Oh...My...God! 25 Years Since Friends Began

Genre: Sitcom Started: 22nd September 1994 Ended: 6th May 2004 Created by: David Crane and Marta Kauffman Series: 10 Episodes: 236

Main Cast:

David Schwimmer - Ross Geller Courtney Cox - Monica Geller Matt LeBlanc - Joey Tribbiani Jennifer Aniston - Rachel Green Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing Lisa Kudrow - Phoebe Buffay

Guest Stars:

Elliot Gould - Jack Geller Christina Pickles - Judy Geller James Michael Tyler - Gunther Maggie Wheeler - Janice Litman Helen Baxendale - Emily Waltham Tom Selleck - Richard Burke Paul Rudd - Mike Hannigan Jane Sibbett - Carol Jessica Hecht - Susan

One of the funniest comedies to come out of America has turned twenty five. Can it really be that long since the Gellers, Ms. Buffay and their um, friends, first graced our screens? It seems like only yesterday. But one thing's for sure - back then nobody could have predicted just how successful Friends was going to become. Viewers couldn't get enough of the of the sitcom about six New Yorkers and their hilarious escapades. Long after Friends ended, fans are still regularly tuning in to watch repeats or indulge in their DVD box sets.

There's no denying that during it's ten year run, Friends became a global phenomenon and we couldn't help but see them as our friends. And furthermore the the sitcom has definitely made its mark in popular culture. We take a look at what Friends gave us and reminisce on some of our favourite memories.

Plot

The sitcom focuses on a group of six New Yorkers who are very different in terms of personality but are firm friends nonetheless - Chandler, Joey, Rachel, Phoebe and siblings Ross and his younger sister Monica. They live in the same neighbourhood and are known for always hanging out at the same coffee shop, Central Perk. When they are not there they can usually be found at Monica's apartment. The show focuses on the group's strong friendship, as well as their romantic and career escapades with hilarious results.

1. COFFEE SHOP CULTURE

Today in many countries around the world, people choose to hang out with um, friends; meet up with dates, or even work or study in coffee shops. And in England for instance, they have plenty to choose from: Starbucks, Café Nero, Costa, as well as millions of independent coffee shops. Yep, word has gotten out that coffee is big business!

For most of us who grew up in Britain, as teenagers, we'd hang out at either McDonalds or the local chippy. If we really wanted to push the boat out, then we had Pizza Hut's eat-all-you-want buffet! As we got older it was the pub or the local greasy spoon. But Friends changed all that once we saw how much fun the Friends gang were having at Central Perk: We decided that coffee shops were the only place to lounge around in too! And it seems that we're not the only ones who thought it was a great idea, as coffee shop culture has now taken off all over the world.

2. SOFAS IN COFFEE SHOPS

The sofa at Central Perk was very much the gang's domain. Remember the friends' dismay when another group took over the sofa?

Most of us had probably never seen a sofa in a coffee shop until we started watching Friends. We certainly didn't have them in UK coffee shops (as far as we can remember anyway.) But it was a super cool idea. There's nothing like getting comfy on the sofa with a steaming cup of coffee whilst having a natter (or a moan!) to make yourself feel really at home. Now you can find comfy, cosy sofas or armchairs in just about every coffee shop - and Friends probably had a lot to do with it.

Any coffee shops out there with a bed in it???

3. JENNIFER ANISTON: HAIR ICON

When Jennifer Aniston accepted the role of Rachel Green, she probably didn't expect her hair to become a bigger star than her! The 'Rachel' cut was the Farrah Flick of it's day, and the most requested hairstyle in salons worldwide.

Her hairdo was a layered, longer length bob but it was the savvy way she wore it that made it such a hit. This particular style paved the way for Ms. Aniston to enter into hair icon territory. And even though the numerous hairstyles she sported throughout the show - some more popular than others - never quite eclipsed the success of the 'Rachel,' Jennifer still became known as 'the one with the great hair.'

4. SMELLY CAT

Phoebe may have known how to rock a guitar but when it came to songwriting, she was known for some rather dubious lyrics. But despite this fact, Smelly Cat became something of a classic - and proof to aspiring musicians everywhere that inspiration for a hit can come from the most unlikeliest of topics!

5. MONICA'S APARTMENT

Monica's apartment was AWESOME!!!

Who wouldn't want a spacious yet cosy apartment as inviting as Monica's! She definitely had the best apartment out of the six of them. No wonder Monica and Rachel were miffed when they lost a bet that saw them having to switch apartments with Joey and Chandler. We'd be miffed too!

There was criticism that a waitress (Rachel) and a just-starting- caterer (Monica) could never have afforded an apartment in NYC as cool as that in real-life but who cares? It was nice just to dream about it! And even though Monica and hubby Chandler eventually bought a house in the suburbs to raise their family, Monica's apartment is definitely the place to be.

And incidentally, it would appear that Rachel was the only one of the Friends gang who never had her own apartment. Coming from a wealthy family and having a prestigious job in fashion, you'd think she would be able to afford her own apartment! Instead over the ten year period, Rachel had lived in each of the apartments for a certain length of time in a flat-share situation but Chandler was the only friend she'd never lived with.

6. RACHEL'S AMBITION

Rachel Green may have started out as something of a rich, spoilt brat but she eventually learned to stand on her own two feet when Gunther hired her as a waitress at Central Perk. However Rachel's real dream was to work in fashion - a career she'd pursued once she'd found the confidence to do so.

This resonates well with many of us because we've been there too (no, not the rich, spoilt brat bit!). We've all had to abandon our dreams at some point in our lives because real life got in the way. But Rachel showed us that with a little perseverance and dedication, it's possible to get there in the end.

7. WE WERE ON A BREAK!

Rachel wanted a break from her relationship with Ross. Ross thought that meant he could date other people - so he did! This didn't go down too well with Rachel when she found out, so she decided that their temporary break should become a more permanent one. And the whole we-were-on-break argument became an ongoing joke for much of the series.

This Ross and Rachel saga struck fear into the hearts of most people who were going through a rough patch in their relationships, causing them to spell out exactly what 'being on a break' meant!

8. NEW YORK BECAME THE PLACE TO BE

OK, so even before Friends, New York was hardly on the bottom of everyone's 'must visit' list. In fact for many people it was at the top of their 'must live there' list! But Friends - along with Sex And The City - was a great advert for New York City and made those who didn't live there want to take an even bigger bite out of the Big Apple (even though the show was actually filmed in California!)

9. ROSS: THE PATRON SAINT OF GEEKS

Straight-laced, socially-awkward brainiac Ross Gellar who revelled in his status as 'Dr.Geller,' was overly-enthusiastic about science and loved his career as a paleontologist. He was the saviour of academics, and dare we say it, geeks everywhere! He proved that you didn't have to be the coolest kid on the block to land the hottest girl.

10. THOSE CATCHPHRASES

Oh...My...God! How you doin'? Could you be any more stupid? My eyes, my eyes!!! PIVOT! He's her lobster! WE WERE ON A BREAK!!!

If you're a Friends fan, those catchphrases and iconic one-liners will need no explanation!

11. THE ONE WITH THE...

Friends writers knew that even if they gave episodes an actual name, viewers would refer to these episodes as 'The one with the eggplant,' or 'The one where Rachel finds out.' So that's exactly what they called these episodes with the title beginning with the phrase 'The One...'. It's really quite clever and no other TV show has done this before or after Friends. Well - they certainly couldn't do it now!

12. EVERYONE HAD A FRIEND WITH 'FUN' IN THEIR NAME

Remember Monica's ex-boyfriend, Fun Bobby? He was the life and soul of the party... until everyone discovered that without alcohol, he really wasn't that much fun!

Nonetheless some of us took to prefixing the name of our loudest and wildest friend with the word 'Fun' so that it became a part of their name. Hanging out with Fun Lucy, Fun Stevie, and Fun Ruthie was always a barrel of laughs!

13. IT'S OK TO GET WITH YOUR FRIENDS

So serial divorcé Ross got with Rachel, while his sister Monica cured his commitment phobic friend Chandler. Both couples highlighted the pitfalls of dating a good friend - but in the end, it all worked out for the best. It didn't work out with Joey and Rachel but at least they remained friends.

Friends' fans cheered when these couples got together (well not so much Joey and Rachel because as everyone knew, Ross and Rachel belonged together) and probably plucked up the courage to ask out their best friend of ten years who they'd secretly admired from afar.

We all waited for Phoebe and Joey to hook up but the scriptwriters had other ideas. Perhaps they didn't want to be too predictable. Perhaps they thought Mike Hannigan was better for Phoebe. Perhaps they wanted to give Joey his own show...

14. SIMILAR SHOWS

To say Friends was huge is like saying that water is a little bit wet. It was a phenomenon - and still is! It wasn't long before other program makers the world over got in on the act and tried to recreate the show's winning formula: a group of close friends who are almost like family in an apartment/coffee shop/bar setting, who support each other through trials and tribulations especially romantic disasters. Unlike soap operas where friends could stab each other in the back, in these types of shows, friends had each other's backs.

Some of these shows popped up even before Friends had finished its run, and not all of them were sitcoms but were based on the kind of concept, wit and humour that made Friends so popular. So before we knew it, we were settling down to watch Cold Feet, Coupling, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, Sex And The City, and That 70s Show.

But of course, as awesome as these shows are, there can only ever be one Friends.

15. THE CAST BECAME MEGA STARS

The cast of Friends were all established actors before they played our favourite group of New Yorkers. But they hadn't reached the dizzying heights of stardom with any of their previous work (although Matt LeBlanc came close with his Heinz ketchup commercial and Courtney Cox did appear in a music video for Bruce 'The Boss' Springsteen!) But Friends changed all that for the six actors who went on to become household names and multi-millionaires. And fifteen years after the show ended, they're still very much in the spotlight.

It's fantastic that all six actors wanted to remain on the show through the course of its ten year run. Nobody chose to quit the series to concentrate on other projects which meant that all six of our favourite characters appeared in every series and were played by the same actors during the course of ten years which is amazing and quite unusual.

16. IT BROUGHT THE WORLD CLOSER TOGETHER

Is there a country in the world which hasn't broadcast an episode of Friends... no, probably not! Maggie Wheeler who played Chandler's ex-girlfriend, Janice, expressed her surprise when a fan from India approached her to say how much she loved Friends, proving just how much of a world-wide phenomenon the show had become. Despite the hit comedy being dubbed in multiple languages, everyone understands the language of friendship, and it's great to know that you can go anywhere in the world and you're bound to bump into someone who knows who the Friends gang are.

I wonder how you translate, "How you doin'?" in Cantonese...

17. TACKLING SOCIAL ISSUES WITH HUMOUR

Looking back, it's astounding that young children were allowed to watch Friends at such a young age because as funny as it is, it did deal with some pretty adult themes: divorce; infertility; surrogacy; infidelity; adoption; homelessness; single motherhood; casual sex; alcoholism... not exactly a barrel of laughs. But despite the heavy content, each issue was handled with humour and sensitivity so you didn't feel as though you were watching the most depressing show on earth.

EastEnders, take note!

18. WE WANTED OUR OWN FRIENDS GANG

From time to time, we'd come across someone who'd claim that their posse were "just like Friends from off the telly."

"There's six of us as well. And we all hang out at a coffee shop too. And each one of us are just like one of the characters."

The truth is we all wanted our own little Friends gang, and we could relate to at least one of the characters.

19. THEME TUNE

There can't be a single person on the planet who doesn't know the words to that famous theme tune or who wouldn't be able to recognize the melody. Performed by The Rembrandts, it is without a doubt their biggest hit and the one they'll always be remembered for.

The lyrics fit the concept of the show perfectly and furthermore illustrates the meaning of friendship.

20. FRAMILY

Most of us were brought up on the mantra that family comes first - and for the most part that's how it should be. But the show taught us that it was possible to love your friends like family. It's not always about blood - it's about the strong bond of genuine love, respect and friendship. Even the friends cast have said that they've become like family which is most inspiring.

So there you have it - all the things that makes Friends so fantastically unique and one of a kind. It's awesome that Friends is as relevant today as it was when it began twenty five years ago. Whereas a lot of once popular comedies now appear dated, it's safe to say that Friends will remain a classic.

Here's to the next twenty five years...

What are your favourite Friends' memories?

Related link: Angel's Slice of The Pie #12: The One With Six Friends and a Coffee Shop!

Photos from YouTube

WordCloud by Angel Noire