My So-Called Life is reprehensible. It's possible I grewup in some alien culture but I can't identify in the least bit, I meant not ONE TINY LITTLE BIT, with any of the teens on the show. I never felt like these people did, I don't understand where they're coming from, what they're thinking and what they do. It's also very annoying that we see this assortment of 'diverse' friends - the gay character, the person with a drug problem, etc. etc. Maybe it's an ideal that every tiny slice of the American population would be a diverse sample representative of the overall population but it just ain't so. It's an annoying, self-absorbed, whiny show that manages to be even worse than its vile parents: thirtysomething and The Wonder Years. However, I'll agree about _Friends_. A real surprise sitcom - good writing, solid performances (well, from most) and a character I can REALLY identify with. Not stunning but pretty solid, surely the best of the new shows. -chris