10 Times The Friends Reunion Special Punched Me In The Nostalgia Gut & Made Me Cry

The highly anticipated Friends reunion is finally streaming on Binge, and I’m happy to report that it’s a complete punch to the nostalgia gut. In a good way! It’s so wholesome and lovely and just absolutely filled to the brim with precious throwbacks and surprises. So since it’s been 12 hours since I watched the ep and I’m still thinking about it, I thought I’d round up all the moments that made me CRY. Why not, I say.

Straight to it!

1. The first seven minutes

For some dumbass reason I thought I wouldn’t cry during the Friends reunion episode – I know, DUMB. So I flicked it on after work and what did I do within the first [checks notes] two minutes? I CRIED.

Why? Because the special episode kicked off with the very last scene from the finale when the friends are leaving the apartment for the final time.

AND THEN…

Friends reunion
HBO Max.

One by one, the original cast members walked back on set: David Schwimmer (Ross Geller), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay), Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green), Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani), Courteney Cox (Monica Geller), and Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing).

And they hugged and cried and immediately reminisced.

HBO Max.

2. The theme song/intro

It mashed bits from the original intro with shots from the reunion episode and it was around this time I realised this really was FINALLY HAPPENING.

Friends reunion
HBO Max.

3. Mr Heckles

Okay, I was just SHOCKED Larry Hankin, AKA Mr Heckles is still alive. Turns out he’s 80 in real life. The more you know.

HBO Max.

Bloody hell.

4. Jack & Judy Geller

In news that absolutely would make the Geller Yeller, Elliot Gould and Christina Pickles sat in the audience during the interview portion of the reunion. The actors starred as Jack and Judy Gellar, otherwise known as Monica and Ross’ goofball parents.

I wasn’t prepared.

HBO Max.

The actors described the cast as “awfully nice” and “very down to earth people.”

“We loved it because they loved us and one day we came to work and they said, ‘The parents are here, the parents are here!’” Pickles shared.

“And it was so moving, and we really did feel like their parents. In fact, we used to worry about them quite a lot and Elliot said to me, ‘We’re behaving like we’re really their parents’ and we really did feel we were, ‘cos they’re so sweet.”

5. Every time they read lines again

If you closed your eyes it sounded exactly the same as the original scenes.

Friends reunion
HBO Max.

This was the table read from when Phoebe found out about Monica and Chandler and it was very, very good. Phoebe slipped right back into character.

6. AHHHHHH!!!

Jennifer Aniston (Rachel) and David Schwimmer (Ross) said they crushed on each other hard (!!!!!!!) during filming. Allow me to scream LOBSTER into the void, my god.

Speaking to host James Corden, Schwimmer revealed he used to have a huge crush on Aniston.

“The first season, I had a major crush on Jen,” the actor revealed.

AND THEN Aniston replied, “It was reciprocated.”

“At one point we were both crushing hard on each other, but it was like ships passing because we were both in relationships when the other wasn’t and we really respected that,” Schwimmer explained.

But wait, there’s more. 

“I remember saying to you [Schwimmer], ‘It’s going to be such a bummer if the first time we kiss is on national television…’ And sure enough, we did,” Aniston said.

Things never went beyond a crush, according to the actors, but holy shit did my jaw drop at this news.

“We just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel,” Aniston said.

I just – LOBSTERS.

But wait, there’s even more.

During rehearsal, the actors would “spoon and fall asleep on the couch” together. (AHHHHHH)

Friends reunion
HBO Max.

“And I’m thinking, ‘How did not everyone know that we were crushing on each other?” Schwimmer asked the group.

“We knew,” Perry said.

“We knew for sure,” Cox added.

7. Ross & Rachel

After Rachel got off the plane and reunited (for good) with Ross, the crew called cut on the scene but Aniston and Schwimmer just kept on hugging.

HBO Max.

My poor, poor heart.

8. The final cut

Tag yourself! I’m Cox leaning against the wall, extremely miserable.

I have no other words for this bit.

9. Paul Rudd!!!

While Paul Rudd, who played Phoebe’s husband Mike in the series, didn’t make an appearance in the reunion show, he was still kinda in it. And I’m not just talking about clips from episodes either.

I’m talking about the moment towards the end of the special, when footage was played from the final record.

Look who’s filming the moment on a camcorder.

Friends reunion
HBO Max.

PAUL.

10. The End

At the end of the reunion episode, Cox said this is going to be the last time the main cast will be together on the set of Friends. Everyone is emotional.

HBO Max.

“This will be the last time that we’re ever asked about the show as a group, that we will do this,” she said. “Like, we’re not going to do this again in 15 more years.”

It’s true, but IT STILL MADE ME SAD.

“I’ll tell you one thing, we are not waiting so long to have a dinner,” she added, and her friends agreed.

And while the cast discussed what it was like being back on set and having known each other for so long, archival footage from behind the scenes played – just in case you weren’t emotional enough.

Friends reunion
HBO Max.

Well, I guess it’s time to rewatch all 10 seasons again.

Friends: The Reunion is streaming now on Binge.

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