On September 22, 1994, American television changed forever with the premiere of Friends. What began as a sitcom about six twenty-somethings in New York quickly grew into a cultural juggernaut, drawing tens of millions of fans worldwide and setting new trends that transcended television.
In Greece, the series arrived a year later under the title Filarákia (“Little Friends”), and—like everywhere else—quickly became a household staple.
By the time the final episode aired on May 6, 2004, more than 52 million Americans tuned in, making it the fifth most-watched TV finale in history and the single most popular TV episode of the 2000s.
Six Friends Who Became Family
At the heart of Friends were six characters, all wildly different yet perfectly complementary:
- Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston): Once a spoiled rich girl, she runs out on her wedding and starts over, eventually finding her independence—and love—with the group.
- Monica Geller (Courteney Cox): A perfectionist chef obsessed with cleanliness, she struggles with relationships but dreams of building the perfect family.
- Ross Geller (David Schwimmer): Monica’s older brother, a nerdy paleontologist with a soft spot for Rachel. His three divorces, awkwardness, and devotion made him a fan favorite.
- Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow): A quirky, free-spirited masseuse and aspiring musician with a dark backstory but an unshakable belief in herself.
- Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry): Sarcastic, insecure, and impossible to pin down professionally, he uses humor as his armor until he finds love right under his nose.
- Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc): A struggling actor with more charm than talent, he wins hearts with his loyalty, innocence, and catchphrase: “How you doin’?”
Their lives unfolded in apartments overlooking Manhattan and at their beloved hangout, the Central Perk café. The orange couch they claimed became a global symbol of friendship, inspiring coffee shop décor worldwide.
Why Friends Worked
Psychologists and TV critics alike have studied the phenomenon. The six friends embodied a “new kind of family”—a tribe bound not by blood but by choice—resonating deeply with young adults who were navigating independence in the 1990s.
By the time the show ended, fans felt they had grown up alongside the characters. As one Greek newspaper wrote in 2004: “On Thursday, it will feel like going to the funeral of a close relative.”
Fame, Fortune, and the Business of Friends
NBC charged a staggering $2 million for a 30-second ad during the finale, rivaled only by Super Bowl commercials. The episode brought in at least $40 million in advertising revenue, not counting DVD sales and book tie-ins released days later.
The stars’ salaries skyrocketed: from $40,000 per episode in 1994 to $1 million each by the final season. Over its run, Friends collected 62 Emmy nominations and 6 wins.
David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox Arquette, Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc of “Friends”, appear in the photo room at the 54th annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, U.S., September 22, 2002. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Could Friends Be Made Today?
In recent years, cast members have reflected on whether Friends could succeed in today’s climate of political correctness. Jennifer Aniston admitted in 2023:
“Comedy is about poking fun at ourselves and highlighting life’s absurdities. Back then, you could joke about extreme views—it was hilarious. Today, we’re not really allowed to do that anymore.”
Lisa Kudrow also noted the lack of diversity in the show, explaining that the creators simply wrote what they knew—their own post-college lives in the 1980s.
The Reunion and the Tragedy
On May 27, 2021, HBO Max aired a long-awaited Friends reunion, reuniting the cast for the first time in 17 years. The nostalgic special drew millions of viewers across the globe.
But just two years later, tragedy struck. On October 28, 2023, Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing) was found dead at his Los Angeles home. The cause was acute effects of ketamine, a substance both medically prescribed and illicitly used as a hallucinogen.
His death shook fans worldwide. In a joint statement, his co-stars said:
“We were more than castmates—we are a family. We are utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. Our thoughts and love are with his family and all who loved him around the world.”
