Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

Perry meets the cast of Friends Like Us: Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer. All are strangers except Aniston, whom he unsuccessfully tried to date three years earlier. Cox is the best-known actor but emphasizes the show will be an “ensemble” piece, with no one character taking precedence. The cast immediately bonds, and Perry senses how successful the show will be. He feels happy during filming, enjoying the opportunity to contribute funny lines to the script. Consequently, he drinks less at night and loses weight between shooting the pilot and the first series. The show gets a prime slot, and the title is shortened to Friends. Perry realizes that he is still attracted to Aniston, but it is clear his feelings are not reciprocated.

Before the show’s airing, the cast is advised to make the most of their anonymity. They spend a weekend in Vegas together, and Perry travels to Mexico alone. In Los Angeles, Perry attends a party and enjoys “a make-out session in a closet” with actress Gwyneth Paltrow (96). When Friends airs in September 1994, it receives mixed reviews but swiftly gains an audience, soon becoming one of the most popular sitcoms on television.