Although mostFriendsfans remember the sitcom best for its iconic relationships, its quirky characters, and hilarious dialogue,there are a few that are now beginning to appreciate the opening titles. Whether it is because of the cast dancing in the fountain, the memorable claps, or the catchy theme song, fans have loved how much hard work went into creating the credits.
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However, do fans know how they came up with the idea or spot all the little details they included? With the series often found on streaming platforms, like Netflix, it's easy to understand why some fans might have overlooked them since there are a few who like to skip past the opening title sequence. But if fans do decide to do a rewatch and want to take a closer look at them, they might come to appreciate the show even more.
Updated on February 24th, 2022, by Kayleigh Banks:Aftertheir reunion broke viewership records in the UK, it's safe to say that Friends remains one of the most popular sitcoms to date.
Whether it's because of its relatable characters or because it has provided viewers with plenty of comfort and laughs, many fans love to rewatch the series and learn all the little details about it. That's why some fans might find this the perfect opportunity to refresh their minds or learn about the hard work and effort the editors put into the opening title sequence.
The Rembrandts Wanted To Remain Anonymous Initially After Watching The Pilot
Although The Rembrandts will forever be grateful to the showfor propelling them further into fame, initially, they wanted to remain anonymous after watching the pilot while working on the tune.
In an interview withVariety,Phil Solemn explained that "in those days, it was uncool for a band like ours to be involved in television." He also said that they weren't very happy about being asked to extend the track into a full song since they "were making a dark, heavier rock album - (which was) the antithesis ofFriends." However, considering that it is now remembered asone of the most iconic theme songs in sitcom history, they'll probably be glad they took up the project.
The Theme Song Had To Be Cut Sometimes To Accommodate Episode Length
When the show was first on the air, the opening credits lasted for about a minute and 32 seconds. However, as time went on, the showrunners were seen to cut it by half (or they would speed it up). Although some fans might not have made much attention to this, there was a specific reason.
"Friendsoriginally aired when commercial breaks were shorter than they are today," a TBS publicist had said (as sourced via theStarTribune). "To fit an episode into today's standard half-hour time slot without sacrificing any of its storylines, the opening theme is sometimes trimmed."
The Claps Are Sometimes Synchronised With Moments From The Show
If there is one thing about the show theme song that is most memorable, it is the claps. Whenever fans hear it, they feel compelled to make the sound (as if it becomes engrained in the viewers' heads). However, while fans had been focused on that, they might have not have noticed how the showrunners sometimes synchronized the claps in with some of the clips.
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For instance, in season 4's opening credits, it is synchronized with Chandler tapping his head. In season 5, it matches him shaking his hand. In season 6, it is when Monica is patting her stomach, and in season 8, it is when she points to her cheek several times. Although it doesn't work all the time, it seems to suggest that the showrunners are aware of the viewers' compulsion to clap.
The London Episodes Had A Special Opening Credits
There were two episodes in season 4 that briefly changed their opening titles and that was "The One With Ross's Wedding." In this two-part finale, the showrunners had swapped the original opening title to one that documents the gang's time in London.
Since the original sometimes showed the New York landscape and a few of the city's landmarks, it made sense that the title sequence changed to inform the viewers of where the following episodes would be set. If fans also take a closer look, it also contained a spoiler as it revealed that Rachel would be flying to London. Although hardcore fans might not care much about that, some of the show's newest viewers might.
Matt LeBlanc's Name Changes Spelling On The Opening Credits
Since the majority of viewers tend to rewatchFriendsonNetflix, odds are that they skip the introduction so they can get into the main action. That's probably why this tiny detail might have just slipped under the radar.
In the early stages of the show, Matt LeBlanc's nameseems to be spelled differently to what it was is now ("Matt Le Blanc").While some might believe that it could have just been an error, there's also a possibility that LeBlanc just changed his 'stage' name since he was credited as "Matt Le Blanc" inVinnie & Bobby.
The Fountain Isn't In Manhattan
The famous fountain that appears in every intro ofFriendsisn't actually in Manhattan. In fact, it isn't even in New York. The fountain was actually in Burbank, California, at the Warner Brothers' ranch (viaThe Hollywood Reporter).
However, if there are some who are wondering if they can go and visit it, then they do not need to worry. As of 2019, the iconic fountain has been moved to the main lot, where it sits in between French Street and Warner Bros.' Embassy Court.
The Famous Theme Song Was Going to be Totally Different
It's no secret that hardcore fans of the show know every word to the infamous song and they certainly can't really imagine it being anything else. However, it almost was. The original tune for the show was set to be "Shiny Happy People" by R.E.M. (viaIndependent).
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However, they passed on the project, which meant they had to find another band that had quite a significant following. This is why one of the show's producers, Kevin Bright, then brought The Rembrandts into the discussion and asked if they could help create a song that was similar in tone. Although "Shiny Happy People" is a great song, it doesn't exactly fit the tone or atmosphere of the show considering some of theFriends'storylines involved some serious and deep discussions.
The Creators of the Show Co-Wrote the Theme
Some fans might be shocked to discover that the show's theme song, "I'll Be There For You," was only partially written by The Rembrandts. It was also co-written by the show's musical director, Michael Skloff, and lyricist, Allee Willis (viaIndependent).
Danny Wilde and Phil Solem, the men behind the group, actually admitted that they had very little to do with the writing of the song. Although the figure isn't known, the group did take home some royalties, with Wilde admitting that the financial benefits have"managed to put both [his] kids through college."
The Opening Credits In "The One After Vegas"
The season 6 premiere had a very special opening credits scene. This was the first episode to air after Courteney Cox married David Arquette, and was adamant about having her second name added to the opening credits.
Of course, to pay tribute to this special occasion, the rest of the cast followed suit. Every cast member'sname in this opening credit scene is followed by the surname "Arquette."
Jennifer Aniston Didn't Like The Theme Song Or Original Introduction
According toJennifer Aniston, the entire cast actually didn't like the theme song (viaIndependent). She also admitted that shewasn't a fan of the "dancing in a fountain [either since it] felt sort of odd" but they nevertheless went with it since the directors had a creative vision in mind.
To be fair to Aniston, it wasn't just them who didn't fully understand the title sequence since the NBC boss at the time wanted [it] gone and replaced with "clips [like those in]Laverne & Shirley" (viaDigital Spy).
The Theme Song Actually Became a #1 Hit
The popular song by The Rembrandts actually became a #1 single on the American pop charts. It hit #1 on the "US Mainstream Top 40 Billboard" (viaBillboard)and also took a weekly #1 spot in Scotland and Canada.
It also hit the charts in almost 10 countries and topped the "Billboard Hot 100 Airplay" chart for eight whole weeks. Quite a huge achievement if fans really think about it.
The Famous Theme "Clapping" Is Actually Done by the Show's Executive Producers
Apparently, Danny Wilde and Phil Solem (The Rembrandts) had nothing to do with the clapping. The famous clapping is actually done by the show's producers (as sourced byThe Indian Express).
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Wilde also claimed that it took over 25 takes for the three producers to get it right. The crew worked for three days in the studio finalizing the piece before it aired on television. Apparently, it took a village to write this hit, but the viewers are more than satisfied with the final product.
The How-Many-Claps Debate Was Settled by The Rembrandts
Apparently, the question of how many claps ACTUALLY appear in theFriendsintro has created quite the controversy. Even the cast struggled with remembering how many claps they were to actually do.
In fact, on Jimmy Kimmel, Courteney Cox even did the wrong number of claps. However,Danny Wilde and Phil Solem settled it when they did an interview withBuzzFeed,and the verdict is FOUR claps (not five). This will certainly help bring some closure to a few fans.
Matthew Perry's Infamous One-Liners Kept Up Morale During the 4:00 am Shoot
It's not surprising that the cast struggled to keep their spirits up during the shooting of the title sequence, especially since it was 4 am and they had to play in a freezing cold fountain, acting like it was the best time of their lives.
However, it wasn't all a misery. In an interview withPEOPLE,Lisa Kudrow revealed that Matthew Perry helped keep up spirits. "I remember it being cold, and we had to do it many times," she had said. "I don't think we were in the mood or could even look like we were having fun anymore, but then Matthew Perry said, 'I don't remember a time when I wasn't in the fountain' and we laughed so hard." Given thatChandler had some of the best quotes onFriendsand plenty of hilarious one-liners, it's likely that Perry's charming personality and witty delivery helped make the character as lovable as he is today.
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FAQs
Why did they change the Friends intro? ›
The Theme Song Had To Be Cut Sometimes To Accommodate Episode Length. When the show was first on the air, the opening credits lasted for about a minute and 32 seconds. However, as time went on, the showrunners were seen to cut it by half (or they would speed it up).
Why was the Friends intro shortened? ›It's about getting more commercials into the half-hour. “Friends” originally aired when commercial breaks were shorter than they are today, the TBS publicist said. “To fit an episode into today's standard half-hour time slot without sacrificing any of its story line, the opening theme is sometimes trimmed.”
Why do they clap in the Friends theme song? ›Skloff shared that he and his sound engineers came up with the idea of adding claps after they got a panicked call from the producers as they were editing the opening credits.
Is the Friends Intro different every episode? ›Opening credits were updated each season with a mix of scenes from prior or current season(s) but with the fountain dance scenes never changing. There are a couple episodes where you can see Jennifer Anniston singing in the fountain dancing scenes opening credits but not always. Was this worth your time?
What is the most famous line from Friends? ›- “Well, maybe I don't need your money. Wait, wait, I said maybe!”
- “We were on a break!”
- “See? He's her lobster.”
- “Joey doesn't share food!”
- “Hi, I'm Chandler. ...
- “I wish I could, but I don't want to.”
- “Seven!”
- “Pivot!”
Monica says the first line on the entire series.
The first scene of "Friends" shows Monica (Courteney Cox) talking to her friends in Central Perk coffeehouse. Her first line, which is the first of the series, is "There's nothing to tell! It's just some guy I work with," in reference to a date she has later that night.
Trivia (15) The song the friends are humming in the beginning of this episode is the theme to The Odd Couple (1970). Ross tries to continue with the I Dream of Jeannie (1965) theme when Chandler stops him.
What is the saddest episode of Friends? ›1) The Last One
No matter how many heartbreaks the characters go through, no episode in Friends will ever be as sad as the finale where it all came to an end. Packed with a number of emotional moments, it is probably the most eventful episode of the entire series.
In the beginning of the episode the Friends are whistling "Colonel Bogey March" from Revealed: The Bridge Over the River Kwai (2003).
What is the least popular episode of Friends? ›- The One with the Fake Monica (Season 1, Episode 21) ...
- The One With Joey's Interview (Season 8, Episode 19) ...
- The One With Christmas in Tulsa (Season 9, Episode 10) ...
- The One With Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E. ...
- The One With the Vows (Season 7, Episode 21)
Who has the least lines in Friends? ›
This was really close. While Phoebe had the least number of lines – 7.4k. Chandler, Monica and Joey had almost the same number. Let's also look at the number of lines per season.
What was the last line in the show Friends? ›By the time they filmed that scene the set for Central Perk was taken down. Chandler has the last line of the entire series. He asks "Where?" when Rachel suggests they all get coffee.
Who was the biggest star at the start of Friends? ›Courteney Cox (Monica Geller)
When Friends began airing, Courteney Cox was the biggest star in the cast. Apart from Friends, she was also a part of another 90s' sensation, the horror-slasher film Scream. During her post-Friends career, Cox's best known works include drama series Dirt and sitcom Cougar Town.
Fellow creator David Crane put this down to "the actors' contract negotiations", and said that when they decided that season 10 really would be the last it was because they couldn't "keep stopping and starting and rethinking everything".
What was Friends supposed to be named? ›Credit: NBC/Getty Images. "Friends" ran on NBC for ten years, but it had a much different title as a series pilot. In the May issue of Vanity Fair, former NBC executive Karey Burke revealed the original name of the show was "Six of One."
What are 5 famous quotes? ›- The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - ...
- The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. - ...
- Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. ...
- If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor. -
A jury consisting of 1,500 film artists, critics, and historians selected "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn", spoken by Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in the 1939 American Civil War epic Gone with the Wind, as the most memorable American movie quotation of all time.
What was Emma's first word in Friends? ›Rachel's daughter Emma's first word was 'Gleba'. However, Ross argued that the word does not actually exist. To which Rachel responded with the fact that she did not know all the words.
What word is said in every episode of Friends? ›23. Every episode of Friends mentions the word 'friends' at LEAST once. 24. Hank Azaria, who played Phoebe's love interest David, auditioned for the role of Joey TWICE he was so desperate to be cast.
When did people start saying BFF? ›The meaning of bff
Bff is an initialism of the phrase best friend(s) forever, and it's a term of endearment used for selected close friends. It's been in use since at least 1996, although the concept of having a “best friend” predates the phrase.
What was Rachel's catchphrase? ›
Rachel's catchphrase used by other characters. Just watched the season 5 episode The one with all the Kips and realised that Joey uses Rachel's catchphrase (nooooo) when he opens his apartment door upon hearing Chandler and Monica arguing.
What was wrong with Monica's voice in Friends? ›Her Voice Gets Way Too Loud
This goes hand in hand with the entry above - and while there is nothing wrong with a woman having a loud voice, Monica's voice went from fairly normal to shrieking, for no real reason. It was all part of the desire to exaggerate her high-strung nature, and make her seem even more intense...
An age-old mystery will have to continue for fans of “Friends.” Creators for the iconic sitcom admit they don't know what was written in the offensive note that Phoebe Buffay jotted for Ross Geller in order to keep his pals away from his “moistmaker” sandwich during Season 5. “Oh, my God, I'm standing here going.
Who was the most annoying character on Friends? ›Ross Geller. Although he's one of the show's main characters, Ross is also one of the most annoying. His anal, stubborn personality was clear from season 1 and only worsened with time.
Does Joey in Friends have a mental illness? ›Irene is the most concerned about Joey and is the first to realise that he is suffering from schizophrenia. Irene tries to help Joey, but he accuses her of trying to kill him and attacks her.
Did any of the friends sleep together? ›The Friends Cast Made A Pact Not To Date Each Other: "It Was Kind Of An Unspoken Rule" But not everyone read the memo. Matthew Perry has revealed the Friends cast had a 'no hooking up' pact.
What music played at Phoebe's wedding? ›Trivia (9)
When Phoebe walks down the aisle at her wedding to Mike, the song playing on steel drums is "Here, There and Everywhere" by the Beatles.
Trivia (12) The producers wanted to use U2's "With or Without You" as the background clip for Ross and Rachel's kiss; however, there wasn't enough time for them to arrange for the necessary rights. Instead of the song, a studio clip similar to the band's playing style was used.
What song is playing when Joey kisses Rachel? ›Interpol "Untitled"
Remember when there was the whole storyline where Rachel and Joey hooked up? Me either, but this decidedly early '00s rocker soundtracked their big kiss in season 9, episode 2.
Fans' least favorite character in Friends is Monica
After Chandler came Joey Tribbiani with 17%, Phoebe Buffay with 15%, Rachel Green at 13%, and Ross Geller at 6%. In last place came Monica Geller with a sad 5%, making her the most disliked character in Friends, according to this poll.
Which episodes Can I skip in Friends? ›
- 1) The One With the Invitation.
- 2) The One Where No One Proposes.
- 3) The One With Ross' Sandwich.
- 4) The One Where Joey Speaks French.
- 5) The One with the Prom Video.
And going forward, salary negotiations were conducted with all six stars in the room. As Comedy Central reports, the unified negotiations made the biggest difference for Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey. In a documentary about Friends, LeBlanc revealed that he earned the lowest salary out of all of the main cast members.
Who was the kindest friend in Friends? ›For those who do not have enough time, here is the short version: Joey was the best friend, followed by Ross, while Rachel was the worst friend by far.
Who gets the most screentime in Friends? ›Chandler had the most screen appearances (1400), Seth found, using the rule that only a scene in which a character speaks a line counts as an appearance. Both Rachel (1370) and Ross (1330) were very close behind, though.
What is Monica's catchphrase? ›Monica's catchphrase is “I'm built for this” but when I think of Monica, the energy she puts into the world, the phrase. liz.
What is Chandler's first line in Friends? ›"So does he have a hump? A hump and a hairpiece?" - "Where?" Chandler's first line is yet another one in the conversation about what 'must' be wrong with someone for them to date Monica, but he makes up for this disappointing first line with an incredible last one.
Was Monica pregnant at the end of Friends? ›Courteney Cox strategically hid her pregnancy during Monica's final on-screen moments. Toward the end of filming season 10, Cox was pregnant with her first child, her daughter Coco, who was born just a few weeks after the final episode of "Friends" aired on NBC.
Which Friends episode is the longest? ›Shocked at first, Mike forgives Phoebe once she tells him the entire story and David leaves. Note: This is the longest episode of Friends (apart from the two-part ones), running 31:56. This is also the 200th episode.
When did they change the Friends theme song? ›He finally got it changed in 2008 to his current theme “Voices" which was written by Jim Johnston but performed by Rev Theory.
When did they shorten the Friends theme song? ›Popular on Variety. No one told them the song was gonna blow up this way. The Rembrandts were putting finishing touches on their third album, “L.P.,” when a sidestep into television drastically altered their course in 1994.
Is the Friends theme song different on HBO? ›
As I recall, the recording of the theme song remained the same throughout the series, although it is not unusual for a new version of a TV theme to be recorded every few years. However, each episode can also see the theme song shortened or lengthened by editing bits of it to fit the running time of the opening credits.
How many different intros does Friends have? ›Credit: Warner Bros. [On Thursday, September 22, 1994, NBC debuted the pilot of FRIENDS. The sitcom, about a group of six 20-something friends, went on to become a pop culture touchstone.
Why did Friends end suddenly? ›Fellow creator David Crane put this down to "the actors' contract negotiations", and said that when they decided that season 10 really would be the last it was because they couldn't "keep stopping and starting and rethinking everything".
What is Chandler's middle name? ›Chandler Muriel Bing (born 1967/1968) is a fictional character from the NBC sitcom Friends, portrayed by actor Matthew Perry.
What song is Joey humming in Friends? ›Trivia (15) The song the friends are humming in the beginning of this episode is the theme to The Odd Couple (1970). Ross tries to continue with the I Dream of Jeannie (1965) theme when Chandler stops him.