Editing Friends (section)

=== Ratings ===
The table below shows the ratings of ''Friends'' in the United States, where it consistently ranked within the top ten of the final [[Television program#Seasons/series|television season]] ratings.<ref name="RatingsBySeason">Ratings for ''Friends'' by television seasons:
* Season 1: {{cite web
 |title=TV Season Rankings 1994–95
 |date=April 20, 1995
 |url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/apr/20/tv-season-rankings/
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903224557/http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/apr/20/tv-season-rankings/
 |archive-date=September 3, 2015
}}
* Season 2: {{cite web
 |title=How Twitter is Changing Television
 |url=https://prezi.com/jh1vkem_a0p9/how-twitter-is-changing-television/
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903224557/https://prezi.com/jh1vkem_a0p9/how-twitter-is-changing-television/
 |archive-date=September 3, 2015
}}
* Season 3: {{cite web
 |title=A Milestone Year
 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]]
 |date=May 23, 1997
 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-23-ca-61847-story.html
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630104546/http://articles.latimes.com/1997-05-23/entertainment/ca-61847_1_recent-years/2
 |archive-date=June 30, 2015
}}
* Season 4: {{cite magazine
 |title=What Ranked and What Tanked
 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]
 |url=https://www.ew.com/article/1998/05/29/what-ranked-and-what-tanked
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216222920/http://www.ew.com/article/1998/05/29/what-ranked-and-what-tanked
 |archive-date=February 16, 2015
}}
* Season 5: {{cite web
 |title=TV Winners & Losers
 |url=http://geocities.com/Hollywood/4616/ew0604.html
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029011819/http://geocities.com/Hollywood/4616/ew0604.html
 |archive-date=October 29, 2009
}}
* Season 6: {{cite news
 |title=Nielsen Ratings for 1999–2000
 |newspaper=Sfgate
 |date=May 26, 2000
 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/NIELSEN-RATINGS-FOR-1999-2000-2776698.php
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203214816/http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/NIELSEN-RATINGS-FOR-1999-2000-2776698.php
 |archive-date=February 3, 2014
}}
* Season 7: {{cite magazine
 |title=Friends Or Foes?
 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]
 |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2001/02/09/friends-or-foes
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903224557/http://www.ew.com/article/2001/02/09/friends-or-foes
 |archive-date=September 3, 2015
}}
* Season 8: {{cite web
 |title=How Did Your Favorite Show Rate?
 |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/2002/2002-05-28-year-end-chart.htm
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015225616/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/2002/2002-05-28-year-end-chart.htm
 |archive-date=October 15, 2015
}}
* Season 9: {{cite web
 |title=A Look at the Good Ol' Days of Broadcast Primetime TV: You Know, 2003
 |work=Broadcasting Cable
 |date=March 14, 2013
 |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/look-good-ol-days-broadcast-primetime-tv-you-know-2003/114241
 |url-status=live
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903224557/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/look-good-ol-days-broadcast-primetime-tv-you-know-2003/114241
 |archive-date=September 3, 2015
}}
* Season 10: {{cite web
 |title=Nielsen TV Index Ranking 2003–04
 |url=http://www.quigleypublishing.com/TandValmanac/TV_listing_08.html
 |url-status=usurped
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818042736/http://www.quigleypublishing.com/TandValmanac/TV_listing_08.html
 |archive-date=August 18, 2015
}}</ref> "Rank" refers to how well ''Friends'' rated compared to other television series that aired during primetime hours of the corresponding television season. It is shown in relation to the total number of series airing on the then-six major English-language networks in a given season. "Viewers" refers to the average number of viewers for all original episodes, broadcast during the television season in the series' regular timeslot. The "season premiere" is the date that the first episode of the season aired, and the "season finale" is the date that the final episode of the season aired. Following the [[September 11 attacks]], ratings increased 17% over the previous season.<ref name="plottwists" />

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Ratings table
|-
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2" | Season
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2" | Timeslot
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2" | Season premiere
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2" | Season finale
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2" | TV season
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2" | Rank
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2" | Viewers<br />(in millions)
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" colspan="2" | Most-watched episode
|-
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" | Title
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" | Viewers<br />(in millions)
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 1|1]]
| Thursday 8:30&nbsp;pm <br /> <small>(1–16)</small> <br /> Thursday 9:30&nbsp;pm <br /> <small>(17–24)</small>
| September 22, 1994
| May 18, 1995
| [[1994–95 United States network television schedule|1994–95]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 1994–95|8]]
| 24.3<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One Where Rachel Finds Out]]"
| 31.3<ref name="BuzzFeed">{{cite news |first=Ira |last=Madison III |title=You Won't Believe What America's Favorite "Friends" Episodes Are |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/iramadison/you-wont-believe-what-americas-favorite-friends-episodes-are |work=[[BuzzFeed]] |date=October 31, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620234026/http://www.buzzfeed.com/iramadison/you-wont-believe-what-americas-favorite-friends-episodes-are |archive-date=June 20, 2015 }}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 2|2]]
| rowspan="9"| Thursday 8:00&nbsp;pm
| September 21, 1995
| May 16, 1996
| [[1995–96 United States network television schedule|1995–96]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 1995–96|3]]
| 30<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One After the Superbowl]]"
| 52.9<ref name="BuzzFeed" />
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 3|3]]
| September 19, 1996
| May 15, 1997
| [[1996–97 United States network television schedule|1996–97]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 1996–97|4]]
| 24.9<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One Where Chandler Can't Remember Which Sister]]"
| 29.80<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tv.zap2it.com/news/ratings/networks/970106networks.html |title=Zap2it.com {{!}} TV {{!}} Shows {{!}} Features |website=Zap2it |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010622061032/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/ratings/networks/970106networks.html |archive-date=22 June 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 4|4]]
| September 25, 1997
| May 7, 1998
| [[1997–98 United States network television schedule|1997–98]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 1997–98|4]]
| 24.0<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One with Ross's Wedding]]"
| 31.61<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/41304257/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (May 4–10, 1998)|date=May 13, 1998|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 24, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=May 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514074234/https://www.newspapers.com/article/41304257/the-los-angeles-times/|url-status=live}}{{free access}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 5|5]]
| September 24, 1998
| May 20, 1999
| [[1998–99 United States network television schedule|1998–99]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 1998–99|2]]
| 23.5<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One After Ross Says Rachel]]"
| 31.12<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/41307174/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 21–27, 1998)|date=September 30, 1998|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 25, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=May 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514040007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/41307174/the-los-angeles-times/|url-status=live}}{{free access}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 6|6]]
| September 23, 1999
| May 18, 2000
| [[1999–2000 United States network television schedule|1999–2000]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 1999–2000|5]]
| 20.7<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One with the Proposal]]"
| 30.73<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/41303427/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (May 15–21, 2000)|date=May 24, 2000|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=May 6, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=May 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512174544/https://www.newspapers.com/article/41303427/the-los-angeles-times/|url-status=live}}{{free access}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 7|7]]
| October 12, 2000
| May 17, 2001
| [[2000–01 United States network television schedule|2000–01]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 2000–01|5]]
| 20.2<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding]]"
| 30.05<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/41488110/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (May 14–20, 2001)|date=May 23, 2001|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=May 10, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=May 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512174543/https://www.newspapers.com/article/41488110/the-los-angeles-times/|url-status=live}}{{free access}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 8|8]]
| September 27, 2001
| May 16, 2002
| [[2001–02 United States network television schedule|2001–02]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 2001–02|1]]
| 24.5<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One Where Rachel Has a Baby]]"
| 34.91<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/41463107/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (May 13–19, 2002)|date=May 22, 2002|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=May 16, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=May 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512190116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/41463107/the-los-angeles-times/|url-status=live}}{{free access}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 9|9]]
| September 26, 2002
| May 15, 2003
| [[2002–03 United States network television schedule|2002–03]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 2002–03|2]]
| 21.8<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The One Where No One Proposes]]"
| 34.01<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/41465735/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 23–29, 2002)|date=October 2, 2002|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=May 18, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=May 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512190132/https://www.newspapers.com/article/41465735/the-los-angeles-times/|url-status=live}}{{free access}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" | [[Friends season 10|10]]
| September 25, 2003
| May 6, 2004
| [[2003–04 United States network television schedule|2003–04]]
| [[Top-rated United States television programs of 2003–04|4]]
| 22.8<ref name="RatingsBySeason" />
| "[[The Last One (Friends)|The Last One]]"
| 52.46<ref name="finale ratings">{{cite web |work=[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC Medianet]] |date=May 11, 2004 |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=051104_04 |title=Weekly Program Rankings (May 3–9, 2004) |access-date=May 26, 2021| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110707093757/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=051104_04| archive-date= July 7, 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|}