Friendsis the one show that I could watch every day for the rest of my life. It’s comforting, every character is relatable, and the show itself feels like home. I have watched it stressed, relaxed, glad, sad, and everything in between, and every time it has managed to improve my mood. Watching those six people sitting in Central Perk, sipping coffee and talking about nothing and everything all at once, is my happy place.
I still smile every time Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) storms into the cafe in that wedding dress, and when Joey (Matt LeBlanc) says something so dumb yet so pure that you cannot help but love him. Chandler (the late Matthew Perry), my favorite character of the show, with his sarcastic jokes, hides more pain than anyone ever sees. Monica (Courtney Cox) is the heart – loud, obsessive, but full of love. Ross (David Schwimmer) makes everything complicated, and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) makes everything magical with her presence. Here are some shows that desperately tried to become the next Friends, to varying degrees of success.
7
‘Coupling’ (2000–2004)
When Friends became a global hit, British TV wanted its own version of six twenty-somethings navigating love and friendship, and as a result, they made Coupling. Created by Stephen Moffat, the show mirrors Friends almost beat for beat — three men, three women, and long conversations over coffee in cafes and drinks in bars. Steve (Jack Davenport) plays the hesitant everyman like Ross, whereas Susan (Sarah Alexander) is the smart, steady partner who embodies Rachel’s charm. Jeff (Richard Coyle) and his neurotic storytelling are exactly like a British spin on Chandler.
The format is familiar, with intertwined relationships, miscommunication, and clever debates. But Coupling gives it a darker, more adult tone. Its humor was sharper and more risqué, diving deep into subjects Friends only hinted at. While the show earns critical praise and a strong UK fan base, it never crosses into global comfort-TV territory. It was too frank (and perhaps too, well, British) to become the next Friends.
6
‘Happy Endings’ (2011–2013)
Happy Endings is like someone took the DNA of Friends, fast-forwarded it to the 2010s, and added caffeine. It is set in Chicago and follows six close friends dealing with dating disasters, career chaos, and adult indecision. The setup is instantly familiar. Jane (Eliza Coupe) and Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.) are the stable couple, much like Monica and Chandler, whereas Dave (Zachary Knighton) and Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) have an on-and-off dynamic, just like Ross and Rachel’s. Even the group hangouts at their go-to bar were exactly like Central Perk’s cozy comfort.
But the show stands out because it has its own chaotic energy. The jokes come at lightning speed, and the dialogue is intensely packed. The pop culture references, on the other hand, are relentless. Critics loved its sharp writing, but mainstream audiences struggled to keep up. Though it didn’t last long, its cult following still insists it deserves better.
5
‘Friends from College’ (2017–2019)
Netflix’sFriends from College is perhaps the most literal attempt to recreate Friends for a modern audience — only this time, the characters are older, messier, and far less idealized. The show revolves around a tight-knit group of Harvard graduates living in New York City, whose long-standing friendships are complicated by affairs, jealousy, and career frustrations. Much like Friends, it is about a circle of people who can’t quite grow apart and are constantly drawn back into each other’s orbit despite dysfunction.
The parallels in the show are easy to spot. The shared history and relationships are just like Friends, but where Friends thrives on warmth and chemistry, Friends from College leans into discomfort. Its humor is darker, the characters are more self-absorbed, and the nostalgia is tinged with regret. In trying to modernize the Friends template, the show replaced innocence with cynicism, which has divided audiences.
4
‘Cougar Town’ (2009–2015)
Cougar Town is marketed as a raunchy comedy about an older woman dating a younger man, but what it truly became was a Friends reunion in spirit. Jules Cobb (Courteney Cox) leads the series as a newly single mom who is discovering herself around a tight-knit circle of eccentric friends. The friends spend most of their time drinking wine and hanging out in each other’s homes, which is a clear suburban version of Central Perk.
The show is exactly like Friends, with overlapping romances, improvised conversations, and the feeling that these people are each other’s chosen family. It even shares creators and writers from the Friends team, who lean on the same rhythm of punchy jokes and heartwarming moments. Over time, Cougar Town drops its misleading title and becomes more about enduring friendship than dating, which proves that its Friends-style chemistry works best when it stops pretending to be anything else.
3
‘The Big Bang Theory’ (2007–2019)
The Big Bang Theory is one of the best sitcoms there is, and it has become the Friends of a new generation. Its setup is strikingly familiar, with a close group of friends sharing apartments, navigating love lives, and hanging out in a familiar spot. In this case, the Central Perk is a comic book store. Leonard (Johnny Galecki) is the hopeless romantic, just like Ross Geller, and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) is the relatable outsider, exactly like Rachel Green.
Sheldon (Jim Parsons) fills the Chandler role with his sarcastic yet lovable oddball character. The show mirrors the theme of Friends but puts a twist on the formula. Instead of struggling twenty-somethings in Manhattan, these are socially awkward geniuses trying to make sense of relationships and the real world. The scientific humor and geek culture references especially resonated with audiences worldwide, and the show beautifully established the fact that, in a sitcom, it is not necessary to have airheaded characters; geniuses can also bring the laughs. The show also became an instant inspiration for kids worldwide to pursue science.
2
‘New Girl’ (2011–2018)
New Girl bottles the same energy of Friends for another decade, the 2010s. It’s just more awkward, with its dancing and bizarre jokes. Jess (Zooey Deschanel) moves into a loft with three single men after a bad breakup, which is exactly like Friends’ classic “friends as family” setup. The group dynamic of Nick (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Winston (Lamorne Morris), and later Cece (Hannah Simone) brings every kind of personality clash you would expect from a modern-day Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe.
Just like Friends, the show thrives on the chemistry of its ensemble. The loft becomes their version of Central Perk, a safe space for the friends where they hang out every other day. There, they discuss everything, their careers crumble, their crushes turn serious, and their lives stay messy but full of laughter. The unfiltered goofiness and emotional sincerity of New Girl make it an even more lovely watch. The show proved that even when adult life looks ridiculous and tiring at times, it is friendship that makes it bearable and easier to survive.
1
‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005–2014)
If there’s one show that comes the closest to capturing Friends’ essence, it’s How I Met Your Mother. The New York setting and the core group of six friends struggling with love, careers, and adulthood make the parallels look deliberate. When I watched the first episode of How I Met Your Mother, it instantly looked like a cheap copy of Friends to me, and I could draw a comparison between every character. But as I moved forward, How I Met Your Mothercarved its own niche — and its own place in my heart.
Ted (Josh Radnor), like Ross, is the hopeless romantic chasing “the one,” while Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) channels a more exaggerated version of Joey’s womanizer persona. Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) served as the settled couple, much like Monica and Chandler. The hangout-driven storytelling centered around McLaren’s Pub. The weird relationships where Robin is sometimes with Ted and sometimes with Barney (exactly like the Rachel, Ross, and Joey triangle) were an obvious similarity, and the witty banter and inside jokes were clearly reminiscent of Friends‘ trademark style. Yet, How I Met Your Mother differentiates itself with its non-linear storytelling and recurring narrative gimmicks.
- Release Date
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2005 – 2014-00-00
- Showrunner
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Craig Thomas
- Directors
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Michael J. Shea
- Writers
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Chris Harris, Stephen Lloyd, Joe Kelly, Robia Rashid, Greg Malins, Chris Marcil, Phil Lord, Sam Johnson, Tami Sagher, Gloria Calderon Kellett
