If you're a superfan, you might revisit old episodes for the Easter eggs and the real-life context that drove the show. (In the 2021 Max reunion special, for example, Aniston and Schwimmer admitted ...

Thirty years ago, a new sitcom hit the airwaves, spawning one of television’s most lasting institutions. Friends tapped into the global consciousness in a way few shows ever did—or ever will again.

For 236 episodes, the characters of “Friends” were there for its audience just as much as they were for each other. For those who watched the original NBC run and saw themselves reflected in the ...