“We might not ever get that reunion special at Central Perk, but Austerlitz has given us the next best thing.” —Newsweek
“Friends really was a masterclass in comedy writing (and sitcom creation), and this book provides tons of new information, but it’s Austerlitz’s insights that take this from a fun, frothy fan read into a comedy library must-have.” —New York
“Generation is just as much a salute to the people behind the show as the show itself.”- Houston Chronicle
“Austerlitz has written a love letter for fans of the show to remember key moments from the 10-season run of Friends while also revealing the good and bad of how difficult it is to create a show, put it on the air and find lightning in a bottle.”- Associated Press
”On its 25th anniversary, the show’s die-hard fans will love Austerlitz’s detailed, discerning, and sumptuous history.” Kirkus Reviews
In September 1994, six friends sat down in their favorite coffee shop and began bantering. A quarter of a century later, new fans are still finding their way into the lives of Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe, and thanks to a combination of talented creators, its intimate understanding of its youthful audience, and its reign during network television’s last moment of dominance, Friends has become the most influential and beloved show of its era.
Noted pop culture historian Saul Austerlitz is here to tell us how it happened. Utilizing exclusive interviews with creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, executive producer Kevin Bright, director James Burrows, and many other producers, writers, and cast members, Generation Friends tells the story of Friends’ creation, its remarkable decade-long run, and its astonishing Netflix-fueled afterlife. Readers will learn how the show was developed and cast, written and filmed. They’ll be reminded of episodes like the one about the trivia contest, the prom video, and the London trip. And, of course, the saga of Ross and Rachel. They’ll also discover surprising details—that Monica and Joey were the show’s original romantic couple, how Danielle Steel probably saved Jennifer Aniston’s career, and why Friends is still so popular that if it was a new show, its over-the-air broadcast reruns would be the ninth-highest-rated program on TV.
The show that defined the 1990s remains wildly popular today and has a legacy that has endured beyond wildest expectations. And in this hilarious, informative, and entertaining book, readers will now understand why.
