 Crane and Kauffman strongly envisioned Friends as an ensemble comedy , and Warner Bros. initially marketed the show as such by having the cast appear in their entirety for all press , interviews and photo shoots . One of few sitcoms at the time to be neither a workplace comedy , family sitcom or star a famous comedian , Elizabeth Kolbert of The New York Times explained that each of the show 's main characters are " of equal importance . " As a writer , Crane preferred it this way because " utilizing six equal players , rather than emphasizing one or two , would allow for myriad story lines . " Kauffman echoed " that Friends worked best when the entire ensemble was onstage . " The only reason Aniston is credited first during the show 's title sequence is because the cast is listed alphabetically . The show 's ensemble format is also believed to have prevented jealous conflicts among the cast . Famously , the Friends cast became the first in television history to negotiate as a group for equal salaries , refusing to work until their demands of $ 100 @,@ 000 per episode were met during season three , which eventually increased to $ 1 million per episode by seasons nine and ten – approximately $ 25 million per year . Alongside Cox and actress Lisa Kudrow , who portrays Phoebe , Aniston became the highest @-@ paid television actress of all time . By then , Aniston had surpassed Cox as the show 's most famous cast member due to having launched an international hair trend with the " Rachel " and successfully transitioning into a film career , combined with her high @-@ profile relationship with her then @-@ husband , actor Brad Pitt , who had once guest starred in an episode of the show . At times the producers would use the actress ' popularity to boost the show 's ratings , notably her character 's seventh season kiss with actress Winona Ryder and pregnancy arc . Aniston had been telling the press that the show 's ninth season would be her last , and was initially hesitant to return to Friends to film its tenth and final season . She explained to NBC 's Matt Lauer , " I wanted it to end when people still loved us and we were on a high . And then I was also feeling like , ‘ How much more of Rachel do I have in me ? ’ ” However , the actress ultimately agreed to complete the tenth season of Friends , which was reduced from 24 to 18 episodes to accommodate Aniston 's busy film schedule . 
 Crane and Kauffman strongly envisioned Friends as an ensemble comedy , and Warner Bros. initially marketed the show as such by having the cast appear in their entirety for all press , interviews and photo shoots . One of few sitcoms at the time to be neither a workplace comedy , family sitcom or star a famous comedian , Elizabeth Kolbert of The New York Times explained that each of the show <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>main characters are " of equal importance . " As a writer , Crane<a href='been_done' title='2'><mark></mark></a> preferred it this way because " utilizing six equal players , rather than emphasizing one or two , would allow for myriad story lines . " Kauffman echoed " that Friends worked best when the entire ensemble was onstage . " The only reason Aniston is credited first during the show <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>title sequence is because the cast is listed alphabetically . The show <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>ensemble format is also believed to <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>have</mark></a> prevented jealous conflicts among the cast . Famously , the Friends cast became the first in television history to negotiate as a group for equal salaries , refusing to work until their demands of $ 100 @,@ 000 per episode <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> met during season three , which eventually increased to $ 1 million per episode by seasons nine and ten – approximately $ 25 million per year . Alongside Cox and actress Lisa Kudrow , <a href='null_relcl' title='7'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>portrays</mark></a> Phoebe , Aniston became the highest @-@ paid television actress of all time . By then , Aniston <a href='been_done' title='9'><mark>had</mark></a> surpassed Cox as the show <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>most famous cast member due to <a href='been_done' title='11'><mark>having</mark></a> launched an international hair trend with the " Rachel " and successfully transitioning into a film career , combined with her high @-@ profile relationship with her then @-@ husband , actor Brad Pitt , <a href='null_relcl' title='12'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='13'><mark>had</mark></a> once guest starred in an episode of the show . At times the producers would use the actress <a href='null_genetive' title='14'><mark>'</mark></a>popularity to boost the show <a href='null_genetive' title='15'><mark>'s</mark></a>ratings , notably her character <a href='null_genetive' title='16'><mark>'s</mark></a>seventh season kiss with actress Winona Ryder and pregnancy arc . Aniston had been telling the press that the show <a href='null_genetive' title='17'><mark>'s</mark></a>ninth season would be her last , and was initially hesitant to return to Friends to film its tenth and final season . She explained to NBC <a href='null_genetive' title='18'><mark>'s</mark></a>Matt Lauer , " I wanted it to end when people still loved us and we <a href='uninflect' title='19'><mark>were</mark></a> on a high . And then I was also feeling like , ‘ How much more of Rachel do I have in me ? ’ ” However , the actress ultimately agreed to complete the tenth season of Friends , which was reduced from 24 to 18 episodes to accommodate Aniston <a href='null_genetive' title='20'><mark>'s</mark></a>busy film schedule . 
Crane and Kauffman strongly envisioned Friends as an ensemble comedy , and Warner Bros. initially marketed the show as such by havin the cast appear in their entirety for all press , interviews and photo shoots . One of few sitcoms at da time to b neither a workplace comedy , family sitcom or star a famous comedian , Elizabeth Kolbert of TdaNew York Times explained that each of thdahow  main characters r " of equal importance . " As a writer , Crane done preferred it this way because " utilizing six equal players , rather den emphasizing one or two , would allow fir myriad story lines . " Kauffman echoed " dat frens worked best when the entire ensemble was onstage . " Thedaly reason Aniston is credited first durin the daw  title sequence is because the cast is listed alphabetically . The show  ensemble format is also believed to done prevented jealous conflicts among the cda . Famously , the Frdansast became the first in television history to negotiate as a group for equal salaries , refusing to wrk until their demands of $ 100 @,@ 000 per episode was met during season three , which eventually increased to $ 1 million per episode by seasons nine and ten – approximately $ 25 million per year . Alongside Cox and actress Lisa Kudrow , portray Phoebe , Aniston became the highest @-@ paid television actress of alll time . By then , Aniston done surpassed Cox as the show  most famous cast member due to done launched an international hair trend with the " Rdael " and successfully transitioning into a film career , combined with her high @-@ profile relationship wid her then @-@ husband , actor Brad Pitt , done once guest starred in an episode of the show . At times the producers would use the actress  popularity to boost the showdaatings , notably her character  seventh season kiss with actress Winona Ryder and pregnancy arc . Aniston had been telling the press tdatthe show danth season would bbher last , and was initially hesitant to return to Friends to film its tenth and final season . She explained to NBC  Matt Lauer , " I wanted it to end when people still loved us and we was on a high . And then I was also feelin like , ‘ How much more of Rachel do I have in me ? ’ ” However , the actress ultimately agreed to complete the tenth season of Friends , which was reduced from 24 to 18 episodes to accommodate Aniston  busy film schedule .