Dreams really do come true! On Wednesday, January 13, NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt made Friends fans around the globe collectively shout with glee when he announced that the entire cast will participate in an upcoming special honoring legendary TV creator James Burrows.
“I believe they will be,” he told Us Weekly at the Television Critics Association winter press tour panel of the cast’s involvement with the TV special, set to air on February 21. (The hit NBC sitcom starred Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow.)
The six castmates have remained close over the years, but have downplayed the possibility of a reunion show.
“We’ve not really had a Friends reunion. We’ve gotten about 80 percent there, but there’s always one person that flakes at the end,” Cox told Yahoo! of her former costars last April, adding coyly, “I’m not going to name names.”
Greenblatt similarly expressed reservations about the likelihood of an all-out reunion or reboot of the series.
“I’m hoping all six of them will be all in the same room at the same time, but I’m not sure if we can logistically pull that off,” he added earlier in the panel, tempering the audience's expectations.
But fans of the long-running TV series were quick to share their excitement via social media shortly after the announcement was made.
#IfIWonPowerball I'd probably pay for each cast member of Friends to sing a song with me. #FriendsReunion #moneywellspent
— Voloco App (@VolocoApp) January 13, 2016
Me finding out about the Friends reunion is like Rachel finding out Ross was in love with her. What did you just say? crystal duck.
— ᵔ.ᵔ Crescent Moon? (@chloeally1) January 13, 2016
The one where I looked like this when I found out #FriendsReunion was real pic.twitter.com/tIDRymbGTG
— Michael Stuart Long (@michaelslong) January 13, 2016
when I talk about the friends reunion pic.twitter.com/VU0XTir76d
— Laura P 🏳️🌈 OITNB (@ljpvauselotz) January 13, 2016