There are a zillion reasons why people love the sitcom Friends, but there are some that are common across the world and generations. As the younger audience continues to discover the brilliance of it, the millennials are returning to it for validation. Life is not over yet, the 30s is just mid-season of Friends. It still makes us laugh out loud and wonder what went wrong between Rachel and Ross. We now may have a 4K version of the sitcom from the 90s, but it still tugs at the heartstrings the same way as it did decades ago.
Here are 10 reasons why Friends is so popular even today.
The One Where Everyone Was Ahead Of Their Time
Friends talked about many important elements that may seem normal today but were very progressive in their social views, including having a homosexual couple at the forefront of the plot, aka Carol and Susan. Meanwhile, in later seasons, it was revealed that Phoebe’s birth mother was part of a throuple, and Chandler’s transsexual father became a voice for many under-represented communities. All of it had been unseen in the 90s, and Friends’ popularity made it possible. With these elements, Friends went on to lay down the groundwork for more progressive TV.
The One Where Everyone Is A Star
The show’s actors and their performances are also the reason behind its immense popularity. While Joey and Chandler’s friends kept people engaged, Ross and Rachel’s love has audiences hooked. The show also explored many relationships among the characters over the years, including Monica and Chandler, while Phoebe ended up with one of the greenest on-screen flags to date, played by Paul Rudd.
Every Friends actor is perfectly cast and suited to their characters, and their on-screen chemistry also contributed to the show’s success. During one of the interviews, the producers also described it as “lightning in a bottle”. The show is led by Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Monica (Courtney Cox), Ross (David Schwimmer), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), along with countless supporting characters and cameos.
One Where Everyone Is Happy
Friends has turned into a comfort show for people of different generations around the world. Relatability and comfort are the reasons why viewers keep coming back to the show. Due to the runtime of the show and the number of episodes per season, it feels like these characters are actually our friends. With 10 years of them growing right in front of us, the audience knows them. Watching reruns feels like you are hanging out with them. Fans have also described it as a comfort blanket and use it as background noise to keep them company in an empty home.
One Where We Can’t Forget Smelly Cat
Though mentioned in the show only a couple of times, Smelly Cat became a sensation among the fanbase. We do get more than one rendition of the song, and all of them are unforgettable. The song didn’t just add a new side to Phoebe’s personality but also hinted at how the song will be for the rest of its seasons. The song was first performed by her at Central Perk in season 1 and has been a running gag for a decade. Not long ago, she also performed with Taylor Swift for the fans of the artist and the show. Not just the funny lyrics but the cathy tune has made it part of fandom’s identity. If you find someone talking about Friends, you can’t get away from them humming Smell Cat.
The One With The Best Cameos
During its ten seasons, Friends saw some of the greatest guest stars on TV. Some of them were established stars at the time, and some were also regarded as Hollywood royalty. The list of cameos was extensive and impressive with its writing as well. In only a couple of seasons, Friends became a big enough show to have an impressive guestbook with names like Robin Williams, Brad Pitt, Billy Crystal, Julia Roberts, and more.
The One Where Everyone Is Fashionable
The show’s fashion also became iconic, with each character known for their looks, like catchphrases. The characters’ outfits have become a part of popular culture as aesthetics. Fans to date try to replicate hair as well as clothes style from the series. While Rachel’s haircuts are unforgettable, Monica’s oversized blouses and Phoebe’s bohemian outfits have turned into classic personality aesthetics. Nothing less than the Sorting Hat putting you into a house. It has become a part of the show’s enduring legacy.
It wasn’t just the ladies but according to reports, Chandler also set trends with his sweater vests and oversized pieces of clothing.
The One Where Other Stars Shine
The show follows six friends in New York, and the series also explores many storylines with supporting characters. The supporting recurring characters have also turned out to be fan favorites, including silent lover Gunther and Phoebe’s evil twin Ursula. Who can forget Gunther listening to conversations and reacting to Rachel’s relationships or trying to confess his feelings and failing? Meanwhile, Janice, who has been part of the show from season 1, continued to show up till the end as Chandler’s ex-girlfriend. The invisible Ugly Naked Man living in the opposite building is just one of many that were written and created to make the show even better.
The One Where Everyone Laughs
Talking about the writing, Friends set the standards high for effortless one-liners and hilarious jokes. The show has a timeless humor that allows people of any age demographic to relate to the characters. It explores issues of friendships, family, love, and heartbreak with soulful comedy. Not just the jokes, but the plot of the show was so well written, many jokes spanned across episodes and seasons but still landed grade.
The One Where We Can’t Stop Watching
While Friends was first released on a weekly basis, it also fits right into the binge-watching trend today. With 20 minutes per episode for 10 seasons, 22 episodes each, fans are more than happy to spend their weekends living up in the nostalgia. The show’s easy-to-follow and heartwarming story about six best friends makes it even better to binge all 236 episodes in no time.
The One Where It Makes Us Nostalgic
Friends is synonymous with the 90s. Set and made in the time before the digital age took over, fans reminiscing about the simpler days often turn to the show. It also reminds millennials of the early stages of life turning us nostalgic for our childhood. It also brings back memories of the ’90s pop culture references and popular trends.
