Friends received great reviews and ratings throughout its run, and became one of the most popular sitcoms of its time. The final was one of the most watched TV shows ever.

The first season introduces the six main characters: Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross. Rachel arrives in New York after leaving her fiance at the altar, and begins living with Monica in her apartment. Ross attempts to tell Rachel that he loves her, while his estranged lesbian wife is pregnant with his baby. Joey is shown to be a struggling actor, while Phoebe works as a masseuse. Chandler breaks up with girlfriend Janice (Maggie Wheeler), who frequently returns throughout the ensuing nine seasons. At the end of the season, Chandler accidentally reveals that Ross loves Rachel, who finds that she feels the same way.

In the U.S., 52.5 million viewers watched the finale on May 6, 2004, making it the most-watched entertainment telecast in six years. Although it was not the series’ most-watched episode, the finale was the fourth most-watched series finale in television history, only behind the finales of M*A*S*H, Cheers and Seinfeld.

Following the finales of Friends and Frasier, media critics speculated about the fate of the sitcom genre. Expressed opinions varied between a signaling of the end of the sitcom genre, a small decline in the large history of the genre, and a general reduction of scripted television in favor of reality shows.

* Jennifer Aniston portrays Rachel Green, a fashion enthusiast and Monica Geller's best friend in high school. Rachel and Ross Geller are involved in an on-off relationship throughout the series. Rachel's first job is a waitress at the coffee shop Central Perk, but she later becomes an assistant buyer at Bloomingdale's and a buyer at Ralph Lauren in season five. Aniston had already appeared in several unsuccessful sitcom pilots before being cast in Friends.

* Courteney Cox Arquette portrays Monica Geller, the hen mother of the group, known for her obsessive-compulsive and competitive nature. Monica is often ridiculed for having been an extremely overweight child by the others, especially her brother Ross. Monica is a chef who changes jobs often throughout the show, and marries longtime friend Chandler Bing in season seven. Cox had the highest profile of the main actors when she was initially cast, having appeared in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Family Ties.

* Lisa Kudrow portrays Phoebe Buffay, an eccentric masseuse and musician. Phoebe became homeless at the age of 14, and is known for being ditzy and yet street-smart.[7] Kudrow previously played Ursula Buffay on Mad About You, and reprised the dual role of twin sister Ursula as a recurring character during several episodes of Friends. Before her role on Friends, Kudrow was an office manager and researcher for her father, a headache specialist.

Take a Taste of the Friends in these fakes.

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