On what date did the first episode of Friends air in the United States?

The first episode of Friends aired in the United States on September 22, 1994.

NBC premiered the sitcom with “The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate,” introducing Rachel Green’s arrival in New York and the existing friendship group of Monica Geller, Ross Geller, Chandler Bing, Joey Tribbiani, and Phoebe Buffay. The episode established the show’s main apartments, Central Perk, and its central relationships.

The date is sometimes confused with the year Friends ended, because the series finale also became a major television event. Friends ran from 1994 through 2004, making its premiere date the beginning of a decade-long broadcast run.

The pilot was originally presented under a working title, but the series was broadcast as Friends. Its opening episode immediately established the ensemble format that remained central to the sitcom.