Jerry D

I never really watched Friends to be honest. Comedies never really appealed to me all that much. I know a lot of people loved that show though.

When the show was on live, I didn't like how Amy treated Ephram in Season One by going back and forth with her feelings for him, and I really hoped that Ephram and Laynie would get together as a couple, but I eventually came to really love Ephram and Amy.

I never heard of anyone else auditioning for Ephram and Amy. I first saw Greg Smith in the Mel Gibson movie The Patriot, and he was fantastic in it so maybe Berlanti remembered him from that movie. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing Ephram and Amy.

I couldn't imagine Liv Tyler playing Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries. She was and is beautiful and she's a good actress, but I feel that Anne Hathaway brought an innocent charm to that movie and I don't think that Liv Tyler could have done as good a job in that movie as Anne Hathaway did.

jediwands

I liked Ephram/Laynie the first time around. My Funny Valentine is one of my favorite episodes of all time. But in thinking about it... I know some people wanted Ephram to date Laynie instead of Madison in Season 2. I’m not sure it would have been a good idea because Laynie wasn’t a stupid person. She would have known Ephram/Amy had feelings and I don’t see her ever going there and doing that to Amy. She wasn’t Pacey Witter. I also care about Laynie too much as a character to see her in second place. I kind of already felt that when she was casually with Ephram in Season 1. I also wouldn’t want the Amy/Laynie friendship messed with either.

Jerry D

I completely agree. Ephram and Laynie did have a lot of chemistry when they met and she was the only person besides Amy to see what a great guy Ephram was, but she clearly saw early on that Ephram loved Amy, and she knew it wouldn't have worked with her and Ephram, and like you said, Michelle I also wouldn't have wanted to see the Amy and Laynie friendship messed with either. I'll always regret that they wrote off Laynie's character and brought in Hannah. Oh well.

jediwands

Laynie was the Andie of Everwood. She just disappeared to make way for a less interesting storyline. I don’t get it either. This is something that just doesn’t sit right with most Everwood fans, especially since a proper explanation of why it happened was never given. I almost wish we would have found out Nora wanted off the show but that was not the case.

Librarianx01

Michelle, yes, I was a mere child when Friends released. I was in middle school by the time it ended so mom didn't care as much what I watched at that time. She used to fondly say I had so many TV choices... "when I was growing up there was only Howdy Doody". I also felt Rachel & Ross were MTB and did NOT like Joey and Rachel. I'm not surprised the cast revolted (as much as they could anyway). They seemed mismatched.

Jerry, RE: Princess Diaries, did you know Anne Hathaway was chosen because 1) she tripped in her audition 2) the director's granddaughters thought she had "princess hair"?

I liked Laynie but didn't see her as a long term love interest of Ephram's. I think I knew, like Madison, she would be an obstacle in the way of Ephram/Amy, so I wasn't keen on E&L dating. (I was very *firm* in my ships as a teen ) I think like you both say - Laynie would've stepped aside pretty quickly if she and Ephram were dating because she'd see that Amy and Ephram had strong feelings for each other. I always felt Laynie liked him and could date him and enjoy his company but wasn't a long haul GF. I always think its too bad we didn't get to know Stephanie more--though I know she was supposed to be a brief reprise between E&A sleeping together to them getting together at the end of 4, and that she wasn't really supposed to have a personality because of this. Sorta like Tommy

It is too bad to learn Laynie just...left. Her going back to boarding school (if I recall right) felt like a weak plotline to have her exit. It looks like (thank you Wikipedia ) she went to do Heroes a year or two later, but still...her abrupt leaving felt haphazard and like they didn't care about the Harts. which I guess once Colin was dead, was bye bye Harts (even though he was the town's golden boy )

Jerry D

No I didn't know that! Wow! It's amazing how something like that could make the difference in a casting choice!

I liked Ephram and Amy initially but her purpose was initially to arouse jealously in Amy when Amy saw her and Ephram hitting it off, and then to serve as Amy's best friend. Ephram and Laynie really couldn't have worked in the long run, but I liked her character, and Ephram and Laynie were intriguing for a second or two.

I really didn't like how Laynie was abruptly dropped from the show with only a passing reference to her returning to boarding school. It seems like the writers and producers wanted to get rid of all the Harts once Colin died and they were all gone by mid Season Two and basically never mentioned again.

jediwands

Your mom saying that is so funny and so true.

Yes, I can't even believe there's actually shippers of Joey/Rachel. There's a very small fanbase that still talks about them in the present. It's perplexing to me.

That's precisely what they did with the Harts after Colin died which is just sad because Amy and Laynie had a friendship and Amy shouldn't have had to lose this friendship. Laynie could have been loosely the representation of the Harts and keeping a small piece of Colin around, not because of any romantic connection to Amy, but Colin was the piece that glued together the Browns and Abbotts initially.

Yes, both Stephanie and Reid served the same purpose even if Amy/Reid lasted a second to Ephram/Stephanie's two seconds.

Librarianx01

I went down a rabbit hole of Princess Diaries stuff, Jerry, the other day (when I was definitely doing work from home). I learned a lot of random facts. Like, the dance sequence at the end at the ball thing (where Mia is in a white dress), they were dancing to "Like a Prayer" by Madonna and apparently every cast member was singing along/lip syncing and they had to do about 4 takes to get it right

I agree, Stephanie was to Ephram as Reid was to Amy, but at least Reid was a roommate/person of his own. Stephanie just seemed...random

I agree - Laynie and the Harts could have stuck around but I also understand moving/leaving (which should have been the answer to Laynie departing the show). Maybe the Harts couldn't deal with all the aftermath attention they got after Colin's death, etc. Maybe it was too hard to stay in Everwood. (I can't remember if this was actually it or if I'm making it up ) If Ephram and Laynie dated I imagine she would not put up with his whiny behavior she'd set him straight!!

jediwands

No way would she put up with his behavior.

New thread soon. We could maybe start thinking about a new title... especially since I suck at coming up with them.

Librarianx01

Could we do a quote like:

"You came to my little town four years ago and you changed my life"

or

"I can't keep being your second choice not when you're my first"

or



"Hannah wants them to have a double wedding"

jediwands

Yes, we certainly can do a quote!

Jerry D

I like those suggestions Rachel!

That's really good information about The Princess Diaries! I often do the same thing when I'm supposed to be working from home!

We didn't see much of Stephanie, but I found her to be annoying at Delia's Bat Mitzvah. I loved what the TWOP recapper said about her:

I loved how she called Stephanie Stephergie! I actually thought the exact same thing when I watched the show, because I found it presumptuous of Stephanie to act like she knew Andy when she really didn't at that point.

jediwands

Jerry, I noticed on the shippers list you and Alan are right next to each other. It’s just interesting out of all those names you’d be side by side.

Jerry D

Oh wow, that's really neat!

jediwands

It is!

I’ll start the new thread.