Today in Television History (September 22nd, 1994): The First Episode of "Friends" Airs on NBC!
On September 22nd, 1994, the first episode of iconic sitcom "Friends" aired on NBC. Series creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman originally started developing the series under the name "Insomnia Cafe", but the name was changed several times to "Six of One", and "Friends Like Us", before being changed permanently to just "Friends". The series starred David Schwimmer, Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry as six friends trying to navigate life together in New York City. The show received critical acclaim during its run, becoming one of the most popular sitcoms of all time! The best episode is often considered to be season 5's "The One Where Everybody Finds Out". The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning "Outstanding Comedy Series" in 2002 for its eighth season. After ten seasons, the show aired its finale episode on May 6th, 2004 to an audience of 52.5 million American television viewers, making it one of the most-watched television finales of all time!
