Review
Friends is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman for NBC. Starring Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, and David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, it premiered on September 22, 1994, as part of NBC's Must See TV lineup. Its finale aired on May 6, 2004, after ten seasons and 236 episodes. The show follows the characters' personal and professional lives in New York City; according to Crane and Kauffman's original pitch, the show "is about friendship because when you're single and in the city, your friends are your family". Friends became a massive success both during and after its run, and it has frequently been named one of the greatest television shows of all time.
Main characters
Full Name: Rachel Karen Green
Played by: Jennifer Anniston
Rachel is the youngest of Friends six main characters. She was brought up in Long Island, New York. Rachel is a spoiled yet courageous young woman who has worked for none of what she has, unlike best friend Monica, and is initially equipped to do nothing.
Full Name: Monica E. Geller (nobody actually knows what the E stands for)
Played by: Courtney Cox
A chef known for her cleanliness, competitiveness and obsessive-compulsive nature. Monica is the younger sister of Ross Geller and best friend of Rachel Green. She is funny, uptight, loving, and competitive. A very organized character who enjoys being in charge.
Full Name: Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan
Played by: Lisa Kudrow
She is a masseuse and part time, aspiring folk-type musician, who plays dreadnought style acoustic guitars and sings very awkward or absurd, self-composed songs. Phoebe can generally be classified as kind-hearted, but ditzy and whimsical. Phoebe has developed a child-like naivete in an attempt to shield herself from the world's evils. She is also vegetarian and an avid tree hugger.
Full Name: Joseph Francis Tribbiani Jr.
Played by: Matt LeBlanc
Joey is portrayed as promiscuous and dim-witted but good-natured, as well as very loyal, caring, and protective of his friends. He is a food-loving womanizer who has had more luck with dates than any of the other group members. In contrast to his persona as the "ladies’ man", he has also a marked childish side. He enjoys playing video games and foosball, loves sandwiches and pizza, and is a big fan of Baywatch and Beavis & Butt-head. As a struggling actor, he is constantly looking for work.
Full Name: Dr. Ross Eustace Gellar
Played by: David Schwimmer
Ross is considered by many to be the most intelligent member of the group and is noted for his goofy but lovable demeanor. He is a paleontologist and has a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Raised on Long Island, Ross is the elder brother of Monica Geller. Ross often tries to bring out the best of his friends in difficult situations.
Full Name: Chandler Muriel Bing
Played by: Matthew Perry
Chandler has a very good sense of humor, and is notoriously sarcastic. He attributes his sarcasm as a defense mechanism he developed due to his parents' divorcing when he was a child. He is the highest earning member of his friends' circle on account of responsible income management, having learned the value of money from a young age.
Awards and nominations
The series has been recognized with numerous accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards from sixty-two nominations. At the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2002, Friends won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series for its eighth season, which coincided with the year the show was the most-watched program in the United States; it received five additional nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series during its run. The main cast members all submitted themselves for supporting acting nominations at the Emmys until 2002, when they submitted themselves for lead acting. Kudrow won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 50th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1998, while Aniston won for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2002; LeBlanc, Perry, and Schwimmer also received Emmy nominations for their performances. Michael Lembeck won an Emmy for directing "The One After the Superbowl", and Bruce Willis and Christina Applegate won Emmys for their guest performances.
Friends was also recognized by many guilds and critics' associations. It won two Screen Actors Guild Awards – one for its ensemble and one for Kudrow – from fourteen nominations. Additionally, it received nominations for a Directors Guild of America Award, two Producers Guild of America Awards, and two Writers Guild of America Awards. The show was nominated for ten Golden Globe Awards and nine Satellite Awards, winning one of each for Aniston's and Kudrow's performances, respectively. It was nominated for six Television Critics Association Awards before receiving the TCA Heritage Award in 2018. The show also saw large success from awards selected by the public, winning eleven People's Choice Awards and twelve Teen Choice Awards. Internationally, the series won a British Academy Television Award and three Logie Awards and earned nominations for two Banff Rockie Awards, a British Comedy Award, and eight National Television Awards.
Trailer
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