Fans of the, now classic, NBC sitcom Friends have been wondering for years if we'd ever get a reunion. Now, cast member Lisa Kudrow has weighed in on the issue, and if you're one of the many people who would like to see the old comedy gang get back together, you might not like what she has to say.
If we don't tell you that one's coming and it doesn't happen, you have no reason to be disappointed. I'm managing expectations. I don't see it happening, [but] it would be fun.
Everyone's favorite Phoebe Buffay appeared on Today this week to promote her new movie, Table 19, and was, of course, asked about the possibility that fans could see Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey back together on screen in a new fun-filled adventure. Well, Lisa Kudrow's words to Savannah Guthrie don't directly deny that a reunion is possible, but she doesn't seem too convinced that it might happen, either. In fact, knowing how much people would like to see Friends back on the air, Kudrow mostly seems intent on keeping any potential plans a big, fat sitcom secret, and that makes a lot of sense. Really, if they were working out the details of a reunion, would you want to know early in the process only to be disappointed if the deal falls apart?
While the must see TV comedy lasted for 10 (hugely successful) seasons, Friends has now been off the air for a whopping 13 years. Even though reboots and reunions are all the rage on television these days, the more time goes by after a series ends, the less likely it usually is that audiences will see the same cast recreate their famous roles (the recent Will & Grace miracle notwithstanding). At this point, we'd be more likely to get a rebooted Friends, and I really don't think anyone wants to see someone other than Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc tackle those beloved characters.
One of the main reasons that Lisa Kudrow doesn't see a reunion happening is that, again, a lot of time has passed and all of the main actors have moved on in their careers. David Schwimmer starred in The People v. O.J. Simpson and Feed the Beast last year, while Matthew Perry has been starring on The Odd Couple since 2015. Matt LeBlanc has led the Showtime series Episodes since 2011 and is currently on CBS' Man With a Plan, while Courteney Cox wrapped up six seasons on Cougar Town in 2015. Jennifer Aniston has devoted most of her time to filming movies, and Lisa Kudrow has split her time between TV and film work. Kudrow is working on "managing expectations" mostly because she obviously sees a reunion as being extremely unlikely at this time.
I have to say, as a Friends fan, I'm fine with that. Why mess with the legacy of the show by trying to recreate the magic, something which almost certainly wouldn't work? Thanks to reruns in virtually every corner of the world, we can all enjoy Friends for many years to come, anyway. Now, excuse me while I rock out to "Smelly Cat" for the four-thousandth time.
