Hollywood does a good job honoring its legends. Either through award shows, special reunions or dinner parties, show business knows it is appropriate to dedicate time to the people who work diligently for the industry.
On Feb. 21, many stars gathered together in one place to honor legendary television director, James Burrows. The special reunion was aired on television for fans to witness the rarity of casts returning to share memories.
The special, titled Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows, was especially intriguing to me because it was advertised as the reunion of the cast of “FRIENDS.”
Burrows directed and produced more iconic television shows than the one Ross and Rachel appeared on, yet it may be his most successful show when looking at the numbers.
When I watched the special, I learned that Burrows directed and produced “Cheers,” “Will & Grace,” “Taxi,” “Frasier,” and “Mike & Molly.” He was most involved with the complete production of “Cheers.”
The director and producer recently directed his 1000th episode for the upcoming show, “Crowded.”
The special began like most award shows—with a funny segment to introduce the show. Most of the cast members in Burrows’s shows were included in the segment.
What a way to begin a reunion show.
As a film and television fan, it was special to see casts returning to discuss the exceptional value Burrows played in the development of their shows. Many wept, many laughed, but it was all agreed that Burrows led these stars into their current celebrity position.
My favorite aspect of the special wasn’t the interview segment with the casts. What was memorable to me was the introduction of each show. With this introduction, various iconic clips from the shows were displayed for viewers. It was a walk down memory lane for many fans who forgot specific scenes of the shows.
It was incredibly touching.
Finally, James Burrows approached the stage to thank everyone for the evening. To be honest, his speech made me tear up because he talked about what it is to be an artist. He gave the credit back to the writers and performers, as well as the audience.
“Thanks for laughing, embracing and loving the characters for all of those years,” he said in his speech. “And still on occasion, when somebody walks into a bar, hollering, ‘NORM’!”
Thank you, James Burrows. You brought, without a doubt, the best sitcoms in television history.