In honor of the 30th anniversary of the global phenomenon Friends, Max has greenlit Fast Friends, a Friends fan challenge show from Warner Bros. Unscripted Television. The first of its kind series is scheduled to start production next month at The Friends Experience: The One in New York City.
The New York flagship interactive experience was created by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, Warner Bros. Television Group, and Original X Productions. Additionally, to honor the 30th anniversary of the iconic series, Max is rolling out an expansive global campaign featuring fan-favorite episodes, in-app surprises, innovative filters, and more.
Hosted by comedian Whitney Cummings, the new four-part game show will take place in the celebrated series’ iconic sets in a fast-paced competition event. “As a longtime fan of ‘Friends,’ I am beyond thrilled to host the first-ever game show,” said Cummings. “After 30 years, the fandom surrounding this beloved series only continues to grow, and now I have the great pleasure of awarding the ultimate fans with bragging rights for life.”
From racing through Rachel and Monica’s apartment to darting across Joey and Chandler’s bachelor pad and grabbing a coffee at Central Perk, fans will re-live their favorite moments while being put to the test with trivia, puzzles, and games that will keep even the most die-hard Friends fans on their toes. The quickest team will win the title of “Ultimate Friends Fan.”
The game show will be shot at The Friends Experience: The One in New York City, a NYC flagship location featuring 18 nostalgia-filled rooms, activations, and recreated sets, spanning two stories and 17,000 square feet dedicated to the show’s history. The Friends Experience also has long-term locations in London and soon-to-be Las Vegas and has traveled to 25 cities across 8 countries worldwide, with more locations to be announced.
The competition show is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon. The new four-part game show is executive-produced by Dan Norris, Dan Sacks, and Bridgette Theriault. Richard Burgio serves as co-executive producer.
To pay tribute to the iconic series, Max Ultimate Ad-Free subscribers can now enjoy their favorite episodes of the series in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision and HDR10 on supported devices. This premium format enhances the show’s viewing experience, allowing fans to spot baby Ben before Joey and Chandler with sharper details, experience the iconic prom video and savor Joey’s Dr. Drake Ramoray scenes with enhanced clarity, and have Ross’s unforgettable white-teeth mishap dazzle them on screen.
As part of the anniversary celebration, Max viewers will see updated 30th-anniversary key art throughout the app and a new design for the Friends collection page. New themed rails with handpicked episodes for fans can be found within the page, including:
– The Most Watched Episodes
– Chandler Bing, the King of One-Liners (Best of Chandler)
– How YOU Doin’? (Best of Joey)
– We Were On A Break (Ross and Rachel Highlights)
– On Monica’s Menu (Best of Monica)
– Friendsgiving (Thanksgiving Episodes)
– Phoebe Buffay, AKA Regina Phalange (Best of Phoebe)
– The One With The Celebrity Guest
To help fans dive deeper into the world of the Central Perk crew, Max’s Friends collection page now includes bonus content with the following featurettes:
– Friends From The Start: The creative team discusses the development and casting of Friends while reflecting on the challenges that arose during the early years.
– When Friends Become Family: Delve into the inspiration and development of some of the most iconic episodes and favorite moments from Friends.
– The Legacy of Friends: The creative team discusses bringing Friends to an end and reflects on the pop culture influence and lasting legacy of the series.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.