‘Friends’ Reunion Rumors Swirl On Anniversary Of Sitcom’s Series Finale
On this day exactly 13 years ago, Friends (one of the most iconic sitcoms of all-time) aired its series finale that was watched by over 50 million viewers in the U.S.
To commemorate such an occasion, of course a new “Friends Reunion” hoax has hit the web today in the form of a Facebook post that has been circulating.
https://www.facebook.com/RossGheler/photos/a.921494914656160.1073741827.921494207989564/921494901322828/?type=3&theater
The post claims that the series will return not for a one-off special, but an entire season! This is not the first such claim of its kind to hit the web since the series ended over a decade ago.
As 12News points out, there are several red flags that appear in the post to show that it is, in fact, just a rumor. The article says that there are four major reasons as to why the post is nothing but wishful thinking by an optimistic fan.
First, the supposed poster was “David Schwimer,” the actor who played Ross Geller in all 10 seasons of the show. But the last name of the actor is misspelled in the poster’s profile, proving that it is a fake account. Secondly, 12News points out that the account was just made today, on the 13th anniversary of the show’s finale, and there have been no other previous postings by this “David Schwimer” prior to this.
In addition, various members of the cast have said in the years since the show bid farewell in 2004 that there will never be a Friends reunion. Most recently, Jennifer Aniston has spoken out and said, in an interview with the Independent, that a reunion for the show just won’t work because the show aired in a time before social media and constant cell phone use, allowing for much more interesting stories between the characters to take place where they were just at the coffee shop “talking.” Now, she says, we have lost that and as a result, the magic of the show would be lost as well.
Actress Lisa Kudrow also said in a talk-show appearance that a reunion will “never happen”.
In the land of multiple TV reboots and revivals thanks to the likes of Netflix and plenty of ’90s nostalgia, it seems clear that a potential reunion special with all six cast members of Friends would be a massive hit. Other beloved shows that have taken the revival route recently to great success have been The X-Files, Gilmore Girls, and Full House. The latter two were exclusive to Netflix, and Fuller House is currently in production for its third season. Over on FOX network, a second season of The X-Files revival is in the works and will premiere in the 2017-2018 television season.
Now, the ’80s/’90s sitcom Roseanne has announced a revival with at least some of its original cast members reprising their roles. If things were based on pure fan demand, Friends would be the No. 1 show to film a revival series. But it looks like fans will never get a reunion special of their favorite gang of New Yorkers on their television or laptop screens anytime soon, or ever.
#Relatable pic.twitter.com/2Df88o8MoO
— Friends TV Show (@HookedonFriends) March 14, 2017
The closest thing we’ve gotten so far was a televised tribute event to director James Burrows, where five of the six “friends” appeared to talk about their experience on the show. Matthew Perry (Chandler) was doing a play in Europe at the time and couldn’t attend, but he did pre-tape an introduction video for his five co-stars.
Do you wish there would be a Friends reunion or revival? Or are you happy with the way the show ended? Sound off in the comments section below.
[Featured Image by Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Getty Images]