Friends Reunion episode has viewers across India in tears: ‘How do people expect me to be fine after today’

‘Your parents have seen it, your elder siblings have seen it, you and your friends have seen it, and your younger siblings are seeing it now’

As the eagerly-awaited and excessively delayed reunion episode of American sitcom Friends made its global debut on Thursday, dedicated fans in India were there for it — like they’ve been there before.

Actors Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry were there at the sitcom’s original set in Burbank, California, (with many other celebrity friends) for one last hurrah before bidding farewell to a show that is most likely going to be one of their greatest professional accomplishments.

With most of India grappling with Covid-19 lockdowns, the special episode was something to look forward to, and many took to social media to make their feelings known.

One fan wrote on Twitter: “How do people expect me to be fine after today when I’ll be forever carrying the knowledge of David and Jennifer were crushing on each other and reflecting that energy into Ross and Rachel?”

Friends isn’t only the longest-running scripted American primetime TV show, but it is also one with a global fanbase.

The Independent’s Adam White wrote: “We speak like Friends characters, aspire to their lifestyles and deep bonds, and tune into it when we’re feeling blue. It has held us in its clutches since 1994, and has been passed down through the generations like a sacred text.”

“I watched the episode as soon as it came out. It was nice to see all of them together on the screen again. I particularly loved the bloopers, the back stories, the quiz, fashion show and the guest stars. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t cry in the last 15 minutes of the episode,” 16-year-old artist Jiya Aswani told The Independent.

Aswani also created fan art to honour the series ending.

Lifestyle and fashion influencer Radhika Seth also shared her emotional reaction to the episode.

Radhika Seth shares her reaction to Friends Reunion special (Radhika Seth/Instagram)

She wrote on Instagram: “Cannot express in words what Friends as a show meant to me. On days when I dealt with insane amounts of anxiety and couldn’t sleep all night, this show was all I had that made me feel safe and on days I felt like I was alone, the cast of Friends felt like my only friends.”

Describing all the generations that have watched the show, another user wrote: “Your Parents have seen it, your elder siblings have seen it, you & your friends have seen it and your younger siblings are seeing it now. Friends is the best example of Evergreen Content.”