Friends still endures after 25 years because it's enormously easy to watch

The New York Times

"Friends was easy TV at an elite level," says Wesley Morris in trying to get to the bottom of the NBC comedy's enduring popularity. "So many jokes, so much body comedy, so many surprises and awwws, and squeals of live-studio audience excitement." He adds: "But, really, it’s simplicity. Friends actually is enormously easy to watch. 'The genius of Seinfeld (and The Simpsons, too) has everything to do with the 'com' arising from the 'sit.' What trouble will Jerry and the gang instigate? Whether you’re watching an episode for the first time or the 27th, the inciting premise is a major element of the pleasure. The premise of Friends is the friends."

ALSO:

• Meet the Friends fans who weren't alive when the show aired: "It’s kind of like a stress reliever," says 13-year-old Lacy Roberts, who was born after the Friends series finale. "If I have a lot of homework or just finished a big test, I’m going to go watch Friends, and that’ll make me happy. Usually when I’m sick, I’ll watch Friends because it makes me feel better."
• Friends set decorator Greg Grande discusses the sitcom's most beloved locations
• Jane Sibbett, who played Ross' ex-wife, looks back at the Ross-Carol-Susan love triangle
• Gunther actor James Michael Tyler and Janice actress Maggie Wheeler recall how they ended up on Friends
• How did they have such nice apartments on Friends?
• The Friends theme takes a dark turn when played in a minor key
• Introducing the stories and recipes behind Friends' most famous food moments
• The casts of Veronica Mars and Legacies pay tribute to Friends