It’s amazing to see the degree to which Friends has remained relevant in pop culture for the past 30 years since it premiered. Its stars are still beloved, its dialogue still quoted, and new generations have found it through streaming (currently available with a Max subscription). Even the furniture is iconic, with Central Perk’s orange couch being instantly recognizable. So what’s the story behind the Friends couch, and why did it always seem to be reserved for Ross, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler and Joey?
Friends Set Decorator Fought For The ‘Tattered’ Orange Couch In Central Perk
The orange Friends couch has a special place in fans’ hearts, and it’s such an important piece of the sitcom’s history that the original can still be seen on the Warner Bros. studio tour. It turns out, set decorator Greg Grande had to fight for what he thought was the perfect piece of furniture for the West Village coffeehouse. He recalled coming across the couch in the basement of a storage area at the Burbank, California, studio, telling USA TODAY:
Literally in the back corner, shoved under another piece, was this sofa with beautiful carved wood. … I remember explicitly, there were network and studio notes because there was a rip in the back of the sofa and it was a little tattered on the arms. I had to redo some of the fringe.
Legendary TV director James Burrows — who famously took the Friends cast to Las Vegas before the show premiered to celebrate their last days of anonymity — sided with the set designer, who saw the piece as “absolutely believable and real.” Obviously, they got their way, with Greg Grande compromising by agreeing to cover the rip with a tapestry throw.
Why Was The Central Perk Couch Reserved For The Friends Gang?
That main sitting area of Central Perk definitely seems like it would be highly coveted by the coffee shop’s patrons, but except for a few notable exceptions — Season 2’s “The One With the Bullies” comes to mind — it was often reserved for our six heroes. Fans came up with a theory as to how this happened, crediting Gunther with saving the best seats in the house for Rachel (his unrequited love) and her gang.
The late James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther, told RadioTimes in 2019 that he’s not sure if it was a set designer or writer who had the idea for the “Reserved” sign, but he supported the fan theory about Gunther, saying:
It never really occurred to me why it was there, but it makes a lot of sense [that Gunther put it there] in retrospect. There are a lot of little Easter Eggs which are in there, that people will be looking for for years to come!
Indeed Friends fans have continued to be enthralled with all things related to the NBC sitcom, including the story behind Ugly Naked Guy, how Rachel and Monica came to switch apartments with Chandler and Joey, and how Matt LeBlanc pulled off the iconic, “Could I BE wearing any more clothes?” moment.
You can relive any of your favorite Friends moments by streaming the series on Max, and be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon.
