Central Perk. The chick and the duck. Smelly Cat. The rush of images that those seemingly meaningless words will bring to the minds of many just goes to show how deeply ingrained in popular culture the iconic sitcom 'Friends' truly is. Despite ending its ten season run back in 2004, the series has continued to attract new fans that found that although nobody told you life was going to be this way, the six friends - played by Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer - would be there for you. The series has a recent history of dominating streaming platforms and was one of the most-streamed shows on Netflix prior to the announcement that the show would be removed from their catalogue. Now, fans across the world are rejoicing over the fact that all six original cast members took to their Instagram pages to announce that the series will be returning for a one-off special on the new platform run by HBO and Warner Media, HBO Max.
Kevin Reilly, the CCO of HBO Max, released a statement revealing his excitement over this upcoming project: "I became aware of 'Friends' when it was in the very early stages of development and then had the opportunity to work on the series many years later and have delighted in seeing it catch on with viewers generation after generation. It taps into an era when friends - and audiences - gathered together in real time and we think this reunion special will capture that spirit, uniting original and new fans." Despite announcing that the gang was indeed getting back together for this special, Reilly's statement did little to lift the veil of mystery surrounding the reunion. So if this sudden announcement has you more confused than audiences when the showrunners tried to put Joey and Rachel together in season nine, never fear - here's the one where we tell you everything we know about the 'Friends' reunion.
Is it a new episode?
Not exactly. When the announcement dropped, fans were quick to imagine new episodes and a new season in which we get to see what all six friends and their families have been up to in the decade and a half since we bid goodbye to Monica's flat and watched the friends set off for one final cup of coffee. However, the special is said to be completely unscripted, which makes it seem unlikely that we'll be in for a 'Gilmore Girls' style revival - as gifted as the actors are, it would be strange for the showrunners to expect Chandler to drop witty quips or Phoebe to sing an quirky hit without a script serving as inspiration.
Instead, the special is more likely to be a cast reunion in which the six original stars sit down and reminisce about the days when audiences around the world echoed those four iconic claps back to them when The Rembrandts blasted from the television. Seeing as the six have never managed a televised reunion in which they were all in the same room despite a close attempt in 2016, this is nevertheless an exciting chance to see the gang reunited.
Will all six original cast members return?
Does Monica like to clean? Yes, she does, and yes, all six original cast members have agreed to return for the special. Each of the six took to Instagram to announce the reunion (with the exception of Matt LeBlanc who jokingly posted a photo of six cast members from the cast of 'M.A.S.H.') around the same time that Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox were excitedly announcing "it's happening" on their own pages.
Not only will all six cast members be returning, but they will also be royally compensated for their time, with Variety predicting that each of them will earn at least $2.5 million USD for the episode. That is a lot of coffee.
Who will direct it?
The HBO Max episode will be directed by Ben Winston, a director and producer best known for collaborating with James Corden on interactive television specials (another clue that the episode is more likely to be a cast reunion than a fully fledged episode). Winston will produce alongside the two original creators, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, as well as Kevin S. Bright. The six main cast members serve as executive producers for the episode.
Will we be returning to Central Perk?
It is currently uncertain as to whether we'll get to see iconic set pieces such as Monica's flat or Central Perk reconstructed for the special. What has been confirmed, however, is that the episode will be filmed on the same soundstage as the original series: Stage 24 on the Warner Bros. Studio lot. Whether or not we get to see the sets we know and love again, the special will therefore act as a sort of homecoming to the cast.
When will it air?
HBO Max will be the next platform to enter the war for streaming dominance, equipped with a catalogue of original material as well as critically acclaimed shows such as 'Veep', 'Game of Thrones', 'Doctor Who' and, of course, all 236 episodes of 'Friends'. The platform is set to launch in May 2020, so late spring of this year is the earliest we could see the special, though no specific release date has been confirmed yet.
Will it be available to watch in the UK?
Here is the part that might make you cry harder than the season ten finale did. As neither of HBO's current streaming platforms, HBO Go and HBO Now, are available in the UK, it is unlikely that HBO Max will be available here in the UK either. However, even if the platform does not make its way across the pond, that does not mean that the special will not. HBO and Warner Bros. have an established partnership with Sky, a collaboration that has previously allowed HBO content such as 'Game of Thrones' and 'Big Little Lies' to air on Sky Atlantic and become available through Now TV in the same week as the original episode drops in the US. With this broadcasting alliance in place, we can hope that the special will be available to download in the UK through Sky.
