Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The one-sentence pitch that got Friends greenlit

Creators of the beloved sitcom appeared on the newly released reunion special

Louis Chilton
Thursday 27 May 2021 20:25 BST
Comments
HBO Max release trailer for Friends: The Reunion

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

One of Friends’ creators has revealed the one-sentence pitch that sold the show.

Creators Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane all featured on the Friends reunion special, which has been released today.

Speaking about the show’s origins, Kauffman said: “There we were in our twenties in New York, trying to make a living and find love.

“We drew on relatives of ours, and friends of ours. We named Chandler after a friend of mine. We definitely pulled from our lives.”

“It’s just about the friends,” said Crane. “We’re following all of their stories equally, which we felt like we hadn’t seen before.

“The one-sentence pitch is: it’s about that time in your life when your friends are your family.”

As well as the creators and a litany of celebrity guests, Friends: The Reunion also saw core cast members Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer reunite to reminisce about the beloved sitcom.

Elsewhere on the reunion special, LeBlanc explained to viewers how a drunken incident the night before his audition for Friends helped land him the role of Joey, and Schwimmer failed to remember one of the series’ classic episodes.

Watch Friends: The Reunion on Sky One and streaming service NOW from today (27 May).

You can read The Independent’s four-star review of the special here.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in