The Complete Series Coming in 4K UHD This September

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Friends, which first hit the airwaves on September 22, 1994, and to celebrate, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment will release a 4K UHD box set of the complete series containing a plethora of bonus content later this year. Despite its age, and many dated episodes that don’t reflect today’s cultural landscape, Friends continues to be one of the most widely influential TV shows of all time, and remains a pop culture phenomenon. The series lasted for 10 seasons over 10 years, with its final episode in 2004 being watched by more than 52 million people.

As per ComicBook.com, the Friends 4K UHD box set will be released on September 24, 2024, and feature all 236 original broadcast episodes, as well as over 20 hours of extra footage, including all-new bonus content. While it’s not specifically stated which bonus content will be highlighted, the set’s Amazon page provides a little more detail. Check out the description below.

“All the laughs, all the loves, all the lattes – all yours! Settle in with the hilarious and acclaimed series about a family based on friendship. Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross were always there for each other. Now they’re here for you in the complete 10-season set of the original broadcast episodes. Special features include hilarious gag reels, The Rembrandts – “I’ll Be There For You”: Official music video and much more!”

The Importance of Friends Cannot Be Understated

Created by David Crane and Marti Kauffman, Friends was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards over the course of its illustrious run, winning six, including Best Comedy Series in 2002. Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston were the only two cast members to ever take home individual Primetime Emmy Awards, while Courtney Cox remains the lone member to never be nominated in any category for her performance as Monica Geller during the show’s original airing. In addition to Kudrow, Aniston, and Cox, Friends also starred David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and the late Matthew Perry.

While Friends received mixed reviews upon its debut in which some called the characters “underdeveloped,” and others pegged the show as a “Seinfeld wannabe,” the series continued to gain traction as the years progressed, and eventually permeated into pop culture, with many fans emulating the hairstyles, clothing, and slang of the characters (“How you doin?”). Friends has even been credited with helping non-English speaking students learn a new language. At the height of its popularity, coffee shops across the nation were filled with young adults looking to capture some of the magic that happened at ‘The Central Perk,’ the series’ main hang out.

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10 Sitcoms That Were Clearly Inspired by Friends

It’s been 30 years since Friends first premiered, and in that time, plenty of sitcoms have pulled inspiration from the timeless ’90s series.

In 2021, a reunion special aired on Max titled Friends: The Reunion, which saw the six main cast members gather for the first time in nearly 20 years. While certain individuals had met previously on occasion, this was the first time Schwimmer, Cox, Kudrow, Aniston, LeBlanc, and Perry were in the same room. Unfortunately, it would be the last on-screen appearance for Matthew Perry before his untimely death in 2023.

Friends

Release Date

September 22, 1994

Seasons

10