The first episode of the sitcom Friends is titled “Pilot.”
NBC broadcast the episode on September 22, 1994, introducing Monica Geller, Ross Geller, Chandler Bing, Joey Tribbiani, Phoebe Buffay and Rachel Green. Rachel arrives at Central Perk wearing a wedding dress after leaving her fiancé, Barry Farber.
Although commonly called “The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate,” that phrase is an informal fan-style description rather than the episode’s official title. The production title and the title used in episode listings are “Pilot.” The episode establishes the Manhattan setting, Monica’s apartment, Central Perk and the central friendships.
The episode was written by series creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, with James Burrows as director. Its success launched a ten-season run and made the six-person ensemble one of television’s best-known casts.