F.R.I.E.N.D.S - The Reunion Review
**Spoiler Warning In Effect**
Well Friends fans, after a very long wait (just over 17 years to be precise), we finally got to see the old gang back together again. Filmed last month, the reunion brought back the original six cast members, namely Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Ross (David Schwimmer), Joey (Matt Le Blanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), and Monica (Courtney Cox), and also threw in some cameos from various other cast members who appeared throughout the entire series.
So for those few people who do not know, Friends ran for 10 seasons beginning in 1994, spanning ten years. It was one of the biggest television shows ever and was widely regarded as one of the greatest shows ever made. Over the ten-year span of the series, younger audiences would grow up with these characters and feel a part of the group. The show itself was an absolute cultural phenomenon at the time, and had stood the test of time fairly well. Unlike most shows from the same time period and even later, fans would happily sit and watch the first season just as much as the last.
Enough about the actual show. If you are reading this, like me, you are probably a fan of the show, and already know everything, so today we are looking at the reunion which aired on May 27, 2021. Fair warning here. If you have not seen it yet, there will be spoilers ahead.
The reunion accomplished pretty much what it promised. It brought back the six main cast members mentioned above, and set up the original sets used for filming. Beginning with Schwimmer, each cast member entered one by one, and walked through the sets of Joey & Chandler's apartment, Monica & Rachel's apartment (crossing the famous hallway between the two), and Central Perk. As soon as they were greeted with these set pieces, you could instantly see they felt something.
Finally, they all came face to face together, and instantly began reminiscing and telling stories about times past. To begin with, it did seem a little awkward (personal opinion only). A lot had happened in 17 years and we have no idea how their relationships went after the end of the show as each member of the main cast went on to do a lot of different things. Despite the popularity of the show and the cast, it is fair to say only one of them has gone on to become "more" famous. While we have to give the other actors their due, it is just a fact Jennifer Aniston is much more well known, with Courtney Cox coming in second for her role in the Scream franchise. There was also the issue of Matthew Perry's struggles with alcoholism in the past, an addiction he battled during the filming the show, and after. We have no idea how this may have affected his relationship with the guys, if at all. With this in mind, to me (again personal opinion only), he seemed to be the most uncomfortable at the beginning.
Thankfully, after not too long, things started feeling normal again, and it was like they had not been apart for so long. Fans of the show were disappointed when it was announced it would be a reunion show rather than an actual new episode. There were rumors galore about a return either in movie or television form. Most of the cast shared their thoughts on why it was not the right thing do during the panel with host James Corden and the audience. Personally, I am with most fans when they say they want to see new episodes. However I find peace in the answer given as to why it likely will never happen, and I genuinely loved the reunion because it gave us something more.
It did not give us "new" episodes, instead it gave us new information about our favorite characters. We found out so many little facts about the characters and the cast, which made it feel like it was before. We also got to see them re-enact some of the more memorable scenes from the original show, such as the quiz game which results in Joey and Chandler winning Rachel and Monica's apartment, along with table reads of others such as Ross & Rachel's first kiss. If you just close your eyes, you could see the scene, and apart from distinctions in their voices now compared to the earlier episodes being read, you could picture every single moment perfectly in your mind.
The main cast and characters aside, we got to meet the creative team behind the series, namely Marta Kaufman, Kevin Bright, and David Crane. They would give us a real behind the scenes view of the show, including a backstory of how each "Friend" was chosen. They went on to explain the idea of creating a show where there was not a main character. Instead the show would focus on a group of people together interacting with one another, and how each one lived their life. The show was for people around the same age group as the characters. It was a time in your life when your friends were your family. You would hang out all the time before proper full time jobs, kids, marriage, etc take over. As the show progressed, we would see each individual character go through these life changing events, leading up to the main reason the cast and creators did not want to do another episode or film.
Marta Kauffman and Lisa Kudrow pointed out that the original show ended pretty naturally. Each member was either married, pursuing a big career, moving, or Joey (sad I know, but unfortunately true, although I'm sure we all imagine him living above Monica and Chandler's garage). Kudrow stated that bringing them back would result in having to unravel their happy ending story, and so they should just be left happy. To be fair, she made a good point. Like we have seen with a lot of franchises these days, sometimes leaving it be is better than what we may end up with.
Throughout the show, we got to see cast members who played secondary characters on the show. Starting us off was Larry Hankin who played Mr. Heckles, the old man he lived below the girls in the early seasons. He even showed up in the character's signature bathrobe. During the questions from the audience segment, the camera panned to Elliot Gould and Christina Pickles, who played Ross and Monica's parents. Any Friends fan who managed to hold a tear back seeing them was lying! Who could forget the guy who longed for Rachel in the background, the loveable Gunther, played by James Michael Tyler. There was also the delightful Maggie Wheeler, in character as Janice of course. Cue the sudden "OH MY GODDDD" screaming in your head.
Unfortunately, following the release of the promo and episode itself, fans took to the social media to express their disappointment and found faults with certain parts of it. These guys had gotten us all through some tough times. To revisit these characters after so long was a huge thank you to fans. How many other shows can you name where the cast have returned after 17 years to properly say good bye?
All in all, for this writer, the reunion was great. I agree there was some awkwardness, but also a lot of emotion on display. Having those guys back together and just hanging out reminded me of simpler times. So go give it a watch and just smile!
Friends: The Reunion is now streaming on HBO Max.