2024 marks the 30th anniversary (yes, the 30th) of ‘FRIENDS’, one of the most-successful TV shows of all-time. It’s easy to forget just how long it’s been since the series finale aired (that would be 20 years) given that the show is still in regular rotation on TV stations and streaming services across the globe.The 30th anniversary feels bittersweet given the untimely death of Matthew Perry, one of the six stars that was so pivotal in the show’s success. Now ‘FRIENDS’ fans can get their hands on ‘The Complete Series’ in 4K for the very first time.
‘FRIENDS: The Complete Series’ comes in two different 4K boxsets. The first one, which is out now, includes all 10 seasons of the show along with two bonus discs packed with extra material. The second release, due on 2nd December 2024, is a UK exclusive Collector’s Edition that features different artwork, a series of polaroid prints and pop-out artwork. This review focuses on the first release, which is housed in a carboard purple case, which houses 23 4K discs and 2 bonus Blu-ray discs.
Across its 10 seasons, ‘FRIENDS’ tells the stories of Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Monica Gellar (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer). The first episode of the series, ‘The Pilot’, finds Rachel running into (the now iconic) Central Perk in a wedding dress after fleeing her wedding. Once there she bumps into her old best friend Monica, who agrees to take her in while she finds her feet. Of course, Rachel never actually leaves the fold again once she arrives and across the series all six friends go through ups and downs, romances and break-ups, and a number of hilarious incidents.
Critics of the show believe it hasn’t aged well, pointing to a lack of diversity among the main cast and jokes that would be considered un-PC in the modern day. You have to remember the show is a product of its time and honestly, a sitcom that started in the 90s with two Jewish lead characters is still something to be celebrated. Add to that the stellar performances from the six leads and the addictive repeat viewing nature the series still has all these years on, and there’s no arguing the fact that ‘FRIENDS’ is one of the great TV shows of all time.
One of the rare achievements of ‘FRIENDS’ is that it never really suffered a dip in quality. The show was as funny in Season 10 as it was in Season 1. Rewatching it now it’s incredible the amount of big name guests stars the show had over the years including Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, Bruce Willis and many more. Season 1 episode ‘The One with The Boobies’, where the gang tries to catch one another in the show following a mishap is a stone-cold classic and Season 3’s ‘The One Where Ross & Rachel Take a Break” remains one of the greatest episodes of TV ever made. There are plenty of other highlights across the show too including Season 5’s two-part finale ‘The One in Vegas’, where Ross and Rachel get married while hammered, and Season 7’s ‘The One With Monica & Chandler’s Wedding’ where the beloved characters finally tie the knot.
The bonus discs feature extras from all 10 series, documentaries, the music video for The Rembrandts’ iconic theme tune “I’ll Be There For You”, commentaries, gag reels and supersized broadcast episodes from season 7. There’s hours’ worth of stuff just to get through across those two discs alone.
The big selling point of this 4K boxset is just how good the show looks and sounds. All of the episodes have been remastered, and even the early seasons are displayed in 16×9, not the original 4:3 they were aired in. The picture quality is outstanding and perhaps most notable in the first couple of seasons. It really is hard to believe that the show is 30 years old! Similarly, the sound is crystal clear so with your home cinema set-up, you’ll be able to experience ‘FRIENDS’ in a way you never have before. This release wipes the floor with any other version of the show available.
‘FRIENDS’ is an absolute classic show and this boxset really does the show justice. What a gift for fans to be able to have every single episode in this incredible 4K quality. The show makes me laugh as much now as it ever did, and I feel like watching it now is a tribute to the incredible comedic talents of the late Matthew Perry. The 10 perfectly formed seasons have thankfully never been tarnished with a reboot or a continuation, and with 236 episodes at your disposal, you have enough to keep you entertained. Add this one to your Christmas list if you can stop yourself from buying it before then!
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer Certificate: 12 Duration: 5,321 mins Released by: Warner Bros Release date: 23rd September 2024 Buy ‘FRIENDS: The Complete Series’ 4K boxset
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