Friends to leave Netflix today… after streaming service paid $100m to have the show for 2019

When Chandler Bing was recording a future message to Rachel Green and Ross Geller’s daughter for her 18th birthday in season 10 episode 4, he says: ‘Hi Emma. It’s 2020. Are you still enjoying your nap?’ 

But before you try and get creative and turn on the episode via Netflix as the ball drops at midnight tonight, you may want to rethink your plan. 

For the extremely popular show will be leaving the streaming service tonight.  

The end of an era! Friends will be leaving Netflix tonight as the ball drops after landing on Netflix exactly five years ago (pictured 2001) 

Netflix were unable to buy the rights to the Warner Media series for another year as the company wants to add all 236 episodes to their new streaming service, HBO Max.

However, they won’t be launching until May, so if you really can’t live without your Friends, you can buy each episode for $1.99.  

All 10 seasons of Friends arrived on Netflix on January 1, 2015, and after exactly five years, it’s now time to say goodbye.  

It's come full circle! When Chandler Bing was recording a future message to Rachel Green and Ross Geller's daughter for her 18th birthday in season 10 episode 4 (pictured), he says: 'Hi Emma. It's 2020. Are you still enjoying your nap?'

It’s come full circle! When Chandler Bing was recording a future message to Rachel Green and Ross Geller’s daughter for her 18th birthday in season 10 episode 4 (pictured), he says: ‘Hi Emma. It’s 2020. Are you still enjoying your nap?’

The show began in 1994 and ended in 2004 – recently celebrating its 25th anniversary. 

With such popularity, by the final two seasons all cast members, Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green), Courteney Cox (Monica Geller), Lisa Kudrow (Pheobe Buffay), Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani), Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing) and David Schwimmer (Ross Geller), were making $1million per episode. 

And while Friends ended in 2004, the cast are still raking in the big bucks to this day. 

It's come to an end: Netflix were unable to buy the rights to the Warner Media series for another year as the company wants to add all 236 episodes to their new streaming service, HBO Max (pictured 2001)

It’s come to an end: Netflix were unable to buy the rights to the Warner Media series for another year as the company wants to add all 236 episodes to their new streaming service, HBO Max (pictured 2001)

Top show: According to USA Today , Friends has continued to make Warner Brothers $1 billion each year (pictured 1999)

Top show: According to USA Today , Friends has continued to make Warner Brothers $1 billion each year (pictured 1999)

According to USA Today, Friends has continued to make Warner Brothers $1billion each year. 

And each year, each of the cast members receive a 2per cent syndication revenue of what the show makes. 

When the math is calculated, the six actors cash in a whopping $20million annually for doing absolutely nothing. 

Time to say goodbye: All 10 seasons of Friends arrived on Netflix on January 1, 2015, and after exactly five years, it's now time to say goodbye (pictured 1996)

Time to say goodbye: All 10 seasons of Friends arrived on Netflix on January 1, 2015, and after exactly five years, it’s now time to say goodbye (pictured 1996) 

Worth a celebration! The six actors cash in a whopping $20 million annually for doing absolutely nothing due to ongoing revenue (pictured 2001)

Worth a celebration! The six actors cash in a whopping $20 million annually for doing absolutely nothing due to ongoing revenue (pictured 2001)

Everyone can relax! Netflix shared the happy news with fans on December 3, 2018, revealing that they had acquired the show for one more year

Everyone can relax! Netflix shared the happy news with fans on December 3, 2018, revealing that they had acquired the show for one more year

It comes after it was up in the air whether or not Friends would be on Netflix in 2019. 

However, the service shared the happy news with fans on December 3, 2018, revealing that they had acquired the show for one more year. 

‘The Holiday Armadillo has granted your wish: “Friends” will still be there for you in the US throughout 2019,’ Netflix hilariously tweeted. 

But their behind-the-scenes negotiations with WarnerMedia most definitely came at a cost, with Netflix paying $100 million to air Friends for solely 2019. 

25 years on! The show began in 1994 (pictured) and ended in 2004 - recently celebrating its 25th anniversary

25 years on! The show began in 1994 (pictured) and ended in 2004 – recently celebrating its 25th anniversary

Big bucks! Netflix paed $100 million to air Friends for solely 2019 (pictured 1999)

Big bucks! Netflix paed $100 million to air Friends for solely 2019 (pictured 1999)

Stans! And it appeared worth the cash for Netflix, with the show topping the 'most binged list' in 2018 and reaching second place in 2019, according to TV Time (pictured 1996)

Stans! And it appeared worth the cash for Netflix, with the show topping the ‘most binged list’ in 2018 and reaching second place in 2019, according to TV Time (pictured 1996) 

Prior to the $100 million, the streaming service had paid $30 million – a $70 million increase in the past year.  

And it appeared worth the cash for Netflix, with the show topping the ‘most binged list’ in 2018 and reaching second place in 2019, according to TV Time. 

Friends came in at 2.36per cent beating out Grey’s Anatomy (2.07per cent) and 13 Reasons Why (1.69per cent). 

2019 saw them come in second place on 2.24per cent behind Netflix’s Lucifer on 2.45per cent and in front of Grey’s Anatomy (1.67per cent).  

And the series may not be the end for Friends fans, with Jennifer recently confirming the cast were working on something together. 

TOP 10 MOST BINGED TV SHOWS IN 2018  

  1. Friends: Netflix – 2.36% 
  2.  Grey’s Anatomy: ABC/Netflix/Hulu – 2.07% 
  3. 13 Reasons Why: Netflix – 1.69% 
  4. La Casa de Papel: Netflix – 1.69% 
  5. Riverdale: CW/Netflix – 1.68% 
  6. Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Fox/NBC/Hulu – 1.40% 
  7. The 100: CW/Netflix – 1.25% 
  8. Orange Is the New Black: Netflix – 1.19% 
  9. The Big Bang Theory: CBS – 1.16% 
  10. Pretty Little Liars: Freeform/Netflix – 1.06%

Data via TV Time 

TOP 10 MOST BINGED TV SHOWS IN 2019 

  1. Lucifer: Netflix – 2.45% 
  2. Friends: Netflix/NBC – 1.67%
  3. Grey’s Anatomy: ABC/Netflix/Hulu – 1.67%
  4. Brooklyn Nine-Nine: NBC/Hulu – 1.59%
  5. Stranger Things: Netflix – 1.51% 
  6. Game of Thrones: HBO – 1.40% 
  7. The Big Bang Theory: CBS – 1.28%
  8. Riverdale: CW/Netflix – 1.24% 
  9.  How I Met Your Mother: CBS/Hulu – 1.21% 
  10.  Money Heist: Netflix – 1.13%   

Data via TV Time 

 

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