AfterFriendsended in 2004, the cast moved on and acted in other sitcoms, but out of them all, only one still holds up.TheFriendscastwere some of the biggest stars in the world when the show ended, and are still icons in the landscape of sitcoms. ConsideringFriendswas one ofthe best sitcoms of all timewhile airing (and still is over 20 years later), the cast’s opportunities were endless.
The latermovies and TV shows of theFriendscastvaried. Jennifer Aniston made an even bigger name for herself in romantic comedy movies, for example, whereas Matt LeBlanc eventually became the host ofTop Gearand portrayed a fictionalized version of himself inEpisodes. However,by 2008, each of the six main members of theFriendscast had starred in another sitcom,but only one held up.
The First Sitcom Roles Of The Friends Cast After The Show’s End, Explained
The Friends Cast Went On To Star In Scrubs, 30 Rock, Joey, & The Comeback
Matthew Perry starred in theScrubsepisode “My Unicorn” just months afterFriends' finale.Murray Marks works at a small airport and has a strained relationship with his famous father, Gregory. But even after Murray discovers he isn’t Gregory’s biological son, he still agrees to give him his kidney.
DID YOU KNOW: Matthew Perry directed theScrubsepisode “My Unicorn,” and Gregory was played by his actual father, actor John Bennett Perry.
David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston’s first stints in sitcoms post-Friendswere on the same show:30 Rock. Schwimmer portrayed actor Jared, later better known as Greenzo, NBC’s newest environmental mascot who is hired in the season 2 episode “Greenzo.” Aniston appears one season later in the episode “The One with the Cast of Night Court” as Liz and Jenna’s old friend, Claire, who becomes overly obsessed with Jack after meeting him.
Matt LeBlanc’s sitcom career continued immediately afterFriendsended. Of course,theFriendsspinoffJoeyis just a continuation of the titular character’s story, but with him being based in LA, rather than New York. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much room for LeBlanc to develop his sitcom performance during this time, but as he was portraying the same character, it wasn’t really within his control.
Jennifer Aniston
30 Rock
Season 3, Episode 3 “The One with the Cast of Night Court”
Seasons 1 & 2 (All 21 Episodes)
Valerie Cherish
Lisa Kudrow is the only otherFriendsactor who took on a main role in a sitcom after the show ended. She portrayed Valerie Cherish, a washed-up sitcom actress, in the incredible TV showThe Comeback. While the show wasn’t as appreciated as it should’ve been at the time of airing,The Comebackhas become something of a cult classic in recent years,with both the cast and audiences wanting it to return at some point.
The Actors' Replacement Shows Were Mostly Different From Friends (Except Matt Le Blanc’s)
While LeBlanc Was Still Joey, The Rest Of Friends' Main Cast Took On Completely Different Characters
The sitcom characters the cast played in the years after their most famous show were very different from theirFriendscounterparts, other than Matt LeBlanc as Joey, of course.Perry’s Murray is sarcastic like Chandler, but he is far more bluntand borders on rude. While he has a softer side eventually, he isn’t as caring as Chandler was, and it felt a bit abrupt, especially as audiences had known Perry as this character for so many years.
Both Schwimmer and Aniston’ssitcom characters were incredibly annoying,but not in the same ways that Ross or Rachel were. Schwimmer’s Jared is arrogant and takes his role at NBC way too seriously, which makes him greatly unlikeable. Aniston’s Claire is embarrassing and takes things way too far, like when she sings “Happy Birthday” to Jack after gatecrashing a party. At least when Rachel is embarrassing, it is usually because she’s panicked, not because she thrives on the drama of the situation.
The meta-ness of Kudrow playing a former sitcom star was brilliant
However, Valerie Cherish was a complete 180 fromLisa Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay inFriends.Valerie doesn’t care about the names of those she works with, always thinks she is the biggest star, is simply shallow, and has a ginormous ego — all qualities that would never be used to describeFriends' quirky masseuse. The meta-ness of Kudrow playing a former sitcom star was brilliant, and she was unrecognizable asThe Comeback’s Valerie compared toFriends’ Phoebe.
Why Lisa Kudrow’s The Comeback Is Now An Underrated Cult Classic
The Comeback’s Meta Narrative Should’ve Been A Bigger Success When It Aired
Over the years,Lisa Kudrow’sThe Comebackhas become a cult classic. The show initially only aired one installment in 2005, the year afterFriendsended, but it was sadly canceled.The Comebackreturned for season 2 in 2014, which was met with critical acclaim.The Comebackseason 3 is yet to happen,despite the demand, but in a recent interview celebratingThe Comeback’s 20th anniversary, Kudrow stated: “We’re always talking about it and looking for it” (viaVariety).
The Comeback is unique and lacks some polish, but that’s the point, and it makes it even funnier.
Kudrow is nothing short of astounding inThe Comeback.Her performance of Valerie Cherish was ahead of its time,and it can be compared to the likes of Steve Carell’s Michael Scott inThe Officeor Jane Krakowski’s Jenna Maroney in30 Rock. It’s strange thatThe Comebackis only getting the appreciation it deserves in more recent years, especially as the show-within-a-show mockumentary debuted the same year asThe Office, but at least audiences are now discovering it.
The Comebackis unique and lacks some polish, but that’s the point, and it makes it even funnier. The meta-narrative is hilarious, mocks Hollywood beautifully, and is just an all-around fantastic watch.The Comebackis massively different fromFriends, but it ultimately proves that Lisa Kudrow is a true sitcom performer and not just Phoebe Buffay.
The Comeback
Cast
The Comeback is a comedy television series focusing on Valerie Cherish, a former sitcom star seeking to reignite her career. She seizes the opportunity to participate in a reality TV show, granting cameras access to her life as she secures a role on a new network sitcom.
Friends
Friends is a television sitcom that debuted in 1994, revolving around six young New Yorkers navigating the complexities of adulthood. The series highlights their friendship as they support each other through personal and professional challenges, encapsulating the ups and downs of life in a comedic and relatable manner.
