It’s hard to believe it’s taken us 160 episodes to finally tackle a Ken Kwapis joint. Nevertheless, here we are, having a heated argument over HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU for our 16th Grey Area Episode. Listen to Alex on the defense and Julio on the offense as they debate the merits of one of the first star-studded ensemble romcoms and disagree on the validity of the Cult of Rachel Green in the final chapter of the Friendstravaganza!

As it’s been established time and again, The Contrarians have a fondness for 90s comedies. Does this feeling extend to bro-medies? Can Doug Ellin’s 1998 sensibilities redeem the ho-hum reception Alex & Julio gave the ENTOURAGE movie years ago? More importantly, where do we really land on the Bizarro Ross Experiment? All this and more in the Real Talk half of the show!

By 1998, David Schwimmer was sick and tired of being associated with Ross Geller. The solution? To play the least-Ross-Gellerish character in the underrated romcom KISSING A FOOL. Sadly, critics and audiences refused to embrace the actor’s metamorphosis, which is where The Contrarians come in. Listen to Alex & Julio as they extol the virtues of the Anti-Ross and the merits of bro-comedies! (bromedies?) Did we mention this was directed by Doug “Entourage” Ellin? Yup.

Oh boy. Patron Paul Meyers really threw us for a loop with this one. Can Alex & Julio even verbalize how they feel about Drop Dead Fred? Did Paul’s pick land better than his previous one, Dead Alive? Is there a British wall keeping Rik Mayall’s brand of humor at bay, or is it just a nostalgia wall? All this in Real Talk!

Barry Roskin Blake interviews Rik Mayall (in case you were wondering where those clips came from)

What if Peter Pan was actually a good story, one where Wendy was a traumatized adult and Peter was a British comedian? Much like it happened with Spielberg’s Hook, audiences and critics had a hard time appreciating DROP DEAD FRED’s fresh take on the classic story… which means it’s time for The Contrarians to set the record straight. Listen to Alex & Julio as they discuss their discovery of another gem in Phoebe Cates’ filmography! (Oh and Rik Mayall’s cool too.)

Okay, so we know this is the Lisa Kudrow chapter of the Friendstravaganza, but we have to warn you: a good chunk of Real Talk turns into a Mira Sorvino lovefest - and rightly so. But even if Alex, Stew and Julio agree on how great Ms. Sorvino is, can they agree on anything else when it comes to ROMY & MICHELLE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION?

On paper, the math adds up: if audiences love one Phoebe, then they’ll go nuts for two Phoebes! And it certainly worked that way with critics, as ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION is certified fresh on the Tomatometer - but how does it play today? Listen to Alex & Julio as they welcome Stew from the SWO podcast and travel back to a time when feminism meant letting Alan Cumming save the day! It’s the Lisa Kudrow chapter of the Friendstravaganza!

Ok, so maybe Matthew Perry can only play (variations of) Chandler Bing. But is that a bad thing? And how can anyone discuss ALMOST HEROES without talking about Chris Farley’s legacy and how it was cut short? Can Alex come to terms with Julio’s feelings about one of his favorite comedians? Can Julio explain why his favorite FRIENDS cast member didn’t become a movie star? All this and more on the Real Talk half of this episode!

The Friendstravaganza has reached its Chandler Bing chapter. Could we BE any more excited to celebrate Matthew Perry’s critically panned team-up with Chris Farley? ALMOST HEROES stands at a disastrous 5% on the Tomatometer, but is that simply a reflection of an America that hates it when its movie stars take big swings? Listen to Alex & Julio as they shine the spotlight back on one of those rare Christopher Guest movies that isn’t a mockumentary!

Do you need to be familiar with the ins and outs of British soccer in order to appreciate Tom Hooper’s early work? And will THE DAMNED UNITED mark a turning point in this show’s contentious relationship with the acclaimed director’s filmography? Listen to Alex & Julio navigate their feelings about the filmmaker’s second movie with the help of a set of notes from Patron Ben Murray!