“Friends” at 25 (Part II): The One with the Personal Stuff
Author’s Note: This is the second part of a five-part series on the legacy of Friends as it reaches its silver anniversary. Click here for Part I, in which I analyze the show’s place in pop culture history. Click here for Part III, where I take a deep dive into the classic Thanksgiving episodes. Click here for Part IV, where I rank the 25 best episodes of the show’s run. Click here for Part V, where I rank the best acting performances on the series. For my recap of the reunion special that aired in 2021, click here.
With very few exceptions, I spent every Thursday night from the age of 10 to the age of 20 watching Friends. I think it is fairly accurate to say that we grew up together. And now as the 25th anniversary of the series premiere approaches, I find myself waxing nostalgic not just for the series itself, but also all of the feelings and memories that the show evokes. I have decided to share a handful of these, listed chronologically.
September 22, 1994
I distinctly remember being 10 years old and slipping away to the kitchen on the night Friends premiered to watch it on the small television set that we had put in the kitchen to keep my mother company while she cooked. I don’t know what my parents were watching in the living room, but they were still screening “adult” television shows…
