When it comes to Netflix, there are hundreds and hundreds of shows, cartoons, stand-up comedy, and movies to choose from for entertainment. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to pick something to watch, but if you are in the mood for something funny and lighthearted, sitcoms are the best way to go. Netflix has the world’s best and most popular sitcoms available to binge-watch, and the most victorious, and perhaps the best sitcom that has ever been made is available to watch on Netflix today.
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Friends
Overwhelmingly, Friends is probably the most notorious sitcom to exist. It is the most-watched show on Netflix. This 90s favorite is about six 20-30s-year old friends living in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. Friends received positive reviews throughout its run and became one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. The series won many awards and was nominated for 63 Primetime Emmy Awards. The series was also very successful in the ratings, consistently ranking in the top ten in the final primetime ratings. Friends has made a large cultural impact, and the Central Perk coffee house featured prominently in the series has inspired various imitations worldwide.
Characters
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In the first season, we meet the six main characters: Rachel Greene, Monica Geller, Phoebe Buffay, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing, and Ross Geller.
Rachel (played by Jennifer Aniston), is the spoiled but warm-hearted and likable daughter of a rich vascular surgeon and his wife, left her fiance at the altar on her wedding day and has now come to New York, ending up living with Monica, her best friend from high school. Rachel’s first job is as a waitress at Central Perk coffee house and later begins to work in fashion, becoming an assistant buyer, and later a personal shopper, at Bloomingdale’s.
Monica (played by Courtney Cox), the mother hen of the group, is known for her obsessive-compulsive and competitive nature. She is an intelligent, kind-hearted person who works as a chef at a variety of restaurants throughout the show, and after a successful job search, she ended up being the head chef at a nice restaurant.
Ross (played by David Schwimmer), Monica’s older brother, is a paleontologist at a museum of prehistory, and later a professor of paleontology at New York University. He is the most intelligent of the six main characters but at the same time a clumsy, quirky man. Ross is known for being a know-it-all who prides himself on his rationality, despite his clear hopeless romanticism displayed throughout his and Rachel’s on-again, off-again relationship throughout the series.
Chandler (played by Matthew Perry) is an executive in statistical analysis and data reconfiguration for a large multinational corporation. He was the college best friend and roommate with Ross. Chandler is known for his sarcastic sense of humor and is often depicted as being somewhat of a hapless individual, suffering a lot of bad luck.
Joey (played by Matt LeBlanc) is a good-natured but not-so-bright struggling actor and food lover, who becomes mildly famous for his role as Dr. Drake Ramoray on a fictionalized version of Days of Our Lives. He is also Chandler’s roommate and best friend. Joey is a womanizer, with many girlfriends throughout the series, often using his iconic catchphrase pick-up line “How you doin’?”.
Last, but certainly not least, Phoebe (played by Lisa Kudrow), is an odd, ditzy, albeit sweet-natured masseuse who grew up homeless on the streets of New York. The former roommate of Monica’s, she is an aspiring musician who plays the guitar and sings songs with somewhat unusual lyrics at the coffee shop. She has an identical twin sister, Ursula.
Popularity
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Friends is not only hugely successful but also worked its way into our society’s culture in the western world as it is beloved by millions of fans. By the time the show ended in 2004, it had been watched by 52.5 million people and in the reunion special in 2020, it was revealed that Friends has been re-watched over 100 billion times worldwide. To this day, the show continues to generate approximately $1 billion each year for Warner Bros. The show has given the main cast an incredible platform and an invaluable list of career strengths for taking Hollywood by storm.
Accolades
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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, receiving five additional nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series during its run. The show has consistently won the ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards in the Top Television Series category from 1995 to 2005 as well as the BMI Film & TV Awards from 1996 to 2004. It has won 11 People’s Choice Awards and 12 Teen’s Choice Awards.
I think it’s safe to say that just from the number of times it has been watched and the amount of awards the show has one, Friends is objectively one of the greatest sitcoms to ever exist and if you somehow haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favor and go watch it right now.
