One of the most popular sitcoms on television, Friends has delighted audiences for decades. The reunion episode brought joy to fans, who were excited to find out new information about their favourite group of friends. Here is a list of moments that stood out for us in the episode. (PS: Major Spoilers ahead! Tread with caution.)
Last Updated: 12.00 AM, May 27, 2021
Friends: The Reunion episode is running through our minds on loop today ever since it premiered on ZEE5. The premise of Friends is simple in the words of Marta Kauffman - Friends is about a time in your life when friends are your family. The simplicity of it all, coupled with pure hilarity and perfect casting is what has transformed Friends into one of the biggest shows to have ever aired.
True Friends fans have already gotten their hands on every bit of insider information and trivia that is out there, so the promise of the reunion of sharing more behind-the-scenes secrets was incredibly exciting. Friends: The Reunion featured Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry and Courtney Cox recalling some of their favourite memories on set and answering some important questions, answers to which the fans were dying to know.
If you’ve already watched the episode, you’ll understand what we mean when we say that some unexpected revelations were made in the reunion episode. If you haven’t watched the episode but are dying to know what everyone else has already been made privy to about your favourite group of friends, then here is our list of top moments that stood out in the episode-
1. Ross and Rachel could be a thing in real life too
A cast as good looking as that of Friends just had to have something going on beneath the surface. When asked by James Corden if any of the six were interested in each other, a coy Aniston revealed that she had a crush on Schwimmer. What made fans lose their mind was the fact that Schwimmer totally reciprocated her feelings. However, nothing happened between the two and our Ross and Rachel forever fantasy was put to rest.
2. Matt LeBlanc’s extreme clumsiness
Not only is LeBlanc the funniest actor off-screen, he’s also the clumsiest one on-screen. The reunion gives us glimpses into him tumbling on set, dislocating his shoulder and tripping multiple times. He imbibes Joey’s personality naturally into his own and dazzles us each time.
3. Matthew Perry’s overwhelming need to entertain his audience
Perry’s struggles with drug addiction, alcoholism and mental illness has been widely discussed by the actor. But when he discloses that he felt extreme anxiety on set because he wanted his live audience to laugh at everything he did, our hearts went out to him. Kudrow even remarks that she never knew about this and that makes us a little disheartened.
4. Lisa Kudrow’s ending for Phoebe
Phoebe was easily the most eccentric, or the ‘different’ one as the cast likes to call her. When asked by Corden how Kudrow sees Phoebe’s future, the actress said that she believes Phoebe went on to raise her children who were also ‘different’. Additionally, she mentions that her character was definitely advocating for these kids in her future. In Kudrow’s interpretation, Phoebe continues to be the sweetheart we know her to be.
5. Fake Joey was almost real Joey
In The One with Unagi, a man who Joey believes can pass off as his twin nonchalantly walks into Monica’s apartment. The reunion episode reveals that LeBlanc was competing with that same actor, Louis Mandylor, for the role. Joey would have been completely different if Mandylor had played the character and we wonder if the show would have been as great.
6. David Schwimmer hated Marcel
Ross loved his pet monkey so much that he even let him shoo his best friends away. In real life, Schwimmer’s feelings were quite contrary. The actor said that he despised working with Marcel. The rest of the cast couldn’t stop laughing and Schwimmer’s apparent annoyance at Marcel just kept getting worse. He said that Marcel would rub his grubby hands on Schwimmer’s face and ruin their comedic timing. Ultimately, he was glad to see the monkey gone.
7. The cast used to huddle before every episode
It was on LeBlanc’s insistence that the group fell into the habit of huddling before shooting each episode. The one episode where they did not huddle was the one where LeBlanc got injured. There is something incredibly sweet about our favourite on-screen friends being so close in real life too.
8. The cast members don’t recall many episodes
Schwimmer has no recollection of having filmed the episode where he tosses a ball around with Joey and Monica for a whole day. Out of the six, it seems that LeBlanc knows the show best, with Aniston coming in a close second. Some of them even admitted to never having watched the whole series, with Schwimmer stating that he just started watching it this past year with his daughter.
9. A fair share of expletives were used on set
Though Friends was mostly family friendly, the actors were certainly not as vanilla in real life. Many bloopers include an expletive or two that make the reels so much funnier. Schwimmer and LeBlanc’s behind-the-scenes exchange outside Monica’s apartment door in The One with The Late Thanksgiving is beyond hilarious.