'Friends' Producers Pact with Paramount

[Brian]

Like so many hermit crabs seeking out new shells, the executive producers and showrunners on NBC's "Friends" are about to go scurrying off across the television landscape looking for new deals. Writer-producers Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen are set to take up residence at Paramount Network Television.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Reich and Cohen have signed a seven-figure, multiyear deal to develop comedy projects at the studio.

As executive producers and co-showrunners on "Friends," Reich and Cohen picked up an Emmy when the show captured the 2002 Emmy for outstanding comedy series. The popular comedy will go off the air this May after 10 seasons. Barring some sort of absurd ratings shift, it will go out on top, as network television's highest rated laffer.


Reich and Cohen joined "Friends" as executive story editors in 1997, following stints on "Minor Adjustments" and "Mr. Rhodes." They became executive producers in December of 2001.