Friends

NBC's Friends was one of the runaway TV sitcom hits of the 1990s. The show aired for ten full seasons. The first episode aired in September of 1994, and the finale premiered in May of 2004. The show followed the romantic adventures and tribulations of a group of six New York twentysomethings, Joey, Ross, Phoebe, Monica, Rachel, and Chandler.

Although all six characters received fairly equal treatment in terms of airtime, the show pivoted on the relationship between the Ross character, played by David Schwimmer, and the Rachel character, played by Jennifer Aniston. Ross was a paleontologist professor, a nerd by any standard. Rachel was a daddy's girl and a fashionista adrift in the New York scene.

The Ross-Rachel chemistry bound the show together as a cohesive piece. Whereas most television sitcoms of the 1990s (with the exception of greats like Seinfeld) relied heavily on measured, hackneyed plotlines, Friends galvanized audiences by hooking them into this honest love story. Of course, audiences also tracked the building romance between Chandler and Monica and the curious flirtation between Joey and hippie-chic Phoebe.

The show's smart writing, clever acting, and good-natured feel made it the anchor of NBC's Thursday night for years. During the last season of the show, each one of the marquee actors received a million dollars per episode. The final episode of Friends was watched by more than 52 million around the globe. The show's title song also became a huge international single.