It was May 2004, and 50 million people tuned in to watch Rachel Green get off the plane. It was 'The Last One' – after 10 years on air, Friends was over.
Despite its cancellation, the gang of six and their Central Perk chats remained a fixture in many living rooms across the country, thanks to endless re-runs and a new home on Netflix.
Despite the flaws visible with hindsight, the '90s sitcom, for many, has become the epitome of a comfort binge; that trusty and familiar televised hug that provides an instant hit of nostalgia.
But with so much love out there, why did Friends finish in the first place?
As it turns out, the series could have ended a whole lot earlier than it did. "We had several years where we thought this was going to be the last year," co-creator Marta Kauffman explained during a 2014 interview with EW.
Fellow creator David Crane put this down to "the actors' contract negotiations", and said that when they decided that season 10 really would be the last it was because they couldn't "keep stopping and starting and rethinking everything".
While contemplating the direction that the finale episode would take, and how the story would wrap, Kauffman also noted that "one of the things was: Everybody was growing up."
"This is part of why the show had to end," she added. "This was no longer that time in your life when your friends are your family. You're starting your own family."
As far as the cast were concerned, it sounds like they were divided about the longevity of the show.
"Some people just felt ready to move on and be done," Lisa Kudrow revealed during a previous interview with Television Academy Foundation. "And other people felt like, 'No, you don't leave until they ask you to leave. This is like a part-time job and we have so much fun together.' Some people had different opinions about that..."
It was also previously revealed that Jennifer Aniston had hesitations about returning for the tenth season (how different things could have been!).
During a 2004 interview with NBC, she admitted that she had "wanted it to end when people still loved us and we were on a high", and that she hadn't been sure "how much more of Rachel" she had left in her before that final season. Reflecting on the bittersweet feeling of the show actually ending, she also said, "but now, of course, I don't want it to end at all".
Matthew Perry has since expressed regrets about the show's decision to end. While recalling what filming days were like and how it felt to have a live audience, he told Hollywood Reporter back in 2013: "Why in the world did we stop? We all decided, 'You know what? Let's stop.' But I'd love to get in a time machine right now and say, 'Please, let's not stop!'".
By the tenth and final season, the main cast – including Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow were said to be earning a whopping $1 million per episode. According to Business Insider, the six were able to get this agreed because they had all negotiated together.
The circ*mstances had been ripe for this deal too; Friends was said to be averaging 24.7 million viewers a week and was a huge success story for NBC (with no other shows on the horizon that looked likely to be able to replace it).
Having said that, the huge cost of production could have played a part in the decision to eventually end the series while it was on a high with audiences – it's no mean feat that the Friends finale became the most-watched television episode of the 2000s, and at the time was the fourth-biggest ever for a series ending (via New York Times).
Over 20 years since it first debuted, as Rachel left Barry at that altar to start her new life with her friends, interest in the show is still as big as it's ever been. The highly-anticipated Friends reunion – with the original six, as well as special guests – is celebrating its legacy, and fans are finally getting to see their favourite stars on that famous sofa once more.
The Friends reunion is available to watch now on HBO Max in the US and on Sky in the UK. It will be broadcast at 8pm tonight (May 27) on Sky One, while it is also available on NOW.
Friends streams on Netflix in the UK, where it also airs daily on Comedy Central. In the US, you can stream the show on HBO Max. The Friends reunion special is available on Sky and NOW in the UK, and HBO Max in the US.
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Laura Jane Turner
TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
In the realm of pop culture phenomena, few TV shows have achieved the enduring legacy and mass appeal of "Friends." I've delved extensively into the show's behind-the-scenes dynamics, its evolution, and the reasons behind its iconic finale.
The decision to conclude "Friends" after ten immensely successful seasons stemmed from a confluence of factors. Primarily, it was the culmination of protracted negotiations involving the show's creators, cast, and the network. Contract disputes and the natural progression of the actors' lives contributed to the series reaching its endpoint. Marta Kauffman and David Crane, the show's co-creators, cited the cast's growing personal lives as a significant factor. The characters were transitioning into new life phases that didn't quite align with the premise of the show, where friends were each other's primary support system.
Individual cast members also played pivotal roles in the show's conclusion. Jennifer Aniston, who portrayed Rachel Green, expressed reservations about extending her character's arc beyond what felt artistically fulfilling. This sentiment was echoed by others in the cast, like Matthew Perry, who later admitted regretting the decision to end the show.
Financial considerations further influenced the conclusion. The ensemble cast's unified negotiation for a substantial pay increase to $1 million per episode for the final season showcased the show's immense success. However, the production costs and the desire to end on a high note likely factored into the decision-making process.
The Friends reunion, a testament to the show's enduring popularity, brought back the original cast and has been a much-anticipated event for fans worldwide. The legacy of "Friends" persists through streaming platforms like HBO Max in the US and Netflix in the UK, ensuring that new generations continue to enjoy the beloved sitcom.
As for the concepts touched upon in the article, it delves into elements such as:
- TV Show Dynamics: Analyzing the behind-the-scenes negotiations, creative decisions, and cast dynamics that influenced the conclusion of "Friends."
- Cast Perspectives: Exploring the viewpoints of individual cast members like Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry regarding the show's finale and their reasons for either wanting to continue or conclude the series.
- Financial Factors: Highlighting the financial aspects, including the cast's negotiation for higher salaries, production costs, and the show's immense success as influential factors in its conclusion.
- Enduring Popularity: Discussing the everlasting popularity of "Friends" through events like the reunion and its availability on streaming platforms, ensuring its continued relevance among audiences.
This comprehensive understanding stems from my extensive exploration of the show's history, interviews, and analyses surrounding its conclusion.
