Image via Entertainment Weekly
More than 25 years later, the 1990s hit sitcom, Friends, has become the talk of the town again after the premiere of Friends: The Reunion a couple of weeks ago.
The popular series got its start when its creators, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, wanted to pitch a show for the Gen X audience. The premise of the story was simple—it follows the lives of a group of 20-somethings that live in the same apartment building and frequently hang out at a local coffee shop.
Friends first aired on primetime television in September 1994 and it quickly grew to become a favourite. When the series finale came a decade later, the sitcom drew more than 52 million viewers!
Image via Vogue
Today, it still stands as one of the most popular TV shows in history, with the millennials (Gen Y) making up the majority of the viewers… which says something about how relatable the series is because the oldest of the Gen Y was probably still in the early teens when Friends debuted!
Here, we take a look at why all of us see a version of ourselves in Monica, Joey, Phoebe, Chandler, Ross and Rachel:
#1 You’re reminded of the good ol’ times before mobile phones and social media
Millennials who grew up in the 90s are considered an almost privileged generation. Twenty years ago, they lived in a time when there was zero internet and mobile phones. Today, they can’t seem to go a day without gadgets and stable connection!
The cast of Friends is a pleasant reminder of the simple days when young people could get by just fine without modern technology.
#2 You understand their love for hanging out at coffee shops
Image via Screen Rant
Apart from the girls’ and boys’ apartment units in Friends, Central Perk is another iconic setting that fans will recognise in a heartbeat. Not only is the set so familiar, the idea of meeting friends at a local café or mamak to catch up, do work or simply just to kill time as the Friends characters do is something that millennials also find liberating. They also enjoy interacting with the baristas or anneh, like how Gunther became friends with the, well, Friends, in the sitcom.
#3 You have to deal with working a job you hate
Chandler stuck to a desk job he hated because it paid well. Rachel first started as a broke waitress but eventually worked her way into her dream job in fashion. Phoebe dreamed of becoming a singer-songwriter but worked as a masseuse instead to pay the bills. Monica remained in the culinary scene throughout the sitcom, and so did Ross as a paleontologist.
Most millennials have unfortunately, had to deal with a miserable job at least once in their lives—unless they’re lucky to have good bosses, co-workers and workplaces in every job. But they stay hopeful that they will one day find a job that they’re truly passionate about, just like Friends.
#4 You encounter heartbreaks every now and then
Friends wouldn’t be as monumental without its love stories. From Ross and Rachel’s “we were on a break!”, Joey’s crushes that lasted no more than one evening, that one friend’s significant other that you can’t stand (cue Janice!), to Monica and Chandler’s romance that nobody expected, the show did a good job portraying the rough patches young adults face when in love.
And if you’re enduring a long distance relationship right now, look to Monica and Chandler who also had to do LDR after getting married.
#5 You’re on a journey of finding yourself
Some people expect you to have your entire life all figured out at 30 years old, which is what millennials today often experience no thanks to societal pressures. But remember how Rachel arrived in her wedding dress in the pilot episode? She decided that she didn’t want to get married and moved to New York to chase her dream career.
Now, we don’t recommend anyone leaving your husband or wife-to-be at the altar, but dropping something that you don’t want and chasing after something you really want is what many millennials continue to struggle and relate with today. The same goes to the rest of the Friends characters who never gave up following their dreams in their own way.
#6 You get hit hard by the adulthood train
At the start of the sitcom, Monica told Rachel, “Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You're going to love it.” Doesn’t this sound all too familiar? There are moments when millennials feel like adulting is a complete struggle. Friends reminds us that being in your 20s isn’t all that magical after all, but that’s not the end of the world. Life is tough, but that’s just part of life, and you won’t learn to appreciate it all until you grow up.
#7 You really only need a small group of close friends
Image via Warner Bros.
Friends was created based on the time in a young adult’s life when their friends are their family. This is the one thing that still rings true for millennials today. The show celebrates real friendships like no other and you can relate to how much the characters care for one another even though they may drive each other up the wall at times.
And as you grow older, your circle of friends become smaller, which is completely fine because you shouldn’t have to be BFFs with your entire Facebook friend list. As long as you have a handful of people you know that you can always count on, that’s Friends for you.
Without a doubt, this series will continue to capture the hearts of viewers across different generations because of the endearing characters that are funny and relatable.
So if you miss watching Friends, join the cast today as they walk down memory lane back to the 90s and talk about their bond together in Friends: The Reunion! You might want to get some tissues ready though.
The highly anticipated reunion is now available to stream on demand for all Movie Pack subscribers. via Ultra Box, Astro GO or HBO GO.