Friends from the Start

Friends from the Start – Pilot Review

What is there not to love about Friends? It is genuinely a feel-good show that you could continuously watch and never get bored of (or maybe that’s just me?). I think the reason why so many people love this show and why it is still so popular today is because it is so relatable as to what we experience in our day to day lives with our very own friends. In addition to that, it also demonstrates a friendship that I imagine we all aspire to have.

Group hug with Joey, Monica, Rachel, and Ross. Who wouldn’t want a friendship like this? – Source

When I was growing up, my parents used to watch Friends while it was still airing on TV and I loved sitting and watching it with them…although I didn’t quite understand all the hilarious sex jokes at the time. Being someone who has watched the entire show an unhealthy amount of times, I feel like I know quite a bit about it to be able to discuss the goods and the bads.

“Pilot” (Season 1, Episode 1) – The One Where Monica Gets A Roommate

Originally aired: September 22, 1994

Part of the first scene in the pilot episode. It opens with the whole cast together in the Central Perk coffee shop. – Source

Let’s first look back at the critics reviews of the Friends’ pilot from 1994. Shockingly, when the episode first aired, critics actually did not quite enjoy it. They found the concept to be only OK, the humor to be unsophisticated, and one even went as far as to say that the pilot felt like a 30 minute commercial for IKEA. They really seemed to think it was just another Thursday night sitcom like “Seinfeld” or “Mad About You”. However, today, we know that the show is still enduring and genius, having celebrated their 25th anniversary this October. The cast are even talking about a potential reboot after having reunited that same month.

Poster of the Friends 25th Anniversary (Source) & Photo of the whole cast who reunited in October 2019 (Source). These really show how loved this show still is today.

Personally, as I am sure many would agree with me nowadays, I think that the show, as well as the pilot, is incredible. I strongly believe that the pilot is extremely effective at portraying what is to come in the next 10 seasons. 

First of all, when a show starts off with a theme song as catchy as “I’ll Be There for You“, how can you not already be into it? What a great song to symbolize what is to come with these friends! Immediately from the very first episode, the entire cast feels like they have already been best friends for 10 years. The six of them seem to have such great on-screen chemistry, making their friendship so believable right from the start.

Four of the well-loved cast sitting in Monica’s living room talking to Paul, while Rachel is in the kitchen talking to her father about running off during her wedding. – Source

The pilot opens up at the Central Perk coffee shop, setting up the scene where the majority of the show will take place. Monica Geller is being teased by her friends, Phoebe Buffay, Chandler Bing and Joey Tribbiani, as she is about to go on a date with Paul the “wine guy”. Ross Geller, Monica’s older brother, then arrives at the coffee shop, upset after finding out that his ex-wife, a recently out lesbian, has moved out of his apartment. Suddenly, a woman arrives wearing a wet wedding dress, when Monica realizes that it is her high-school best friend, Rachel Green. Monica introduces her to the others, while Rachel reveals she has just left her fiancé at the altar. After Rachel’s father cuts her off financially, Monica takes Rachel in as a new roommate.

I think that the writers did an excellent job at depicting what friendship and the real world is all about. With just the pilot episode, we see that all six friends work, they don’t make much money, they struggle with their dating lives, and they are really just taking it one day at a time.

Additionally, the writers truly did a great job at depicting each of them, how they each are individually and as a group in one episode. Within 22 minutes, we learn that Joey is goofy, Monica is a perfectionist, Chandler is sarcastic, Phoebe is witty, Ross is already divorced, and Rachel is new to the real world. 

Although I do think this show is fantastic, there is actually a fault in this episode. There is a filming error showing two Phoebes in one scene. We first see Phoebe talking in the kitchen with Rachel. The camera then turns over to Paul, who is sitting in the living room, and here, we see another Phoebe sitting in the background. If you’re like me and you don’t believe you actually missed this error after watching the episode so many times, see it for yourself:

It is quite shocking that there is a filming error in the very first episode of a TV show. However, chances are you didn’t catch that. So, do I still think this is a good episode? ABSOLUTELY. All of the great reasons previously mentioned definitely overtake this one fault.

If you want a show to lift your spirits, this is the one for you. I highly recommend you take 22 minutes out of your day and watch this episode.

Here is my favourite scene to sum it up:

Now that you’ve gotten to the end of my post, while you’re still on your computer, go watch an episode of Friends. You won’t regret it!