We Might Finally Know When The 'Friends' Reunion Is Airing

- Friends -
We Might Finally Know When The 'Friends' Reunion Is Airing

These days, it is that common, it does happen to every show, and it is a big deal. COVID-related delays, I mean. So when the much-publicized HBO Max Friends reunion was delayed indefinitely earlier this year, it came as no surprise to accepting, yet disappointed, fans. But, as productions become more adept at dealing with the nationwide pandemic, it seems Central Perk might be back in business. Production on the Friends reunion is set to begin, and we have confirmation directly from a very reliable source: Matthew Perry.

The star tweeted from his account that the six cast members of the gone-but-not-forgotten-from-our-streaming-channels series will begin shooting the reunion in March. That means, unlike many series that have been pushed until 2022 due to the virus, the Friends reunion will likely make its way onto HBO Max in the first quarter of 2021.

It's easy, though, to be skeptical — like Rachel giving Ross an 18-page letter, we've been burned before. After delaying the initial shoot, the network claimed they would film in August 2019, before having to push the date out again.

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That, however, was for our benefit — HBO Max, which planned the event to promote their $400 million purchase of the rights to Friends, eschewed a virtual reunion in favor of something that felt more tangible: Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc all physically together, in the same Warner Bros. Studio lot they sipped coffee on 20 years before. As Kudrow told The Hollywood Reporter, "We haven't all been in the same room in front of people — I mean, we have privately once many years ago but that's it ... The whole point of this is to be in the same room. That hasn't changed. And HBO Max is being phenomenally patient and understanding."

Making production slightly easier is the reunion's timeline. We know from Cox's appearance on Jimmy Kimmel that the shoot is only scheduled to take two days. (Considering the reported $2.5 million each cast member is making to do the reunion... nice work if you can get it.)

But the reason the shoot is so short might be a disappointment for fans looking for an episode telling them what the Central Perk crew is up to — the cast will not be playing their characters in the reunion, but, simply, talking with one another about the good ol' days. As Kudrow detailed to the Sunday Times, "We will reminisce, talk about what was going on behind the scenes. It's not us playing our characters. It's not an episode. It's not scripted. It's six of us coming together for the first time in I don't know how long."

Why must we always leave Gunther out?

Image: NBC

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