Friends made TV history in different ways, but one episode, in particular, made history with a double record. Among the best sitcoms in TV history and one of the best TV shows of all time is Friends, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. Friends debuted on NBC in 1994 and stayed for 10 successful seasons, ending in 2004.
Friends follows Monica (Courteney Cox), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), and Ross (David Schwimmer) as they navigate adulthood in New York City the best way they can. Throughout its 10-season run, Friends made history in different ways, and it has one episode that made history with a fun double record.
“The One After the Super Bowl” Is Friends’ Most-Watched Episode
Friends The one after the Super Bowl
Friends The one after the Super Bowl
In 1996, as part of its second season, Friends released the double-length episode “The One After the Super Bowl.” As the title says, the episode premiered right after Super Bowl, and it saw Ross learning what truly happened to his former pet monkey, Marcel: he was turned into a monkey actor, and was filming a movie in New York.
Meanwhile, Joey deals with a super-fan who is actually more of a stalker, and who is sure that Joey is his Days of Our Lives character, Dr. Drake Ramoray. Phoebe begins to date a man who hires her to perform for children at a local library, but her songs aren’t exactly kid-friendly.
Chandler comes across his old childhood friend Susie on the set of Marcel’s movie, as she’s now an actress, and they start dating, but it’s all part of Susie’s revenge plot. As for Rachel and Monica, they end up competing over Jean-Claude Van Damme’s attention, as they meet him on set.
“The One After the Super Bowl” is the most-watched Friends episode in the show’s history, and on top of that, it’s also the highest-rated Super Bowl lead-out program of all time.
“The One After the Super Bowl” Is The Friends Episode With The Most Guest Stars
Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts in Friends
Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts in Friends
As one of the biggest sitcoms of the decade, it’s not surprising that Friends had a variety of guest stars throughout its 10-season run – from Robin Williams to Bruce Willis and Winona Ryder, Friends always found a fun way to make a well-known star part of the characters’ stories.
“The One After the Super Bowl” happens to be the Friends episode with the most guest stars, and there was one for the storyline of each character (except Ross, unless Marcel can be counted as a guest star). Joey’s stalker was brilliantly played by Brooke Shields, who received the most praise from critics, while Phoebe’s date, Rob, was none other than Chris Isaak.
Susie was played by Julia Roberts, and Van Damme got to play himself in Friends. As a bonus, Van Damme namedropped Drew Barrymore when he tried to get Monica and Rachel to participate in a threesome. On top of that, Fred Willard played the zoo administrator, and Dan Castellaneta played the janitor who tells Ross what truly happened to Marcel.
All of them made “The One After the Super Bowl” the Friends episode with the most guest stars, with a total of six.
Despite Its Success, Friends’ “The One After the Super Bowl” Has 1 Major Flaw
Ross Chandler and Joey in a bathroom stall in Friends
Ross Chandler and Joey in a bathroom stall in Friends
Although “The One After the Super Bowl” is one of Friends’ best episodes and it made history with its record-breaking numbers and guest stars, it has a major flaw, and it’s all about its story. While it’s fun to see Chandler being tricked and Phoebe defending her music while Rachel and Monica fight over an actor’s attention, this episode doesn’t add anything to the show.
None of the things that happen in “The One After the Super Bowl” have any impact or relevance on the rest of the show, except for giving Ross some much-needed closure regarding Marcel. Because of this, “The One After the Super Bowl” feels more like a filler episode, and it greatly benefited from its guest stars and airing after the biggest sports event of the year.
Of course, this doesn’t mean “The One After the Super Bowl” isn’t fun, nor does it make it a Friends episode worth skipping, but it doesn’t build anything. Still, “The One After the Super Bowl” is a big part of Friends’ legacy, and it’s also part of TV history.
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Release Date
1994 - 2004
Showrunner
Marta Kauffman
Directors
Kevin S. Bright, Gary Halvorson, Michael Lembeck, James Burrows, Gail Mancuso, Peter Bonerz, David Schwimmer, Robby Benson, Shelley Jensen, Terry Hughes, Dana De Vally Piazza, Alan Myerson, Pamela Fryman, Steve Zuckerman, Thomas Schlamme, Roger Christiansen, Sheldon Epps, Arlene Sanford, David Steinberg, Joe Regalbuto, Mary Kay Place, Paul Lazarus, Sam Simon, Todd Holland
Writers
Jeff Astrof, Mike Sikowitz, Brian Boyle, Patty Lin, Bill Lawrence, R. Lee Fleming Jr.
Creator(s)
Marta Kauffman, David Crane