Everybody loves Friends, the fantasy series about six struggling 20-somethings in New York City who can magically afford amazing apartments. The show aired for ten seasons, turningJennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow. Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, and a beer thief who looks just like David Schwimmer into major stars. In 2015, Netflix acquired the rights to the classic 90's sitcom, and a new generation fell in love. (And also, a new generation whined about "fat-shaming," "sexist," "homophobic," and "transphobic" jokes.)
However, this morning, Friends fans got their biggest shock since Rachel hooked up with Joey. Eagle-eyed viewers noticed that Netflix sneaked an expiration date onto the show's "Details" page. Fans worried that they had less than a month to re-watch all ten seasons, and freaked out on Twitter. Could you BE any more disappointed? They will NOT be there for you. Here's to a lousy Christmas, and a crappy New Year! Just so you know, it's not that common, it doesn't happen to every TV show, and it is a big deal! Smelly cat, smelly cat...you get the idea.
Well, reportedly Friends is not leaving the streaming service, so all you panicking Rosses can calm down. Apparently, that expiration date on the "Details" page was a glitch, and has been removed. According to NBC News' Claire Atkinson, Netflix and Friends are not GOING ON A BREAK. "I just asked [Netflix chief content officer] Ted Sarandos," she tweeted, from the UBS Global Media and Communication Conference in New York. "#Friends is not leaving #Netflix in January."
Great news, right? But if you're planning to do a rewatch, don't procrastinate too long. Warner Bros announced plans to launch their own competing streaming service, which means Friends, along with other WB content, could be disappearing from Netflix soon. Previously, Disney, who owns Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars, announced plans to their own streaming service, which means Netflix could be suffering some major losses in the near future.
You might be wondering, is there any chance Friends might come back for a revival? Well, last September, executive producer and director Kevin S. Bright revealed that talks were held, and they came agonizingly close to a reunion, but decided not to do it.
"I love David Crane’s [one of the show's creators] quote that '50-year-olds hanging out in a coffee shop would be pathetic'. If we did come back it would be the same characters but wouldn’t be the same show.
"They’re at different places in their lives, potentially divorces and so we feel just like letting them go off into the sunset is one of the things which keeps them going in people’s minds; wondering what they do and did the marriage last and what did the kids grow up to be like. I think that’s best left to the audience."
The clock is ticking, Netflix subscribers.
