Friends Co-Creators Address the Possibility of a Reboot, Revival, or Reunion
Carissa Pavlica
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Say it ain't so!
Marta Kauffman, co-creator and executive producer of Friends, had some chilling news to offer to fans of the series during the Tribeca TV Festival today.
If you're spending time swirling ideas around your head about what a Friends reunion or revival could bring, you're gonna need a new hobby.
There will be no reboot. There will be no revival. Heck, there won't even be a reunion.
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“We will not be doing a reunion show, we will not be doing a reboot,” Kauffman said.
“The show was about that time in life when friends are your family,” she explained, adding that life changes when your family becomes your family.
And if you're reeling from the news and hoping that her co-creator and executive producer David Crane might come to the rescue, think again.
“We did the show we wanted to do. We got it right, and we put a bow on it.”
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And frankly, there isn't an argument about that statement.
It's rare that a show resonates so absolutely that it is still talked about 15 years after the conclusion of its 10-year run.
The possibilities of ruining a good thing are too great to mess with perfection.
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With reboot mania having died down just a little, it seems we might be seeing the end of that long and harrowing road.
While some series pulled it off magnificently, others are left face down in the dirt often tarnishing memories.
Revivals seem to work a lot better than reboots, but success isn't guaranteed.
Roseanne returned to great success decades later, as did Will & Grace, The X-Files, Twin Peaks, and Gilmore Girls.
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Dynasty is struggling to make a dent anywhere near as significant as the original series, but One Day at a Time won hearts if not ratings. MacGyver and Magnum, PI, though, are still going strong.
Some of the worst revivals of all time include Bionic Woman and Charlies Angels, proving that although the intellectual property is aces, the magic can be too hard to recapture.
So where does that leave us with Friends?
Executive producer Kevin Bright tried to slip in some well wishes for fans by saying, "Eh, I think we should do a reboot," but he was met with Kauffman's "Good luck with that."
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Deadline reports there was some fun discussion about Friends during the panel, though.
Kauffman said Chandler and Monica were intended to be a one-night-stand, but the chemistry between them was so good, they had to listen to the show, and a supercouple was born.
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So, guys, the magic will continue. You can't ditch Friends mania.
But any new stories you create will be yours and yours alone.
How gutted are you by this news?
Are you in the "never say never" camp?
Do you think even with this seemingly powerful stance against it that it could happen anyway?
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Just head down to the comments and let us know your thoughts.
You can take a few minutes to dry your eyes first.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
