers' room before an eight-hour taping session on Friday. |
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| The End of Friends |
| Both Philadelphia natives, the pair have been writing partners for more than 20 years. Starting their working relationship in New York theatre, they teamed with composer Michael Skloff to write several musicals, including the stage version of Arthur. It is a partnership unmatched in Hollywood when it comes to small-screen success. Along with Friends, Kauffman and Crane created and produced the award-winning comedy series Dream On, plus other sitcom hits such as Veronica's Closet, Family Album, The Powers That Be and Jesse. But despite Friends' unbelievable success and the cast's agreement to complete a ninth season, Crane is adamant there will be no arm-twisting to do a 10th. "We have all decided there will be no waffling on about 'will-we-won't-we' next year. There'll be no more and that's fine," he says. One more year means the writers now have the time to "figure out how to resolve everything in a satisfactory way". While acknowledging the show drew criticism for losing its way last season, Crane says he was happy. "Personally, I was really proud of it," he says. "Look, I love the fact that people are thrilled with the show this season. If they need to look down on last year to love this year, so be it." Along with Rachel's pregnancy, one of the storylines viewers have warmed to this year has been Joey's revelation of his feelings for Rachel. As much as he'd like to take the credit, Crane confesses it wasn't planned. |
| "It was a storyline we lucked into, pure and simple," he says. "Someone said: 'What if Joey likes Rachel?' and we thought 'no you can't go there', and then we thought: 'Why not? What if he did?' That's how it was, I swear. "There was a certain amount of kismet there and that proved exciting for both the writers and the audience but, initially, it wasn't a part of the plan for this season." Crane is tight-lipped about how the Joey-Rachel storyline resolves, but reveals that Rachel will have her baby in this year's season finale. He admits, also, that contemplating the end of Friends is a "little terrifying" for everyone. "But with other series Marta and I were involved with before this one, we have been in production for about 13 years now, so I badly need a break," he says. "The worry is, having had the most satisfying creative time of your life, what do you do next and not have the rest of what you do feel kind of damaged by the success of this show?" It's the sort of creative dilemma most TV writers and producers would kill for. Thirteen consecutive years in work, the last nine of them with a megahit sitcom that turns you into a multi-millionaire is a level of success achieved by few. |
| Plenty, too, would kill to be involved with a show that has influenced so many later small-screen offerings. While flattered, Crane says they aspired only to make a sitcom that people would find funny. "We never set out to influence other TV shows or popular culture," he says. "But when you take a step back and see what this show has done, it's pretty astonishing. "But for me, personally, that's not where the pleasure comes from. The pleasure comes from just doing it." |
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| A shrewd casting agent may even have spotted the similarity to Tom Hanks and signed him to play the superstar's shorter, younger brother. But Crane's no actor. One-third of Hollywood's all-powerful Bright, Kauffman and Crane partnership that owns the megahit comedy Friends, he is the driving force behind television's comedy phenomenon of the '90s. It was Crane and writing partner Marta Kauffman who created the show in early 1994. Kevin Bright directed the pilot episode. The three are now multi-millionaires, thanks to the hottest sitcom in the world. Bespectacled, with dark curly hair, the quietly-spoken Crane, 44, smiles as he recalls those early days and the many studio heavyweights who doubted the show would succeed. |
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