Friends wasn’t all original — it was a copy of this earlier sitcom

Friends is one of the most popular shows in TV history. It gave us six good-looking 20-somethings living in oversized New York apartments and drinking god-knows-how-many cups of coffee.

These friends were figuring out life and everything in between. And we were witnesses through it all. The hangout scenes made us want such moments in our lives, too. Viewers in their 20s wished to have a friend circle like this. The show made us want what we saw on our screens.

But we cannot ignore the fact that it also offered a sanitized version of New York City, especially in terms of racial and cultural diversity.

Friends wasn’t exactly the first of its kind. Living Single came a year before, created by Yvette Lee Bowser, it starred Queen Latifah. This show followed six Black friends living in Brooklyn, juggling their careers and relationships. Sounds familiar? It should.

The similarities between the two shows aren’t just a coincidence. They’ve sparked years of conversation.

Let’s get into that a bit more.

Friends wasn't all original

Fox's Living Single was a slice-of-life story rooted in Black experiences, culture, and ambition. It followed six 20-somethings living in Brooklyn, just like the NBC show would do a year later in Manhattan.

Except this time, there was melanin involved. As Kim Coles, who played the role of Synclaire, once told Entertainment Tonight:

“The big difference is the melanin.”

Living Single gave us fully fleshed-out individuals. Their stories touched on relationships, culture, race, and the everyday grind without leaning on stereotypes. That’s rare even today, let alone in the ‘90s.

According to Entertainment Tonight, Queen Latifah had said:

“People and kids and young women can look at that show and feel proud. They could feel comfortable with themselves, because here’s some people they probably look up to in a way. And they look normal. Everyone is not designed to be (hourglass gesture) this, so don't put them in a mold and feel like you have to be.”

Even the creator had told Ebony Magazine during that time:

“People say our characters remind them of themselves, their friends or their relatives. They all know someone like one of the characters."

NBC execs reportedly took note of Living Single's success on Fox and thought of doing something similar. Hence, it had the same structure and the same number of characters, along with similar living arrangements. Just with a glossy Central Perk sheen.

It got global fame. But Living Single, despite being one of Fox’s top 5 shows at the time, never got the same spotlight. It gave importance to representation at a time when the industry was barely acknowledging it. It gave Black audiences something that felt relatable. Something that stayed rooted in the truth.

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