It’s been seventeen years since a group of New Yorkers graced our screens with their coffee house hangouts, enviable apartments and those catchphrases – could they BE anymore unforgettable?!
Since then, news of an unscripted reunion has been floating around the net for a while. But what will this entail? When will it be? And most importantly, how can you tune in? We’ve rounded up all the answers to these questions and more – so keep on reading to find out why no one told you life was gonna be this way.
Looking for other show rumours? We have similar roundups for The Witcher season 2 the upcoming Obi-Wan series on Disney+, as well as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air reunion special.
We also have a roundup of the best episodes of Friends to watch on HBO Max.
When will the Friends reunion take place?
HBO has confirmed that the Friends special will arrive on HBO Max on 27 May.
The Friends reunion was originally planned to film in early 2020 but naturally – like many other shows and films – was postponed due to the pandemic.
Filming has now taken place in Burbank, California, as confirmed by Matthew Perry. There was an audience present, but this was mostly made up of people who were union extras, Covid-screened and hired for the event.
Friends reunion being rescheduled for the beginning of March. Looks like we have a busy year coming up. And that’s the way I like it!
— matthew perry (@MatthewPerry)
November 12, 2020
What will the reunion episode of Friends be about?
Well first things first, this won’t be a typical Friends episode. The actors aren’t likely to be in character, as it’s more of a ‘reminiscing and reflecting’ type of episode. David Schwimmer confirmed this in an interview, but did also hint towards a short scripted section:
Series creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman have been confirmed to appear, so don’t expect to see any continuation of the story. Joining Crane and Kauffman will be the main six actors: Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer.
There will also be plenty of celebrity guests present, including: David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliott Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin, Mindy Kaling, Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai.
It is to believed that a handful of iconic sets and props were recreated for the event, including Monica’s apartment and Central Perk.
How can I watch the Friends reunion?
The Friends reunion will be exclusive to HBO Max – the new streaming platform from HBO. It would have been available upon launch originally, but sadly this isn’t possible. It was meant to be one of the biggest draws to sit alongside all ten seasons of Friends – which is no longer on Netflix US.
HBO Max costs $14.99 per month, but existing HBO subscribers (including HBO Now customers) can get the service for free.
In addition, HBO Max is currently only available in the US. However, that doesn’t mean that UK viewers will have to miss out. Lots of HBO content is syndicated to Sky and Now customers, which could include this Friends reunion special. If you’re considering subscribing to either of these, check out our comparison of Sky and Virgin, and the best TV shows on Now.
Failing that, there’s still a workaround for watching HBO Max in the UK.
