The Friends reunion show is aiming to film this August or when it’s safe to do so. HBO Max initially planned to include the special reunion episode when the streaming platform launched in May. However, filming for the special was put on hold due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Friends is often considered one of the best sitcoms of all time, even years after it ended in 2004.
Friends followed the lives of Monica, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross as they attempted to navigate the constant ups and downs of adulthood. Although the 2004 series finale ended on a positive note for all of the characters, fans still wondered how their favorite friends were faring after they closed the door on Monica’s apartment in that iconic final scene. Fans were able to stream Friends’ ten seasons on Netflix through all of 2019. However, the show is no longer on Netflix since HBO Max bought the rights to stream the series. The reunion special was meant to be a draw for Friends fans, that is until COVID-19 hit.
David Schwimmer, who played the dorky paleontologist Ross on the show, spoke to AP Entertainment about the status of the reunion special. He expressed gratitude that the show was still gaining fans years after the final episode. However, Schwimmer noted that the reunion special may or may not happen this August. Check out his full response below.
It’s definitely wise for the Friends cast to reunite when it’s safer to do so. Perhaps the extra time will inspire the cast and the show’s creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane to shoot to an actual scripted episode for fun. That would definitely draw a huge amount of subscribers for HBO Max. At the same time, it’s understandable why the cast and crew wouldn’t want to tarnish the great series finale, even though it did leave fans with unanswered questions. A scripted episode would be a gamble that may or may not pay off.
Although it would’ve been entertaining to watch an actual episode with the cast returning to play their beloved characters, the Friends reunion special will be worth-watching for long-time fans of the series. Schwimmer noted that the plan was always to have a live studio audience for the reunion special, which definitely can’t occur while the coronavirus pandemic is still ongoing across the world. The reunion special may be on a break for now, but like Ross and Rachel finally getting together, it’ll certainly be worth the wait.
