Viewers ‘can’t stop laughing’ after rediscovering the UK’s equivalent of Friends
Some claim it's funnier than the US sitcom.
After tiring of binge-watching endless repeats of Friends, viewers have been seeking another comedy with the same sparkle as the classic US sitcom.
Fortunately, they have found a worthy contender in the form of a 00s BBC comedy programme, with some fans even making the bold claim it’s ‘funnier’ than its US counterpart.
After Reddit user Normalcanwait asked for the UK equivalent of Friends, seeking another show about the trials and triumphs of a group of city-dwelling pals, there was one clear answer.
And that is Coupling, which was written by Doctor Who and Sherlock legend Steven Moffat, 63.
Like Friends, the hit show followed a group of mates, Sally (Kate Isitt), Susan (Sarah Alexander), Jane (Gina Bellman), Jeff (Richard Coyle), Steve (Jack Davenport) and Patrick (Ben Miles), as they navigated work, life and love.
Coupling ran for four seasons between 2000 and 2004, during which time it became a critical smash – and was even named as the Best TV Comedy at the 2003 British Comedy Awards.
Coupling followed the lives of six friends in their 30s (Picture: BBC)On Reddit, users were saying they couldn’t ‘stop laughing’ after watching Coupling, which can be purchased to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Among them was Mike999b, who said: ‘Coupling is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen. Definitely due a rewatch!’
Echoing their sentiment, Overladenlederhosen commented: ‘Coupling was excellent, vastly superior to Friends. The monologues were a thing of beauty, and after all these years I still can’t see the cast in anything else without expecting them to be those characters.’
Meanwhile, HermitBee said Coupling was the ‘closest’ UK show but admitted the ‘tone was not quite the same’, while others argued it packed more of a comedic punch.
8Ace8Ace said: ‘Coupling was a million times funnier than Friends.’
Written by Moffatt, Coupling aired in the early 00s (Picture: BBC)Agreeing, Thirdtwin added: ‘Coupling is better than Friends.’
Other UK shows likened to Friends included Spaced, This Life and Cold Feet.
Last year, Cold Feet star James Nesbitt teased the British comedy-drama could return during an interview ITV show Lorraine.
The actor, who played Adam Williams in the show, revealed: ‘I’d love to do that.
‘It was such a big part of my life, it opened so many doors for me, people still talk to me about it on a daily basis.
James previously said he would be keen for a Cold Feet reboot (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)‘It’d be good to do more of it because I think people are still interested in what the characters are doing.’
Following the lives of three couples, Cold Feet also starred Helen Baxendale, John Thomson, Fay Ripley, Hermione Norris, and Robert Bathurst.
The original series aired from November 1998 but ended in 2003 after 32 episodes and five seasons.
A revival returned in 2016 but ended after four seasons in 2020. It starred all the original cast members, except for Helen’s character Rachel, who was killed off in a car accident.
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