Why a Friends reboot is never going to happen

The New York Times

"A Friends reboot would likely be a seismic event in American culture, releasing an infinite gusher of money for its creators and stars," says Saul Austerlitz, author of the new book Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era. "So why is it highly unlikely?" Co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane have for years insisted that a reboot won't happen. It's already difficult to get all six Friends in the same room together since the 2004 series finale. A 2016 tribute to legendary director James Burrows could only bring together five of the six Friends (Matthew Perry was busy in London working on a play). As Friends executive producer Kevin Bright explains: "We set out to make a show about people in their 20s. And I hate to break the news to you, they’re not 20 anymore. They’re 50." (The cast currently ranges in age from 50 to 56.) Friends writer Greg Malins adds: "You’re just going to get slammed, criticized and hated. The headline for every review (would be) ‘This Is No Friends.'"