Culture news This cult series which has marked all generations is soon leaving Netflix to go to the competition, hurry up and finish it!
Since its launch in 1994, it has established itself as a cult series, crossing the decades and marking all generations. The adventures of the six protagonists have won over a worldwide audience, and their popularity does not seem to be waning, even more than twenty-five years after the broadcast of the first episode. However, news that may shock the many fans of the series recently fell: it will soon leave Netflix to join another streaming platform.
From Netflix to MAX
Indeed, from July 1, Netflix subscribers in France will no longer be able to access their favorite sitcom on this platform. Friends will then migrate to Max, the new combined service of HBO Max and Discovery+. This transition echoes current trends in the streaming market, where platforms compete for exclusive content to attract and retain their subscribers. For fans of the series, this means it’s time to hurry and finish all ten seasons before they disappear from Netflix.
The strategy behind this change is not surprising. HBO Max, which owns the broadcast rights to Friendsseeks to strengthen the appeal of its new Max platform by integrating flagship and attractive content. By adding “Friends” to its catalog, Max hopes to attract a large fan base of the series, who could switch to this new offering to continue following the adventures of their favorite characters.
This transfer of Friends vers Max is part of a broader dynamic of content repositioning. In recent years, streaming giants have increased their acquisitions of iconic series and films to stand out in an increasingly saturated market. Netflix, although a pioneer in streaming, has seen its competitors gain strength and take away prestigious titles from it. It is in this context that the battle for Friends. For spectators, this transition involves some adjustments. Those who are not already subscribers to Max will have to consider becoming one, or resign themselves to saying goodbye to this legendary series. However, this migration can also be an opportunity to (re)discover other flagship products from Max’s catalog.
Friends, a series that spans the ages
It is interesting to note that Friends This is not its first change of platform. Before arriving on Netflix, the series had already seen several broadcasts on different networks, both in the United States and internationally. This mobility demonstrates the series’ ability to adapt to new media consumption trends and to remain relevant despite technological and cultural developments.
Without going back exhaustively on its popularity, it is easy to measure it today. Some remember the Windows 98 installation boxes featuring Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston). This is also the format of the series, a 20-minute sitcom with similar episode titles (“The one who…“). Some successful sitcoms (studio-shot comedy series) are directly inspired by Friends by using identical plots for their episodes (The Naked Man In How I Met Your Mother For example). In short, there are only a few days left for Netflix subscribers to enjoy one of the most famous, if not the most popular, series of recent generations. And that no matter the platform, the Friends series will forever remain memorable.