Some television shows end with their final episode. Others remain part of viewers’ lives for years, returning to the screen again and again.
In recent years, particularly during the pandemic, the term “comfort show” or “comfort TV” has become increasingly common for series whose familiar characters, settings and stories offer viewers a sense of relaxation and security.
You may know the dialogue almost by heart. You know what will happen next and have heard the same jokes dozens of times. Yet you still laugh.
Few shows fit that description better than Friends.
The sitcom premiered on NBC in the United States on September 22, 1994, introducing viewers to Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe — six friends in their 20s living in Manhattan who would go on to become one of television’s most recognizable ensembles.
More than three decades later, the series remains a comfort show even for people who were not born when its first episode aired.
The beginning of Friends
The familiar characters, warm-colored sets and Central Perk coffee shop became defining elements of the show. So did Monica’s cozy apartment, with its distinctive purple door and yellow frame.
The characters’ failed relationships, changing jobs, arguments, romances and, above all, their friendship allowed viewers to identify with them and feel like part of the group.
The show’s continued appeal also coincided with renewed nostalgia for the 1990s and early 2000s, which has brought the era’s fashion, music and broader aesthetic back into the spotlight.
Streaming and binge-watching have also changed the way audiences experience the series. Viewers can now watch episodes and complete entire seasons without waiting for the next installment.
For audiences who first discovered Friends on television, however, the experience was different. Episodes aired on specific days and at specific times, making the characters part of viewers’ weekly routines.
Friends arrives in Greece
Friends premiered in Greece on October 1, 1995, about a year after its U.S. debut, and quickly developed a devoted audience.
In a 2000 article, Greek newspaper Ta Nea described the six characters as young Manhattan friends who shared their joys and sorrows, dreams and problems, hopes and disappointments.
The newspaper attributed the show’s success to its clever writing, the performances of the actors and the genuine friendship between the cast members.
The six characters had already become recognizable as a real-life-style group, each with a distinct personality.
Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston, was portrayed as a privileged young woman trying to build a new life away from her father’s financial security.
Monica Geller, played by Courteney Cox, was obsessed with order and cleanliness and dreamed of having a family.
Ross Geller, played by David Schwimmer, was Monica’s older brother and had strong romantic feelings for Rachel.
Phoebe Buffay, played by Lisa Kudrow, was the eccentric but lovable member of the group who dreamed of a career in music.
Chandler Bing, played by Matthew Perry, was known for his humor, which the newspaper described as a defense mechanism. Even his job was famously difficult for the characters — and viewers — to explain.
Joey Tribbiani, played by Matt LeBlanc, was an aspiring actor who desperately wanted fame and fortune but was also portrayed as lovable and sensitive.
Their contrasting personalities and recognizable weaknesses gave viewers the opportunity to see themselves, or their own friends, somewhere within the group.
Millions of dollars per episode
By the early 2000s, Friends had become a major commercial phenomenon.
A 2002 Ta Nea report said the series had broken records not only for television ratings but also for the cost of advertising. A 30-second commercial during the show was reported to cost 455,700 euros, or 15,190 euros per second.
The report said the six stars — Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry — were each earning 1 million euros per episode, while the sitcom was attracting 33.3 million viewers.
The show’s audience was also highly attractive to advertisers, spanning the 18-to-49 age group.
A year later, Ta Nea returned to the financial scale of the series, reporting that the average production cost of an episode was estimated at 10 million euros and that each of the six lead actors was earning 1 million euros per episode.
The farewell
In spring 2004, after 10 seasons, Friends reached its final episodes.
Days before the finale, Ta Nea wrote that the show was preparing to say goodbye to the millions of Americans who had watched it every week for a decade.
NBC treated the finale as a major television event. The broadcast was planned to include a retrospective covering the show’s 10-year run, the final episode and an appearance by the full cast on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
The reaction from devoted viewers reflected how deeply the show had become embedded in their lives. Some described the finale as feeling like attending the funeral of a close relative.
Television critics and psychologists cited the show’s portrayal of changing ideas about family as one explanation for its extraordinary popularity among younger generations.
The six friends represented a new, unconventional and open “family tribe” in the city, offering an alternative to the traditional family structure.
That idea — that people can build a family through friendship — may help explain why, more than 20 years after the series ended, Friends has continued to endure as a comfort show for successive generations.
