THE FRIENDS WHO DEFINED FRIENDSHIP

22nd September, 1994- Exactly 21 years ago, American television gave its viewers the most amazing show of all times, ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S’. Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, the show became a hit in no time and the saga continued for 10 straight years, with the last episode being aired on 6th May 2004. The plot revolves around a closely-knit group of 6 six best friends- Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey, all in their early twenties, trying to figure out their lives and dealing with all sorts of challenges that life throws at them.

It has been over 10 years since the series ended, but the show has got some sort of magnetism that still attracts a million viewers. In the midst of so many sitcoms, the magic that F.R.I.E.N.D.S created remains unmatched even now. The perfect blend of humour, sarcasm, romance, emotions, and setbacks makes the storyline all the more exciting. To top it all, the incredible chemistry of its characters is surely a cherry on the cake. At some point of time, we all might have gone through heartbreaks, weight issues, unemployment, uncertain career choice, failed marriages, or terrible job interviews. F.R.I.E.N.D.S was crafted in such a manner that it portrayed every single emotion in the right light.

Every character of the show brings uniqueness and a number of life lessons which is a major reason why it is so relatable to our daily lives.

Courteney Cox did wonders as Monica Geller. In the first episode itself, Monica speaks the reality of life- Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You’re gonna love it’. The overly fat sister of Ross, Monica overcame her weight issues turning into a hot, confident woman. The woman who was always good at eating became the best at cooking, and even after failed attempts, she chased her dream of becoming a chef. Monica was not only a dreamer, but always showed the guts to achieve what she really wanted in life. Even though her heart was broken a couple of times, she never gave up on love. And true love did find her. Marrying her best friend and soul-mate, Monica and Chandler redefined love for generations to come and proved that true love knows no boundaries. Monica was undoubtedly the glue that held the group together.

Jennifer Aniston gorgeously played the role of Rachel Karen Green. Shown to be a whiney, spoiled rich girl, Rachel goes on to becoming an independent young woman. The show features her as a daddy’s girl who lives off on her father’s money, having no idea about the importance of it in one’s life. However, her life is completely transformed when she leaves a man she wanted to marry at the altar and begins living her life on her own. Monica’s best friend from high school, Rachel starts off as a waitress in a coffee shop and finally finds her ground in the fashion industry. The scared little girl rose to heights and became a part of Ralph Lauren, achieving great success in her career. Her on-off relationship with Ross taught us that even though love is hard, it never means giving up.

Phoebe Buffay, the enthusiastic, weird, unpredictable character played by Lisa Kudrow definitely added the fun and quirky element to the show. Spending her childhood on the streets, mugging people and having no clue about her own family, Phoebe did spent a lot of time in misery but her indomitable spirit never let her settle for less. She grew up to become a masseuse and a part time singer in Central Perk- the favourite hangout place of the 6 buddies. Always cheerful, and loud, Phoebe never led the negative happenings of her life affect her in any way and always took things in her stride. Even though she spent her childhood sans parents, she did find her father and her birth mother in the later years of life. Not only that, she proved to be the best sister to her step-brother by carrying her brother’s triplets inside her, knowing the fact that she will not be able to mother them.

Chandler Bing, aka Miss Chanandler Bong played by Mathew Perry, brought so much sarcasm, witty one-liners and awesomeness to the show. The guy who was once ‘hopeless, awkward, and desperate for love’ finally found the love of his life in Monica and became the best husband and the best father one could ask for. Having a troubled childhood, Chandler learnt to hide his emotions in the envelope of sarcasm and did become the funniest guy of the group. Stuck in the mundane of a 9-5 well paid job, Chandler mustered the courage to find and pursue what he really loves doing and found his passion in advertising. Even in his thirties, he never gave up the idea of doing what interests him, even when he knew it was a risky business.

Matt le Blanc, the person who did pure justice to the character of Joey Tribbiani is surely a feast to the eyes. A big time foodie, a ladies’ man, and the star of ‘Days of Our Lives’, Joey always kept the child inside him alive. For the most part, Joey was shown as a struggling actor, who is usually financed by his roommate cum best friend, Chandler. After years of struggle, unemployment, and working in hilarious ads, Joey rose to fame and became a soap opera star, and could finally live his lifelong dream of becoming a successful actor.

Played by David Schwimmer, Dr. Ross Geller, a PhD holder in palaeontology, was never afraid to show his geek side to people and even took pride in it at times. Monica’s older brother, Ross fell in love with Rachel when he was just 15 years old but could never show the courage to tell her about his feelings. Ross’s love life was really one roller coaster ride for him, as well as for the viewers. He got divorced 3 times, but his selfless, undying love for Rachel finally brought the duo together in the end. In fact, every failed marriage only brought him a step closer to his childhood sweetheart.

Together, the six of them have made a huge impact in so many lives. And everything comes down to the fact that no matter how uncertain things may seem at times, in the end, it will all make sense and it will get better.

[author image=”http://www.aapkatimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Munazza-Ansar.jpg” ]I am Munazza Ansar, pursuing Bachelor’s in Social Work from Jamia Millia Islamia University. I have a keen interest in writing about the prevalent social issues and working for them.[/author]

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