Entertainment

What Would Our 'Friends' Be Up To In 2015?

by Mary Grace Garis

Every day I long for the return of our dearest Friends, clinging to Netflix and re-living the better days. But the truth is, the era of Friends has passed, with 11 years having gone by since the Friends series finale. If we had the chance to visit these pals again, the once spunky 20-somethings would be firmly in middle age, and, like New York itself, things would be WAY different. How different? Well, let's peer into my crystal ball and see what the gang would be up to today.

Of course, I'm no expert in television future predicting (OK, I kind of am), and we've certainly gotten glimpses of Friends reunions in the past, but figuring out what the gang would really be up to these days requires a dedicated trip into the imagination. Would Monica be relishing the joys of motherhood? Did Joey end up making it in L.A.? And, hey, Ross and Rachel... how is that OTP thing working out? Inject a heavy dose of realism, and you'll come to the conclusion that, even if it's not anyone's day, week, month, or even their year, the Friends gang will still be there for each other.

Here's what the gang is (probably) up to today:

Monica & Chandler

Those crazy kids are still going strong, and the twins will be entering fifth grade next year. Career-wise, Chandler is commuting from Westchester, doing online advertorial work for a big time publication, but his real passion is his personal blog, "Could I BE Anymore Chandler?" His Twitter description reads, "I make jokes when I'm uncomfortable." He has 30,000 Twitter followers, but still occasionally refers to YouTube as "the YouTube."

Monica is enjoying being a stay-at-home mom after giving up a sous chef position a few years ago, and she's channelled all her cooking prowess into her home life. As the kids get older, she's looking into some new jobs — she's considering opening her own spot, a restaurant that specializes in Thanksgiving dinners. She's going to pull a Monica and make it a real success.

Phoebe

Phoebe and Mike decided to go the childless route in order to leave their lives free for adventure. Sure enough, they're leading a quasi-bohemian existence, setting up shop in a falafel food truck. It's not the first vehicle Phoebe's lived in, but it's definitely the nicest, and they made a killing near McCarren Park in Brooklyn the other day. She's able to survive mainly from the royalties she received after a fierce battle for the copyright to "Smelly Cat." It's been an unexpected viral hit.

Joey

Chandler's the only one who still talks to him twice a day, but, as far as the rest of the gang knows, he's still out in L.A. After one too many failed auditions, Chandler texted Joey and insisted that he should follow his heart and focus on what he's really good at. That's how Joey ended up becoming a YouTube sensation, famous enough to start interviewing (more successful) actors on the red carpet, but not quite famous enough to join Taylor Swift's Squad of Famous Friends. At least, not yet.

Ross

Ross is getting divorced, because that's what Ross does. Sorry, kids, I know we all wanted he and Rachel to make it, but a key part of their love story is breaking up only to get back together. On the bright side, he's enjoying tenure at NYU, which is basically all he brags about. Ben is currently a student there, with plans to The Parent Trap Ross and Rachel back together at his earliest convenience.

Rachel

Rachel is trying to do a Gilmore Girls thing with Emma after Ross moved out a few months back. It's... not entirely going well, because Emma is a 13-year-old monster (as all teens are), and still hasn't forgiven Rachel for not taking her to Ariana Grande last month. The divorce issue is secondary to all of this.

Rachel's doing pretty well, though. She has a great job in the fashion industry — she's a buyer for Kate Spade corporate — and sees Mon and Chand all the time. For old times sakes, they occasionally meet up at a mid-town Starbucks, since Central Perk closed seven years ago.

Gunther still texts Rachel at three in the morning, and she and Ross still meet for "platonic" coffee every month, unaware of Ben's plans to get these crazy kids back together.

That'll about do it. At least until 2016, Friends fans...

Images: NBC & Getty Images (6); Giphy (6)