It has been 24 years since the Friends got together for coffee at Central Perk. Since then, the show that ran for 10 seasons, has become an icon in itself with New York bus tours themed on the show, merchandise flying off the shelf and the fashion being emulated years after the show ended. Over the years, the show was nominated for 62 Emmys and won 6 of them.
The characters— Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Pheobe and Joey have stayed on in our hearts. And even though it appeared to audiences that all the group did was drink coffee and talk, the show talked of same sex marriage, sexual misconduct at the workplace, feminism, peer pressure and more.
Most of the viewers hoped and aspired to be like them one day— live out in the big city on their own and find the job of their dreams. Fun fact: According to reports, the roomy apartment Monica and Rachel enjoyed living in due to rent control, would rent out for $4,500 today. Nearly all viewers of the show who were in their late teens or early twenties when the show first premiered, grew up with it and had at least one 'friend' in real life. Be it a free-spirited Phoebe or tell-jokes-to-break-the-ice Chandler. The cast of the show who are still in touch, went on to do different shows and movies once Friends ended. Jennifer Aniston went on to act in a slew of romcoms like Along Came Polly and Marley and Me, Matt le Blanc has a couple of telvision shows going for him like Man with a Plan and Top Gear.
Matthew Perry who faced a slump owing to a drug problem acted in movies like The Whole Nine Yards and Seventeen Again. David Schwimmer went on to do the television drama series, The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story. Courney Cox went on to do television series Cougar Town and has starred in movies like Scream 4 and Mothers and Daughters.
Social media is brimming with reactions of fans as the show turns 24 today. With nostalgia hitting hard, it is a show many would watch again and again. Hundreds of fan theories still floating on the web is proof that the show will stay with us for years more to come.