Today, it is impossible to imagine ‘Friends’ with even a single lead missing. The six characters have become household names and have had an undeniable influence on popular culture.
But that wasn’t always the case. According to film and television historian Saul Austerlitz’s 2019 book ‘Generation Friends’, the show had a very close call in season 1 and almost lost one of its protagonists right in the beginning.
Jennifer Aniston Was Stuck Between Sitcoms
Before ‘Friends’ made her one of the biggest names in Hollywood, 1994 was a very uncertain year for Jennifer Aniston. Like many young actors, she was trying to find a breakthrough role and auditioning for multiple television pilots, hoping one would become a long-running series.
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One of those projects was CBS’s sitcom ‘Muddling Through’, where Aniston played the role of Madeline, the daughter of the show’s lead character. The initial deal was for six episodes, based on which ‘Muddling Through’ will have the possibility to pick up a full season.
But right then, Aniston also landed the role of Rachel Green on NBC’s ‘Friends’. The situation created a major problem. If ‘Muddling Through’ became a hit and received a full-season order, she would be contractually obliged to leave ‘Friends’ halfway.
For the creators of ‘Friends’, this was a nightmare. Aniston had been their top choice for Rachel, and losing her meant writing out the character entirely or recasting the lead. Everything was on the brink of uncertainty. Aniston even had to sit out some of the show’s early promotional photoshoots so that NBC would have backup images in case she left.
The Unusual Strategy ‘Friends’ Used To Keep Rachel Green Alive
Fortunately for ‘Friends’, ‘Muddling Through’ was struggling from the start. CBS scheduled the sitcom for a summer Saturday night slot, which is one of the least desirable positions when it comes to TV sitcoms.
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At the same time, NBC wasn’t going to back down as well. Network strategist Preston Beckman devised a plan to make sure ‘Muddling Through’ had an even tougher competition.
During that same slot, NBC began airing a line-up of Danielle Steel adaptations. The strategy worked immediately. Viewers simply preferred familiar and trusted entertainment options more than newer sitcoms.
‘Muddling Through’ premiered but struggled to gain momentum. The sitcom lasted only for 10 aired episodes before being canceled. As for Aniston, she returned to ‘Friends’ full-time. Though it was a very close call, Rachel Green stayed exactly where the audience wanted her.
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