Friends characters very nearly moved from New York to a new city in season 5
After ten years of being there for us, Friends left our screens in 2004 – leaving a Central Perk shaped hole in our hearts – and we’re still not over it.
Yes it may have been 15 years since Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Monica, Phoebe and Joey made their last appearances but it still feels like it was just yesterday.
We’re still deeply invested in Rachel and Ross’ tumultuous relationship, we’ve never given up hope on Parker (Alec Baldwin) coming back into our lives, and we can’t believe how quickly the Friends children have grown up. Are we the only ones confused by our feelings for Ben now that he’s grown up and starring in Riverdale?
But it’s not Cole Sprouse or the Friends Instagram reunion that got everyone talking this weekend. Instead, it was a proposed plot in the series that would see the show relocate to Minnesota. It of course never made it to air. And we have to say - could we be any more relieved?
The proposed relocation was drafted up by the show’s writers, who according to Saul Austerlitz’s book Generation Friends, were looking to shake up the plot.
The huge reaction to the shock plot of Monica and Chandler sleeping together in London was apparently so exciting that they looked into other potential surprises.
Their call? A move to Minnesota, a plot that would see Chandler moving there in season 5, with the other five characters moving there one by one.
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‘They would discover a magical Midwestern respite from New York, complete with cheap apartments, friendly neighbors, and subzero temperatures,’ the book reads. ‘Everyone knew you could not relocate an iconic show to a frigid destination 1,500 miles away, which was precisely why many of the writers argued they should do it.’
Who put an end to the idea? Co-creator David Crane, reportedly replying with ‘Are you out of your mind?’
Well, that’s that.
Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.
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