'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' viewership soars 31% after tragic demise of Matthew Perry
What's the story
Following Matthew Perry's untimely death, viewers sought solace in his iconic portrayal of Chandler Bing on the popular sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed a significant surge in F.R.I.E.N.D.S viewing, with a 31% increase in minutes on Max during the October 23-29 week, totaling 583M minutes.
Perry, who brought laughter to millions, tragically died on October 28, reportedly drowning in his hot tub.
Context
Why does this story matter?
F.R.I.E.N.D.S—a timeless sitcom that graced screens from 1994 to 2004—spanned 10 seasons.
Centered around the camaraderie of six inseparable friends—Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Chandler (Perry), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow).
Chandler's witty sarcasm and endearing awkwardness emerged as a standout feature, solidifying his status as a beloved fan favorite throughout the series.
Details
Max added tribute to every 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' season premiere
To pay tribute to Perry, Max (formerly HBO Max) added a special card at the beginning of each season of F.R.I.E.N.D.S after his death.
The show became exclusively available on Max in the US in May 2020 after a five-year stint on Netflix.
Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, JustWatch data revealed that the sitcom became the top show on the US streaming platforms for the week between October 30-November 5.
Record-breaking success
When 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' rewrote TV history with record-breaking feats
The popularity of the show is evident from the fact that its Season 10 finale was the fifth most-watched series finale worldwide, with 52.5M viewers.
The show's peak in viewership occurred in its earlier seasons, notably in Season 2, which boasts six out of the top 10 most-watched episodes.
Key narrative turns, such as Rachel's pregnancy announcement in the Season 8 premiere, Ross and Rachel's baby, and Rachel and Joey's engagement dilemma in the Season 9 premiere were pivotal moments.
Other top titles
Meanwhile, other top streaming titles that topped streaming charts
Nielsen's streaming ratings for the week of October 23-29 also showcased strong performances by movies and series like No Hard Feelings, Five Nights at Freddy's, and Suits.
Jennifer Lawrence's No Hard Feelings topped the charts with 1.13B minutes of viewing on Netflix in the US, while Five Nights at Freddy's attracted 740M minutes on Peacock during its first three days.
Legal drama Suits racked up 997M minutes of watch time across Netflix and Peacock.
Insights
New entries and returning shows on streaming charts
New entries in the week's streaming charts included Netflix's nature series Life on Our Planet (676M minutes), docuseries Get Gotti (490M), and Hulu's American Horror Stories anthology (327M).
Furthermore, Netflix's animated series Big Mouth re-entered the rankings with 383M minutes after its seventh season premiered.
It's worth noting that Nielsen's streaming ratings only account for TV sets and exclude minutes watched on computers or mobile devices.