NBC’s FRIENDS is one of the most successful TV shows of all time. First aired in 1994, it continues to add to its fan count to this day. Along with FRIENDS, Jerry Seinfeld’s sitcom Seinfeld was also airing on NBC and was quite popular at the time. While both the shows were doing great, things got a little tense after the American comedian and Seinfeld star took some of the credit for the success of the multi-starrer sitcom.
Jerry Seinfeld Believes His Show Led to FRIENDS‘ Success
Seinfeld started airing in the 1980s and was soon one of the best shows on the network. Introducing FRIENDS also turned out pretty well for NBC as it would shortly be airing two of the most popular sitcoms at the time.
During an interview, Lisa Kudrow shared that Jerry Seinfeld once reminded her of a thankyou she owed to him for FRIENDS‘ success. Kudrow shared that she met the comedian at a party where he told her, “You’re welcome.” She was confused as to why he would say that and asked him, “Why, thank you… what?”
He then told her that her show aired after Seinfeld in the summer, implying that being aired after his show was the reason FRIENDS was adding numbers to its audience. “That’s exactly right. Thank you,” the Mad About You actress told him. She also shared during her interview that the ratings for the first season of her show were just fine.
But it exploded during the re-runs of its first season in the summer when it was aired after Seinfeld, which was a major success at the time. While Jerry Seinfeld’s show would have surely helped FRIENDS to increase the show’s following, it could still have been one of the greatest shows no matter what time slot it was put in.
Lisa Kudrow on a FRIENDS Movie
Lisa Kudrow also shared her thoughts about featuring in a FRIENDS movie. When asked if she has been approached to work on a movie based on the popular show, she said, “For Friends? Never!” The 59-year-old actress said that if someone plans a film based on the show they would be approaching the show’s creators.
“Marta [Kauffman] and David [Crane] would be approached, but none of us would think of moving without them,” The Comeback star said. She also shared that it could be hard to work on a film following the same concept as FRIENDS. But if it’s still continued, the makers should have a different cast.
She said, “If Marta and David ever signed off on anything like that, it would have to be a different cast at that age.” Kudrow said that having a more diverse and current representation in the movie would not be a bad idea.
FRIENDS is available on HBO Max.
Source: The Daily Beast
