On what date did Friends first premiere on NBC?

Friends first premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994.

The debut episode, “The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate,” introduced Rachel Green as she arrived at Central Perk after leaving her fiancé at the altar. The episode also established the existing friendships among Monica, Ross, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe.

NBC broadcast Friends as part of its Thursday-night comedy lineup. The series quickly became one of the network’s best-known programs and eventually developed an international audience. Its original run continued through 2004, ending after ten seasons.

The premiere date is sometimes confused with the finale date or with the date of the show’s first production announcements. September 22, 1994 refers specifically to the first U.S. network broadcast. Friends later became widely available through reruns, home video, and streaming platforms, but its original home was NBC.