So no one told you life was gonna be this way…. How many of you clapped your hands in four precise beats? I know I did. If you don’t know already, this is a famous line from the Friends theme song. Friends is an American sitcom that blessed our TVs from 1994-2004. That’s right, 10 years. Now, you might ask, why so long? What makes this sitcom so special that it was popular for a 10-year-run and is still so popular to this day, more than a decade after the show has finished?
Friends is a sitcom that follows the lives of 6 friends: Monica and Ross Geller (who are brother and sister), Rachel Green, Joey Tribbiani, Phoebe Buffay and, of course, Chandler Bing. Now what makes this show so special? Well, there’s the fact that there is something in the show that everyone can relate to, regardless of your age or gender. Friends dealt with many different relatable issues that, to this day, people still find astonishing.
You have Monica, the formerly-fat friend of the rich, blonde cheerleader, Rachel. You have Ross, known as a dork, but with a love of dinosaurs that no one truly grasps except himself. But, that isn’t the only love that he has. He has a crush that dates to his teens… the one and only Rachel! Then you have your favourite Italian man, Joey. Doesn’t the name ring a bell? Maybe this will… “How you doin’?” He is the original flirt, but with a big heart for food, his friends and family. Of course, we can’t forget about the parade of girls he’s had from season 1 through 10.
Phoebe is an interesting character. There is no way for me to fully explain her because, regardless of the amount of times I have rewatched Friends. I will never find just one word to describe her. She has a very complicated and somewhat dark childhood, but she never makes it seem dark. She manages to make light of all situations, even ones that don’t need it; the one friend you wish would keep quiet, but also can’t get enough of. Then there’s Chandler. He is the socially awkward one in the group, always making jokes in uncomfortable situations and, majority of the time, the rest of friends do not enjoy this. Regardless of him being socially awkward, he still manages to get some of the ladies.
That isn’t even half of the things I could tell you about Friends. But, what I can tell you is that if you cannot relate to the main characters then there’s a whole ton of other relatable characters on Friends, and even guest stars like Brad Pitt and Reese Witherspoon. Friends is a show to watch if you need a laugh, a cry, or even a serious moment. If you need your spirits lifted or even just something to watch, Friends has got your back, even with songs like Smelly Cat (which should’ve gotten an Grammy). There is a reason Friends has got 10 seasons and a reason why people still watch it to this day. Because, like the theme song says, “I’ll be there for you (‘Cause you’re there for me too)”.
The final episode of Friends aired the 6 May 2004, and now finally 16 years later the moment has finally come: A Friends reboot is in the works! This has been something many fans have been hoping for, for many years but never really thought it would happen because of so many years that have past. So with that being said now, is a better time than ever to start bing watching the series! Grab your comfort food and your computer, phone and tv and start watching or rewatching the iconic show that is Friends.