Celebrating 25 Years of FRIENDS

September 2019 will mark the 25^th anniversary of Friends premiere on NBC. For those who are new to the concept of Friends, this one’s for you. FRIENDS is an award-winning American television sitcom which premiered in the year 1994 and ran till 2004. Created by David Crane and Martha Kauffman, this show follows the lives of 6 friends who live in New York. It manages to wonderfully capture the ups and downs of adult life, the highs, and lows of love and the ever-lasting bond of friendship.

It stars David Schwimmer (who plays Ross), Jennifer Aniston (who plays Rachel), Courtney Cox (who plays Monica), Matthew Perry (who plays Chandler), Matt LeBlanc (who plays Joey) and Lisa Kudrow (who plays Phoebe). Over the 10 seasons, there were several Hollywood celebrities who made guest appearances on the show such as Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, Tom Selleck and Winona Ryder.

Originally called Insomnia Café, Friends made headlines for its quirky storyline and amazing star cast. The creators had quite a tough time in choosing a title for the show- from Insomnia Café to Friends Like Us to Across the Hall to Six of One before finally settling on Friends (more on Mental Floss).

Let’s take this opportunity to go back in time and reacquaint ourselves with the Friends!

WHO IS SEASON 1 ABOUT?

Ross Geller, the character played by David Schwimmer, is a paleontologist going through a failed marriage. He is lanky guy, with a rather troubled life. His parents think highly of him because before he was born, his mother thought she would be childless. He is the epitome of a nerd.

Monica Geller, played by Courtney Cox, is Ross’ younger sister. She has an almost non-existent love life and is an aspiring chef. Bit of a compulsive cleaner, Monica is the motherly figure in the group. She strives for perfection and is overtly bossy and competitive.

Rachel Greene, the character portrayed by Jennifer Aniston, is famously known for her spoilt-brat attitude. She is Monica’s friend from high school. Growing up in a rich household, she was never denied anything. Her father even brought her a pony to cheer her up. She now faces the challenge of living independently, away from the comforts and luxuries of her home.

Joseph Tribbiani, lovingly called Joey, is played by Matt LeBlanc. A struggling actor, Joey is a ladies man and a food lover. He always gets his way around women by using his catchphrase- how you doin’? He grew up in a large family and came to New York to make it big in life. However, life had other plans for him.

Chandler Bing, the character played by Matthew Perry is Joey’s roommate and best friend. He is also Ross’ friend from college. He is an executive in data reconfiguration and statistical analysis for a large firm. Usually thought to be gay, Chandler finds it difficult to get romantically involved with women. He is the funniest one in the group with his quick and witty sarcasm.

Last but not the least, Phoebe Buffay, played by Lisa Kudrow is a masseuse and an emerging musician. She was Monica’s roommate who later moved out to live with her grandmother. She pens her own songs which are quite absurd but quirky. She is a tough woman given that she grew up on the streets along with her identical twin Ursula after their mother killed herself.

what happens in season 1?

watch a snippet

Stay tuned for the next season! To quote Monica- "It just got interesting!"

sources:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/56565/25-things-you-might-not-know-about-friends

http://newmusicandmore.tripod.com/friendsratings.html

https://www.imdb.com/list/ls031106819/

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/friends/s01

https://www.vulture.com/2014/09/friends-1994-critics-review-roundup.html