FRIENDS - THE MONTHLY EPISODE

September 22, 1994

It all started with Jennifer Aniston entering Central Perk - the infamous coffee shop while David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow were hanging out and took us to an awe filled decade that makes anyone who has ever watched it still smile at the idea of watching an episode again. Amid the pandemic and negativity surrounding humanity all around, a reunion episode aired on May 27 after 17 years on screen since the series finale bringing a glimmer of happiness among anyone who has ever watched an episode all over the world.

#1

Jennifer Aniston AKA Rachel Green

A rich spoiled brat, with her innocence and no knowledge of the struggle of the real world, running away from her wedding with all her credit cards and no plans ahead, made the audience fall in love with her instantly. Her role according to producers could become a very unlikable character, she is an incredibly selfish, self involved and in the wrong hands could be really unlikable but Jennifer had this warmth, sincerity and genuineness about her that made the audience feel okay about everything Rachel was and might have passed judgement on it. Although, Jennifer was already on a show called ‘Muddling Through’, and had shot six episodes of it, the producers took a risk and competed with the show to see who wins because, they really wanted her because only she could bring the character to life. She has successfully worked in more than 40 movies, but to the fans, she will always be Rachel Green.

#2

DAVID SCHWIMMER AKA ROSS GELLER

From the moment Rachel entered that coffee shop to the moment the show ended, it was always about Ross and Rachel, from ‘We were on a break’ to ‘I take thee, Rachel’ in London, it was always about them. David Schwimmer has done many movies, sitcoms and broadway plays, but he is and always be Monica’s brother Ross Geller. He is also a director and was fed up and done with television in 1994, but when the producers persuaded him that the character of Ross Geller was written with his image and voice in mind, he somehow agreed to do the role and is forever thankful for it.

#3

COURTENEY COX AKA MONICA GELLER

The chef, the home maker to all the friends, the compulsive neat freak and highly organised Monica Geller, who is the base of the entire storyline, it is her apartment that everyone hangs in, her food everyone eats and her responsibility to manage every holiday because of her organised skills. Ross’s sister, Phoebe’s flatmate, Chandler and Joey’s neighbour and Rachel’s high school friend, it all revolves around Monica. Courteney Cox had done famous shows before FRIENDS and was offered the role for Rachel, but she said, she believed she was more of a Monica Geller and she was perfect at it.

#4

MATTHEW PERRY AKA CHANDLER BING

Chandler Bing’s character was a light comedy character that managed lines that are not always funny but had to act them in a manner that makes the audience smile, if not laugh. Monica’s husband and Ross’s high school friend, Chandler made jokes that were poor but said dialogues that were funny. Chandler’s character according to the producers seemed like the easiest caste but was the most difficult to cast. Chandler was doing another sitcom called ‘LAX 2194’. Someone from Warner Bros. was at the taping of the show and said, this show is not going anywhere, put him in FRIENDS, we will be fine. According to producers, no one else could do Chandler’s character, they tried actor after actor but it was only Matthew Perry who could be Chandler Bing.

#5

LISA KUDROW AKA PHEOBE BUFFAY

An orphan twin, who lived and fended for herself all her life living on the streets, she made her life on her own and was Monica’s flat mate for a while, a masseuse, a guitarist, a singer she played all her roles to perfection, from ‘Smelly Cat’ to the ‘Left Phelange’ to driving a private cab everywhere. Lisa Kudrow was already doing a role in the famous sitcom, ‘Mad About You’ as Ursula and they picked up the storyline as Ursula’s sweet twin sister ‘Pheobe Buffay’. According to the producers, Lisa Kudrow not only did do everything they hoped for in the character but elevated the material.

#6

MATT LEBLANC AKA JOEY TRIBBIANI

Joey Tribbiani’s character was a playboy actor who did a sitcom, ‘Days of Our Lives’ in the show as Dr. Drake Ramoray. With his “How you doing”, he paved the way for development of characters like Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother and Charlie Harper in Two and a Half Men in the 21st century. Matt LeBlanc had 9 dollars in his pocket when he came to audition and had not done a lot of work before but after auditioning, he was the best man for the job and was hired even when he turned up with a broken nose in the final phase of the auditions, passing out in a friends apartment the night before and breaking his nose. His pizzas, dates and a big heart made the audience fall in love with Joey Tribbiani even when the character portrayed a little lack of brains to make it funny. He was the most trustworthy FRIEND of all who was really bad at keeping secrets.