Netflix has spent billions on creating original programming in the last few years, but its $118 million acquisition of the streaming rights toFriendsis proving one of its best buys to date.
The success ofFriendson Netflix was revealed in the recently releasedMedia Nationsreport by Ofcom, the U.K.’s communications regulator. It surveyed several thousand people to examine viewing trends and other media-based habits throughout the country.
The Grand Tour, Amazon’s car show fronted by Jeremy Clarkson and company, was the second most-streamed show.The Crownfrom Netflix placed third and the streaming service’sStranger Thingswas fourth. In the first three months of 2018, more than twice as many episodes ofFriendswere streamed as its closest rival,The Grand Tour.
Friendsran from 1994 to 2004 and produced 236 episodes before the team decided to call it a day. The show made household names out of its stars, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer, each of whom were reportedly paid $1 million per episode during the final season.
There’s periodical talk of a reboot of the show, but inan interviewwith Jennifer Aniston published earlier this month, the actress said that LeBlanc continues to reject the idea.
“I know Matt LeBlanc doesn’t want to be asked that question anymore,” Aniston said, adding, “But maybe we could talk him into it.”
OnIMDB’s chartof the most popular TV comedy shows based on votes,Friendstakes the No. 2 spot behindThe Big Bang Theory. Other shows in the chart’s top 10 includeHow I Met Your Mother,The Simpsons, andArrested Development.