On May 6, 2004, after 10 seasons and 236 episodes, more than 50 million people tuned in to watch “The Last One,” the final series of NBC’s Friends, according to Nielsen Media Research ratings.
Launched on September 22, 1994, by Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and Kevin S. Bright, Friends quickly evolved from being a sitcom into a global obsession. The show followed six young adults living in New York’s Greenwich Village, and it turned the lead actors into icons who defined 90s pop culture through everything, from style and haircuts to catchphrases.
The finale itself was a massive financial win. NBC charged advertisers an average of $2 million for every 30 seconds of ad time.
“The Last One” was designed to bring the journey full circle. Director James Burrows once noted that a finale should try to wrap up what started in the pilot, and Friends did exactly that with its central romance, Ross and Rachel.
The finale delivered the moment fans had waited for. Despite Rachel being on a plane headed for a new life in Paris, a trip to the airport and a famous answering machine message (“I got off the plane!”) brought the couple back together for good.
Meanwhile, other characters found their own ways of growing up. Monica and Chandler discovered they were adopting not just one baby, but twins, and prepared to move to the suburbs. Phoebe was happily married to Mike, and Joey, the loyal friend, remained his lovable self.
The show has faced criticism over the years for its lack of diversity and its handling of certain jokes, but its popularity remains undeniable. More than twenty years later, the empty apartment with the purple walls remains one of the most iconic images in TV history.
Friends earned a total of 62 Emmy nominations and won six, including the prestigious award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2002. Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow both got Emmys for their performances, while the cast collectively shared a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble. The series was a favorite at the People’s Choice Awards, winning 11 times, which reflected its massive popularity and enduring connection with the public.
The Last One, the two-part series finale of Friends, received two Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing and Sound Mixing.
The “Friends” apartment building in Manhattan’s West Village sold for $32.7 million to JP Real Estate Group Limited.
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