Friends is the UK’s most popular streaming show – why do we still love it?

It makes absolute sense that Friends is still the most popular show in the UK, even after all these years.

The reason for its eternal, unfaltering appeal? It does what it says on the tin. It’s your Friend.

When it comes to watching telly, you could choose to experiment with something new, a show you’ve never seen before – take a risk that may or may not pay off.

And sometimes that’s fun… even more rarely, it works out well and you’re pleased you did it.

But more often than not, you’re left disappointed, confused, and feeling like you’ve totally wasted your evening.

In these uncertain times, at the end of a long, tough day, the most comforting thing is to hang out with an old mucker.
Someone who’s been there for you, when the rain started to fall, for years and years now.

Familiar, reliable, reassuring. Yes, you pretty much know the scripts off by heart at this point, but somehow the jokes are still funny.

There are always one or two things that you didn’t(itals) remember, that really make you laugh. Some classic episodes that are always guaranteed to have you howling, in a good way.

It’s not flawless of course – some of it has dated badly, there are dodgy attitudes to sexuality, body-shaming, trans rights etc… Friends as it was would never get made today… but that’s why it wasn’t.

There’s also the age old boring criticism that Monica and Rachel would never be able to afford that massive apartment in central New York on their salaries blah blah blah zzzzzz. It’s not real life, it’s a TV show. And no, it’s not perfect.