I’m sure you’ve watched Friends, one of the most iconic television sitcoms to come from the 90s, or have at least heard of it. Friends has made a major impact on the world – in fact, an estimated 51.1 million people watched the final episode of the sitcom when it aired in 2004, and the show’s 236 episodes have been re-watched over 100 billion times worldwide.
It’s no secret that Friends is as insanely popular now as it was in the 90s. Here are some reasons why it’s still iconic even more than 25 years later.
- The Characters
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Friends was a show that was very heavily character-driven. Every episode revolved around the six friends and the hilarious storylines of the show. Each character had their own qualities and that’s what made them so relatable to people. With Rachel’s passion for fashion, Phoebe’s quirky songs, Joey’s love for food, Chandler’s sarcastic jokes, Monica’s cleaning obsession, and Ross’ not-so-good love life, viewers could resonate with these characters and relate to them.
- The Theme Song
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You could listen to any song and get hooked on it and then most likely forget about it, but you can’t do that with the Friends theme song. I’ve seen countless television shows that had theme songs but none of them have had the effect that “I’ll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts had on me. It’s a timeless classic that will always have me singing along whenever I hear it.
- The relationships
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Just as iconic as the characters themselves, so are the the relationship between them. Nothing compares to the excitement that came from the viewers when Ross and Rachel finally got together – they’re each other’s lobsters – or when Monica and Chandler found their happy ending. Although Joey and Phoebe didn’t end up together, Phoebe did go on to marry Mike and their relationship was just as special as the others’.
- The Fashion & the quotes
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Friends gave us many things, like life lessons and laughs, but it also gave us some of the most famous fashion from the 90s. From mom jeans to leather pants to “The Rachel” hairstyle, the show definitely had an impact on our lives. Likewise, the quotes that were said throughout the show gave us some fun. Some of the most memorable include:
- Ross: “We were on a break!” and “Pivot!”
- Joey: “How you doin’?” and “Could I be wearing any more clothes?”
- Phoebe: “I don’t even have a ‘pla’ ” and “They don’t know that we know they know we know”
- Rachel: “Isn’t that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?” and “I got off the plane”
- Monica: “Welcome to the real world. It sucks, you’re gonna love it!” and “I know!”
- Chandler: “I’m not great at the advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?” and “Whapah!”
- Honorary mention: Janice’s “Oh My God!”
- the friendships
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One last important thing that made Friends so iconic even now is the friendships between the six characters we call our friends. The bromance between Chandler and Joey, the sibling relationship between Monica and Ross, the friendship between Monica and Rachel, all have special meaning to us because they remind us what it’s like to have friends who will always be there for you.
I hope you enjoyed reading about why Friends is still just as iconic as it was in the 90s! Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, and Chandler will forever be there for us like we’re there for them too.