Friends
Media Studies: Eduqas GCSE, topic 4.2.2
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom first released in 1994. The pilot episode named ‘The one where Monica got a roommate’ was the first episode of Friends and it was broadcast on NBC in America.
Production and distribution
- Friends was produced by Warner Brothers TV in synergy with Bright/Kauffman/Crane productions.
- Friends has been distributed on NBC, Comedy Central, Channel 4 and Netflix.
- The pilot was released in America in 1994 and in the UK in 1995.
Development
- The plot was developed for NBC as the president of NBC wanted a show that could include Friends sharing memorable times of their lives with their surrogate family.
- Friends replaced Cheers, another successful sitcom on Thursday nights on NBC.
- Friends was the first comedy show to be put on Netflix.
Funding
- Friends was funded through the commercial model, explaining why each episode was 22-24 minutes long to leave room for adverts.
- The more popular a show is, the more money it can demand from advertisers.
- NBC paid over $6million for Friends per episode in the final season as the advertising potential was so high.
Channel 4
- Channel 4 paid over $120 million for the last 3 seasons of Friends in 2001 which also meant they could demand more money during their advertising slots.
- Channel 4 scored record high viewing figures during 2004 when the final season of Friends was airing.
Representation
Friends is reflective of America in the 90s. The characters have a care-free attitude which is reflective of a pre-9/11 society.
Certification
- As Friends was released in America first it was regulated by FCC (Federal Communications Commission).
- The FCC rated Friends a TV-14 meaning the show may be unsuitable for children aged 14 and under.
- The show contains alcohol, sex and mild profanity in a humorous way which can justify its certification.
- In the UK Friends was certified a PG for the same reasons as the FCC.
Youth in the 90s
- The young people in 90s America were referred to as the ‘twixter’ generation as they were a generation of young adults stuck in between adolescence and adulthood.
- The representation of America in Friends reflects the feeling of possibilities and the American Dream.
Masculinity
- The representation of masculinity is less traditional and more reflective of ‘the new-man’, also known as the metrosexual man which was coined in 1994.
- This is where men are more in touch with their emotions and care about their appearance more than traditional, masculine representation of men.
Social class
- Friends is only reflective of middle-class America as all of the characters are from the same social class.
Test yourself on Friends
How much did Channel 4 pay for the last 3 seasons of Friends in 2001?