Friends was a cultural phenomenon in the 90s and early 2000s, and remains one of the most popular shows for streaming. Although the last episode of the sitcom aired in 2004, the show’s stars got together for a Friends: The Reunion special — also referred to as “The One Where They Get Back Together” — in 2021.
The episode — which was initially aired on HBO Max in the US — wasn’t scripted, opting instead to allow the actors to discuss Friends’ legacy and cultural impact while re-enacting a few of the show’s more memorable scenes. Friends: The Reunion is now available to stream in several countries, though on different platforms.
The Friends reunion is also available via unlicensed streams. However, we don’t advise using these: the video quality is often very poor and there’s a strong chance that the stream will be taken offline for violating copyright.
All of the streaming services showing the Friends reunion are geo-restricted. This means that you’ll have to use a VPN to access them while traveling abroad.
How to stream Friends: The Reunion online from anywhere
VPNs improve your online privacy by encrypting your traffic and routing it through a server elsewhere in the world. This latter step also makes it look like you’re in a different country, allowing you to access geo-blocked services from anywhere.
Here’s how to watch the Friends reunion online from anywhere:
- Before we begin, you’ll have to decide which VPN to use. We recommend NordVPN, although Surfshark and ExpressVPN are two fast and reliable alternatives.
- Download the VPN app and install it on whichever device you’d like to watch on. Most VPNs allow you to secure up to five devices at the same time.
- Choose one of the official broadcasters from the list below.
- Log into the VPN, choose a server in the required country, and connect. You’d use an American server to watch on HBO Max, for instance, or a British VPN server to unblock Now TV.
- That’s all there is to it! You should now be able to use your usual streaming services while abroad. If not, clear your cookies and cache, then try again, or failing that, get in touch with your VPN’s support team for further assistance.
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How to watch Friends: The Reunion online on US TV
HBO Max spent over $400 million to secure the rights to the Friends reunion, so perhaps understandably, it’s still the only service showing it in the US. This will be the second time the platform has sought to capitalize on millennial nostalgia, following the well-received Fresh Prince of Bel Air special in November of 2020.
If your cable TV package already includes HBO, you may be able to sign into the Max website and watch at no added cost. That said, it’s also possible to stream the Friends reunion without cable by signing up for Max directly. Plans start at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year. Once signed up, you’ll also be able to access all 10 original seasons.
HBO Max is available in several countries but may not show Friends: The Reunion everywhere. As such, you might need a VPN to watch while traveling. NordVPN offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee and allows you to claim a full refund if it fails to meet your expectations.
Where else can I watch the Friends reunion online?
Streaming services know how popular Friends is, and furiously competed for the reunion episode’s international broadcast rights. This is good news for fans, since it means that the reunion is being shown in multiple countries. Here’s how to watch the Friends special episode where you are:
UK
Friends: The Reunion is available to Now subscribers via Sky Max. If you’re not already a subscriber, plans start from £6.99 a month for the first six months, after which the price increases to £9.99. Subscriptions include a seven-day free trial of Cinema and Boost.
Looking to watch the original show? Currently, Netflix UK has all 10 seasons. This service no longer offers a free trial, but with plans starting at £4.99 per month, it’s not too expensive.
The services above are all geo-blocked. In other words, you’ll have to be in the UK or using a British VPN server to watch Friends or Friends: The Reunion on them.
Canada
Streaming Friends: The Reunion is extremely simple if you’re in Canada as it’s available on Crave. If you’re not already a subscriber, plans start from $9.99 a month. This will additionally give you access to every episode of Friends.
Crave is only available in Canada. However, you can use it as normal, wherever you are in the world, by connecting to a Canadian VPN server.
Australia
Australian fans can stream Friends: The Reunion — as well as all 230+ episodes of the much-loved sitcom — on Binge. Subscriptions to the platform start at $10 a month and include a seven-day free trial for new customers. If you cancel your subscription before the trial ends you will not be charged anything.
Binge is geo-restricted and its website won’t load properly if you’re outside of Australia. Despite this, you can still watch from abroad by using a VPN with servers in Australia.
Streaming the Friends reunion online: FAQs
What's the Friends reunion episode about?
If you want a taster of the episode before diving in, HBO released a two-minute long trailer that gives you an idea of what’s in store. The main cast of the show is in place for a variety-style event. This includes a round-table discussion led by James Corden, a walk-around of some of the show’s most-iconic sets, and a performance of its most memorable scenes (with the pop quiz from The One With the Embryos confirmed).
Additionally, some of Friends’ recurring cast members make an appearance. These include Tom Selleck (Richard), Maggie Wheeler (Janice), and Reese Witherspoon (Jill Green). However, there are also plenty of celebrity fans in attendance, including:
- BTS
- Cara Delevingne
- Justin Bieber
- David Beckham
- Kit Harington
- Lady Gaga
- Mindy Kaling
- Cindy Crawford
Will there ever be another season of Friends?
Unfortunately for long-time fans, there’s no news on an outright Friends revival or 11th season. According to Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel, Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox are all on board, but the show’s male stars are less keen. Matt LeBlanc, for his part, has said that he believes the time has passed for a new season, and that “everyone’s imagination of what [the characters] are doing now is better”.
