The One Where Underdog Gets Away

The first season of the American sitcom ''Friends'' aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 18, 1995.

The website Collider ranked the season #9 on their ranking of the ten ''Friends'' seasons. They wrote that the best episode of the season was "The One Where Rachel Finds Out".

Cast and characters

Main cast

* Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green
* Courteney Cox as Monica Geller
* Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay
* Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani
* Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing
* David Schwimmer as Ross Geller

Recurring cast

* Anita Barone/Jane Sibbett as Carol Willick
* Mitchell Whitfield as Barry Farber
* Cosimo Fusco as Paolo
* Maggie Wheeler as Janice Hosenstein
* Jessica Hecht as Susan Bunch
* Vincent Ventresca as Fun Bobby
* Elliott Gould as Jack Geller
* Christina Pickles as Judy Geller
* Larry Hankin as Mr. Heckles

Guest stars

* Merrill Markoe as Marsha, Ross' boss
* Jill Goodacre as herself
* Hank Azaria as David
* Morgan Fairchild as Nora Bing
* Fisher Stevens as Roger
* Jon Lovitz as Steve
* Helen Hunt as Jamie Buchman
* Leila Kenzle as Fran Devanow
* George Clooney as Dr. Mitchell
* Noah Wyle as Dr. Rosen
* Jennifer Grey as Mindy
* Claudia Shear as Fake Monica
* Leah Remini as Lydia
* Jonathan Silverman as Dr. Franzblau
* Corinne Bohrer as Melanie
* Lauren Tom as Julie
* Sofia Milos as Aurora
* Jennifer Grant as Nina
* John Allen Nelson as Paul the Wine Guy
* Geoffrey Lower as Alan
* Beth Grant as Lizzy
* Marianne Hagan as Joanne
* Camille Saviola as The Horrible Woman
* June Gable as The nurse
* Lee Garlington as Ronni Rapalano
* Brenda Vaccaro as Gloria Tribbiani
* Robert Costanzo as Joey Tribbiani Sr.

Episodes

Home media

The first season was officially released on DVD in region 1 on April 30, 2002, becoming available in both the United States and Canada as a 4-disc DVD Box Set. The release includes the extended versions of every episode with footage not seen on their original NBC broadcast. Additionally, each episode is updated with color correction and sound enhancement. Special Features include a commentary for the pilot episode with executive producers Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kaufmann and David Crane, a video guide to season one's guest stars, including George Clooney, Helen Hunt and Noah Wyle; an interactive map with inside stories from the crew, a trivia quiz and the trailer of Season Two DVD Release.
For region 2, the release included the original NBC broadcast version of the episodes, and not the extended versions unlike the region 1 release.

The season also had an individual Blu-ray for region A on April 30, 2013, in this release the episodes are presented in their original NBC broadcast versions and does not include the extra deleted scenes and jokes that were included in the DVD version. Additional audio & subtitle tracks are also included with this release.

Reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 70% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.1/10 and based on 43 critic reviews. The critics consensus reads: "''Friends'' daffy situations elicit just as many eye-rolls as laughs, but this perky sitcom gets by with a little help from its immensely likable cast.". In the ''Los Angeles Daily News'', Ray Richmond named the series as "one of the brighter comedies of the new season",Richmond, Ray (September 22, 1994).
Season Premiere of ''Friends'' Leaves Room to Grow
, (Registration required). ''Los Angeles Daily News'', Los Angeles Newspaper Group. Retrieved January 4, 2009. and the '' Los Angeles Times'' called it "flat-out the best comedy series of the new season". Tom Feran of '' The Plain Dealer'' wrote that the series traded "vaguely and less successfully on the hanging-out style of ''Seinfeld''", while Ann Hodges of the '' Houston Chronicle'' called it "the new ''Seinfeld'' wannabe, but it will never be as funny as ''Seinfeld''."Hodges, Ann (September 22, 1994). "NBC sitcoms make Thursday less funny", '' Houston Chronicle'', Hearst Newspapers. Retrieved January 4, 2009. '' Chicago Sun-Times'' Ginny Holbert found Joey and Rachel's characteristics to be underdeveloped, while Richmond commended the cast as a "likeable, youth ensemble" with "good chemistry"; Robert Bianco of '' USA Today'' was complimentary of Schwimmer, calling him "terrific". He also praised the female leads, but was concerned that Perry's role as Chandler was "undefined" and that LeBlanc was "relying too much on the same brain-dead stud routine that was already tired the last two times he tried it".Bianco, Robert (September 22, 1994). "Six ''Friends'' Sittin' Around, Talking", '' Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''. The authors of ''Friends Like Us: The Unofficial Guide to Friends'' thought that the cast was "trying just a little too hard", in particular Perry and Schwimmer.Sangster, p. 14 '' People Magazine'' said that the "saving grace" is that the characters become more likable as time goes on.

Notes

References

Sources

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External links

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{{ScreenActorsGuildAwards EnsembleTVComedy

01
1994 American television seasons
1995 American television seasons