--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I've learnt from 'Friends' is don't…" description: "\"What I've learnt from 'Friends' is don't let the characters get together because then it won't be as good afterwards.\" — Josh Widdicombe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/josh-widdicombe-9326_friends_what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-l_1208168.jpg" --- # What I've learnt from 'Friends' is don't let the… ![“What I've learnt from 'Friends' is don't let the characters get together because then it won't be as good afterwards.” quote by Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/josh-widdicombe-9326_friends_what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-l_1208168.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/josh-widdicombe-9326_friends_what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-l_1208168.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/josh-widdicombe-9326_friends_what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-l_1208168.jpg) > “What I've learnt from 'Friends' is don't let the characters get together because then it won't be as good afterwards.” [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker suggests that keeping characters apart preserves the show's appeal, implying that certain narratives lose charm when resolved. **In simple terms:** Keeping characters apart keeps drama alive. Key Takeaway Maintain tension, avoid premature resolution. Themes storytelling drama relationships Mood humorous analytical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - TV series writing - romantic plotlines - fan discussions - creative writing Key Concepts narrative structure audience expectation Questions to Reflect On - Should all stories keep tension? - When does resolution enhance a story? A Different Perspective Resolution can also provide satisfying closure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friends Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-don/) [Get together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-together/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Learnt Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learnt-friends-3651046/) [Let Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-characters-1467192/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) ## Related quotes > [“Let your characters lead when you're dancing together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caron-kamps-widden/let-your-characters-lead-when-you-re-dancing-together/) [Caron Kamps Widden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caron-kamps-widden/) > [I always let the characters guide the stories. They really let me know what they want to say and what action they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/i-always-let-the-characters-guide-the-stories-they-really-let-me-know/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [“You create your characters, set things in motion, and then let those characters and the situations they encounter tell you how they’re going to end up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-barron/you-create-your-characters-set-things-in-motion-and-then-let-those/) [Laird Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-barron/) > [“If I had a clear vision, none of my books would be what they are. I've got to let the characters show me the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shandy-l-kurth/if-i-had-a-clear-vision-none-of-my-books-would-be-what-they-are-i-ve/) [Shandy L. Kurth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shandy-l-kurth/) > [Let your characters talk to each other and do things. Spend time with them - they'll tell you who they are and what they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/let-your-characters-talk-to-each-other-and-do-things-spend-time-with/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [“I've learned to let my characters speak and act the way they want to! I've tried to interfere but they just get angry at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shandy-l-kurth/i-ve-learned-to-let-my-characters-speak-and-act-the-way-they-want-to/) [Shandy L. Kurth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shandy-l-kurth/) > [I let my characters do the talking, simple as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/i-let-my-characters-do-the-talking-simple-as-that/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [I let characters be human and flawed and relatable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-let-characters-be-human-and-flawed-and-relatable/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [People haven't ever seen the real me as I let my characters, their look and my work do the talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurmeet-choudhary/people-haven-t-ever-seen-the-real-me-as-i-let-my-characters-their/) [Gurmeet Choudhary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurmeet-choudhary/) > [I let characters be human and flawed and relatable. When we do things that aren't that great, we can understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-let-characters-be-human-and-flawed-and-relatable-when-we-do-things/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [I think everyone in the world is friends if you can only get them to see you don't want to be un-friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-nesbit/i-think-everyone-in-the-world-is-friends-if-you-can-only-get-them-to/) [E. Nesbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-nesbit/) > [True friends don't count favors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friends-don-t-count-favors/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Friends don't let friends do stupid things...ALONE!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friends-don-t-let-friends-do-stupid-things-alone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Friends don't let friends do silly things alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/friends-don-t-let-friends-do-silly-things-alone/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Friends don't always make the best of business partners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-campbell/friends-don-t-always-make-the-best-of-business-partners/) [Chris Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-campbell/) ## More by Josh Widdicombe > [Most people I was at school with, if they saw me on telly, wouldn't know I'd been at school with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/most-people-i-was-at-school-with-if-they-saw-me-on-telly-wouldn-t/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [Write about what you know, that's what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/write-about-what-you-know-that-s-what-i-say/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [Sitcom writing is difficult because it's not just about writing jokes - there's a very fine balance between characters, plot, and comedy, that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/sitcom-writing-is-difficult-because-it-s-not-just-about-writing-jokes/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I really didn't think anything would come out of doing stand-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-really-didn-t-think-anything-would-come-out-of-doing-stand-up/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [Successful comedians are just as neurotic as I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/successful-comedians-are-just-as-neurotic-as-i-am/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [When I first went to university, I did a big shop with my dad. We bought loads of stuff but it didn't occur to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/when-i-first-went-to-university-i-did-a-big-shop-with-my-dad-we/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I'm lucky that I don't have any big regrets. Maybe that undercut hairstyle from my youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-m-lucky-that-i-don-t-have-any-big-regrets-maybe-that-undercut/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I'm one of life's pessimists. I'm ready for everything to go wrong at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-m-one-of-life-s-pessimists-i-m-ready-for-everything-to-go-wrong-at/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [The great thing about stand up is you get to do other things. You get to do your stand up tours but you also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/the-great-thing-about-stand-up-is-you-get-to-do-other-things-you-get/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I love my wife and daughters, but there are times you want to put them in the bin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-love-my-wife-and-daughters-but-there-are-times-you-want-to-put-them/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [There's enough really good actors out of work without me trying to steal any of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/there-s-enough-really-good-actors-out-of-work-without-me-trying-to/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I loved 1990s television: 'The Fast Show,' 'Father Ted,' 'Harry Enfield.' 'Clive Anderson Talks Back.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-loved-1990s-television-the-fast-show-father-ted-harry-enfield-clive/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I've got no pretence that I want to do 'Hamlet' or anything, I know my limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-ve-got-no-pretence-that-i-want-to-do-hamlet-or-anything-i-know-my/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I'll never have a house party again. You stand around for ages worried that nobody's coming and the next minute you're queuing for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-ll-never-have-a-house-party-again-you-stand-around-for-ages-worried/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I'd hope that when Channel 4 started, 'The Last Leg' was the kind of show it wanted to be putting out. I think they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-d-hope-that-when-channel-4-started-the-last-leg-was-the-kind-of/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) [Explore all 73 Josh Widdicombe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) ## More Characters quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [I have played several characters that are crabby and cranky. I don't know if I'm just not a very well-developed human being or if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-have-played-several-characters-that-are-crabby-and-cranky-i-don-t/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) > [You do get fond of your characters. Handing them on is like giving a child to a nanny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/you-do-get-fond-of-your-characters-handing-them-on-is-like-giving-a/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [Your job as a writer is to find storylines, narrative structures, and characters to show the things that you believe rather than saying them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/your-job-as-a-writer-is-to-find-storylines-narrative-structures-and/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-dhawan/being-of-indian-heritage-is-a-challenge-and-it-s-a-blessing-as-well/) [Sacha Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-dhawan/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [I really like all of the characters in 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt, especially Camilla, the one girl. I find her fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-murray/i-really-like-all-of-the-characters-in-the-secret-history-by-donna/) [Hannah Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-murray/) > [I've just always loved really good projects. The things that draw me into a new project have very little to do with genre and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel-staite/i-ve-just-always-loved-really-good-projects-the-things-that-draw-me/) [Jewel Staite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel-staite/) > [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I always wanted to be a fireman, a cop, an Indian chief, a doctor, a lawyer. I always wanted to be all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-fireman-a-cop-an-indian-chief-a-doctor-a/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) [Browse all 3,066 Characters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I've learnt from 'Friends' is don't let the characters get together because then it won't be as good afterwards.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josh Widdicombe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-let-the-characters-get/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Characters" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-let-the-characters-get/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/josh-widdicombe-9326_friends_what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-l_1208168.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/josh-widdicombe-9326_friends_what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-l_1208168.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/josh-widdicombe-9326_friends_what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-l_1208168.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I've learnt from 'Friends' is don't let the characters get together because then it won't be as good…” — Josh Widdicombe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Josh Widdicombe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What I've learnt from 'Friends' is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-let-the-characters-get/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/what-i-ve-learnt-from-friends-is-don-t-let-the-characters-get/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```