Friends Premieres

Setting the scene

By 1994, NBC's Must-See TV Thursday needed a successor to aging Cheers, while Gen X viewers sought shows about post-college limbo, not families. Creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman had pitched Insomnia Cafe about six twentysomethings in Manhattan coffee shops. Sitcoms still used live audiences, and networks gambled on ensemble chemistry over stars.

What happened

Friends premiered on NBC September 22, 1994, at 8:30 p.m. following Mad About You. The pilot, 'The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate,' introduced Rachel Green fleeing her wedding to join Monica, Ross, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe in Central Perk. It drew 22 million viewers, instantly making Jennifer Aniston's 'Rachel' haircut and the Rembrandts' 'I'll Be There for You' cultural touchstones.

Why it still matters

The series ran ten seasons, ending in 2004 with 52.5 million viewers, and pioneered syndication streaming economics earning each star $1 billion in residuals. It defined 'hangout sitcoms' and made coffee-shop culture aspirational worldwide. Memorable detail: the orange couch in Central Perk was found in the Warner Bros. basement, and the fountain in the opening credits was filmed at 4 a.m. in Burbank.

Background

Friends is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer, the show revolves around six friends in their 20s and early 30s who live in Manhattan, New York City. The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright, Kauffman, and Crane. Spidey and His Amazing Friends, also known as Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends, is an American animated television series produced by Marvel Studios Animation and animated by Atomic Cartoons, which premiered on Disney Jr.