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Friends reunion: The mystery of a disappearing feature from Monica’s apartment has finally been solved

A prominent wooden beam seemed to come and go depending on the episode, before vanishing altogether

Adam White
Thursday 27 May 2021 09:22 BST
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Friends cast reveal mystery of disappearing beam from Monica’s apartment

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The Friends reunion finally revealed what happened to a bizarre beam that disappeared without mention from Monica and Rachel’s apartment.

The much-anticipated reunion saw the show’s six cast members meet on screen for the first time since 2004. Significant time is spent with the cast reflecting on Friends while walking around recreated sets of the show’s main apartments.

Early on, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow explain what happened to the wooden beam that stood near the door to Monica and Rachel’s apartment, which seemed to permanently vanish a few seasons into the show.

It featured prominently in a season three episode in which Ross accidentally smacks his head into it.

While the appearing and disappearing beam has been a point of contention in Friends fan circles, two of the show’s stars have finally cleared up the mystery.

“Wasn’t there a decision to lose this?” Schwimmer asks Kudrow at the start of the reunion. She replies: “Yeah, I thought this was gone? This was here in the beginning and… it got in the way.”

Kudrow then imitates a Friends director, saying: “Sorry, you got lost behind the beam.”

Ross after he hits his head on the wooden beam in Monica’s apartment on Friends
Ross after he hits his head on the wooden beam in Monica’s apartment on Friends (Warner Bros Television)

The Friends reunion, which features special appearances from classic Friends guest stars as well as celebrity fans of the series, has been dubbed “pointless but a total joy” by The Independent in its review.

Elsewhere in 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).

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