Friends creators reveal cast ‘revolted’ against season 9 storyline

‘I’m glad they won that one’, sitcom’s co-creator said

Friends creators revealed that the cast of the show “revolted” when they read a script for the penultimate season.

During an interview with TheHollywood Reporter, American television producer Kevin Bright said that they all kicked off over the storyline that would have seen Joey (Matt LeBlanc) get together with Rachel (Jennifer Aniston).

“The cast revolted when they read the first script and reacted that ‘No. Joey would never do this to Ross,’” Bright said.

He likewise mentioned how Marta Kauffman and David Crane (executive producers) explained to everyone how the story “wasn’t going to end in a place that would compromise Joey as a character for stealing his buddy’s girlfriend.”

Bright further recalled how “that almost didn’t happen” and that they could’ve lost what was a very successful season.

“I’m glad they won that one,” he said.

Crane added to the conversation by mentioning how it was “easier” to win all the creative the arguments once the show took off.

He recalls another creative fight from the pilot, when an NBC executive objected to the fact that “Monica (Courtney Cox) sleeps with a guy on the first date.”

Producers pushed hard for that story because they thought it makes Monica look “vulnerable” but ultimately he “convinced himself that it was OK because, and these are his words, when the guy disappears, ‘Monica gets what she deserves.’”

After this conversation, Crane additionally revealed how angry Kauffman was and that “she got up and walked away.”

Friends: The Reunion aired on HBO Max in the US and on Sky One in the UK on Thursday 27 May. It is available to stream on NOW.

The reunion’s biggest moment came when Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer revealed they had real-life feelings for each other while filming the show.

Find out our verdict on the episode in Adam White’s review here.