In the late 1990s and early 2000s, another golden age of television began, changing the way we talk about stories on the small screen with serious and dramatic shows like The SopranosSix feet under and The wire.
While those more elevated series won awards and critical acclaim, at the same time that era gave us arguably the last great sitcom: FriendsIts continued popularity since being added to top streaming services is just further proof of that.
Why is Friends still such a popular choice for so many of us?
At the time of its premiere in 1994, I was just 12 years old, not exactly the demographic it was aimed at, and yet I was hooked from the moment it premiered on UK television on Channel One. Every Friday I would rush home from band rehearsals to watch the latest episode, even though its premise was not designed to appeal to me.
A series about six friends making their way in Manhattan, Friends The brainchild of showrunners David Crane and Marta Kauffman, it was a risky addition to NBC's lineup. With then-unknowns Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer cast as the titular sextet, their anonymity gave the series a fresh take on the youthful attitudes of the 1990s.
“There’s nothing to tell! He’s just a guy I work with,” says Monica Geller (Cox), a twenty-something chef excited about an upcoming date. The show’s first line of dialogue hints at some of its initial appeal; Monica’s date with “Paul the wine guy” ends with him spending the night with her. Admittedly, it’s not a crazy or outlandish story. In the context of the ’90s, it certainly betrays the themes of familiar, normally safe sitcoms from the start.
That pilot storyline, like Ross's divorce, made the show stand out at launch, giving it an edge. Through a 2024 lens? It feels a little conventional. But those story choices, once so daring, are now part of its lasting appeal, cementing the tone of what is now a comforting show for many. Sitting down to watch a few episodes of Friends – Check out our roundup of the best Friends Episodes: It's like snuggling into an oversized, buttery-soft sweatshirt. It evokes feelings of security and belonging – a completely different atmosphere than prestige television.
Not only that, it's easy to jump in and out of. For me, when I get home from work some nights I'll put on a few episodes to relax before bed. It doesn't matter where I start or even if my partner watched some without me. The storytelling is accessible no matter where you dive in. If I watch Friends As an in-flight entertainment option, but the episodes I've seen are from half of season 7 and the ones I've re-watched at home are only from season 4, do I pass on it? No way. I might not remember it. exactly I don't know what's going on, but within seconds it hits me. “Oh right, this is the moment where Monica is mad because Rachel kisses Ross.”
Clowning around with your best friends
A big part of the appeal is platonic intimacy. Is there any human being who doesn't crave that level of intimate, unconditional love, regardless of whether there's romance or not?
The show's serialized elements enrich the experience, but you don't need to remember vast amounts of backstory to enjoy it, one of the biggest criticisms leveled at the Marvel Cinematic Universe's ever-expanding programming.
Once you dive into the topic, it offers sharp and still relevant observations about relationships and being a twenty-something. There's a lot of talk about the nostalgia it evokes for '90s idealism, made emblematic now by the resurgence of '90s clothing that was once the province of the counterculture and is now being dragged back into the mainstream.
But Friends The series boasts another form of longing: human connection. The internet wasn’t as widespread as it is today, and smartphones wouldn’t be invented until years after the series ended. Don’t worry, I’m not going to bash technology. I love my smartphone (in fact, I’m writing this article on a commuter ferry thanks to my iPhone) and I advocate for easier access to information in my day job. So while it may not affect all of us, isolation due to the rise of online culture is very real.
Very similar Seinfeld (Read our selection of the best) Seinfeld episodes) did so for a slightly older demographic, Friends It captures the unmistakable feeling of lazing around. You know, Just hanging out. The feeling that there’s nowhere else you’d rather be than clowning around with your best friends. How many shows or movies actually take that same “risk”? Friends Decentralizing romantic love and placing platonic love at its center?
I distinctly remember (granted, I was somewhere between 12 and 22 when the series aired) that my life with my friends revolved around discovering the world together. A friend of mine echoed this, aptly, in a text conversation: “For me, I think a big part of the appeal is platonic intimacy. Is there any human being who doesn't crave that level of intimate, unconditional love, regardless of whether there's romance or not?”
It’s a welcoming example of community. Who hasn’t missed that over the past few years? I have. The gang lives close to each other — four of the six live in the same building — while it’s implied that Ross and Phoebe’s apartments are within walking distance (and even closer once Ross moves in across the street). They have keys to each other’s houses. They hang out at Central Perk. They frequently hang out doing activities that are now relegated to “things we do alone,” like putting together furniture and doing laundry.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear.
I'm not surprised that in 2024 the show is still as popular as ever. Second-screen shows, which allow the viewer to scroll through their phone while watching the series, are very popular. At the height of the pandemic, reruns became must-watch TV shows for their calming and comforting effect.
Generation Z in particular latched on to shows like Friends that resist repeated visits: My partner's 21-year-old sister informs me that she has seen Friends at least ten times throughout the entire process: “Whenever I need a show that makes me feel good, I put on Friends.”
That same friend of mine echoed this after I told her I was writing this article: “I was literally watching it in the background this morning. I've been reading it from the beginning lately. Again. For the umpteenth time. LOL.”
Who would have thought that the show's catchy theme song would take on another meaning all these years later? That it's the show itself that's been there for us.
Friends is one of Max’s top shows, with 10 seasons available on the platform in the US. Those in the UK and Australia can watch it on Netflix (Australians can also find it on Stan).
