Summary
WhileFriendscontinues to maintain a massive audience since its 1994 debut,fans needing newer content should look to a sitcom that has gone undervalued, even after earning 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. With characters so beloved that people regularly askwhere the actors of theFriendscast are now, the show lives on as one of the strongest productions on television, in spite of storytelling strides made in more recent series. In fact, many viewers recognize that numerousFriendsstorylines would never work in the modern day, and anyone craving a contemporary version of the classic can find one on Hulu.
Thanks to its whopping 10-season run throughout its decade on air,Friendshas curated significant lore surroundinghow all theFriendscharacters metand their various plots over the years. The depth of this fictionalized reality is difficult to recreate in a new show, especially one with far fewer seasons to its name. However,one 2015 Hulu original that takes place in the same city manages to give the same allure of the originalFriendsgang to a dynamic duo, a pair with undeniable chemistry despite the fact that their origin story is not revealed until the last episode.
All 10 Seasons Of Friends, Ranked
Which season of Friends is the best has been debated since the show finished in 2004, but it’s undeniable some Friends seasons are better than others.
Difficult People Is A Hilarious Modern Take On Friends' Premise
The Newer Sitcom Brings The Energy Of Friends Into Today’s Cynical World
Starring Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner,Difficult Peopleis a snappy sitcom that follows two obnoxious best friends pursuing their dreams of becoming professional comediansin the competitive chaos of New York City. Similarly to how theFriendscharacters collectively face challenges in their individual developments, Billy and Julie grapple with their personal pitfalls as a team, creating the same sense of camaraderie seen on-screen for every scene in the Central Perk coffee shop. The main difference between the two shows isDifficult People’s more pessimistic perspective, given the increasingly complex troubles of today.
Friendsremains a repeatedly watched series that shows no sign of losing its relevance, butfans looking for fresher humor can turn to Hulu’s hugely under-hypedDifficult People.The new comedy is also set in New York and not only offers comparable charm but impressive critical acclaim as well. BothFriendsandDifficult Peopleinvite viewers into the relationships on screen by developing dynamics among the cast that feel authentically imperfect, just as real-life best friends often argue over everyday antics.
How Difficult People Compares To Friends
Hulu’s Show Matches In Tone But Cannot Compete With 90s Nostalgia
Offering a world with reasonably priced coffee and no awareness of social media madness,Friendsreflects a slightly simpler time that viewers secretly crave in the current cultural climate.
Although it holds a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score,Difficult Peoplehas not amassed the viewership that Friends still carries due to the contemporary comedy’s struggle to capture the comfort that the 1994 sitcom instills. Even young fans express love forFriends’detachment from modern-day woes. Offering a world with reasonably priced coffee and no awareness of social media madness,Friendsreflects a slightly simpler time that viewers secretly crave in the current cultural climate.Difficult Peoplemocks these modern grievances, but pointing out today’s joke of a society is not enough to pull the audiences from the punchline.
According to the Television Academy, 52.5 million people tuned into the lastFriendsepisode, making it the current fifth most-watched series finale in American history.
ThoughDifficult People’s lack of nostalgia makes it a less popular watch,the show’s ability to carry theFriendsvibe into today’s social landscape gives hope to those disgruntled with modern times. With Billy and Julie there for each other (even when the rain starts to pour),Difficult Peopleis a recent reminder thatFriends' enduring sense of camaraderie and optimism isn’t entirely absent from the modern TV landscape. The 90s may have passed, but funny moments with friends are timeless.
Friends
Cast
Friends is a television sitcom that debuted in 1994, revolving around six young New Yorkers navigating the complexities of adulthood. The series highlights their friendship as they support each other through personal and professional challenges, encapsulating the ups and downs of life in a comedic and relatable manner.
