Originally titled Insomnia Cafe, then renamed Friends Like Us, and then Six of One, Friends debuted on 22 September 1994, featuring a most unremarkable scenario: a group of six bright, young, twenty-something friends living in the same apartment building in New York.
The six friends included assistant chef Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), a young woman trying to find “Mr Right”, and a sort of den mother to the others, including her goofy palaeontologist brother Ross (David Schwimmer), whose pregnant wife had left him when she decided she was a lesbian.
Monica’s roommates were Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) – her best friend since high school – and flakey, waif-like folk singer Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow).
Corporate number-cruncher and resident clown Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and would-be actor Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) shared another apartment in the same building.
When they weren’t hanging out in their apartments, the friends usually congregated at the Central Perk coffeehouse in Greenwich Village (pictured above), where they discussed dates and dating, work and working, and one another.
Also appearing on occasion were Christina Pickles and Elliott Gould as Ross and Monica’s parents, Judy and Jack; Tom Selleck as Monica’s much older boyfriend, Richard; Jane Sibbett as Carol, Ross’s lesbian ex-wife; and Jessica Hecht as Susan, Carol’s rather grim companion.
Episodes revolved around jobs, dating, parenthood, marriage, divorce, and just getting along in New York City.
Chandler and Monica were married on 17 May 2001, with Joey presiding over the marriage ceremony. They later adopted twins Jack and Erica. In 2004, they announced they were moving to Westchester, and the final episode showed them preparing to leave Manhattan.
Ross married British sourpuss Emily (Helen Baxendale) in England in May 1998, but their wedding brought calamity when Ross inadvertently blurted out Rachel’s name during the ceremony, souring the newlyweds’ relationship. They later divorced.
Ross and Rachel married during a reckless weekend in Las Vegas at the end of the 1998-1999 season, but a few weeks into the next season, they decided it had been a drunken mistake and got a divorce.
After a one-night stand with Ross, Rachel discovered that she was pregnant. On 16 May 2002, she gave birth to a daughter whom she and Ross named Emma.
The final episode had Rachel giving up a job offer in Paris to stay in New York with Ross to raise Emma, although they decided not to remarry.
Phoebe agreed to become a surrogate mother for her half-brother Frank (Giovanni Ribisi) and his wife, and in October 1998, bore them triplets.
She wanted to keep one – just one – but they declined. After dating numerous men, Phoebe eventually married cute piano player Mike Hannigan on 12 February 2004.
One of the most memorable catchphrases from the 90s came from Friends. The phrase “How you doin’?” was popularised by the character of Joey, whose flirtatious manner led him to use the phrase as a pick-up line, resulting in comedic situations and countless laughs.
“How you doin’?” became a widely recognised phrase that is still frequently referenced in pop culture and even inspired merchandise and memes.
On 28 October 2023, Matthew Perry was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. He was pronounced dead at 4:17 pm the same day. He was 54 years old. His death was revealed to have occurred due to the acute effects of ketamine.
Five people were charged and convicted in connection with his death, with key supplier Jasveen Sangha (known as the “Ketamine Queen”) sentenced to 15 years in prison. Other key individuals, including doctors and his assistant, also pleaded guilty for their roles in illegally supplying the drug.
Chandler Muriel Bing
Matthew Perry
Ross Geller
David Schwimmer
Rachel Karen Green
Jennifer Aniston
Monica Geller
Courteney Cox
Phoebe Buffay
Lisa Kudrow
Joseph (Joey) Francis Tribbiani
Matt LeBlanc Jack Geller
Elliott Gould Judy Geller
Christina Pickles Carol Willick
Jane Sibbett Susan Bunch
Jessica Hecht Dr Richard Burke Tom Selleck Emily Waltham Geller
Helen Baxendale
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Chandler Muriel Bing
